MNHQ here: what you told us about breastfeeding... and why some of you stopped

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

It's World Breastfeeding Week this week, and as part of our campaign for Better Postnatal Care we ran a survey with just over 1000 MNers with children under 5 asking them about their experiences of infant feeding. Many thanks to all who took part (it was a bit of a whopper).

We've got lots of really interesting information from you about breast and bottle feeding and your experiences of it, which we will use to inform our campaign - but for today we're focusing on the difficulties women encounter when they want to breastfeed (which 87% of respondents said they had wanted to do).

You can see the results here and our page about what we think the most common breastfeeding barriers are (based on the survey results) here.

In summary:

Among women who had wanted to breastfeed but had stopped within the first 24 hours, their reasons for stopping included:

The baby could not latch well: 41%
I felt I didn’t know what I was doing: 27%
I needed more help/support: 23%
It just felt incredibly difficult: 22%
Too physically painful: 15%

Among women who had initiated breastfeeding but had stopped by six weeks, their reasons for stopping included:

The baby wasn’t latching on properly: 56%
Worried I wasn’t producing enough milk: 42%
Breastfeeding was painful: 39%
I was overwhelmed/exhausted and something had to give: 34%
I found it difficult to express milk: 32%
I was worried the baby wasn’t gaining enough weight: 24%

Just ahead of the birth:

33% said they felt a lot of pressure to breastfeed;
47% were worried they would not be able to breastfeed; and
36% said they felt anxious about breastfeeding.

74% of respondents agreed with the statement: ‘There is too much emphasis on telling women why they should breastfeed, and not enough on supporting them to breastfeed.’

Among those who were still breastfeeding at six weeks, face-to-face support from healthcare professionals or breastfeeding counsellors was rated the most effective intervention, with 71% saying it contributed to their success. Partners' support was rated the best, with 81% saying their partners/spouses' support was excellent or good.

Many women found breastfeeding painful at first. Even among those who were still breastfeeding at 6 weeks, 31% agreed that ‘breastfeeding hurts/is uncomfortable’. Concerns about poor latch and milk supply also run throughout the survey results.

Among those who had stopped breastfeeding by six weeks, 34% agreed ‘I was overwhelmed/exhausted and something had to give’, and 22% agreed that ‘breastfeeding felt relentless’. Among all those who breastfed at any stage, 45% reported finding it difficult during ‘periods when the baby breastfed constantly or very frequently’.

Perhaps not surprisingly, women who had breastfed before were significantly more positive and relaxed about breastfeeding subsequent children. When compared with first-time mums, veteran breastfeeders were more likely to want to breastfeed (92% vs 87%), less likely to feel pressured to breastfeed (21% vs 39%), and felt much more confident directly before the birth about breastfeeding (54% vs 30%).

Have a look at our breastfeeding barriers page and tell us what you think - do our findings echo your experience? What can be done to really support women when they need it? What sorts of interventions did you have that helped you - or what would you have liked that you didn't get?

We will use these findings to work with health organisations to see if we can get better, more useful support for women who want to breastfeed.

Thanks
MNHQ

I was very lucky to have help from midwives nurses and a breastfeeding support group in my area. I had trouble with latching and a sleepy baby at first but they all helped now we are still going strong at 7 months even the pinching whilst feeding isn't very nice. It's had it's ups and downs but the bonding has made it all worth it

