Another article about how awful breastfeeding is, this time in a feminist publication

[Caligula]

I thought some of you would like to read this.

This misinformation bugged me:

"Times change though, and the formulas on the market are hopefully as close to what comes out of your boob, as they will ever be".

Wonder what the rest of you think

the new breastfeeding taboo

have you changed your name goodasgold?

Now you see I don't really get this milk from another species being disgusting business. I was adamantly against formula before I had to use it but I'm not sure why, other than it being artificial. And the huge list of ingredients put me off. I must admit the fact that it's based on cows milk didn't really come into it. In fact, if I didn't know better I'd have probably been happier giving DS straight natural cows milk rather than some powdered stuff made in a factory (I'm being a bit flippant before anyone takes that too literally ).

twinklemegan - don;t beleive anything goodasgold says. pretend it never happened.

"I think when something has been hard for you but you have found a way through it it makes you wish that others could do the same."

sorry to quote you, goodasgold, but for the record that's exactly the problem i have with the attitude of some bfers.

Much as i think your point is valid, i do sometimes feel that people who have struggled and overcome their difficulties conclude that had those of us who didn't manage to overcome our just didn't try as hard.

i just wanted to remind bfers who made it (you can look to your own consciences to see if you do secretly think the above) that much as i commend their efforts they have no idea how hard everyone else tried. i often think that's what hurts the feelings of 'failed' bfers on MN, this assumption that somehow we're not as bloody-minded as the success stories. there's another thread at the moment where people are talking about having pumped for as long as a year. you want bloody-minded? That's bloody-minded.

More practical support is what's needed, more research into drug interactions, into existing medical conditions, more understanding amongst the wider population that bfing is the norm and that everything shoudl be done to facilitate it... oh, more everything...

aitch, i think goodasgold is a troll

What the hell did I say Pointydog that is so much worse than anything else on this thread?
That I wished that H2oo7 could have breastfed?

As the mother of a nearly four year old, I would also like to point out that in 10 years time, nobody will know, nobody will care, nobody will every be able to tell how you fed that child. Only you.

Breastfeeding is fab, but mothers do other things too. Nobody can only breastfeed a child then nothing else at all, and successfully raise a child. Besides, go to a playschool, and watch the 3 year olds running about. Which ones were breast fed?

or are still being breastfed?

exactly

Aitch did breastfeed, Goodasgold. Or doesn't mixed feeding count?

surely not
I mean that would be unnatural

yes, you have to buy drugs from a man in a trench coat you know to be able to do that!

sorry havent read any other post on this thread, far too long. Anyone give me th gist?

btw I think that there is too much emphasis on the need for professional support for bf. I think what is needed is PEER support and a change in the culture in the very broadest sense.
in cultures where bf is the norm, thee is no such thing as a bf counsellor. women learn to bf by seeing others bf from a very earliest age.

Hercules1 - Some woman has written an article about not being able to breastfeed. It makes people start off feeling sorry for her, but then she goes on to give misinformation and finally slag off breastfeeding completely by which time most of us have lost sympathy for her. Various anecdotes about bloody minded people who struggled and succeeded, or struggled and sadly had to admit defeat. An essay by Hunker followed by suggestions for the content of entry-level bf literature which we all really liked. And then more of the same really.

Kayzed - that's pretty long term in my book.

Well, I'm one of the lazist people i know and I breastfed. I was lucky.

blimey kami, i'm happy to admit i wouldn't have had the chops to keep pumping a day longer than i did... am frankly in awe of long-term exclusive EBMers (or as i would call it, bfers).

at harpsi... (you know she's supposed to be trained not to say terrible things, don't you? she probably skipped that lecture and spent the time in the pub. )

bless you for sticking up for my crappy mix feeding, twinkle, you are a love.

regardless of goodasgold's credentials or otherwise, i really do hope that some of the bfers will think a wee bit about what i said though. i know that no-one could've tried harder than me, i just know it. but in the early days when i came on here and saw people saying 'i had a bad time too but i was too bloody-minded to give in', it did used to make me crumple rather...

as one of the unlucky ones, hercules1, bless you a thousand times for saying you were lucky...

hope you don't mind me pmsl that you got rsi from bfing...
and my at harpsi was for her first comment about the unnatural thing, not peer support, obv.

You dont have to bless me for saying it.

It doesnt take a special sort of person to breastfeed. The baby has got to know how to do it and so do you. You also need support. SO many things can go wrong you do have to have luck to breastfeed in a society where so many things are against you.

Why do you think that so many things are against you? Going back to work, maybe?

Also the expectation from a lot of people that you'll be back on your feet and in a routine by the time your LO's a couple of weeks old. And it being difficult for many women to breastfeed in public.