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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

'Extreme' breastfeeding? really?!

82 replies

midori1999 · 22/12/2011 11:12

I saw this article linked to on another site and wondered if it might include women Bf whilst sky diving or something... However, not much that is 'extreme' about it as far as I can see. Yes, it is the daily fail, yet agaib bashing BF women, or in fact, just women in general, but it has really annoyed me, especially the comments from the 'Bf counsellor'. Hmm

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2077270/Meet-EXTREME-breast-feeders-How-breast-best-mantra-obsession-women.html

OP posts:
pigletmania · 23/12/2011 10:03

Thanks organic i have never read her books, but just commented based on the article. I found MN afterwards, and it was too late with dd as she was 8 months old then. Over the past 5 years, I have learned a lot from the wonderful mums on here that I did not know before dd was born. DD has been dx with dev delays and AS traits, so I wonder whether that would have been a problem with her breastfeeding, as she did not want to suck and work for her food, even when we gave her a bottle, we had to put a hole in the teat, and gently tip it into her mouth so that the milk went straight in.

organiccarrotcake · 23/12/2011 10:13

:)

Certainly it might have been a problem, and a reason why a mum might end up with a lowered supply if a baby wasn't able to remove milk effectively. In this case an experienced and qualified breastfeeding counsellor may have been able to work out a strategy with you but you have to know where to look.

I really hope things work out how you want them next time :)

pigletmania · 23/12/2011 10:14

No bertie we don't every womans situation is different, and its difficult to know unless we know the woman properly.

pigletmania · 23/12/2011 10:15

so yes it is difficult to say really in the twin mothers case

pigletmania · 23/12/2011 10:19

thanks organic really I thought that it would be that easy, put baby on the breast and there you go, and did not do as much research being a first time mum.

organiccarrotcake · 23/12/2011 10:28

piglet I understand that completely :) I'm really glad you're here for next time :)

Original poster
midori1999 · 23/12/2011 10:29

Piglet, without MN I doubt I would have been able to BF this baby when I didn't manage to BF my first three. It was only because of MN that I realised I could have BF my first three but had crap information and support. It encouraged me to seek as much info as possible while pregnant and fully know what to expect when my baby was born.

I'm sad to say ( and maybe my problems this time have been not quite routine) but I have found NHS help and advice, even at the breast clinic and BF clinic, really lacking. That's not to say I haven't had or heard any good advice given, but I have found 'private' sources of help such as LLL, NCT counsellors much more knowledgable and helpful.

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BertieBotts · 23/12/2011 10:31

I think that CBC is excellent at making women not feel guilty. And that is a good thing. I just don't understand why she insists on sticking to this blatantly wrong advice Confused

TruthSweet · 23/12/2011 11:01

Personally I think she has leached through from a parallel universe where physiology is different. Kind of like Sliders but with a with a book deal Wink

pigletmania · 23/12/2011 11:12

Thanks everyone you have all been really helpful Smile, just wondering I do have the book Breastfeeding, how to Breastfeed your baby, and I am sure that it said that you can pump before you have the baby to get supply going, is that the case? Should I start expressing now!

BertieBotts · 23/12/2011 11:19

No, expressing before birth is generally not that helpful, because the hormone changes to bring about milk production won't have happened yet. You will most likely cause yourself a lot of stress and it might be uncomfortable. Situations where it is recommended are things like having a high risk of GD or premature birth where the baby may need to be supplemented, it can be handy to have some expressed colostrum to give them.

hohohEauRouge · 23/12/2011 11:22

Hmm, there's no need to express ante-natally unless you have special circumstances that might mean you are separated from your baby right after the birth (or if you are diabetic). It certainly isn't necessary for your supply.

The best thing you can do for your supply is to feed on demand and get plenty of skin-to-skin contact as soon as your baby is born and not worry about routines for a couple of months, if routines are your kind of thing. If you think something's amiss then don't hesitate to call LLL, NCT etc.

hohohEauRouge · 23/12/2011 11:23

Oops, X post with Bertie.

