Do you wish you'd had more support with breastfeeding?

[Amanda3266]

Just a query following on from another thread about growth charts. Current breastfeeding figures are truely appalling?
Did you start to breastfeed and stop earlier than intended? Were you happy with your decision or would you have continued with more support? Who would you like that support to have come from?

Me? I breastfed for just 4 days before giving up. By that time I was crying every time I put DS to the breast. Both nipples red raw and bleeding. It's sad to say that among my "happiest" (if you can call it that) moments in the early days was when I made the decision to bottlefeed. I was so relieved.
Three weeks later I was tearful and depressed and felt that I'd let my DS down by not breastfeeding. I was also really shamefaced about it when seeing my old midwifery colleagues because as a midwife and health visitor I stupidly felt that I "should be able" to breastfeed.
I just wish someone had offered more help. I hired a pump and expressed for several weeks, however, despite knowing this my own HV hardly came near nor by. Just said "Oh you're a health visitor - you can manage" when the sad reality was that I wasn't managing at all.
I think it's a difficult situation as I was living far away from my family. I really could have done with my HV or midwife or a breastfeeding supporter dropping by. Too stressed to think clearly myself it would have helped if someone else had suggested it.

So - that's my beans spilled . How was it for you?

Mandy

BTW, my DS is now a happy, healthy 2 year old and I look back upon those days and laugh (mostly).

That booklet is an old one produced in 1998. The sponsorship ended ages ago. I don't think Tesco ever produced formula, it was bottles and teats that was the issue.

mears, you are deffo confusing Sainsbury's and Tescos. There were really no en masse resignations as a result of the Tesco leaflets (which were a few years ago, and after the Sainsbury thing, where certainly there were many resignations, esp in Scotland. Maybe a few more went as a result of Tesco selling own brand bottles and teats, which they did after the publication of the leaflets.

I don't know if there is an NCT branch in Ayrshire any more. NCT is thin on the ground in Scotland; I think there are about 20 branches, last time I looked.

Honestly Tiktok - it was Tesco. There were no Saisbury's open in Scotland at the time. I remember the leaflets being promoted in the hospital and the uproar it caused at the time.

NCT does U-Turn on sponsorship
Following the furor over its decision to accept sponsorship from Sainsbury's, the National Childbirth Trust has decided not to accept sponsorship from manufacturers of breastmilk substitutes. We welcome this move but are concerned that the new guidelines still permit sponsorship from 'distributors' such as Tesco. This decision could still cause a conflict of interest and may compromise NCT's ability to give truly independent advice to parents.

The Breastfeeding Network was officially launched on 21 May. For details contact: BfN, PO Box 11126, Paisley, PA2 8YB

fulllink

Would it matter if there wer no Sainsburys open as long as the bfc's knew that they produced formula. The resignations were definately Sainsbury's, one of my branches bfc's left and I see her occasionally, though it happened before my involvment in the branch.

And surely NCt can't be blamed if a shop decide to start selling something AFTER they have gien sponsorship and leaflets are printed.

does this solve it? The Baby food money comes into UK National Childbirth Trust... item.

Note to self - read the most recent posts before posting

Yes, Tesco at the time were distributors of baby milk, so is my local corner shop. So come to think of it is my local health centre (though what I think of that is unprintable) I can't understand why anyone would resign over a supermarket selling formula, someone has to, its only own brand items that bring conflict of interest.

Anyway I'm off to bed, as I may be in for a bad night

Haven't completely read everything as it is late but what I think is really sad is that so many women really want to b/f, but then give up because of the lack of support. I had a simply terrible time with my first with feelings towards my babby that I would never mention to a HV because she would take my child away. I am not exaggerating here. For 3 months it was profoundly difficult, the hardest thing I have ever done, but we persisted because I am too bloody minded for my own good. Eventually got some good help (counsellor who sat with me and gave intensive advice and we cracked it and fed until she was a year, and I loved it in the end.
What would have helped me: talk about it before having the baby - eg: it might not be a simple loving bonding experience, and also addresses of where to go and who to ask for help, and also some one on one help in the very early days, in order to get it established correctly.

I actually think that in today's blame culture there are some people who will use the 'lack of support' aspect as a convenient excuse to not persist with breastfeeding.
Obviously as I've said before, it's your child and your choice but I wish more bottle feeders are honest enough to say that they just didn't want to-simple as that.
The best b/feeding counsellor in the world cannot be with you the whole time and for many of us, there is an element of struggle and frustration and yes,even pain. Ultimately you alone may have to choose if you wish to go through this for the ultimate good of your baby.

Some things are difficult and testing and other people can't always bail you out.

Message withdrawn

mears, I don't know how to explain it to you better. The links confirm what I said. NCT never took money from Sainsbury's - the decision was reversed, and in fact the chief exec left. It's got nothing to do with whether there are Sainsbury's stores in Scotland. This all happened 8 years ago (maybe 7 by the time the whole thing finished) when Sainsbury's, for a short time, produced own brand formula and so became 'manufacturers' of formula.

Tesco leaflets are something entirely different. Tesco gave money for a series of leaflets. We did them. We published them. We distributed them. They were free to the user. Then, Tesco brought out their own brand bottles and teats, which are products covered by the WHO code. As a result of disquiet about this, sponsorship was never re-sought, and the leaflets (which were free) were never re-published.

