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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

I wonder why the change re breastfeeding

38 replies

cinders005 · 08/12/2012 14:59

I was breastfed as a baby by my working class mum. Obviously finance and convenience clearly came into this. I am one of 6 children.
However, these days rate seem higher amonst the middle classes.
AIBU to wonder why this is?

OP posts:

DeathMetalMum · 08/12/2012 17:51

Oops posted too early. I think its is more to do with what you have seen growing up. I bf dd and plan to bf next dc and certainly not middle class. My mum bf all five of her children. There is a big age gap between the oldest and youngest 20 years. She says the method of feeding that was pushed by HCP's each time was different. Presonally I dont think the cost of the method of feeding comes in to it at all.

fatlazymummy · 08/12/2012 18:01

My mother [from a working class background] breastfed most of us kids, though she said she felt pressurised into it. My w/c MIL breastfed her 1st and attempted to breast feed her 2nd. My [very] w/c sister breastfed at least 2 of her babies, and loved it. I also know quite a fewother w/c women who breastfed.
To address anoher point that has come up in the thread, when I had my 1st baby in 1988 breastfeeding was certainly encouraged. And that wasn't really a 'middleclass' area.

fatlazymummy · 08/12/2012 18:05

Oh yes, re the cost of formula, if you really don't want to breastfeed then you find the money for it. I found that child benefit covered it [amongst other things]

bradyismyfavouritewiseman · 08/12/2012 18:06

My Nan did not breastfeed any of her children. All born in the 1950s.

My mum didn't. I did breast fed dd but not ds.

All working class, so I don't get your point.

TheSecondComing · 08/12/2012 18:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FutTheShuckUp · 08/12/2012 18:08

The data still shows statistically breastfeeding rates are higher in the middle classes but via my job ive seen a lot more people of lower income backgrounds breastfeeding, so the message is trickling through.

HollyBerryBush · 08/12/2012 18:42

"ndComing - any need to be so abusive and personal?

I damned well know the lass, my age, my friend, we were pregnant at the same time, sat side-by-side at work on the same grade, went to the same clinic as me and got her milk for free. She had the same salary as me, and her live in partner earned twice what my DH earned.

So please, don't imply I'm a liar.

mrskeithrichards · 08/12/2012 18:47

And who defines class and by what indicators? Total shit. Slings are middle class?

Rudolphstolemycarrots · 08/12/2012 18:57

Maybe it was seen as the most economic/normal route in the 60's/70's? I remember we never ate ready meals as they were too expensive either.

I think the middle class make an educated choice to breast feed these days - but also it seems very normal.

TheSecondComing · 08/12/2012 18:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nancerama · 08/12/2012 19:35

My grandmother (very working class) had one baby in the 20's, one in the 30's and one in the 40's - my grandfather worked away a lot! She bf all of hers - I guess it was the only option for the first, and she stuck with what she knew for the other two.

My mother chose to bf in the 70's, probably encouraged by my grandmother to do so and was screened off from the other mums on the ward so "she didn't give them silly ideas". How things change.

StateofConfusion · 08/12/2012 19:58

Well I don't fit in anywhere, I'm young, unmarried (although dp is still around and ds, dd and dc3s dad) live on a shameless-esque estate, we are either on a very low income when dp works, but currently he's unable to due to knee and hip problems. Our ds was born when I was 18 dp 21, I bf him for 6mnths. Dd was born 16mnths later, I bf her for a year, I plan to bf dc3 aswell as I know the benefits for dc and me, also the huge amount of money it saves, and I enjoy bfing.

Healthy start vouchers can be used for fruit/veg/milk/formular. However its not enough for a full FF child to be free, £3.20 pwk for a child under 4 or pregnant lady.

I don't understand why bfing rates are so low, where I live its mainly seen as gross or weird, and many are all to eager to get someone to babysit, however I know perfectly inteligent doting mums who don't bf, so its just personal choice isn't it, how much support and what's the norm for you. I was bfed, I then grew up watching my cousins being bfed, and my brother and sister were bfed (they were born when I was 17 and 20) so that's possibly why I gave it a go.

SirBoobAlot · 08/12/2012 20:11

Agree with what was said about page 3 etc. Breasts are now more commonly seen as a sexual object than as what they really are for - feeding a baby. That combined with the powers of formula companies, and the amount of freaking media attention they can afford means a decrease in breastfeeding rates.

Would highly recommend The Politics Of Breastfeeding: When Breasts Are Bad For Business to anyone interested in this.

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