I fed ll of my kids for quite a long time.
I sort of researched breastfeeding while pregnant, and got such conflicting advice I was pretty confused.
The tipping point was for me when after a forceps birth with lots of embroidery I fed the baby with his body under my arm with him on pillow so I could sit comfortably and a midwife laughed at me and told me I was holding him wrong. Despite the fact that I had him well latched and feeding well.
From that moment on, I ignored every midwife I met. At home the three I saw admitted they never fed their infants and seems surprised that he was feeding well.
I had one cracked nipple (I fell asleep while feeding!) and sorted that out myself.
My experience is that midwives go on and on about breastfeeding before birth but are rubbish at supporting it.
I was told by a health visitor when son was 3 months that I would need to give him formula as he was too big for me to carry on feeding. He had been a large baby at birth. I was a bit stunned and then I laughed. It just sounded such a stupid thing to say to a mother who had a baby that was thriving. Afterwards i wondered how many times had this health visitor put doubt in a mothers mind and led to stopping breastfeeding? Why are we being prepared to fail at breastfeeding all the time?
As I had more babies I carried ignoring the people who were meant to give advice, one of my babies had food allergies and was not growing well despite feeding very well. I was pushed to try formula and I am very glad I did not follow that or their weaning advice. I carried on breastfeeding him for 15 months, once i stopped he got every skin infection, chest infection and so on for months. He had may food allergies except milk, which was lucky as milk allergy is very common. I really needed them to listen and acknowledge that my baby needed further medical help, with his many other issues linked to food allergies. It was very clear that the showed all the symptoms of being an allergic infant.
Formula has a very long ingredient list, and with food allergies you need to understand it to make sure it is not a potential allergen.
When my youngest was born, I made them note that i didnt give permission to give normal formula only a allergen formula should I be unable to breastfeed or prefer to use formula.
My third baby was huge and rather fat, and again health visitors first questions was how much formula, or outright you are feeding him too much and need to cut down on feeding him.
I found it highly annoying that with one infant i was accused of feeding too much and another too little. Despite the fact that both infants were very well fed. It seems that they are unable to recognise a fit and well infant or one that needed further medical support, because they are blinded by breastfeeding aspect and see that as the place to blame for all so called problems.

I have only posted the negative care from professionals here, if you add the comments from dim witted people, or family members then it is no surprise that breastfeeding is seen as impossible, and that formula seem in such a negative way. A lot of changes have to be made in society for breastfeeding rates to improve, and improvements in the use of bottle feeding.

Trigger warning

I just wanted to briefly mention my own experience of breastfeeding. But before I do, I want to apologise and state that I am not suggesting for one second that this is a far worse experience than rape, only that it felt that way to me.

When my son was just a few days old. I asked a midwife to help me breast feed. I am funny about my breasts being touched, not for any psychological reason, it just physically hurts when there is even a small amount of pressure on my nipples. The midwife rammed my son's face on to my boob and held it there with such force that I couldn't move away. Not that I could move anyway, as I had no feeling in my legs and had suffered a massive haemorrhage so was physically weak. I screamed out in pain, begging her to stop (in a busy ward) until she eventually moved him. It was the most horrific experience I have been through. I don't think I will ever get over it. For me, it was far worse than the rape I had been through at 18. It definitely contributed to the PTSD I suffered after the birth of my son. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to breastfeed. I don't even know how to get over this, I was depressed and suffering with tocophobia too.

I'm an emotional wreck now. Shouldn't have mentioned this.

THIS.

Pressure to breastfeed

Almost every pregnant woman hears, loudly and clearly, about the importance of breastfeeding for their baby's health and for their own health. Sometimes, this starts to feel like pressure.

My baby had tongue tie and there was too much pressure from healthcare workers. Not support, just pressure.

Just before birth, 33% said they felt a lot of pressure to breastfeed. Of those who tried to establish breastfeeding in the first 24 hours after birth, 32% said they felt a lot of pressure too.
When their baby was six weeks old, 16% of women said they felt under pressure about baby feeding.
Among those who were still breastfeeding at six weeks, 25% said they felt under a lot of pressure to carry on.
Women who feel pressured to breastfeed are – surprise! – much less likely to do it. So if you're a grandparent, a partner or a healthcare worker, think carefully about whether you're offering support and kind advice, or are just heaping on the pressure. If it's the latter, you are not – repeat, not – helping.

I couldn't feed DC1 despite planning to do so and being absolutely determined. I spent hundreds of pounds on pumps and lactation consultants and going to breastfeeding drop ins... Just didn't happen. Pre-eclampsia + baby with tongue tie = no supply, despite trying to feed and pumping every three hours for weeks.

When I was crying in frustration and sliding further and further into PND, all I heard about was how only 5% of women experience lactation failure, I could still do it, it wasn't too late etc.

I am pregnant again at the moment - due any day - and despite saying that I don't want to discuss feeding, I have already been treated to a lecture about the amazingness of skin to skin (I am aware of this - I have a baby already) and how that will ensure milk production (it didn't last time but thanks.).

Not one person who has wanted to discuss feeding with me has asked or made any comments like this:

"What happened last time? That sounds very difficult... How do you feel about feeding this time? What do you think would be helpful for you?"