PoppyDoolally · 23/12/2011 17:04

Not quite extreme but I do like to use showrooms if shopping and 11 month DS needs milk.

Ikea bedroom section? Just sit on the bed, feet up, comfort!!

Homebase? Grab that sofa, latch him on and chill out!!

It's the best. Hmmmm.

organiccarrotcake · 23/12/2011 17:05

Love the vision of you sitting on the Ikea beds!!

Original poster
midori1999 · 23/12/2011 18:11

Haha at Ikea beds, Ikea really are very child/BF friendly!

I am currently feeding my 6 month old walking round sainburys, pushing the pram and Mumsnetting. Ok, I did stop pushing to MN. I am appropriately dressed too. Grin

I'm in awe of BF in the face of lions!

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NotSoSuperMa · 23/12/2011 19:17

(Umm, can I whisper that I had rubbish support from NHS bf counsellors and the NCT lady never returned my call, and I was going crazy with DS1 by 7 weeks, then I read CB-C's book and found really good ideas to improve his latch? Never looked back after that, DS2 is happily munching away right now...what bits of the book should I ignore? Blush )

tickleme63frenchhens · 23/12/2011 19:24

Aww the most adventurous I've got is a cafe :( Or the car. Gah! I need to woman up! Grin

hermionestranger · 23/12/2011 19:42

I bf Ds2 on the cable cars at Drayton manor! And walking up the steps at blue John cavern. That's about as exciting as it gets I think!

organiccarrotcake · 23/12/2011 21:28

notsosuperma I don't have her book so can't pull out some examples for you. I've read it, of course, but it was a few months ago. I would say that if her advice has worked for you then that is fantastic - I wouldn't take that away from her for a moment. IIRC it's a lot of the language that I object to which is a lot to do with "failure" and BFing "not working", together with some "advice" that can really cause problems including things like having to express a lot. There are just so many brilliant books written by people who have qualifications in BFing...

Shame the NCT didn't call you back but sometimes it's because something goes wrong like they lose your number, isn't clear on the answerphone, that sort of thing. They're all volunteers (apart from a very few hours they get paid a small amount for things in the NCT - not the other charities though) so it's worth giving them the benefit of the doubt and trying again.

But clearly you don't need to and that's brilliant :)

NotSoSuperMa · 23/12/2011 23:25

Ah organic I s'pose I was just picking & choosing the bits that I needed, rather than using it as my bf bible - phew!
Thanks for reassurance, and for NCT perspective Smile

organiccarrotcake · 24/12/2011 11:36

Picking and choosing, I feel, is the best way to go with all books but in your case it was extra good :)

Oh I thought of a couple more to add to the list:

When DS1 was born I went back to work when he was 3 weeks old (long story) so I BF in the office, on the phone to customers, in front of the other staff (all youngish blokes who had never, ever seen it before) and at business meetings. It ended up with one of the staff whose wife was pregnant asking me for BF information as she was keen to "give it a try" but knew no one who had done it. She ended up EBF for 6 months Grin.

I've also had to BF DS2 when doing a presentation to about 20 people when DS2 woke up 1/2 way through it. That was ok as the presentation was about donating milk!

Finallygotaroundtoit · 25/12/2011 10:47

In an A&E cubicle with 14 mo DT1, waiting for her split lip (don't ask!) to be stiched.

She was very upset cos I'd not been able to feed her until they decided a local aneathestic would be OK.

Blood and snot all over boob!

Doc came in , blushed and walked away!

Finallygotaroundtoit · 25/12/2011 10:49

Ps a friend in hospital with her bf 2 year old found the only medical staff that didn't view her as a weirdo Xmas Sad were of Asian/ Indian heritage

Original poster
midori1999 · 25/12/2011 16:09

Finally, hope she's better soon.

I thought you could BF right up to a GA? Is that wrong?

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