Let's DO something then!

[HunkerMunker]

Right. Everyone agrees that there needs to be more support for those women who do want to breastfeed (regardless of the 'politics' of it all, this is about women who want to do it and are let down by the system - I am not starting another breast/bottle debate here ladies!).

So, instead of writing reams of stuff about how support should be better on MN, why not write to your MP?

I've been to the hospital where I had DS and talked to them about their (lamentable) breastfeeding support - they agreed it was poor and said they wanted an infant feeding specialist, fully trained in breastfeeding support, as a paid post in the hospital, but the funding wasn't there. Well, I think that the Government should fund these posts in hospitals.

Will anyone else join me in writing a fax/email to their MP to this effect using the handy Fax Your MP website ?

In which case, now might be a good time to contact all the candidates and ask them if they are elected, where do they stand!

I looked into this at our local hospital last year. We were offering VOLUNTEER breastfeeding counsellors.

We were told (by the midwives) that this was THEIR job and they were all trained to give breastfeeding support. They did not want outside agencies interfering.

It is not simply a matter of funding - mess with the maternity staff and you're up against a terrifying control monster!

when i was in hosp i had a booklet about the maternity services. It said they had b/f counsellors... but I was never offered their services, or told to talk to one when I was having probs feeding.

My main problem with the maternity staff was that I was given conflicting advice by all of the midwives who tried to help me.

At the very least, all hospitals should have specific guidelines that they have to follow re breastfeeding

katzguk, it will be in his or her in-tray when Parliament reconvenes, won't it .

unfortunately, I know exactly who my MP will be, as I live in a ludicrously safe seat.

morningpaper, that's a disgraceful attitude from the hospital . you'd think the MWs would be glad of the free help to give them more time to do the rest of their job - in most hospitals they are far too stretched as it is. as you say, all v control-freaky.

Yes it sucks frankly. We have lots of local breastfeeding counsellors who have done years of training but the maternity unit aren't interested in paying anyone to come in and help, because they say it's their job and they do it just fine, thanks.... It's really depressing.

(or willing to accept volunteers)

I thought that all Community Midwives should have done the WHO breastfeeding course (is that right? Someone tell me) which covers feeding in the first month - so in theory you SHOULD get an 'expert' visit every day to sort out your breastfeeding problems.

(My community midwives were tip-top with this, I have to say.)

I think that's probably right Irishbird.

I had fab bf support in hosp - crap support in the community by midwives and HVs.

I wasn't even aware of the existence of bf counsellors until I gave up bf at 11 weeks - still really pissed off about this as I was desperate for support and really wanted to keep on.

By the way, I rang my NCT contact as I had been on an antenatal course and she said there was no-one to give help in my county - I said I would travel - never got back to me.

The existence of bf counsellors need to be publicised.

Tipex that's really crap. I thought they were supposed to visit every day? I was told they visited every day for b/feeding mothers for 10 days, or as requested.

hotmama - it's a shame your NCT contact didn't get back to you. She wouldn't have minded you calling her to remind her, though - she may have lost your number or simply forgotten (NCT workers (apart from antenatal teachers) are volunteers and doing all they do at home between working and looking after their own families.

NCT and the other organisations' counsellors probaly aren't as well known as they should be, but many of them are already working at capacity. In total, across the UK, there are something like 500 or 600 counsellors across all 4 volunteer groups. There is no way they can even begin to cope with doing home visits and clinics for the 400,000 mothers who begin to breastfeed every year - do the maths!! However, paid-for bf support as part of NHS routine care is feasible - better training for midwives and HVs to deal with the basic problems, and more expert, specialist intervention for the more difficult ones, would work.

Dream on

bump.
Shall we start faxing our newly elected MPs about this then??

How do we find their email addresses?

I want to write to mine about this and also about the lack of support for continuing breastfeeding. Things like longer maternity leave so you can bf longer without expressing, and allowing student parents time to express during the day, not just employees.

yes yes yes!! was amazed last week while at dd 8 month check when hv suggested i give a bottle at 10pm to help her sleep through the night. what planet is this women on? i wasn't even complaining about it (well not much )

is there anyone clever enough to devise a standard email, what ever i write seems wishy washy or vague.

with regard to a previuos post that said we should be supported by our mothers and aunties. that would be fab if blasted dr spock and the nhs hadn't got to them first and told them all not to breastfeed as well 30 years ago.

beansmum, the link at the start of this thread will fax your email to your MP, or this Guardian thing will tell you your MP's contact details

morning paper, that's a shame about the attitude of the healthprofesionals at your local hospital - our local NCT set up a volunteer breastfeeding clinin at West Mid in London where any woman can go for support et c etc even if she didn't deliver at West Mid - it's been such a success that their midwives staff a drop in on a different day!

on news this morning it said less than half of babies are bf after 6 weeks...

My MP is an independent originally elected to save our local hospital (he didn't ) and has been re-elected on the same Health Concern ticket. I've decided to ask him to consider taking this on as an area of particular interest to him.
Will let you know his response.

Here's a copy of my email to my MP
Dear Dr Taylor,
Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on a successful re-election campaign. Clearly, many people in the Wyre Forest appreciate the work you have done for us during the last four years.
As a doctor and an MP with a special interest in health issues I am sure you recognise the desirability of improving the rates of breast-feeding in the UK. The health benefits for both mother and baby are well documented and yet, many women who wish to breast-feed find themselves turning to formula in the first few weeks of their child's life. Having spoken to a number of women who found themselves in this position it seems clear that a lack of specialist support in those early weeks is a significant contributing factor to their making this decision.
I would urge you to use your unique position as an independent MP to lobby for increased funding for breast-feeding counsellors and specialist training for more midwives and health visitors in order to support women who are struggling to breast-feed. This would also add an extra dimension to your campaign to restore post-natal care to the hospital at Kidderminster.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely.

Let you know wht response i get

sassy, that is an excellent letter