Breast feeding- were any of you actively discouraged from BF?

Germanshepherdsmum

I really don’t understand your concern FP. There is ample evidence here of women having successfully bottle-fed their babies. What’s the problem? So long as the mother is happy and the baby thrives, who cares? Who else’s business is it?

I have never said I had a concern. Mothers should have the choice.

That choice should go bothways- support for mothers who want to bottle feed. But just as importantly, support for mothers who want to breastfeed. Don't you think?

If a mother cares- then it is good enough for me.

Whiff

Fleurpepper why do you want to know ?

Yes, I wondered too, as we are, in the main, mothers of adults, perhaps grandmothers, and trends change.

Thank you Sarah 75.

I had my daughter 12 years ago and I always intended to breastfeed. So I did. Had lots of support, but my mum (who had never breastfed) totally discouraged me from doing so! Not that I listened. Breastfed for just shy of three years.

I was only able to breastfeed my first one for a month but my health visitor wasn't much help. She had never had children herself and encouraged me to back up my breastfeeding with bottles which, of course, ruined the whole thing. Things were much better with my second one because I decided to ignore everyone and just do what I thought. The only disappointment was that by the time DS was a year old he had discovered that it was much easier to drink out of a cup and he lost interest altogether.

I really don’t understand your concern FP. There is ample evidence here of women having successfully bottle-fed their babies. What’s the problem? So long as the mother is happy and the baby thrives, who cares? Who else’s business is it?

Germanshepherdsmum

Didn’t attend NCT classes. Definitely didn’t want to breastfeed. No pressure to do so from anyone. Son thrived. No regrets.

Same and my three thrived! 😁

fancythat

Fleurpepper

Thanks for all who commented.

My intention was not to open yet another Breast versus Bottle debate.

But to find out if any of you, or DDs, colleagues, friends, etc- in the past, currently or anywhere in between- were actually DISCOURAGED from Breast Feeding, and by whom, with reasons stated or not.

Zoejory, I truly do not think it is genetic. But expectations leading to advice, comments, support or not, etc.

In the cases of younger colleagues, living in extended families, the MIL encouraged Bottle feeding as a method of control, on both DIL, son and baby. OH also had several similar cases.

I have quite up to date info about some.

No, no one was discouraged. But medical staff do nto have as much time to put to this as they would like.

Things though are wrong in the Uk, as apparently, the Uk is literally the worst country in the world for the amount of breastfed babies. Apparently.

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Things though are wrong in the Uk, as apparently, the Uk is literally the worst country in the world for the amount of breastfed babies. Apparently

MawtheMerrier

I’m sorry MaizieD - my comment was in reply to the post I quoted verbatim. Did I misread it?
Where else have I expressed an unacceptable opinion?

You most certainly and deliberately did misread, Maw.

I said nothing about unacceptable opinions. Sniping was the term. You follow Fp around the forums and snipe.

I BF both my babies, 1987 + 1989 - as Norah said it was free and I was lucky that it was easy.

Both my daughter and DiL have BF their babies 2010, 2012 + 2022

We have all had encouragement and advice from professionals, family and friends; no discouragement from anywhere that I know of.

The son is tired?
Oh poor little flower!

Who has been pregnant, recovering from birth, etc....

He needs to grow up

Fleurpepper

Yes, agreed GSM- but we also know DDs, DLs, younger friends and colleagues, who shared their experience with us.

Great to know Witzend. Some mums who want to BF do need support and help- as some do not find it as easy and natural as you did, for all sorts of reasons. From my experience, when problems arise, so many are discouraged, passively or activelly, and just told to give up and bottle feed- as I experienced.

And one of my DDs too, also after emergency C-section.

I had both of mine by emergency C- section and was told that I could not possibly breast feed. Both were in special care for first two days and I was very ill, so probably midwives thought it was better all round.
They (my two sons) were bottle fed in special care, and as a former midwife myself I knew that once a baby is fed from a bottle at birth, you will have a hard job getting him or her to take to the breast

Even within countries there are variable rates of breastfeeding. There were figures published for Ireland that showed there were higher rates of bf in more affluent areas and low rates in the more deprived areas. Probably due to a combination of education and peer support. If you have friends breastfeeding, it's more likely that you will too and can compare experiences.

I’m sorry MaizieD - my comment was in reply to the post I quoted verbatim. Did I misread it?
Where else have I expressed an unacceptable opinion?

I didn't want to breast feed in 1968. I had a comment from one of the nurses about
'Nipples like Chapel hat pegs ' why wasn't I feeding !!

So I wonder where you found evidence that the U.K. is (yet again?) the worst in the world

If you were to read the thread again, Maw, I think you'll find that Fleurpepper hasn't said that at all.

Your continual sniping at her is very noticeable; and unpleasant.

Mollygo

MtM it’s a bit like everything else. You can find evidence/stats to prove or disprove anything you want.
A new UNICEF report sounds quite valid though.
But now you could be inundated with GNs from all those places giving examples of why the UNICEF report can’t be true.

🙂🙂🙂

Things though are wrong in the Uk, as apparently, the Uk is literally the worst country in the world for the amount of breastfed babies. Apparently

Apologies, how could I possibly have misunderstood this?

MawtheMerrier

Not sure about your stats Fleurpepper
A new UNICEF report released Wednesday that ranks countries by breastfeeding rates shows that in high-income countries, more than one in five babies is never breastfed, whereas in low- and middle-income countries, one in 25 babies is never breastfed.

Among the high-income countries, Ireland, France and the United States had the three lowest breastfeeding rates

So I wonder where you found evidence that the ^U.K. is (yet again?) the worst in the world^

How bizarre!

Not given any stats, nor said the UK is (yet again?) the worst in the world.

MtM it’s a bit like everything else. You can find evidence/stats to prove or disprove anything you want.
A new UNICEF report sounds quite valid though.
But now you could be inundated with GNs from all those places giving examples of why the UNICEF report can’t be true.

Not sure about your stats Fleurpepper
A new UNICEF report released Wednesday that ranks countries by breastfeeding rates shows that in high-income countries, more than one in five babies is never breastfed, whereas in low- and middle-income countries, one in 25 babies is never breastfed.

Among the high-income countries, Ireland, France and the United States had the three lowest breastfeeding rates

So I wonder where you found evidence that the U.K. is (yet again?) the worst in the world

No, the opposite but couldn't breast feed DS. They said after 4 days of stress that he was 'breast shy' and it was such an upsetting experience for us both, I didn't even try with his brother.

I wouldn't have stood for any interference with my choices from either my mom or mother in law. My mom breast fed me but my mother I law bottle fed my husband.

Had both my children by emergency c section . My daughter was born in 1983 and I breast fed her for 3 weeks and found out I was starving her because I hadn't enough milk. Put her straight on the bottle and she thrived . Because of the guilt starving my daughter when my son was born in 1987 he was bottle fed from the start. Both where born at the same hospital and we where given the choice to bottle or breast feed and supported whatever we choose by all the nursing staff.