seeing thru the breastmilk propaganda

[thegauntlet]

Phew. It is really hard to see any impartial raw advice about the benefits or problems of weaning/ mixed feeding after 6 months.

Gorgeous girl is 5 and a half months, having a couple of teaspoons of baby rice now ( eek!) I am finding breastfeeding increasingly hard; since I had a horrid strep throat last week, and haven't actually slept for more than 4 hours at a stretch since she was born... my milk supply is duff. I am pumping like mad to try to get it better- and trying to get some rest and good food ( sod the diet for the time being!) so... I am thinking ( just thinking.... ) about follow on milk...

I dont want to feel guilty. Because once she has it I cant take it back....

My mum suggested cows milk ( i know!)
Im back to work when she is 7 months.I was planning on pumping.

So.... whats the evidence for the benefits of breast over anything else past 6 months please? ( be impartial.... breastfeeding milliants!)

Breastfeeding militants?
This is my withering look >>

Don't forget the benefits for you of breastfeeding past 6 months that is lowering your risk of aquiring breast and ovarian cancer.

Why don't you do what you want and sod everyone else. Seems to me you are looking for confrontation by even posting about it.

I will ignore the fact the OP was probably intending to offend and post a reply anyway.

I exclusively BF until 6 months when I began to introduce solids. I went back to work when he was 8 months and the nursery gave him formula and I BF morning and night. I continued to BF in this way until he was 1 when nursery switched to cows milk. I BF until he was 2.

It never occurred to me to try to express enough milk to keep him going at nursery during the day for five days a week and I don't think I would have been able to.

Great to hear Georgimama. Did you just cut down daytime feeds gradually before you returned to work, to avoid engorgement issues?

Oh... ha, wow, what a response! well... the millitants thing... I have been really really shocked at how judgemental a small few people are about breastfeeding. ( thanks tho; to the person who said well done... we all need that sometimes right?)

And.... my sirname is Gauntlet.( married, not original...)

I wish I could remember as that would more helpful. Racking my brains I think no, I didn't but should have done. Pads and a quick squeeze in the loo when they got really rock hard for the first couple of days at work dealt with it I think. I found my supply adapted to DS's needs very quickly and there was very little leakage after three months.

sorry... actually... there were more than 2 words in the OP. So there.... and that wasn't even the question. But I guess it got some responses

Just because a few people have judged you OP doesn't make it right to mention breastfeeding militants.
Am also having a sense of humour bypass about this, esp given you were asking for advice.

Yes, and you got some helpful advice. In fact, there was a lot more helpful advice than there were comments on your unpleasant phrasing. But let's not address that, shall we?

From NCT Breastfeeding an older baby can be a wonderful experience.It can be a time to relax and enjoy quality time together. The longer you breastfeed, the greater the nutritional and health benefits.

For example, babies breastfed beyond six months have:

* less risk of eczema
* lower blood pressure as an adult
* lower risk of childhood leukemia
* less likelihood of being overweight
* less likelihood of developing childhood diabetes.

Some of the anti-infective factors in breastmilk increase as children grow older and take less milk ? perhaps to protect them as they interact more with their surroundings.

Breastfeeding your toddler contributes to meeting her needs for energy, protein and vitamins. If you breastfeed for a year or more your toddler can bypass formula altogether.

Mothers who breastfeed longer have:

* a lower risk of ovarian cancer
* a lower risk of developing Type II diabetes
* a lower risk of breast cancer ? on average, for every year spent breastfeeding, the risk of developing breast cancer drops by 4.3%.

But breastfeeding doesn?t just have health and nutritional benefits. For mothers who continue breastfeeding, it can feel so easy that it just becomes a normal response to a child who needs calming. Often a sick child will not take solid food, yet will continue to breastfeed, keeping fluid intake up and helping prevent weight loss. For a working woman, breastfeeding offers a way of reconnecting with her child after a day apart. It can be flexible, too. A toddler can wait for feeds, learning to respect the needs of others. Breastfeeding is often part of the bedtime routine, helping a child to fall asleep easily.

thanks... and sorry...

My DS2 is nearly 7 months and I have been at work for 3 weeks. I hate pumping and decided that the risks of formula were less as he was going to be having solids, including cows milk based food (like yoghurts and cheese) anyway.

I am:

Breastfeeding at 7am, nice and snuggly in bed
Breakfast at 8am - 1oz formula, cube fruit and 2 scoops of ready brek
Mid morning bottle formula ay 10.30am
Lunch at 12 noon - protein and veggies
Mid afternoon bottle at 2.30pm
Tea at 5pm - fruit and veggie purees
Breastfeed at 6.30pm - nice after work
Breastfeed then formula at 10pm. He has the formula as I want him to sleep all night.

This works for me - he gets the benefits of some breastmilk, he sleeps all night and I don't have the faff of pumping. On days when I am not at work I give also a little breastfeed after his lunch - on days when I am at work he has water with his lunch.

I use aptamil first milk - although initially at the 10pm feed I used hipp goodnight milk - once he was sleeping all night I didn't bother buying it again.

Not sure how long I'll continue BFing for, will see how it goes.

Yes I was being ironic.

OP, please define 'breastfeeding militant'.

