'Comfort eating' and breastfeeding

[gingerbaby]

I'll hold my hands up and admit now... I'm a neurotic breastfeeder. Well, at least I was until we started weaning DS.

I never thought my milk could be enough, and as a result got obsessed with feeding DS ALL THE TIME. At literally every whinge I'd try and put him on. (He had other ideas mind, what with everything being more interesting than feeding!)

Anyway, I mentioned this to a friend and she asked if I thought DS would grow up to be a 'comfort eater' due to me trying to feed him every time he got upset. I have HUGE issues with food so the thought scares me a bit. Is it possible? DS seems like he'll only feed when he's hungry as he'd rather play/look/grab etc but I still do offer him boob a lot during the day, easily every hour.

He's 7 months BTW.

Thanks.

gingerbaby, horrible to be worried like this

We know that the normal, phsyiological way for babies to bf, right into toddlerhod, is to feed very, very often indeed - several times an hour when they are very young. The mother has the baby close to her, and responds by enabling the baby to take the breast without really thinking about it, or timing it, or counting it. It's relaxed, responsive and reciprocal, with the baby feeding at his/her and at the mother's convenience. No big deal.

Insisting on a feed, continuing to offer when the baby is absorbed in something else, worrying if he doesn't take it, watching the clock - that's not relaxed, responsive or reciprocal Offering the breast as comfort, esp when upset or tired - that's very normal.

It is ridiculous to make a link between 'bf when upset' and later eating problems. We all eat for social, cultural, emotional reasons, not just for hunger. Babies do this, too, and the comfort the baby gets at the breast is part of this wonderful relationship...there is nothing worrying or risky about this at all

and here I was hoping this thread was about my comfort eating while breastfeeding - you know chocolates, cakes, chocolates, cakes - repeat ad nauseum...

gingerbaby, bf is the best way to encourage healthy attitudes to food as the baby learns to regulate how much they eat. unlike when bottle feeding, the parent decides the amount.

and there's the old saying

"you can lead a horse to water but can't force it to drink." (not suggesting that your lois a horse of course)

comments like your friend has made are far more about her and her feelings about feeding than your situation.

try to relax and feed on demand. i always offer ds2 boob as a first port of call

oh and total nonsense but i was ff and am a comfort eater...

fab job on bf til 7 months!!

i think you're most likely to be a comfort eater if you are rewarded with food/comforted with food as an older child.

also, i think MOST people eat for comfort sometimes. esp women.

It's the old crap of "binding a rod for your own back" and whatever you do with a newborn baby you won't then be able to change with the teenager. Load of old tosh- any sensible parent changes the way they parent as the child grows. Breastmilk is good for you. Feeding on demand is natural. Comfort eating as an adult is about totally different things.