Is it any wonder breast feeding rates are so low...

[OhThisIsJustGrape]

Overheard a new mum in the playground this morning:

'so anyway, the midwife said as he's on me all the time I wont be able to produce enough milk for him and that I need to put him onto formula'.

Now obviously I dont know what the conversation was before that point but taking it at face value - what a crock! Isnt that what breastfed newborns do? interestingly her baby is coming up to 3 weeks old so typical growth spurt time so he will be feeding non stop.

just makes me angry that if even HCPs are spouting such crap its no wonder mums often give up breastfeeding so early.

oh, and same team of HCPs that told me I woukd need to wean my ebf baby before 17 weeks as 'breastfed babies get hungrier earlier than bottle fed babies and need more than breastmilk'. Obviously I ignored her

Of course it's a load of rubbish, but you don't know the full story so you can't tell how accurate it is. Or the mum might be misinterpreting. In any case, she won't be seeing the midwife with a baby of three weeks, will she? Not usually, anyway.

There may well be medical reasons like PCOS, tongue tie or breast surgery that you don't know about.

It is bad manners to evesdrop in on a conversation, yet alone judge a new mother when you don't know the full facts. (Even then who are you to judge someone else's feeding choices.)

Congratulations to the new mum wherever you are on the planet. I realise the chances of you reading this post are pretty slim.

I did say I didnt know what the conversation had entailed up to that point, and I admit I probably am judging by my own experiences of poor advice from the local team.

However, I wasnt displaying bad manners by eavesdropping, I was stood right next to her in the playground as our DD's are in the same class and were waiting to go into school! Im guessing you wear ear plugs on the playground to avoid accidently overhearing something that isnt directly addressed to you do you?

And if you read my post properly you'll see that in no way was I judging the mother's feeding choices, I was judging the midwife's advice.

Grape, it's crystal you were annoyed at what the midwife had said, and justifiably.

Just that sometimes, mothers mis-hear or mis-understand and it may not have been as bad as you thought. Though as you say, the team clearly has form in this whole thing :( :(

Your more general point, that mothers are not always given good information in order to enable them to bf, is of course sadly true.

LC I saw yesterday tutted when I told her ds had bf until he was nearly four but my doctor had said to me it causes more problems than benefits after the age of one.. She used the word nob in her description. I think she's fab wish there were more available tbh - anyway as a bf mum who has done it three times it makes me cross that they automatically assume you know what you're doing I picked up a few bad habits along the way an although breastfeeding helpline numbers are on your notes I struggle with the concept of phoning a stranger to ask for help, aware that's my problem not theirs lol .. But I'd much rather see someone face to face if I'm honest.

I wasgiven the same advice by several midwives. I ignored them. Midwives only get 12 hours complusory training on BFing. It really isn't enough

IMO we just need the truth.

'Your ff friend may get to sleep through the night after two weeks while you'll probably feel like a zombie and that baby is constantly stuck to you but in reality...' Kind of thing.
It has to be better if you know what to expect otherwise when you're constantly feeding you're going to be wondering if you have enough for baby, then you hear the words ff top up, which only serves to lower your supply further.
Mn has helped me no end and (unluckily or luckily I don't know) having two TT babies which meant extra help from a lactation consultant.

From my experience of midwives & health visitors with my first daughter & my 4 wk old daughter, I can only say how supportive & full of praise they have been.

From my experience of midwives & health visitors with my first daughter & my 4 wk old daughter, I can only say how supportive & full of praise they have been.

Well I have a sleeping 7 day old ebf baby asleep on my lap just now. And if it wasn't for the fact that I researched bf so much whilst pg I would have packed in by now..

The support has been shit from the hcps. Including the hospital mws and the community ones.

Got told yesterday by gobshitey mw that I should be really firm with my new born overnight. I shouldn't let him use me as a dummy. I should make sure he is fully awake when feeding and not to let him fall to sleep on me. And if he can't self settle I should offer a dummy or let DP give him a cupfeed of bm.

Said I thought that was what he was supposed to do to stimulate supply. And that at 6 days old I didn't think that being able to self settle was necessary or expected. I was a bit sharp with her. Cheeky bint did the head tilt 'and how's mum feeling? ' thing.

So if that is the level of support that is offered its no wonder that in some areas bfing rates are so low.

I feel that I should of been educated better at start about how difficult breast feeding is. I read and heard it was tough but no one actually told my why or to what extent. The midwives in my community seem to be so busy that they just give advice willy nilly. Midwife told my partner to stay away from baby as he had a cold. Breast feeding lady said it was ok to be near her as if he sneezes or whatever then I make antibodies and pass to her thru breast milk. I have had so much conflicting advice, it is no wonder I'm feeling so rubbish about feeding after only 3 weeks.

Also community midwife has in past ticked boxes of things she has asked me when she hadn't or just breezed thru it. Maybe they are good midwives just over stretched??? Maybe it's the system letting us down