Better still, describe what one looks like and what they do.

Do the have bottles with the word 'poison' tatooed on their breasts?

Do they fire paper aerplanes made out of bfing support leaflets to infiltrate popular family cafes and then run?

I don't geddit!

My experience has been that it does get a lot easier post 6mo, it's a good option to have to calm a tired/unwell child; ds is rarely ill despite having his big sister essentially rub snot into his face on a regular basis - whether this is to do with bf I've no idea, but I'm guessing the antibodies do help; I'm managing to lose weight still (!), and that I'll miss it when it stops. So don't beat yourself up over introducing some formula if you want, but be open to the option of continuing some bf, would be my suggestion.

And don't poke people with sticks if you want them to be nice to you!

mjin I totally agree.
I breastfed both my DSs for 2-3 years and often used to post on the breastfeeding threads, hopefully offering advice and support, until I got really fed up with the unpleasant comments and snide remarks like those made by the OP.
I hope that other posters have more patience.

Ach, she's said sorry.

How about this info?....

First feed Helps to stabilise baby?s blood sugars and
protect baby?s gut
A great opportunity for the first skin to skin
cuddle
1 day The antibodies in your colostrum provide
natural immunity from infection Helps womb to contract towards normal size
2-3 days Sticky black meconium is cleared more readily
from baby?s bowel
Instant relief for hot, swollen breasts when
your milk comes in
1 week Transition to world outside womb is eased
Frequent feeds means time to sit or lie down
and for you and your baby to get to know each
other
2 weeks Food and drink always ready at the right
temperature, adapting to baby?s needs
Hormones help you get back to sleep after
night feeds
4 weeks For premature babies lower risk factors for
heart disease in later life Saves time sterilising and making up bottles
6 weeks Half the risk of chest infections now and up to
seven years old
Breastfeeding likely to be easier and you can
go out and about without bottle feeding
equipment
2 months Lower risk of food allergy at three years old if
breastfed only Reduced risk of ovarian cancer in later life
3 months Five times less likely to get diarrhoea now and
a reduced risk for the whole year Fewer visits to GP as baby less often ill
4 months
Half the risk of ear infections;
Reduced risk of asthma now and protection
continues up to six years
Feeling of empowerment at having been solely
responsible for growing your baby to four
months
5 months Five times lower risk of urinary tract infections A lovely way to reconnect with your baby if you
go to work
6 months Lower risk of eczema now and up to six years
old Less risk of osteoporosis in the long term
1 year
Three times less risk of becoming obese by
age six and a lower risk of heart disease as an
adult
No need to buy formula milk at all, saving at
least £450 this year
2 years Likely to have higher than average scores on
intelligence tests
Expect fewer visits to orthodontist when your
baby is a teenager;
Risk of breast cancer reduced by eight per
cent

HTH

i found it really easy to bf whilst at working - morning, after work and dream feed last thing ...baby did of course have other food. i gave baby a feed at lunchtimes too, though that could have been expressed and given in a sucky cup.

you have got to near 6mo. no need for bottles, no need for formula (unless you choose to stop BF) - why spend £7-14 per tin for that stuff when it comes out of your boobs?

benefits - BF whilst introducing new food reduces risk of allergies
IQ gain peaks @ 9months for BF
the usual comfort/ convenience/ cost factors.
when/ if your baby is sick you can be sure you are giving them milk that will soothe their little tum.

and propaganda? please.

the gaunlet seriously with the wording of your post!! I ff both my children, I never used any kind of follow on milk, just the baby formula and moved to cows milk at 1 year.

To be fair there are a lot of other factors that are being quoted here with regards to breast cancer reduction, higher than average intelligence scores etc a lot of things come into play such as more m/c women breast feed, are more likely to have regular health checks, have a better diet these factors help reduce breast cancer. Also IQ/ intelligence factors, again lot of variables especially the mothers IQ, time spent assisting children with tasks, reading, homework etc.

Ok; you wanna know what one looks like?
Well...I cant define a 'millitant' but it is a word I use to explain the way some people have behaved towards me towards breastfeeding...

The lady I met at the surestart who gave unsolicited information on the negatives of formula to a girl she didn't know ( who had struggled for 4 weeks with 2 bouts of mastitis before stopping BF in sadness...)

The woman who said 'good' when I went to a breastfeeding support group and was really upset about DD not taking a bottle ( of my milk) ( she had no idea about my personal circumstances)

.... and the woman who I was friends with who came to my birthday when dd was 3 weeks old and offered to breastfeed her to fatten her up a little. I haven't actually been on this thread much before( and I dont think I will be welcome again) and so don't know anyone here at all.. I really didn't mean anything by it.

I am doing the peer support training, mainly because I have been really aware of the 'millitants'- people who tell you, who campaign at you; rather than listen to where you are at and try to help you to do this most beautiful priviledge.

I am quite amazed at how people have responded. I won't post again. But thanks for those who replied so helpfully.

kickarsequeen - great list, wish I'd had something like that in the early days. Quick question though, are all the lower risk of this and that specific to breastfeeding to that number of months? Or are they just general benefits picked out and listed at random on a timeline? I'm guessing you don't need to b/f to a year for your child to be 3 times less likely to be obese?