"Breast-feeding Militia" or "Bottle-feeding Defensive"?

[CalaLilly]

I have been struck by a conversation on another forum I visit that there seems to often be very polarised views on these methods of feeding and that people often (though obviously not always) join a camp. From the safety of each camp it's easy to be patronising or insulting about the other camp for example you can say "Breast feeding is repulsiive and really shouldn't be done in public" or "bottle-feeding mothers are selfish and haven't done the best they could for their baby".

The thing that makes me most sad is that it seems near impossible to see the middle ground and to unite together as "mums", resigned to the fact that motherhood is tough and the nutrition aspect is a challenging part of that. I personally love the Baby Friendly Program but I think that, in addition to many benefits, it has served to pronounce this split.

Have others noticed this division? How can we unite... if indeed we should unite? How can we provide robust education on why BF is so great and also good support for Mum's trying it without making Mum's feel pressurised or a failure if they bottle feed?

We got a referal to the dietician, but she is useless, she didn't even ask what he eats in a typical day (and there was me having prepared a week-long food diary!) but I know exactly what you mean re spending all day every day trying to feed. I've actually even had to almost stop working (not quite, but I work 2 half days per week and end up running in, doing the minimum and trying to leave again asap). I think as he is now following a line in the book, they don't want to do anything but they don't appreciate what it takes to get him following that line . Anyway, I guess its a completely different subject to the original thread so I won't go on but its really to your credit that you had those problems and still BF a further two children. To me that does demonstrate that for some people, even when aware of (potential) problems it doesn't mean not trying to breastfeed in future, it just means doing it with your eyes open which is great!

Academicmum - not all healthy babies follow their centile on the growth charts. My middle child went from above the 99th centile at birth (he was 10lbs 12oz) to below the 25th over the space of 12 months. He's a perfectly healthy little boy who has developed normally in every other way. My dd also plummeted down through the centiles over her first year, going from around the 90th (9lbs 6oz at birth) to the 50th, where she has remained. My third went up through two centiles in the space of a few weeks on my milk alone. I have never worried about my children's eating as long as they're taking something, are growing, are meeting their developmental milestones and seem happy. But then I am one of those mums who hasn't really used her HV or attended the baby clinic. Might have beena different story if my childrens weight was being monitored by someone else.

Thanks chilly. I should though apologise to all for the hijack . Sorry.