Just when thought we found a breastfeeding star.

[kkdmom]

ho-hum.

Well, I actually read it like she was slightly defensive that she 'should' have bf for longer but stopped when she did (for whatever reason - leaky boobs drove me mad and I only lasted 3 weeks) and tried to justify/defend herself by quoting guidelines... so in that sense, I think she is normalising bf. Her comments sound like bf is just 'what you do' so good on her.

Well, we know that national guidelines don't say to BF to six months, but I have been told that by medical professionals. TBH though, I think that when many don't BF at all, let alone to 6 months, to advise 6 months may seem a lot more achievable that to 12 months or more.

I think that Charlotte Church has done nothing wrong. She has BF for 6 months, which is more than most people do. And as for talking about the downsides, well, they do exist!

No - I am not for a minute suggesting that women look to see what Charlotte Church does before they decide to feed their babies. But the fact remains that we live in a celebrity-obsessed culture, and what Charlotte does, many will follow.

It's also not about something so straightforward as "Well Charl does it so it's good enough for me". It's about normalising breastfeeding in our culture and society. Wither her comments she has just made it seem less normal to continue past 6 months.

And just repeat - I'm not having a go at anyone who chose to stop at 6 months. Or 5 months. Or 4 months.

Damned if you, damned if you dont.

damned if you do damned if you dont

LLPJ - I don't know many people who leaked past 6 months, tbh. She is talking about the downsides which she faced. It would be more balanced if you could have had someone else - or a spokesperson for the LLL or someone - saying "It's very unusual to leak past 12 weeks and most women find that they stop leaking in the first few weeks of breastfeeding."

But of course that won't happen - because we don't want a balanced view of breastfeeding in the media - since when did balance sell copy?

Can i just make it clear - again:

I think Charlotte Church has done a wonderful job in bf-ing. I think she's done a great job in advocating for breastfeeding and making it seem normal.

I don't think she's done a great job by spouting incorrect information about leaking and national guidelines.

Just so we're clear on that.

I can't imagine that she doesn't have a PR team working for her! Max Clifford, at a guess. If she doesn't then she really should!

See - that's a lovely thing to say!! Perhaps she gave her PR guy the day off on the day this was written!

Lends weight to my theory that she was misquoted in this tripe article though.

i leaked for ages.

well past 6months i think.

Oh I give up.

oh yes. the double let down. flooding galore.

i know some people stop leaking early on, but i didnt with dd3. i was thinking of buying shares in breastpads.

but sabire - if read yesterdays news

here

a breastfeeding mother eating an unhealthy diet is also (apparently) at long term risk too....

monday hatrick.

I also agree with those that say there's nothing wrong with mentioning the down sides of BFing, I BF DS1 for 14 months, and finally stopped leaking about about 12 months. And I have to say I didn't find it got any easier after 6 months, or 9 months, or even 12 months. Yes it got easier after about 6 weeks once we both had an idea what we were doing. But I had been told all the way through my PG that breastfeeding was "perfectly natural" "easy" etc etc and potential problems were either glossed over, or not even mentioned!

Yes - i saw that BBC report. Utter, utter shite

One study - with apparently a very small sample group and suddenly we're all demonised for eating chips. Ffs.

It really feels like one step forwards two steps back at the moment.

mmmmmmmmmm chips.

this baby will come out looking like a chip