Never breast fed page 3

[Ayla2010]

It really just comes down to lack of support and education, starting in the hospital, and I feel very sorry for these women who were so misinformed and were lead to believe there was something wrong with their bodies, when in reality our bodies work perfectly fine to nourish our babies , sometimes we just need help and support and work at it.
Breastfeeding didn't come easily to me, and had I not had the right support I would have given up in the early days. My son spent his first few days crying, which is not surprising due to his long drawn out induction then unnecessary c/s. I have no doubt he was sore and confused. Had I not called our breastfeeding hotline, and was told how to calm things down, and just work through it, I would have assumed he was just starving which is why he was crying, as many women do.

[thaijinx]

The people I have met in my life use this as an excuse to not breastfeed because they don't want to. And they think this justifies it.
I am sick of hearing it, if you don't want to breastfeed then say it, own up to it. Its your choice, but don't cover it up and say you couldn't.
Its very very rare to not be able to physically breastfeed. Almost any woman can with the right support and guidance. If you really want to, it often just takes some work and commitment.
Sadly there appears to be a lack of support and education around breastfeeding in every country.

Totally untrue! I'm sorry but yu're talking cr$p!

My mom couldn't breastfeed me, couldnt... not... "she didn't want to".

I only found out last year, and she was near in tears when she recalled. Said she felt like she failed as a mother and a woman.

Finding that I hadn't been breastfed (and being shocked by the knowledge) I began asking around and doing a bit of research, and there are loads of women who CAN'T breastfeed for whatever reason.

That's why they had wet nurses back in the day!

I can't say that I could put my fingure on any specific results of my not having been breastfed, but I do have digestive issues galore! Perhaps, that's why, but I couldn't say for sure.

[Ayla2010]

Does your mother have insufficient breast tissue?
Do you know the condition she had?
I did not say every woman who says she couldn't was wrong.
I also did say there were rare cases where women can't.
Its not a common problem, I am sorry, but you are wrong. Its a rare problem. Many woman THINK they can't because of lack of education.

[Saoirse]

it wasn't long ago that moms were routinely told by doctors that their milk was "bad" and mothers fell in line. is it possible that was the case for your mom?

[Ayla2010]

it wasn't long ago that moms were routinely told by doctors that their milk was "bad" and mothers fell in line. is it possible that was the case for your mom?

This is some of the stuff I am meaning. Total misinformation, and it makes me so sad.

[EmeraldRose]

The reason you were unable to keep up with his demand, is because pumping is nowhere as efficient as actual breastfeeding. Babies are much better at getting the milk out than any pump. No pump can replicate their latch exactly.

Having successfully breastfed my oldest son for 14 months, pumped exclusively with my second, then pumped/ breastfed my third, being a full time working mom, I fully understand how the pump works and how the supply and demand of a breastfed baby works.

I am not asking for your approval. I am telling you your assumption that all women who do not choose to breastfeed, bar a minimal few who may have an "actual" reason for not being able to breastfeed, are merely uneducated or lack support is ridiculous and demeaning.

[Ayla2010]

Its not an assumption.
I am done here, some people will just never get it, and that is fine

[spughy]

For the sake of peace and to put a stop to some mommy-bashing, how about we say this:

Some moms can't breastfeed. The actual number or percentage is unknown. The reasons may be biological, sociological, economic or related to spousal influence, past sexual abuse, misinformation, or medical malpractice. We don't live in a breastfeeding-friendly environment. Let's change the environment so that more women can breastfeed in comfort and fewer women are compelled to tell other women what they should have done differently.

The point to this thread was to see if there are specific actions one can take as an adult to mitigate a lack of breastfeeding that happened in infancy, not to blame moms who could not breastfeed - for whatever reason.

[Ayla2010]

For the sake of peace and to put a stop to some mommy-bashing, how about we say this:

Some moms can't breastfeed. The actual number or percentage is unknown. The reasons may be biological, sociological, economic or related to spousal influence, past sexual abuse, misinformation, or medical malpractice. We don't live in a breastfeeding-friendly environment. Let's change the environment so that more women can breastfeed in comfort and fewer women are compelled to tell other women what they should have done differently.

This is a good way to put it.

[Saoirse]

For the sake of peace and to put a stop to some mommy-bashing, how about we say this:

Some moms can't breastfeed. The actual number or percentage is unknown. The reasons may be biological, sociological, economic or related to spousal influence, past sexual abuse, misinformation, or medical malpractice. We don't live in a breastfeeding-friendly environment. Let's change the environment so that more women can breastfeed in comfort and fewer women are compelled to tell other women what they should have done differently.

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