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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Anyone else prepared to admit they actively wanted to bf in order to stick it to The Man!

144 replies

Penthesileia · 02/01/2009 21:17

Of course, breast is best for my baby, and all.

But - anyone else read 'The Politics of Breastfeeding' and think: no damn evil corporation is going to take advantage of my need to feed my baby, dammit. Those lousy companies, still responsible for infant deaths in the developing world, ain't getting a penny of my cash.

Etc. Etc.

Breastfeeding was as much a political issue for me as it was a bonding and nurturing one. I'm not afraid to admit it!

In your face, The Man!

OP posts:
mawbroon · 03/01/2009 21:11

GreenMonkies, I would love to tandem feed, but I don't think it's going to happen

DS is 3.2 and I just can't get pg while he is feeding.

treedelivery · 03/01/2009 21:21

BF was very political act for me. Formula milk companies rain misery down on the developing world - and our own to some extent. A shame as their product has a role and a potentially life saving one at that.

Scumbag hooligans

Lulumama · 03/01/2009 21:24

did not breastfeed wither DC, but read the politics of breastfeeding, joined baby milk action, boycott nestle and subsidiaries and currently trying to get local hospital to remove nestle products from maternity unit

sad i did not know then what i know now, but never mind. never too late to get political

sweetkitty · 03/01/2009 21:28

Oh yes second reason for me too

Also for my mother who told me no one in our family bothered with that, all were on bottles, my Gran had 6 babies you know, bottles are best you know how much they are getting yadda yadda yadda and you will never feed a big 9lbs 3ozs baby by yourself.

I think those big formula companies are SOOO clever, develop something inferior to the original and charge for it, convince millions it's better than the stuff they could make themselves and make a bloody good profit from it.

Original poster
Penthesileia · 03/01/2009 21:31

Yes - it's quite genius of them really that they've managed to persuade us to buy something at great expense that our own bodies produce (and better). The Man sure is smart.

OP posts:
Original poster
Penthesileia · 03/01/2009 21:32

Am too scared to open that link...

OP posts:
Darkmere · 03/01/2009 21:57

Penthesileia I think I heart you a bit.

I too want somebody to pick a fight over me bfing in public but there are no takers... all I get are smiles and knowing looks. I have all this pent up vitriol prepared but nobody wants it.

Original poster
Penthesileia · 03/01/2009 22:32

Awwww, shucks.

I feel your frustrated rage, Darkmere.

We want a fight.

It's the... eye of the tiger, doo doo doo doo doo doo....

OP posts:
RockinSockBunnies · 04/01/2009 00:42

I concur with the sentiments here! I read 'Three in a Bed' whilst pregnant and also went to a fab breastfeeding support group with an incredibly feisty and somewhat political breastfeeding counsellor at the helm (also totally lovely to anyone that walked in - not scary at all IYKWIM). So I was absolutely determined to breastfeed anyway. I then trained as a breastfeeding peer supporter, read "The Politics of Breastfeeding", joined Baby Milk Action and espoused the benefits of breastfeeding to anyone that would listen.

How I will reconcile this with my career in corporate law, I know not !

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 04/01/2009 01:19

Thomas Cook allocated me a seat for me and bf DD in the middle of a row of 3, far far away from my 25month old, with a strange 60yr old fat man either side of me - for an 11 hour flight.

At check-in I made a big fuss about being allowed to move to be on an end and closer to my toddler. They were having none of it.

I had to poke each man in the ribs with my elbows for each of the frequent feeds. They were both lovely about it (considering being of a generation probably unused to being within a mile of a bfer, let alone intimate with one), but if I had been a less confident feeder it would have been a disaster. I was even told off for sitting on the floor in front of the emergency exit to feed and give these poor guys a break.

GreenMonkies · 04/01/2009 08:20

Mawbroon, how often is he nursing? For me the turning point in my fertility was when night feeds stopped and DD1 went down to just morning, nap and bedtime feeds. I then tracked my cycle on www.fertilityfriend.com and within a couple of months had a bun in the oven!

mawbroon · 04/01/2009 08:42

Greenmonkies, his feeding is random, but never less than morning/night and once or twice at night (not sure, we co sleep and often I think I just feed him without even knowing!!)

