Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

channel 4 breastfeeding programme

816 replies

lazycow · 23/01/2006 14:20

Just thought people might be interested if you don't already know.

Channel 4 on Weds 1 Feb. A programme called Extraordinary Breastfeeding is on. The write up in the magazine I'm looking at says:

"You'll be texting your friends about this as soon as it starts. It's about the phenomenon of mothers who breastfeed their kiddies well beyond the age considered 'normal' in this country. Seeing a feisty mum breastfeed her two-year-old twin isn't that disturbing, but the sequence of another lady suckling her 7 year old dughter isn't one we will forget in a hurry. "

I'm looking forward to seeing the tone it takes.

OP posts:
flutterbee · 31/01/2006 21:45

FGS you lot are unbearable

Squarer · 31/01/2006 21:50

wow - thanks Thats the best compliment I have had in ages.

JendleWendleBells · 01/02/2006 01:12

I think there's maybe a lot more extended BF'ing going on than we are aware of b/c after a certain point in time, you are just not doing it every 3-4 hours or on demand all day every day. BFing morphs into something different over time - morning and bedtime say. Also, it's less about nutrition and more about comfort and quiet time. We don't see it so we think it doesn't happen and therefore isn't normal.

It's nice when your toddler comes up and wants to be with you for a BFeed. But it's not so nice when they remove your clothes and refuse to be comforted via any other means. Discreetly feeding a babe in arms is one thing. But you can't be discreet about BF'ing a toddler in my experience. My DS (16 mts) is very gymnastic and engages in what I call "stunt nursing". He swaps frequently from one breast to the other, so my bra has to be completely undone and my whole chest exposed. He approaches from a variety or angles. He loves the skin to skin contact and touches my chest and stomach and blows raspberries on my boobs and my tummy. I find it adorable and at times hilarious - from the privacy of my own home. I wouldn't expect anyone to be comfortable witnessing that in public. I'm no longer comfortable BFing in public any more - especially in winter!

I think the men who object to babies being BFed in public obviously never got any as babies and still don't get any! Why would any normal red-blooded male object to seeing a breast?

Extended BFing is a really good topic for more debate - particularly on the point of doing it "for as long as mutually desired" and putting weaning in the context of other growing up and gaining independence milestones.

BTW EBM tastes weird! (So does formula). I wouldn't pay for it! But I would be happy to feed someone else's baby for them. No problem with that. How do we all feel about those issues? Would you drink EBM if you could buy it at Tesco's? Should we bring back the wet nurse?

nanneh · 01/02/2006 09:05

JWB - very interesting and amusing post Yes, know what you mean about gymnastics and winter, etc...

Luckily my 19 month old never asks for a feed when we are out (he is too busy to remember), but at home he seems to be at my boobs and stomach quite often esp. now because he is teething again.

Your point about mutually desired is very true.
No one can force a toddler to stop BF by the same token I would prefer that he tells me he wants to stop rather then me having to force him to stop At 19 months we both still really enjoy it so I don't see any reason to stop.

I wondered about "closet" breastfeeders too. The only people I know who are breastfeediung toddlers are in my LLL group. But I wonder if there are many out there here in the UK who just don't talk about it because they don't want the attention or stigma or whatever ? I certainly don't discuss it with those I know will dissaprove, so I guess I am in the semi-closet situation, hadn't really thought about it that way.

Not sure about EBM at Tesco's although I think they would look great stacked right next to the tins of formula

I wish I had known enough about expressing and donating to a bank when I had loads of it. I wouldn't personally sell though because I think it would devalue it's medicial purposes and I would feel like I was competing with Nestle for money.

I could see money as a powerful incentive for others though who have loads of milk and want to sell it, so why not ?

Talking of which did anyone see that photo of I think a Malaysian woman breastfeeding a newborn tiger The baby tiger was an orphan and the mother volunteered to breastfeed him at the zoo where he was being kept...baby tiger had no teeth at this stage so I reckon it was ok !!

JoolsToo · 01/02/2006 10:16

JWB - interesting post.

EBM at Tesco? No
Wet nurse? No

I didn't want to breastfeed but neither would I want my child having someone else's breastmilk, in whatever form. (I suppose if it was the difference between life and death I'd think again )

FairyMum · 01/02/2006 10:50

I bf my 17 month old in public and it's very discreet. If anything, more discreet than a baby because his head is so big now it covers my breast completely. I bf him on the way home from work/nursery on the tube because that's when I have a moment to sit down before I pick up my older children. I don't give a toss what the guy next to me thinks. I think it's funny that in the UK I see guys every day eyeing up the page 3 girls in the papers very publicly indeed, while some people can't tolerate seeing discreet bf in public.

Soooo...the programme is on tonight.

tiktok · 01/02/2006 10:53

That's interesting jools.....I can understand the reluctance to use a wet nurse in any but the direst circumstances, because of the physicality involved and the fact that another mother would be taking over that closeness you get when you hold your baby for feeding (however it's done).

But why would you not want someone else's EBM?

Genuine question, because in my ideal world donated EBM would be available in easy-storable and obtainable packages for any mother who decided she wanted it. But my ideal world isn't gonna happen if it's not a welcome product.

