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Breast Feeding Rant!

Feel you or your family have been treated badly or something just isn't up to scratch? Have a rant here - you never know, maybe we can help!
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harrysmummy
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Breast Feeding Rant!

#1 Unread post by harrysmummy » Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:43 am

I have seen alot of stories in the news recently about breastfeeding and i want to rant about my experience.

I would have loved to breastfeed and i did it for 4 days after harry was born until i lirtially couldnt do it anymore.. my boobs were all backed up with breast milk because i had mastitus and my nipples went black where he was sucking the life out of them. After that i bottlefed.

Since then all i have had is guilt trips from authorities about me bottle feeding my son.

Because i had a straightforward birth, i was only in hospital for about 6hrs and then kicked out. I was never shown how to latch on, and my health visitor didnt come to see me until 2weeks later.

Arugh i makes me so angry, i know harry hasnt missed out as he is thriving. But i still get that little pang in my heart when someone mentions the B word.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... Polly.html

Clare xxxxx


Leanne&5children
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#2 Unread post by Leanne&5children » Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:01 am

I know what you mean would of loved to of breastfed my boys, but Alex wouldn't latch on after 2 days so hospital gave him bottle so he had a feed and i could go home, tried him at home but he just prefered the bottle, With the twins my milk hadn't came through as were born early and when it did wasn't much i expressed a few times but was barely enough for one, boys were fed by tube at first then put straight on a bottle.
Leanne and children xxxx
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Jenn
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#3 Unread post by Jenn » Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:06 am

i agree with you hun! I still feel guilty for stopping expressing for William. When I read articles, watch tv or even talk to people. I was made to feel so bad and guilty and as I say, 4 years later and a wonderful little boy - I still have the guilt.

However - I have no guilt (well maybe a titchy amount) that I stopped expressing for James. Despite only doing it for 3 weeks (which is a lot lot less than I did with William). I think people are less judgemental on your second/third child than your first? Either that or I understand much much more that going onto formula with James was the best choice for me, James and William.
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#4 Unread post by weezypops » Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:26 am

You shouldn't feel bad - you should have been given more support in the first place by the health visitors etc who are making you feel bad. In almost all cases there are ways around breastfeeding obstacles if you have the right support etc - obviously for your nipples to have turned black etc there was something wrong with the latch which could have been corrected if someone had bothered to put in the time to help you with it.

I had a good time of it breastfeeding both of mine, even though with Iris we had problems with overactive letdown etc and had cracked and bleeding nipples and a lot of pain for the first three months of feeding her. However, because I'd had such a good experience with Felix I knew it was worth persisting, and knew where to go for advice etc. Even then I still worked out a lot of the problem myself rather than with the help of the health visitors. I'm glad I did because I then went on to breastfeed her for 20 months and it was fine after that. As such I would always encourage someone to breastfeed if they want to and would offer any support and help I can, but I'm very wary of sounding too pushy and like I'm saying someone is doing something wrong if they decide they don't want to do it. I suppose I just find it sad that so many people say they want to do it, should have been able to do it, yet give up before they want to and regret it later on, have feelings of guilt etc. and so if someone says they want to breastfeed I really would do anything to help them achieve that.

I think that often the 'authorities' are quick to want to reach targets they're set but often not actually put in the work to help someone achieve them. Breastfeeding is something that once established normally comes fairly easily, but can take a while to get to that point, especially in the early days of having a newborn when you're tired, emotional, worried you're doing the wrong thing etc. It doesn't help that so many people are given bad advice - like to supplement if they're having trouble feeding which is just about the worst thing to do when establishing a supply. As I said, I'm always hesitant to be too gung ho about helping someone as I don't want tthem to feel I'm pushing them into it or to make them feel bad if it doesn't work out for them, but it's just a shame to see so many people who want to do it stop when they could have got further with some help.
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#5 Unread post by Gillybean » Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:24 am

i tried to breast feed Abigail but was given conflicting information from the midwives saying i could breastfeed during the day but give a bottle at night and then got told off for doing so and the result she was totally confused so gave up after just a day and bottle fed. Didn't even bother breast feeding Dillon and will not be breast feeding the new baby either. I personally don't believe it gives any benefits. Myself and my children are very healthy and rarely get even a cold so don't see how it makes any difference.
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#6 Unread post by XxJack~AcexX » Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:52 pm

