How do they know all of this info about breastfeeding?

[Washingtonmachine]

Specifically when your baby gets sick your breastmilk makes antibodies.

Also just the general information that we are told about the benefits of breastfeeding for both mum and baby.

Its nice to read, but how do I know its true.

@Parker231 no one is saying there is anything wrong with formula (literally no idea where you got that from?) it's just the way you pop up on threads that are nothing to do with formula feeding, it just comes across really odd im afraid. If you started a thread on which is the best formula brand to buy and I popped up being like 'well I breastfed so I didn't buy a brand!' wouldn't you be a bit like erm... ok? What's that got to do with anything?

By analysing infection markers in the mother’s blood and analysis the amount of antibodies they have their in breast milk.

Go to Google Scholar.

Type "human breastmilk" in the search bar.

There are literally thousands of studies on every conceivable aspect of breastmilk.

@Washingtonmachine

You don't need to do any research or compile a list of justifications for your choice to breastfeed.

Your mother and MIL are not owed any reasons.

They got the chance to make their choices, and now it's your turn to make yours. They're not the boss of you. The baby is yours, not theirs. How he or she gets fed is your choice.

Once you have a baby, you will become almost a 'public figure' within your family circle in many ways, with some members of older generations feeling it's their role to critique your every decision.

The topic of breastfeeding in particular seems to elicit a very visceral response from some women and men. The issue is entirely theirs and not something you need to address.

If you feel any of them would stfu if you were to directly tell them you've made your choice and you're happy with it, go ahead and do that. Otherwise just bite your tongue, smile and nod, and get on with it.

The problem here is all about boundaries. They are failing to acknowledge the point where they end and you begin.

The problem is not the specific ins and outs of the topic of breastfeeding.

You trust in what you are reading.
In order to know whether a study or report should be trusted you need to look at the source e.g. peer reviewed scientific study published in a reputable journal vs the Daily Mail reporting 'shock findings' based on asking 3 people at the chip shop.

Many 'breaking new findings' need to be looked at carefully as often they will end with "these findings will direct future large scale studies which will hopefully lead to a greater understanding".

I can guide you through looking up reliable papers via PubMed if you like.

Hi! I'm in that study too! Is he on the Facebook group?

I'm not sure, I will ask him @Iagreewithmrsdevere . I am a bit jealous, I think it's really fascinating!

1970 British Cohort study (BCS70) is the group name in case you are interested.

OP you're doing really well. Breast milk changes as the baby's needs change. It's amazing stuff.

For instance, in hot weather your body will provide more water in the breast milk. And as your baby grows, the content of your breast milk will change.

Not to mention the wonderful immunity-giving aspects of breastmilk, as a PP said.

Scientists have researched this for many years.
They publish their results.
The results are then tested and scrutinised by other scientists.

(Browsing Google is not 'research).

Amy Brown's books are fantastic, she's so easy to read. Informed is Best is a good start.

For right now, ready to access and up to date research the CHILD cohort study is great and their web site has really accessible infographics and research summaries. They really drilled down in to the data so not just looking at whether a child was every breastfed or not but looking at how long and whether exclusive or mixed and direct from breast or expressed milk from a bottle. The results are really interesting.

Maybe, but it is not at all relevant to the thread.

This article is a really interesting read. https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/breastfeeding-the-dangerous-obsession-with-the-infant-feeding-interval/?fbclid=PAAaZMKmbthaiSwJXcPDqOCwHmGeKKBI1mF32gsH1HpvaSZ4TvXvyvkvYN_aY

It felt really validating for me to read that all the "feeding again? Surely she can't be hungry?!" comments and pressure to feed on a schedule, is a load of rubbish. Good on you for not caving to peer pressure from your family!

That was very interesting thank you. I didn't know different breast produce different amounts of milk.

Let me tell you a little story. Back when I had my first baby, I was bombarded with all this info about breastfeeding: how it's good for the baby's immune system, helps with bonding, and even burns extra calories for moms. But like you, I was skeptical. How did they know all this stuff? So, I dug into the research, talked to lactation consultants, and read books written by experts in the field. Turns out, there's a ton of scientific evidence backing up these claims! For example, when a baby gets sick, the mother's body produces antibodies that are passed through breast milk – it's like nature's own little medicine cabinet. And as for those general benefits? Well, let's just say there's a reason breastfeeding has been around for, like, forever. So yeah, while it might seem too good to be true, the science behind breastfeeding is pretty solid. But hey, don't just take my word for it – do some digging yourself and see what you find! Oh, and by the way, I found a lot of useful information and support from the Thompson Method. Their approach to breastfeeding is backed by science and experience, so it's definitely worth checking out!

Honestly they sound miserable and rude. Nothing wrong with breast feeding or holding your baby. Please ignore them

How bizarre to be against breast feeding

My mum and MIL didn't BF so I'm getting a lot of pressure and side comments

Your Mum and MIL sound rather ignorant and rude. People who didn't BF are still able to be supportive and knowledgeable about it.

What worked for me was to remind such people that they'd raised their own children as they thought best and I wanted them to respect that I was raising my own children in the way I thought was best. This goes for all parenting choices - if your Mum and MIL are like this with BF you can bet they've got strong opinions on the 'right way' for babies to learn to sleep, weaning, etc etc.

Is your partner supportive? This is very important.

Also, as far as BF went, I was quite happy to have a discussion and correct people's misconceptions, but ONLY if I could see they were receptive. If people were set in their mindset then I just didn't bother.

With the antibodies - I think the idea is that you are getting exposed to the same virus/bacteria that makes your baby ill, so your body makes antibodies to fight them and protect you. These antibodies then pass into your breast milk for your baby.

They can test whether particular antibodies are in a sample, e.g. they might add something with a fluorescent marker that lights up if the antibody binds to it but stays dark if the antibody is not present.

This is correct. There is a lot of scientific studies and they need to carefully be scrutinised to see if there is any statistically meaningful results.

I looked into this and actually found a lot of the scientific benefits of breastfeeding are overstated. There is very little proven benefits at the population level in developed countries were everyone has access to safe water and sterilisers. A lot of studies are inconclusive as it’s hard to control properly for other factors such as breastfeeding levels being higher in higher socioeconomic groups. For things like immunity the antibodies must help but there is a huge variation in immune responses and both breastfed and formula fed babies get sick.

Its great if you can do it but if you can’t or don’t want to formula is also great.

Op just wanted to say (because I think others have really already covered the points about research) that I had the same experience. Noone in my family bf and my mum and sister were very negative about it. It's hard when you're giving so much of yourself to something (because it can be really hard work and very intense) to hear negativity about it. I would join a local support group (I have had a really positive experience with my LLL group) and they'll be able to give you lots of support advice and a steer on research. The la leche league website is good too. I got the same response, anything I mentioned about sleep etc was always blamed on the breastfeeding. But actually there's research showing that mothers who ebf actually get more sleep than ff counterparts. Similarly breastmilk is a different consistency and makeup than formula and babies can digest it faster and may therefore need to feed more regularly. They think now this is one of the reasons why bf is a protective factor against sids because babies don't sleep as deeply and are usually close by for convenience.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with formula - it exists for a reason because in some cases its been crucial for babies to thrive. But it's also a hot topic and many mums feel misplaced guilt or felt unfair judgement from others about how they fed their children so the responses you're getting may actually be nothing to do with your or your baby at all. Sometimes people like the idea of giving a bottle to an adorable baby and I can completely understand that - I loved doing it for my neice and nephew. But those people usually aren't to be seen at 3 am every morning and ultimately its your choice as mother what is best for your baby and your family. You don't owe anyone an explanation.