All I ever hear are messages of pressure or lectures from people telling me that what happened to me is not the norm, that everyone can breastfeed and that just because I had a bad experience I should just get over it and appreciate how amazing 'liquid gold' is, fed is NOT best, Breast is the only food good enough for baby etc.

I can't help feeling that if it was a man saying this stuff to women, there would be an outcry - it's only because the attack comes from my own sex that it is deemed to be acceptable for a woman to tell me what I should be doing with my own body.

FWIW I will be trying to feed my new baby but I will not be seeking any support or advice because last time all I received was misinformation, judgement and pressure. With the exception of a tongue tie which I would have snipped, if it doesn't work out for us this time then I will be going on to formula without a backward glance.

Can I add (although said child is over 5)

Child had condition diagnosed at heel prick that meant I had to stop breastfeeding them immediately.

I know we are a small proportion of mothers but I do think it's important our voices are heard

Your survey results chime totally with my experience.

But I think still not enough is made of the mental health of the newly postnatal mum.

I was never officially diagnosed with postnatal depression after the birth of my first daughter, but I knew subsequently I had been more than just a' little bit low.'

The effects of anxiety and low mood combined with sleep deprivation, was a heavily loaded gun against all my efforts to keep at the utter physical hell that breastfeeding was to me.

No-one at the time acknowledged this factor though. Ever. Instead, after finally giving up, I was faced with the guilt that came from not having done my 'best' ; and still this carries on when the issue comes up and the vocal 'breast is best' party cannot resist reminding us all of that.

It is utter cruelty to endlessly tot out that mantra, in the face of so many women who through no fault of their own cannot BF.

'Best for baby' has to include their mother's state of health too - ALL aspects of it.

I breastfed my first child for 11 months but found establishing breastfeeding incredibly difficult. I had a difficult birth and felt I was discharged from hospital too quickly - when I left hospital I could only feed lying down on one side, which obviously wasn't ideal! That said, the support I received postnatally was superb. I struggled with latching on, positioning, a small sleepy baby, cracked and bleeding nipples. A midwife or maternity care advisor (MCA) visited every single day and provided support, and I attended local breastfeeding clinics. I am in South Wales and understand other areas do not provide this level of support. They should! I managed to carry on through using nipple shields and a couple of periods of expressing and using bottles. Whilst some of the advice was conflicting and I took much of it too literally as I am that sort of person, the MCAs in particular were wonderful and gave practical help that didn't necessarily follow the advice you are given when pregnant (nose to nipple, bring the baby to the breast and it will latch etc. Didn't work like that in my experience and I had to basically shove as much nipple into the mouth as I could, once shown how to do that).

On one occasion I told the MCA, Maria, that I intended to give up. She said that was fine, and she had actually given up with her child at four months when she returned to work. Whether or not I continued, she suggested having a lovely meal and drink with my husband that weekend to celebrate the fact we had a beautiful healthy baby. I didn't give up.

I have found feeding my second child much easier and am currently still exclusively breastfeeding. It was still painful for several weeks, but I knew I could get through it having done it before.

I feel so grateful that I had incredible support from my family, friends, midwifery team and an exceptional Infant Feeding service at my local NHS hospital, but it is obvious that this is not the case for all women.

Despite lots of excellent, balanced information and support, I had so much difficulty establishing feeding - a combination of tongue tie and flat nipples caused pain that far exceeded my labour, and with a small birthweight and slow initial weight gain, I had terrible self-doubt that I was doing the right thing for me and my child by persevering.

Nipple shields were my saviour - the best £8.99 I've ever spent - and allowed the open sores to heal after 8 weeks. My son finally latched without them at six months old, and now ten months in, I have had an overwhelmingly positive experience. Feeding is comfortable and convenient for us, and I've been fortunate to never have any negative comments in public - if anything I've had lots of lovely positive remarks from strangers.