Ahh hun dont ever feel guilty.
You have and are doing whats best for bubs.
I tried breastfeeding my first, he just didnt want to no. He was a bottle fed bubba from this and I dont regret anything about that at all. He was such a content bubba and still is a content lil chap.
With my 2nd thats due in 6 weeks I too plan to bottle feed. Im not going to be made to feel bad if I dont breastfeed. x
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Im Gemma, mummy to my 2 gawjus boys. Im married to my childhood love Dom xXx

harrysmummy
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#7 Unread post by harrysmummy » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:41 pm

Thanks for all your comments girls, its so nice that you got on so well with both of yours Louise. I always hear horror stories about people not being able to do it. its good that you persivered with it.x

Im definatly going to try again with my next one!!

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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#8 Unread post by Jenn » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:34 pm

Next one? :)
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#9 Unread post by BrandonsMum08 » Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:52 pm

Definately dont feel bad about going onto bottle. Like Louise says, it is a shame that you didnt get the support you could have really made use of, but you tried your best and thats all you can do.

Some choose not too for whatever reason and that is down to them but i am so glad your experience hasnt put you off trying again with a second baby.

I tried for 5 weeks for breastfeed my first but didnt seem to produce much of a supply and was lucky to express 1/4-1/2oz after pumping for more than half an hour and ended up combination feeding until 4 months when he decided he didnt want breast anymore. With my second it was a totally different story though. I had awful pains for the first few weeks and at one point something got blocked and it was resolved by putting a sterile needle slightly into my nipple (!!!!) to drain it (it was like a waterfall straight after). I persevered with support from my OH and continued to breastfeed until my daughter was 14months. Although in the latter months it was more just the nightfeeds and she also had a few bottles here and there.
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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#10 Unread post by rachel jane » Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:12 pm

I've had 3 children and with my 1st i tried for 9 days but the pain was unbearable so i gave up. With my 2nd i tried for 2 days but found it hard again and gave up. With my 3rd i managed to do it for 4 weeks but it was still so painful and i am a very sociable person and i found myself really struggling to breast feed out in public and when my nipples started going white and stung like hell i gave up. I did get really good help with my 1st and 3rd they helped me latch on and i went to a breast feeding group with my 1st to try and help.
Definately try with your next one because they are all so different.

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Re: Breast Feeding Rant!

#11 Unread post by Felicity&finleysMum » Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:52 am

It's a travesty that new mums don't have the right support after birth to be able to have the help which we all need to establish breastfeeding, I was fortunate enough with my first to have a very supportive midwife who came off shift to help me latch on - which enabled me to enjoy breastfeeding. Every mum needs that special person to help guide them and look after their needs ice baby has been born, unfortunately financial costs,over stretched maternity units and overworked and underpaid staff leaves very little chance for women to have such fundamental support. After enduring long, tough and often drug induced labours, women are expected to bounce back with a smile on her face and deal with everything alone, which when you say it out loud is barbaric!?
Sorry for the rant, but it's stories like yours which makes me so cross on your behalf - a mum who wanted to breastfeed but didn't have the support and having to still feel guilty even after all this time - when you've no doubt been doing a fantastic job parenting a healthy happy baby all over something that you should of had help for at the time :) xx yes breastfeeding is important - but we live in a world where you DO have other options to feed a baby, and that is paramount. Your baby was still fed by YOU and it was YOU who carried and grew your baby for 9months single handedly! Be proud of that always xxx


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