Breastfeeding myths overheard in hospital

[hunkermunker]

Woman in the bed next to me was bottlefeeding because she "couldn't be arsed to breastfeed, and they're more settled on a bottle, innit". Er, yours wasn't, love - he cried, you snored through it. And as for the method of getting your newborn baby to take a bottle that your partner had discovered... Heard her telling her mum and dad as if it was hilarious that her DP had said "Finish the fucking bottle, then" and he'd drunk it

Woman in bed opposite me was told to "put the baby to the breast and leave him there as long as it took. It might be two hours. Just let him suck". Well, OK, but might've been nice to actually show her what to do, as she had no idea. Baby had a bottle in his mouth the next morning

Woman who was in the bed after woman opposite left said, "My milk isn't in yet, so I've been giving him bottles until it is". Instead of being told, "Just let him feed, you have colostrum, which is all he needs, your milk will be in soon, I'll help you if you need it" she was asked which formula she wanted

And today I've been told to only offer one breast at each feed and since I had DS2, they've asked me how often he's feeding - am I trying to get him to go three-hourly? Er, no, he's had low blood sugar. Nobody has mentioned feeding on demand to establish supply.

Am and and

I would say I got pretty good support but the most helpful advice I got was on the third night. The mw said that this would be a difficult night, the baby would probably want to feed for most of the night but my milk wasn't in yet. DS and I did skin to skin and we just cuddled and fed for most of the night. Had I not been told what to expect, I dread to think what sort of a night we might have had. It only took the mw a matter of seconds to give me this advice.

17wks today and still exclusive bf

Hi there. I can't believe how fast time is flying - 26.5 weeks now. Haven't been on here in ages so here are some responses to questions posted a while ago...

Moondog - I think the midwife assumed that I shouldn't b/feed as the drugs for my epilepsy would transfer through my breast milk to the baby, which it does to a small degree but the neurologist said that it would be perfectly ok as it is a small amount and the baby will have been swimming in it for nine months and so will be used to it. Also the drugs I'm on don't cause any problems from a withdrawral point of view.

1970Jane - thanks for the advice. It all helps. Glad to hear that some of your experience at the JR was positive.

RedZuleika - 'incompetant placenta' is something I made up (some plagiarism going on there ), basically my placenta doesn't bring in nutrients and take out waste as well as it should do which can mean that the baby doesn't grow as well as he should. I think it is something to do with the blood flow.

On another note, I've read lots of peoples comments about cracked, sore, bleeding nipples etc due to b/feeding - can nipple guards help with that? If so I think I might have to stash some in my hospital bag - which at this rate is going to be huge!

TheIncubator - cracked, sore and bleeding nipples are generally caused by bad latch. Bad latch can be avoided by a) knowing what you're doing and b) having a good bfc around. Nipple shields do help prevent bad latch, but a) the baby can become dependant on them and b) they can cause supply problems.

Some NCT branches, hospitals and even private individuals, offer breastfeeding courses which can be very informative. I attended one at our local hospital, with DS2 as a demonstrator, and found myself learning lots even in the brief time I attended. And I had successfully bf two babies by then!

NQC - Thanks for the info. It all comes in useful. March is antenatal class overload - we've got NCT classes most weekends and we're also going to the classes held at our docs surgery every Tuesday evening so hopefully that should give me some idea of what to do!

I used nipple shields in the beginning to get over my flat nipples. As my nipples were drawn out, I gradually stopped using them - the fractious evening feed was the last to go. I didn't have any problems with them, but have read that they can reduce your supply by up to 40%.

TheIncubator: how do they know the placenta isn't working optimally? (Out of curiosity.) I had to take anticoagulants throughout my pregnancy - was this not suggested to you? (Or would that not work with your other medication?)

RedZuleika - I believe its to do with the quantity of blood that flows through the placenta. It seems that the blood isn't flowing as much as it should do - they can measure this on the ultrasound scan. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with thicker blood or just a 'bad' placenta. They definitely gave me the impression that there was nothing that could be done about it and didn't mention any anticoagulants.

I wanted to breastfeed D1 but didn't get any support. I had loads of visitors immediatley after the birth and was too embarrased to try and feed her then. The midwives just brought me asked me if I wanted to breastfeed her and I said I wasn't sure if I could instead of showing me how they gave her a 'cup feed' then another said she was a 'sucky' baby and suggested I gave her a dummy, I knew this would make it harder to breastfeed but by then I had lost all confidence. I suppose I thought someone would have spoke to me before and after she was born and say if you are wanting to try and breastfeed I can help you but no-one seemed all that bothered. I was too nervous to approach them for help. I put her on bottles. Later at I wanted to try again but I had nine different midwives over ten days and just kept getting conflicting advice and I was getting sore and tired. My mum (who bottlefed 5 children) said 'if you give her a bottle I can help you but if you breastfeed your on your own' I gave up and bottlefed her.
I feel like I sold my soul by not following my heart there are times when I cry for hours with regret and guilt for giving up. Now I am pregnant again and I am breastfeeding this one and if anyone has a problem with it they can kiss my a**se. But I can never ever make it up to my daughter and I will regret it till the day I die.

I am so sad for you, princessemma......one good thing that came out of it all is that you have learnt a lot about what is important to you and you will be a stronger woman and mother in all sorts of ways.

Have you thought about writing to the maternity unit and the primary care trust and saying how confusing and unhelpful it all was for you?

gosh - what horrible stories on this thread - Princess - good for you ! You did the best you could for you first child. There are some ignorant old fools out there (including some parents). Well done for ignoring them now !

princess, you were badly let down. But your new-found kiss my @rse attitude is great, go for it!

Poppiesinaline, Your experience sounds exactly like mine! What is it with night shift midwives?

I think it's appalling. Before you give birth everyone is on your back to breastfeed. Different story afterwards. I received good support from a MW shortly after giving birth as to how to breastfeed and was going fine the 1st day. That night DS cried all the time - hardly surprising after a long labour and emergency caesarian. The night duty MWs were convinced he was hungry though - even though I had been feeding him and told me that often breast milk is not enough. They had bottles in the kitchen and could get one now. I was at a low ebb after no sleep for 3 days but refused and spent much of that 1st night walking up and down with him - not nice after a caesarian. I discharged myself the next day once DS was cleared. He was a little baby - 6 3/4 lbs and a visiting midwife again told me that BF was prob not enough and I'd have to bottle feed as well - I didn't and he rapidly gained weight. I also had bad time with cracked and bleeding nipples and received v little support or help there until after 6 weeks of painful feeding I contacted a Sure Start midwife and cried down the phone at her.