Firstly sorry to all those who struggled with no support that helped them.
I breastfed all five of my children from 12-18 months each. I can't comment on pressure to feed from health professionals because I wanted to bf.
For me it was the convenience of no bottles, no sterilising, no warming milk. It all seemed a faff to me. Furthermore I was totally sold on the notion that if my body made a complete human being so perfectly then I would trust it to make the milk to feed it. I never doubted it was best for baby and for me.
My husband never pressured me or insisted I was taking the special moments of feeding baby away from him. Crazy, but my sister had a husband who sulked because he felt left out.
Imho opinion some problems with bf are -
A woman's breasts are considered sexual and not for feeding. Not just by men but women too.
Embarrassment and self consciousness.
Lack of privacy whilst out and about.
If you have runaway toddlers and are breast feeding going out can be impossible therefore can lead to isolation.
Breastfed baby feeds more because the milk is more easily digestible.
I personally found my breastfed baby was not keen on anyone else, was more content with me maybe due to smelling milk. I had very Clingy babies, which was draining.
I didn't return to work until they were 9 months old so work wasn't a factor.
For all the convenience however I also felt very fed up of it at times, feeding a newborn is not the same as feeding an older baby that demands feeding to sleep. That I hated. And is the reason I eventually stopped.
Professionals need to be honest and say actually it does hurt to begin with. The crap toted out was"if it hurts you aren't doing it right" is just not true. !
Nothing chomped on my nipple for hours a day before and it was always going to be sore at first.
On the plus because I breastfed and wanted privacy I took myself off for hours at a time to feed alone and marvelled and dozed with baby.

Some of these stories are really hard to read. to you.

I was a theoretical expert in BF before having DC1. I knew exactly what I was supposed to do, I watched the videos of newborns crawling up their mother and latching on. I was all over it. Except for some reason she just wasn't interested. She refused to latch initially and then she she did eventually latch she would just lie there doing nothing. We were admitted to the maternity ward and was told I couldn't get home until she had either successfully latched and fed or a bottle. we decided to pump and use formula to back up. Between pumping, feeding and trying to offer the breast I was miserable and exhausted. I had lots of visits from midwives and HV but none could offer more than the theoretical knowledge I already had. None had any practical experience. One very confidently stated that having got her latched on for half an hour she would now sleep soundly for three hours.

It took me literally years to stop feeling guilty about not feeding her myself. So much so that it worried me all pregnancy for dd2.

Dd2 latched on straight away and is very easy to feed thankfully. This time around though I have used lactation consultants and peer support as well as having to hire a hospital grade pump thanks to a drop in supply due to CMPI making her reluctant to feed.

The impact on women of poor BF support can be lifelong and it is that which needs to be improved if we are to increase rates of BF in my opinion.

Also important to bear in mind the importance of support around the home when trying to breastfeed : if you have a toddler to care for, dinner to cook and laundry to do, establishing and continuing breastfeeding is even harder if you don't have much family support to do all the other necessary stuff around the house.

I breastfed for 22 months but could easily have given up many times if I had not been assertive and willing to seek out support and advice to overcome problems. In hospital, a health care assistant told me some mothers just can't breastfeed and I think you are one of them. I told her I would prefer to get advice from someone qualified, so please get a qualified midwife to help me latch on my newborn and to express using a pump (someone else may have given up and let her give the baby a bottle). Later the GP tried to persuade me I would put my DC's health at risk by continuing to breastfeed once I returned to work after mat leave as he never took a bottle. In the end he went from a spoon to a feeder cup at nursery, but it took a lot of support and time. Things that are worthwhile aren't always easy. I think we need to be honest about the downside and provide more professional support.

Hello,

*My baby's is 12 weeks old and I'm exclusively breastfeeding. In the initial 4 days, I gave formula top ups as advised due to difficulties with latching and baby falling asleep at he breast. Support in hospital both physically and emotionally was fantastic. I stayed for two days then left still having difficulties. I could have stayed longer but I chose to leave to be at home with my partner, and was referred for a lactation consultant. The consultant was initially helpful, although patronising about my diet (vegan). After my baby lost 9% of her birth weight she became intrusive and I was glad to have not needed to see her after my baby regained her birth weight within 2 weeks.

Breastfeeding was painful initially and although not everybody exhibits pain I do believe it is normal because both mother and baby are learning. I no longer get chapped or bleeding nipples but have have had bruising recently. This hasn't put me off at all. *

*My partner has been my saviour, bringing me food and drinks while breastfeeding, taking our baby while I nap and being massively supportive and encouraging. Our family have been hugely patient as they have learned that breastfeeding on demand means it is harder to plan days out. It does restrict your life, but it's something that I've accepted because I desperately want a breastfeeding relationship with my daughter - maternity leave and an extremely supportive family grants me the ability to achieve this. Our family also support by taking our baby out locally (so they can quickly get her back to us when baby cues for feeding) this provides us with time to ourselves.

