NEEPS

Julie · Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 12:16 pm Post subject:

I always took it for granted that I would feed my babies myself and couldn't understand why anyone would want the hassle of making up bottles. I had enough milk for at least two babies and they grew like mushrooms. Was it just because I was so relaxed about it or am I just a milk cow? If you stress an animal it affects their milk supply, some farmers play classical music in the milking parlour because it improves the yield. Maybe some women are simply better milkers than others too, just like animals. I just assumed that when they stopped feeding they were full and were getting enough, fed on demand (it works out about every four hours anyway) and did what seemed natural.
We virtually train our expectant mums to think they won't be able to cope and can't do anything without guidance. The reality is that we have instincts like any other animal. From the day the EDD is confirmed there are classes to attend so they know how to give birth and a bombardment of information which leaves them feeling so lost, and terrified that they will get it wrong. No wonder they see breast feeding as a daunting task instead of the convenience it really is.
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Smooth Hound · Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 1:05 pm Post subject:

you could say that about most things in this dam system

life in general

Esther.R · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:05 pm Post subject:

Rather a late reply I know...but I always assumed I would breastfeed mine, struggled first time as milk came in late and baby fought and screamed and wouldn't latch on, I mixed fed until 6 weeks but we never really got the hang of breastfeeding well. I assumed I had done something wrong, second time around was really clued up on everything, put her to the breast in recovery (I had a section) then she went into SCBU for 48hrs I expressed every 3hrs overnight as I wasn't allowed down to see her until next morning (due to section) and went down and fed her myself every 3hrs as soon as I could. She was a natural but still my milk didn't come in fully until day 8 (despite feeding her and then expressing every feed round the clock) by which time she had lost so much weight I was forced to top up with formula or they wouldn't allow us home to Shetland. I continued to mix feed every feed until she dropped the breast feeding herself at 4 months.

Sadly much as I wanted to breastfeed, not everyone manages. I knew everything and tried everything second time around and had the breastfeeding councillor etc etc but my milk just didn't come in when it should have done. I am very relieved I am having no more babies as I found trying to breastfeed incredibly stressful (incredibly rewarding when it worked, as it did with my second baby although I never managed to build up enough again to breastfeed exclusively).

Julie · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:52 pm Post subject:

That's my point. I knew nothing and consequently just got on with it happily. I took it for granted that the first few days where the milk was slow to arrive were normal and my boobs were so hard and tender that I couldn't lie on my stomach, but I just put up with it. All modern mums are brainwashed to worry about everything that isn't text book perfect.
You shouldn't read my attitude as judgement of mothers that can't do it for whatever reason, it's simply an observation that I apply to myself and an acknowlegement of my own good fortune.
If we were still primitive, the babies of mothers who couldn't feed them would die and therefore not grow to pass on their genes. Perhaps it is therefore unreasonable to expect everyone to be able to breastfeed well anyway. As humans, we defy natures natural selection processes and maybe many of our health expectations are unrealistic? Again, this isn't a judgement of others as unhealthy stock, merely an observation.
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Esther.R · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:00 pm Post subject:

Sorry mine wasn't meant to be a reaction to your post

, it was a general reaction for the thread. It was only a reaction to yours in that I also automatically expected to breastfeed and then I couldn't. I suspect stress did play a part in mine no1 was an unplanned (although welcome) pregnancy and then I went on to be diagnosed with postnatal depression which turned out to be a very underactive thyriod which was undiagnosed for a year, then with no2 I was worried about being ill again as I was with no1 and of course her being in SCBU didn't help my stress levels, neither did being in Aberdeen with a toddler at home with grandparents on Shetland, and of course c-sections don't help with early milk production either.

It frightens me to think of mine in the past, I had two c-sections due to big babies/small pelvis, breastfeeding problems and then my second was in SCBU after being born with pneumonia. Both myself and my babies might not be here today if it wasn't for modern developments, and neither had anything drastic wrong in modern eyes. I am an archaeologist, I have seen those sad skeletons with babies engaged in the pelvis.....or the little newborn skeletons

Maria · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject:

Forget-me-Not · Neepster Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 1031 Location: Insch

Ohhhhh pregnant skeletons..... that's so heart braking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My two were both sections, first an emergency one, stuck wrong way round and wonky plumbing on my part. Second knowledge of wonky plumbing and suspected bloodclot on lung at 34 weeks, plus had Polyhydramnios with both. (Too much fluid, too much pressure on pregnancy.)

First tried, but hugely over dominant mother in law, made me uncomforatble with her interest in my attempts, baby had huge rash/ hyper reaction to me taking penicilen for thrombophlebitis, (felt like I was contaminating her) plus seriously anaemic and turned down transfusion.

Second, so much more confident and good at keeping mother in law at bay. Fed for 9 months. At 8 months, hospital stay as O's colon went back on itself. Posters everywhere promoting breast feeding (Yorkhill Glasgow) yet thay just couldn't understand my answer when asked what milk she was on. They got flustered when I refused to leave her to go and eat and waited for David to bring it in. Her ASD screaming whenever anyone held her just about finished them off!

Idiots!

Beth
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Julie · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:50 pm Post subject:

Julie · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:03 pm Post subject: