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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Tuesday 1 Aug, Radio 4, programme re breastfeeding and dehydration

68 replies

PrettyCandles · 31/07/2006 12:16

Heard a trailer for this on Women's Hour today, but can't find the programme in the week's listings - perhaps it will be part of Women's Hour, so isn't listed separately. Hope I've got the right date and station!

Might be worth keeping an ear out for this.

OP posts:

whatwho · 08/08/2006 17:13

I have read the posts in this thread with great interest, as I am 25 weeks pregnant with my second child. I had (what I consider to be) a very negative experience breastfeeding my ds. I had a 43 hour labour followed by emergency cs, unsympathetic and (some) bullying mws in hospital, disinterested mv and hv who told me everything was 'fine' and not to express under any circumstances, despite significant pain. After 8 weeks of trying, I finally gave up and moved to bottle feeding. I cried for a week, and felt a failure.

Anyway, I don't intend to write an essay! My point is that mums should be supported, given accurate and representative information (not just leaflets about the benefits of bf), and treated sympathetically when things go wrong. Mums who bottle feed should not be made to feel like failures, whatever the reason behind their choices. I would love to be able to bf my second child without (too much) pain, but quite frankly, I'm terrified!

tiktok · 08/08/2006 17:49

whatwho....I totally agree with you. Leaflets about bf without the knowledgable, practical and sympathetic support everyone needs are useless.

Can you write to your PCT and tell them how bad your experience was, and how unhelpful people were?

If people don't tell their stories, and not just to a talkboard, then it takes longer to change things.

whatwho · 08/08/2006 20:43

I could write to the PCT to complain about the treatment I received. My treatment in hospital was so bad that my GP has recently diagnosed me with post traumatic shock. The sad thing is that I think my experiences were actually closer to normal than an exception.

As others have said, mws and hvs seem to lack the knowledge, time (or both) to help, and every problem is given the response: "well, you really must make sure the baby is latched on properly, or of course it will hurt"

We create a social expectation that breast is best, but don't follow through with the necessary support. When things go wrong, health practitioners just advocate a bottle.

I intend to go straight to a local bf councilor this time, and ignore the mw in hospital.

dreamteamgirl · 08/08/2006 21:47

I understand the shock of giving solids at ?8 weeks, but this was 11 years ago -what WAS the current advice then? I have a feeling it was 10 weeks but am happy to be told I am wrong.

Funnyyummymummy · 08/08/2006 22:00

Hello have just read snippets with great interest regarding breastfeeding support or lack of it in hospitals, I have 2 babies (little lady 20 months and little man 6 months) when I had my daughter I was told I didn't look like the breastfeeding type and they were shocked by it?!?! I ignored them and breastfed well until she was 9 months when my belly was too big for her to get near me!! When I had my son again I got the you dont look the type, then when I was feeding him (whilst laying down becuase I had an emergency c-section and it hurt to hold him normall) I was told I was doing it all worng and had some giant midwife manhandling me!! Sadly I was too weak from the surgery to eject her from my personal space! I strong letter to the hospital got me an apology and the assurance that this matter will be dealt with accordingly............yeah ok! I have also found that you are told to breast feed in hospital and you get some 'help' whilst there but when you leave there is pretty much nothing, luckily I had my 'oldschool' grand mother to guide the way!!! Expressyourselfmums is a good site to look on for support I found, just sad we have to trawl through websites to get help

mimoyello · 08/08/2006 22:06

Daily Mail woman sounds like she has issues with her body (udders, please !!) as well as issues with close contact with a baby (didn't like baby constantly feeding off me !!) Also if she has such a pathetic DH/DP who is thinking about sex when he sees her "udders" feeding a newborn, I suspect he has issues with the human body too ! All in all a very strange couple (poor baby).

Now I know why I don't read the damned paper.

mimoyello · 08/08/2006 22:14

Funny: sympathies for the "you don't look like the bf type" - what the feck do bf types LOOK like ?

Funnyyummymummy · 08/08/2006 22:19

I really dont know, my boobs were huge so I don't think that had anything to with it! What worries me is these were midwives saying this, so much for the breast is best policy, no wonder women aren't comfortable with it.

Funnyyummymummy · 08/08/2006 22:20

Maybe we should have I breastfeed and I'm proud t-shirts or tattoos?!?!?!

mimoyello · 08/08/2006 22:27

Funny - oh well at least your large udders should have indicated you would be an excellent bf mother !

I like your grandmother, if we had more of those around with hands on experience (excuse pun), we wouldn't be so dependent on midwives, god bless them !

mimoyello · 08/08/2006 22:30

Yes Funny, or Che Guevera T-shirts, for being boob militants ! I'll make sure I have one handy next time I give birth !

Che couldn't bf, being a man but I am sure he would have if he could have !

MercyTung · 08/08/2006 22:30

ON NOW

tiktok · 08/08/2006 22:30

11 years ago guidance on solids was 4-6 months....it's never been 10 weeks, dreamteamgirl

MercyTung · 08/08/2006 22:31

sorry wrong thread

Funnyyummymummy · 08/08/2006 22:34

She is absolutely fab! I'm lucky to have her, helped me through soooooooooooooooooooooo much (briefly husband dropped me and our baby daughter off at my grandparents when I was 3 months pregnant with our son and never came back!haven't seen him since, nice guy!) she is a godsend and every mum should have one!

Funnyyummymummy · 08/08/2006 22:42

Me an my big udders and bf and proud tattoos and t-shirt are off to bed! Night night, nice chatting with you all, speak to you soon xxxx
( I dont have the t-shirts and tattoos and I'm sure the big udders will dwindle down to empty pitta breads but never mind!!)

mimoyello · 08/08/2006 23:14

Funny - your ex is a t**er - you are better off without him.

I never had a grandmother around to help me, luckily my 2 year old son is a bf expert !

Funnyyummymummy · 09/08/2006 17:26

Slight delay here but yes he is a t*er he still hasn't met or acknowledged our son, when I called from the hosp to say he was born his exact words were 'oh well whatever' then he hung up! k**b head! Anyway divorce is nearly through is it wrong to be excited about that??

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