interferring mother-in-law

[NAR4]

I am pregnant with my fourth child, who I intend to breast feed. I breast fed all my others very successfully and had the full support of my family. Since the article on the news about formula milk being better for your baby and you shouldn't wait until 6 months to introduce solids, my mother-in-law has done nothing but go on endlessly that I should bottle feed this one. She has even managed to put doubt in my husbands mind that breast feeding is best and he has always been very pro. breast feeding. Ultimately I feel it is my baby and my decision and she should butt out, but she is still sending text messages to my husband trying to get him to persuade me to change my mind. I am finding this very stressfull and have asked her to stop. She replys that it is entirely my decision, BUT......... Any advice for getting her to shut up and mind her own business would be appreciated.

Tell her to read some of the responses on it and she may realise what a crock of shit it was!

She has completely misunderstood the article. Can you find some articles in response and send them to her. Of course BF is best if it suits you.

That article didn't even vaguely say that bottle-feeding was best - it was just about whether solids should be introduce before six months. (And it was a crock of shit, besides, as Cosmosis says.)

I would work on getting your DH onboard, and ignore your MIL.

Thanks for the replys. I know it was a load of rubbish. I think finding some of the responses to the report and leaving some literature about breast feeding around is a good idea. Next time she mentions it I can say "Well your entitled to your own opinion, BUT.... " ans shove some literature in her hand. Should shut her up for a while if only whilst she reads it. Thought I might drag my husband along to our local breast feeding group whilst he is on paternity leave, just to re-enforce his original beliefs again.

Thankyou everyone, feeling more positive again already.

Definitely agree you need to get DH onside first as the last thing you want is pressure from him! And hopefully once he's back on board he can have a word with his mum :)

The study didn't say formula was better than breast milk. It said that we should consider weaning earlier than six months which is the current WHO guideline. Lots of people ( my DM included) saw the misleading headlines in the newspapers and assumed that it meant that breastfeeding as a whole was bad for the baby. WHO advice to breastfeed has not changed. Inform her of the facts once, state that you intend to continue to bf and don't entertain any further debate.