Breastfeeding Myths and dealing with unwanted advice

Wow, good read. Its amazing how much of this crap people believe (me kind of being one of them sometimes lol)

I wish this info was more available to new mums, and young mums too.

Sabrina,

I have been reading a book that puts a very interesting perspective on this whole "I couldn't bf" stuff that seems to be limited to "western" countries.

All I knew when I had DS1 was that I was bf and when the problems started I was vulnerable to the spotty and sometimes downright wrong "advice" that gets bandied about and as a result I didn't trust the process to work and once the doubt crept in that was it basically. When DS1 prematurely weaned at 9 months I set about educating myself about what went wrong and how to avoid the same pitfalls if I was blessed with more children....so knowing where to go for support and advice was the main one but the other was learning about how milk production actually works as well as the "common" pitfalls that women in "civilised" countries seem to encounter.

Have duly posted a link to this in the newborn section. Anyone think it might be beneficial to post a link in the pregnancy section too?

I was glad i read this post, not only for info for me but so i can pass onto my friends.

I have several friends who are pregnant or recently became new mums. None of them as of yet BF. It really annoys me the reasons they stop even though i have offered advice which i have read from Huggies & websites about BFing. They havent even given it a good effort to try sad

I definitely think a link to this in Newborn & pregnancy section would be a great idea. Just to show people that these reasons do NOT mean you have to stop BFing or you CANT BF.

Hi,

I've thought of another one...can't recall seeing this and not sure it classes as a myth but on the back of "overfeeding". I love that people think you can FORCE a bf baby to have a feed when they don't want it. LOL

I don't know about anyone else but I know for a fact that you can't force a bf baby to feed off the breast if they don't want to because they actually have to do some work to get the milk in the first place. If you could DS2 would still be bf. hehehehehehehe

Some people just don't want to breastfeed...

I think this is a really useful thread! My only comment is in regards to this one though:-

Posted by: It really annoys me the reasons they stop even though i have offered advice which i have read from Huggies & websites about BFing. They havent even given it a good effort to try

Without walking in everyone elses shoes you probably don't know all the reasons behind every decision. Many women wish not to disclose their private struggles and pain with a failed breastfeeding relationship. Some women also simply chose not to breastfeed.

Melissaem, I agree with that statement. I am one of those women, i CHOSE not to breastfeed for a variety of reasons. Women use theses 'myths' as excuses because society punishes and ridicules women for not breastfeeding. I just returned home from a 4 day stay in Waikato Hospital with my 9 week old daughter. I was told, although I was staying with her each night and caring for her, I would not be fed any meals as I didnt breastfeed my baby. Breastfeeding mothers were fed. This is discrimination.

Gemzie - that is absolutely horrible treatment from a hospital. I hope you get the chance to lodge a formal complaint as this is indeed blatantly discriminatory and I'm sure most of the breastfeeding Mums would have been shocked to find you being treated so.

Posted by: melissaem
I think this is a really useful thread! My only comment is in regards to this one though:-

Posted by: It really annoys me the reasons they stop even though i have offered advice which i have read from Huggies & websites about BFing. They havent even given it a good effort to try

Without walking in everyone elses shoes you probably don't know all the reasons behind every decision. Many women wish not to disclose their private struggles and pain with a failed breastfeeding relationship. Some women also simply chose not to breastfeed.

When i made that comment it was in regards to my friends, where i know there circumstances. It was not at any huggies Mothers. These friends stopped because it didnt suit & was inconvenient to BF there children. They choose to stop BFing so they can have babysitters 24/7 while they go out to party etc. And i will admit that i think that is wrong!!!

I do not know anyone personally on huggies therefore can not comment on anyone else circumstances.

I never infered that you were discussing a Huggies Mum sabrina. Just because a friend tells you that they stopped breastfeeding because they simply didn't want to doesn't mean that you necessarily have all the appropriate facts. It may of course be the case as you said that they just didn't want to breastfeed but its their right to make that choice.

While you might not agree with your friends decisions to not breastfeed or how they come to make that choice it's frankly their business only. And of course it's your perogative to not agree with it.

If a friend of mine chose not to breastfeed and was still a great Mum who attended to her babies needs and fed her baby a safe and appropriate alternative milk then I certainly wouldn't judge her. If some of your friends have choosen to go partying rather then raise their own children I think they have bigger parenting issues then just the milk type.

[Edited on 28/07/2009]

What about some myths from the "Other" side of the fence.
Here are a few i was told

- Breastfeeding should come naturally
- There is no such thing as "cant" when it comes to BF
- Breastfeeding is easy, you just have to persevere
- I dont care for my baby like a BF mother does
- I didnt bond with my baby because i didnt BF

They are just a couple of them........ This thread kinda hurts, as i am one of the mothers who "couldnt" feed my son, and i dont feel like i HAVE to justify myself to everyone i encounter who asked if i BF and when i say no they ask why not.....
The one about not bonding, what a crock of shlt! Worst one i have heard so far! LOL

jadeNangus-if you had read this thread you may come to realise that many people "cannot" bf, but with the correct information and good support they may have had a better outcome.
I personally think every new mother should be told that bf is hard, it hurts, it takes patience and determination, but after all that, the benefits far outweigh all the effort.