What on earth is there to criticise NCT for in all of that?

As JulieF says, supermarkets are distributors of formula 'cos they sell it. The Breastfeeding Network would not take money from anyone who sold formula, and that is their choice. I happen to think that is not the correct position for NCT which is a broader church than the BfN, but clearly if people have a problem, then they would join the BfN.

The bottom line is that NCT does not take money from formula milk manufacturers and is prevented constitutionally from doing so.

This must be v. boring for other people, so if it's all clear, I think we should stop

No prunegirl, I'm not giving people who gave it a go and had a difficult experience a hard time!! I had a FOUL time (and wrote a very long article in the ABM magazine about it a few years ago.)
Simply that there are some people who give up really easily and then blame others! (I know plenty!!!)
FFS, it seems that some people would only be happy if someone came to feed the baby for them!
Sorry you had such a bad time.

Gotta go-my Turkish teacher is here! Will see what everyone has to say later. Very interesting..

Message withdrawn

Tiktok - this will be my last post on the subject
I was inadequately getting my point across and have therefore continued for clarity. I did not comment whether it was right or wrong and am not crticising the NCT at all. I was just stating the feeling of NCT members at the time in Ayrshire. For what it is worth I felt that there was actually no need for that course of action but there were very strong feelings on the issue at the time. I certainly got mixed up about what the Tesco issue actually was but the outcome was the same.
Please do not think I am criticising the NCT because I certainly am not.

Is this our first tiff ?

I got a mixture of good and bad support. The miswife that came out after the birth was useless but when I called and asked for her to come help as I was having problems she was away and I got a brilliant one instead spent ages showing me the best way to latch, left me free samples of lanolin, discussed the possibility of expressing for a few weeks etc. I still had lots more problems but felt so much more confident. Then my HV was fab. Always full of praise and helpful advise, listened and discussed things without judging and I managed to get dd feeding fine in the end (did express for a week tho so nipples could heal). But then Im also a right subborn cow ("I said was going to brestfeed and I am, so there! so you can take your formula and shove it" was the responce poor dp got when he suggested a bottle as he couldnt bear to see me in pain with cracked nipples).

Not tiffing, mears, truly! I was (I admit it) a bit exasperated because I couldn't get it over to you that you had confused the issues...quite importantly, there is a difference between sponsorship of leaflets from a supermarket who (post the agreement) went on to make own brand bottles and teats) and the rather earlier row about a caash donation from a supermarket selling own brand formula. The outcome was really not the same. We did not haemorrhage members with the Tesco deal the way we did with Sainsbury's.

I was more put out by karaj's assertion that we were currently taking money from formula milk makers.

But yes, lets agree to shut up

Actually, there were at least two Sainsbury's in Scotland at the time of the Sains argument, one at Cameron Toll and another at Quarrysomething, both in Edinburgh and one opened in A'deen in late '95. I was really surprised about the resignations re Tesco as I was involved regionally with NCT then and didn't hear a dickie bird about it.

haven't had time to read all of the thread, but somehow expect my experience will echo that of others. anyway, while really struggling with early b/feeding, the best support (over one dreadful and very recent weekend, when i was ready to chuck it all in because of exhaustion, cracked nipples, frustration etc) came from mumsnet.

from this site i got a huge amount of encouragement, advice on lanisoh, nipple shields (which saved the situation that weekend, as far as i'm concerned), positioning, and guidance re finding a BFC.

my midwife, though a nice woman and committed to supporting breastfeeding, did not mention any of the above.

Are things going ok now bakedpotato?
I honestly think you could ask anything on MN and get some sensible advice and info!!
Why on earth didn't I know about it until November?

Questionnaire in Relation to Breastfeeding Support in Ireland

If working: How long did you take for you maternity leave and in what way (e.g.
1 month prior to the birth and the rest after etc.)?

Have you or do you intend to take anymore time off work after your maternity
leave is finished? How would this be taken (sick leave, time owed, holidays
etc.)?

Do you think that maternity leave is long enough? Yes _ / No _

When did you decide to Breastfeed and why?

Have you Breastfed before? Yes_ /No _

Where did you get information?
Family Internet Hospital Prenatal classes _

Other (please state)
Did you join any voluntary support groups? Yes / No

If so please name

What was the reaction of your family to you Breastfeeding, do you think they
provided adequate support?

How did you find the reaction from friends / colleagues / the general public?

Do you feed in public? If not why?

Do you believe that people?s attitudes towards Breastfeeding influenced your
decision on feeding, if so how?

Do you believe there is adequate support and how do you think it could be
improved?

Have you heard of Breastfeeding breaks in the workplace and what is your
opinion?

Did you have any complications with Breastfeeding (e.g. cracking of the nipples,
mastitis), do you believe you got adequate support and if so from where?

Would you Breastfeed again and Why?

If anyone could it would be so great if you could copy paste and fill in this questionnaire on Support in Breastfeeding.
Its for a presentation i am giving which is highlighting a mothers opinion on the support available

could you forward it on to [email protected]

please please please

Good ouck with this, Jane. But your question on joining a support group is odd....wouldn't it be easier to ask if they had contacted a support group? Many, many people may be in touch with a support group or a member of a support group for information, without actually joining one.

In the UK, the NCT breastfeeding line has about 36000 calls a year. I doubt if more than a handful of them have actually joined NCT.