Can't breast feed? Bad mother!
Is it just me or does everyone think breast is best for babies?
I know it is. I’m not arguing that. But you know what? Not everyone can do it.
I don’t really know why I wasn’t a good 'cow' (as my Mum put it) but my milk just never came in.
All my babies ended up being 'comp fed', which means, when my milk didn’t materialise and my screaming little tykes started losing weight, the mid-wives told me to start giving them small amounts of formula to ensure they kept having wet nappies. Of course, once I did that, it wasn’t long before the howling baby and the teary hormonal mother were both pretty keen to make it all bottles, all the time.
Over three children I was made feel pretty bad by other mothers, infant health nurses and absolutely anyone I came into contact with from the Australian Breast Feeding Association.
Apparently, every single woman can breast feed, there is no such thing as can't, and had I not been so selfish and instead laid in bed with my crying non-attaching baby for a couple of weeks, and never given it/them a 'comp' bottle - I would eventually have been successful.
One woman, who actually made me cry, told me she was 'exasperated' by women who weren't prepared to make sacrifices for their children.
Getting a bottle out at playgroup made me wish I had a note from my midwife, assuring any breast feeding nazi's in the general vicinity that 'this woman has tried and tried'….
Member for Fairfax Alex Somlyay and has tabled a report in parliament, with 22 recommendations to make it easier for women to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of their child’s life.
I think it’s great, of course I fully support they need for babies to get the best possible start in life. Alex Somlyay's committee has recommended everything from more advertising to sell the benefits of breastfeeding to more practical support for new mothers. Bravo! But you know what? Some women just can’t breastfeed, and I think they should be left alone.
I know it is. I’m not arguing that. But you know what? Not everyone can do it.
I don’t really know why I wasn’t a good 'cow' (as my Mum put it) but my milk just never came in.
All my babies ended up being 'comp fed', which means, when my milk didn’t materialise and my screaming little tykes started losing weight, the mid-wives told me to start giving them small amounts of formula to ensure they kept having wet nappies. Of course, once I did that, it wasn’t long before the howling baby and the teary hormonal mother were both pretty keen to make it all bottles, all the time.
Over three children I was made feel pretty bad by other mothers, infant health nurses and absolutely anyone I came into contact with from the Australian Breast Feeding Association.
Apparently, every single woman can breast feed, there is no such thing as can't, and had I not been so selfish and instead laid in bed with my crying non-attaching baby for a couple of weeks, and never given it/them a 'comp' bottle - I would eventually have been successful.
One woman, who actually made me cry, told me she was 'exasperated' by women who weren't prepared to make sacrifices for their children.
Getting a bottle out at playgroup made me wish I had a note from my midwife, assuring any breast feeding nazi's in the general vicinity that 'this woman has tried and tried'….
Member for Fairfax Alex Somlyay and has tabled a report in parliament, with 22 recommendations to make it easier for women to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of their child’s life.
I think it’s great, of course I fully support they need for babies to get the best possible start in life. Alex Somlyay's committee has recommended everything from more advertising to sell the benefits of breastfeeding to more practical support for new mothers. Bravo! But you know what? Some women just can’t breastfeed, and I think they should be left alone.
posted by Caroline Hutchinson at 9:32 AM
3 Comments:
I totally agree and had a similar experience.
I gave birth at a "breastfeeding friendly" hospital. Little did I know that this breastfeeding friendly hospital was so anti every other option.
My baby cried and cried after I gave him the breast. We both cried together. I would spend forty five minutes feeding him only for him to be crying five minutes later, still hungry. Midwifes told me this was "normal" and not to give up. My milk supply was drying up due to sleep deprivation and I was bordering on post natal depression due to "not giving up". If I hadn't have given up, I would have ended up on antidepressants, and had to have given it away anyhow.
My baby is now exclusively on formula. He has fought off both the flu and gastroenteritis in his first two months of life (both were contracted from me!!) and he faired better than I did. So all this rot about bottle fed babies having lower immunity than breast fed babies infuriates me (I was breastfed, and I have numerous allergies, excema and asthma).
My baby is now contented and happy. That makes me happy and I can concentrate on being a good mother now rather than resenting my poor innocent bub for being so unsettled on the boobs that didn't do him any justice.
Hi Caroline and Anonymous Responder.
You may be interested in my new website: NotEveryoneCanBreastfeed.com. I had similar experiences to both of yours and it turns out I have insufficient glandular tissue, along with about 2% of other women around the world. I hope you check it out.
It is quite hard to have such an experience, with almost all of the books, lactation consultants, and other women believing that every woman is capable of breastfeeding.
Heather Wong
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