Hi, am new to Mumsnet. Have just read your post about your problems breastfeeding.
When I was breastfeeding my first son, he was feeding every two hours. I was exhausted. My mum said it wasn't normal. I eventually gave up when he was just over three months old and I felt very guilty. I felt trapped because by the time I got ready to get out of the house he was due another feed. I went over to bottle feeding and at 7 months he suffered intercerception, which is a blocked bowel, due to me not washing his bottle properly.
A friend of mine breastfed her four girls for a minimum of 18 months, the last one for over two years. I asked her how she managed it. She said she was too lazy to wash bottles. I know how she felt. All four of her daughters are hugely successful and very bright.
With my second child I was determined to go longer. But the same thing happened. I was feeding every two hours and there were only slightly longer gaps in the night. I was exhausted again and my partner worked away so no help there.
Then my sister watched a documentary about hydrogenated vegetable oil (and partially-hydrogenated). As you probably are aware most of the biggest supermarkets have voluntarily banned these ingredients from their own brand food, but it is often still found in other branded foods. Hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil causes heart disease and also has been linked to cancer. The Food Standards Agency still allows it in our food although it has been banned in the States for years. Hydrogenated vegetable oil also weakens the breast milk, so the baby is constantly hungry.
Stork Margarine is advocated as ideal for baking, but it's second ingredient is hydrogenated vegetable oil. When I was in hospital four years ago they gave me small tubs of Flora margarine for my toast. I asked if they could check the ingredients, and low and behold this heart friendly margarine has hydrogenated vegetable oil in.
I stopped eating anything with this ingredient in and I was going through the night with my daughter with only one feed. During the day she was going four hours between feeds. At Christmas that year, I succumbed to some Quality Street and a couple of mince pies and I regretted it that night. She was feeding practically every hour. I knew then that this ingredient was to blame.
So please check what you are eating. Most processed foods contain trans-fats, which is what hydrogenated vegetable oil is, and which unfortunately we tired mums tend to go for when we have no time to cook and eat properly.
Also, I managed to breastfeed my daughter for 2 years 10 months, and gave up just as I was about to have my last baby, a son. I breastfed him for just short of four years. I know that sounds gross, but after the first six months when they went onto solids, the breastfeeding was just to get them off to sleep rather than for a full feed. It always worked wonders and at the end of all that, as I stopped breastfeeding gradually as opposed to suddenly, my breasts were much bigger and firmed than they have ever been.
I also found that both my youngest never suffered at all from teething problems, which my first son suffered from when I gave up at three months old. They suffered no dribbling, no red cheeks, no temperatures and no snotty noses. Children in the third world are breastfed for the first two years until all their teeth are through and their children do not seem to suffer teething problems.
Another mum I met at swimming club, also made the connection between breast feeding and no teething problems. As she had just given up breastfeeding her baby, and although had no problems with the first teeth, when the back teeth came through she noticed the difference.
Hope this helps.