We have tried reducing his feeds, but after about three weeks, his behaviour goes down the pan which makes me feel that he isn't ready to cut down.

I have been ttc for 2 yrs and have been charting for 18 cycles. My luteal phase is short. But I am not willing to stop breastfeeding him until he is ready, so I will just have to be patient.

Anyway, sorry, off topic!

Original poster
Penthesileia · 04/01/2009 09:56

Starlight - that is truly shocking! You would've thought they would do everything to seat your toddler with you! Incredible.

Was it recently? You should complain. Regardless of the bf-ing situation, no toddler should be separated from their mother like that.

OP posts:
BoffinMum · 04/01/2009 13:01

Starlight, according to Civil Aviation Regulations they have to keep families together for obvious safety/evacuation reasons. They broke the regs here.

Did you complain afterwards about being told off for sitting elsewhere to give the men a break??

moondog · 04/01/2009 13:05

I am not sure who 'The Man' is but 'Politics of Breastfeeding' changed my life.

Am shocked re separation from your child.We fly a lot as dh works abroad and on odd occasion when they have tried this i have just refused. No way.

I also refuse to get off planes when travelling alone with small children unless pushchair brpought to me.

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 04/01/2009 15:01

Thanks for the concern. DS was sitting with his dad, so he wasn't alone. I wasn't allowed to swap with his dad because baby Starlight was in an 'allocated' infant seat with me, but in any case, swapping would have mean me having to look after both on my own.

My original request was for me to have the seat in front of my toddler to save the back of the person who ended up in front of him. They weren't interested and I honestly don't know what else I could have done. I really did shout the place down. I think that is why I was in their bad books when feeding in the exit. I think they were deliberately being awkward to 'get me back'!

BoffinMum · 04/01/2009 15:02

Bloody miserable lot. It would kill them to be nice to a bf mum, wouldn't it? I am never flying Thomas Cook now.

Bubbaluv · 04/01/2009 15:19

Can I just ask, did anything ever come of the proposed legislation to make it illegal to ask a woman to stop BFing in public?
Did it all just go quiet or did I miss something?

BoffinMum · 04/01/2009 15:21

I was wondering that.

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 04/01/2009 15:24

Actually i think flying is the one time when feeding in the loo is the better option. You get twice the space with loads of leg room. I spent a lot of time in their standing and playing with her on the changing table.

BoffinMum · 04/01/2009 15:25

But that's so smelly!!

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 04/01/2009 15:28

tbh I find the whole flying thing pretty unhygeinic, especiall as now you can't take any toiletries.

Did you know that the air quality on planes has actually gone down since they banned smoking? The filters used to be better then.

StayFrosty · 04/01/2009 15:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Balthamos · 04/01/2009 17:01

Not at first - I was woefully naive and had no idea that there was anything vaguely important about breastfeeding (I had a very ?if I can do it great, but I can?t no big deal? attitude prior to giving birth), but by about week 6, I had read enough MN (usually in the wee hours of the night while bfeeding DD) and I was totally convinced by the whole political/health/social importance of it.

I am a bit of a pain in that until DD was one, I BF everywhere and everywhere in an 'I dare you to question me' manner (like most of you, no one ever has). When I fed in public I always fed over my top (i.e. pulled my nork over my top in very indiscreet fashion) - totally daring the world to question me...(also it is easier for me that way rather than faffing around with breastfeeding bras and tops and stuff). However, my balls don't extend to feeding a walking talking 17 month old in public (coward).

I also intend to feed DD until she self-weans - another fuck you to The Man. The more people ask me how long I am going to BF, the longer I intend to do it!

I am also VERY lazy though. A key reason for BFing. Also a main reason for not weaning. And for co-sleeping.

Also, it means I get to eat yummy food and haven't had to diet since having DD! Lost all baby weight plus more and get to eat like a horse!

(I wonder if ani difranco could write a song about BFing?!)

seeker · 04/01/2009 17:12

Yup. Me. And I was DESPERATE for someone to challenge me about breast feeding in public so that I could go into battle on behalf of my younger, less militant 'sisters" Sadly I never had anything but the sweetest, most positive comments!