Speaking with other mothers in the breastfeeding support group and having access to support from health visitors during weigh ins has been massively helpful. *

I intend to take as much maternity leave as possible also which will help me to continue to breastfeed and I am pretty confident in my workforce providing opportunity to continue to breastfeed when I return.

Thanks for reading 😊

Just want to add I also expressed whilst in hospital, I initially got the colostrum and cup fed, but didn't manage to express anything after that, which is why I topped up with formula as baby had low blood sugar.

Just want to add I also expressed whilst in hospital, I initially got the colostrum and cup fed, but didn't manage to express anything after that, which is why I topped up with formula as baby had low blood sugar.

Echo the other comments about practical help to get started, being critical to successful breastfeeding.

I breastfed both my kids ONLY because of the awesome support from the breastfeeding clinic at the JR Hospital Oxford, then led by the legendary Chloe Fisher.

You could turn up at anytime your baby was hungry and they sat with you and SHOWED you what to do. I was a crying wreck when I arrived, but another mum called over to me and said "I was crying last week, but keep going, it gets better". Gave me hope and she was right - bless you whoever you were.

We don't live in a society where you see your relatives breast feeding so how on earth are we supposed to know what to do? Hands on teaching is essential.

I've had four DC. Two BF and two FF. I had plenty of support from my DH, Mum and my sisters. I had no support from the midwives or health visitors - but I did have my babies a long time ago. I managed to BF for about six months. I stopped when I became a chewing toy!

One thing does stick in mind - DS1 was whisked away just after he was born. His temperature was on the low side. When he came back to me, I tried to feed him and the midwife said that he wouldn't be hungry as she had given him a bottle. This absolutely broke my heart and I sobbed as I held him. I wanted to be the first to feed my baby and after all the drama of his birth, where I felt that I had lost control of my body autonomy - thus was the final straw.

I think being a farmer gave me a big headstart and I was able to battle through it myself and didn't get any physical problems like tongue tie - post CS painkillers for 2wks possibly helped me deal with breast pain too. I put none of my success down to hospital midwives though, there was a lot of pressure TO breastfeed, but very little help, co-sleeping was banned which would have helped me, and they were very narrow minded as to what constituted a good feeding position, asif there is just one way to breastfeed when in fact there's many positions you can try!

oh - i had to figure out and google oversupply myself, luckily there's some great websites out there and because i understand animal lactation i was able to sort out a routine and get things under control, someone lacking that knowledge and confidence with it would possibly just give up I reckon?

I struggled to establish breastfeeding with my first and everyone I asked hd a different opinion on his latch, my position , supply etc. I found myself slipping into depression and my husband saw how much I was suffering and told me that formula wasn't going to hurt our baby and I needed to see what the pressure was doing to me. I lasted around 6 weeks.

My second wasn't as difficult but I found my depression returning and I made the decision to stop breastfeeding to ensure I had a good attachment with my son. I still feel sad that I didn't try harder but my boys are perfect and they had a good start with what little breast milk I did offer.

The support is there but you have to dig to find it and I needed it.

Poor supply (possibly because I had a severe pp haemorrhage) was a big problem for me and is why, at 10 weeks pp, we have been topping up with formula for the last 4 weeks. Despite a perfect latch and feeding on demand, DD was always hungry, unhappy and impossible to settle, particularly in the afternoons and evenings. She would pound my breasts with her fists and cry while feeding, which made me absolutely distraught. Her weight gain was very slow and she was in danger of falling off the centile chart altogether, but midwives and health visitors didn't suggest anything helpful. Luckily DH suggested using formula to top her up and she has been a different baby ever since. I still breastfeed her regularly throughout the day and night, but use formula to ensure that she is full and content.

What upsets me now is that none of the health professionals I spoke to thought to suggest this, even though they knew I had had a severe bleed (over 2 litres) and this is known to affect supply. It really spoiled my first few weeks with my baby and made me feel really low and anxious. Support for breastfeeding shouldn't translate into an unwillingness to countenance alternatives where it's not working.