(I am assuming of course the donors of the EBM would be subject to hygiene and safety checks and processing systems would, too. )

nellie245 · 01/02/2006 10:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FairyMum · 01/02/2006 11:05

Tiktok, in Scandinavia it's normal to donate milk which is used in hospitals for premature babies. Is this not the case in the UK?

LucyJu · 01/02/2006 11:12

There are hospitals in the Uk which use donated breast milk for preemies. When I have time, I'll try to find the website. For whatever reason, they're not very well publicised.

tiktok · 01/02/2006 11:21

Several UK hospitals - I think there are about 25 in the Human Milk Bank association - have milk banks of donated EBM, used for pre-term or sick babies whose mothers are unable to express enough, or who do not want to express for some reason.

I was a donor, and I liked feeling that my 'excess' could help someone.

fastasleep · 01/02/2006 11:29

milkbanks

Their tests are far too stringent though in my opinion, they pasteurise the milk and even if it fails the over the top quality control before pasteurisation and is fine after, they still chuck it out... so although it was nice to donate milk it was depressing thinking that I was going to all the effort with extra handwashing, breastwashing, breastpump washing, using a seperate breastpump, special bottles, keeping them seperate in the freezer, having someone come once a week to pick it up... all to have it chucked anyway!!

It's like being a blood donor, same rules apply, only they're even more over the top (which I don't think they should be!) I now can't donate ever again because I've had lymphangitis (or a very severe mastitis infection)

EBM should be for sale in Tescos!

fastasleep · 01/02/2006 11:34

TBH honest with you I've hated pretty much every second of both my breastfeeding experiences, to those people who think that anyone and everyone can breastfeed if they try hard enough I have to say this isn't true... I tried for 3 months with absolutely no success with DS and expressed exclusively, which was like being imprisoned in my home chained to a breastpump for 9.5 months... then I decided I needed a life!

With DD I tried for a month, she latched one once for 5 minutes... I then kept trying but expressed more, she's now 4 months old, no latch but incredibly sore nipples from trying... I cut down my expressing slowly to 4 times a day so I can go out within limits and play with my older child, but I've had lymphangitis/horrible horrible mastitis with red lines running up my chest and breast, agonising pain, high fever and 2 lots of antibiotics, one of which I'm now allergic to which is making me vomit and have other lovely side effects... my hair is falling out! And it's still not gone away!

Breastfeeding is definately not fun, or even bearable sometimes!

nanneh · 01/02/2006 11:35

nellie - I loved it. Lucky animals to get human milk !

nanneh · 01/02/2006 11:37

fasasleep - sorry for the agony you are going through but really admire you for trying so hard

lellybel · 01/02/2006 11:39

Joolstoo - wasn't sure how I would feel about using somebody else's breast milk however, something I read somewhere in a breastfeeding book ( might have been NCT )which made me think was why give a baby cows breast milk when you can give it human breast milk by breast feeding ? Have to say this did put me off drinking milk myself for a while !!

fastasleep · 01/02/2006 11:40

Lol I'm just weird me! Proud to say that DD hasn't had a drop of formula yet I just wanted to grump about my breastfeeding for a second there... I think if I'd have been able to do it I would be one of the so called 'breastfeeding nazis' and I'd be wandering round tandem feeding a 3 year old and a 2 year old quite happily...

nanneh · 01/02/2006 11:41

My problem with another mother's EBM or a wet nurse is that it is still not as perfect as my own milk for my own baby.

But in a perfect world it should be VERY readily available, yes, because it is better than formula esp. for pre-term babies.

fastasleep · 01/02/2006 11:42

If all pregnant women could express a little colostrum at the end of their pregnancies... think of how many preemie babies that could help! It would be brill!

nanneh · 01/02/2006 11:51

fastasleep - I admire you because I had a relatively easy time: no latch for first 4 days so had distressed screaming baby and the reason my hair fell out is because I was pulliung it out in frustration ! Oh, also had a month of thrush, but those are the only horrid experiences baby and I had in 19 months.

You are a really inspirational case, fancy coming to my next LLL meeting ?

tiktok · 01/02/2006 12:06

aaargh!! fastasleep....please don't use the 'n' word with breastfeeding support, even as a joke .

I know you don't mean anything harmful, but previous discussions on mumsnet have shown that it just isn't acceptable. sorry.

fastasleep · 01/02/2006 12:07

Lol I would but I bet I live on the other side of the country!...

And I'll happily admit that I would be sat there green with envy! I'm still guilty about giving up expressing at 9 (don't forget the .5!) months last time, which is ridiculous really

I'm not that inspirational, just a nutter.

fastasleep · 01/02/2006 12:08

Sorry TikTok, I did mean it in the nicest possible way... seeing that I wished I was 'one'!

Of course I don't really think they're anything like Nazis, that's just sillyness..

RTKangaMummy · 01/02/2006 12:16

I haven't read the whole thread it is tooooooo long

But saw 2 women on GMTV this morning one who fed her children until 6 years and another who fed her 3 year old IIRC

IMHO 6 years is way too old and weird !!!!!!!!!

hunkermunker · 01/02/2006 13:15

So, it's on tonight then...

Swipe left for the next trending thread