I was lucky to find breastfeeding fairly straightforward. I had problems getting DS to latch in the beginning and initially we could only feed lying down, but this was short-lived and then the only problem we had later on was a blocked duct which I got advice on through a BF helpline and it didn't turn into mastitis. I continued breastfeeding until he stopped when he was four, and did some volunteering as a peer supporter during this time.

In my experience the main problem with breastfeeding support is that the most immediately available support is often very poor and not at all proactive. When women say they are having pain they are often told to push through it which is unhelpful - I also found the way this is worded in your article unhelpful - it's correct that pain doesn't mean that a woman "is doing it wrong", but it's also not normal for breastfeeding to be painful, it is a sign that you need to seek help and support. It's normal for there to be some discomfort associated with breastfeeding - swollen breasts when milk comes in can hurt, breastfeeding causes the womb to contract which can be painful (but does only last for the first few days) and many women experience pain during the first 10-20 seconds of a feed when the baby is very new because your nipples aren't used to the sensation of being fed from, basically. And there are other causes of pain which can be normal but generally any other pain - including bleeding nipples, blanching nipples or pain deep within the breast should be checked out, you don't just have to keep going through it, and it's not always a good idea to use breast shields, in some cases they can exacerbate the problem.

The other example is that when women are worried about supply or there is any question about supply the immediate advice always seems to be to top up with formula. Formula top ups are of course sometimes appropriate and they can absolutely be introduced in a way which is supportive of the breastfeeding relationship but IME this rarely ever happens, which if you know even a little about how breastfeeding works is absolutely astonishing. Supply worries, as pointed out, are hugely common - but the best solution to a suspected low milk supply would be to increase milk supply or improve milk transfer, which are not quick fixes, but there are lots of things women can be shown to try and achieve this. And by all means, top up with formula while you figure it out, but topping up isn't going to solve the problem and in fact when it's not done in a BF-supporting way it can make supply problems worse.

Pressure is patronising and unhelpful. Women should be supported IN THEIR CHOICE of feeding methods. Which means not being silly and coy and "Oh we're not allowed" about formula advice, we're adults, not seven year olds. But also means that front line HCPs need up to date training in BF support.

I think the general public has pretty poor awareness of how breastfeeding works as well which doesn't help. I do think having the mechanics of breastfeeding included in the topic of reproduction in biology would be helpful, it wouldn't need to be hugely in depth, but we're mammals, it's part of what makes us up biologically. I don't think you need to say anything about the benefits. Just let children learn how it works and we'll have a generation who are better informed. Most pregnant women can't tell you how milk production or latching works which isn't their fault, but how are we expected to do it without knowing these basic things? However, some of the stuff aimed at schools is more like propaganda than actual useful factual stuff. For example, check out this NHS guide to breastfeeding education for PSHE students in years 9-12 - IMO this is absolutely awful and completely and utterly useless - you might convince a few teenagers to think about it more positively but then some of the things they are learning here - that figure that 98% of women can produce enough breastmilk for example - they're going to come across far more women who weren't able to than that. (I don't even know where that figure comes from! Anyone know?) I would highly suspect that it means "In perfect conditions 98% of women can produce sufficient milk" - with the elephant in the room being that the culture in the UK is far from perfect conditions. Teach it as serious biology and yes, some kids will forget all about it, but it might actually stick, you never know.

Anyway I rambled a bit there.

I tortured myself expressing and trying to breastfeed my first child for 5 months. Absolutely zero help available and an appalling health visitor who bullied me and made me doubt my sanity. I was a health care professional and felt like a total failure because I wasn't feeding my child "properly" because the child wasn't exclusively BF.
Fast forward to bext child, brilliant midwives and health visitors no presssure and support with issues like latch, cracked nipples and all of the other joys of BF.
The breast is best mafia have gotten their point across, if we want to increase BF rates and most importantly improve the lives of BF families, women need support when the baby arrives not a tonne of well meaning literature and sanctimonious lectures about how good BF is for mother & baby.
Sorry I know I'm ranting but I would never want another mother to feel as shit as I did.
Thanks Mumsnet a really worthwhile campaign.

I won't add the long and dreary horror story of my attempts at BFing. I just want to say though, that DS was born at 31 weeks and NOT A SJNGLE HCP knew what to do with a prem. I now know virtually ALL the adobe I was given was shockingly wrong.
So it's not just lack of support, it's dangerously wrong support. I managed to 4 months, but that was in spite of, not because of anyone else. Bar my DH.