Breast Feeding

[LLL_Sarah]

Dear Aussiegal,

I am annoyed by your story but not your part in it. Nipple pain when breastfeeding is an indication that something is wrong. And as professionals the midwives who helped you should have investigated what the problem was rather than just telling you to keep going.

Almost all breastfeeding problems can be solved with the correct information, encouragement and support. This is the role of La Leche League in the community; to offer correct information, encouragement and support.

It is not our job (or our desire) to try to push mothers who are not interested in to breastfeeding. I’m kept busy enough with the mothers who want to breastfeed and are having problems.

But I’d like to emphasis that:

1) Breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt and if it does there is a problem (even if a health professional has said everything is fine).

2) Get help as soon as you have a problem. It is usually much easier to fix the problem at three days than at three weeks.

3) Breastfeeding problems can be fixed but sometimes it takes time to get everything working perfectly.

Best wishes,
SARAH

For help and information about Breastfeeding
SARAH 2548-7636
MAGGIE 2817-7475
ROCHELLE 2947-7147
MARGARITA 2257-6757
余婉玲 9048-1701
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.lllhk.org

 

[Canucker]

Hi Aussiegal,

I agree with you (and the others who have also said it) that I should not be pressed into breast feeding if I don't want to - ultimately my baby will make the decision. I had my first appointment at Tseun Yuk Hospital today - saw the video (VERY out dated) about breast feeding - and then when I went in to see the nurse one of the first questions she asked me was if I was going to breast feed - when I said I was undecided, she was shocked, told me breast is best and that I should consider doing it - end of conversation. I am just 10 weeks along so I do have a lot of time to look at all the research before any decision is made (in September).

I guess one reason I am leaning towards not breast feeding is I am not convinced it is any better (but still have a lot of reading to do on the subject) because I am adopted and was never breast fed. I don't have any allergies, health problems and NEVER missed one day of school from K-12 because I was sick - but had lots of friends who were breast fed and they were sick a lot more often than me. While another good friend of mine has 2 kids under the age of 3 1/2 (both were breast fed) and they are sick quite often - to the point I am amazed at how often they get fevers, flu, colds, coughs, etc. because I was never like that as a kid.

Aussiegal - I am so sorry to hear about all the trouble you had and it has raised red flags for me. If I do give breast feeding a try and after many attempts my child is not getting enough milk, it is too painful for me or any other reason I most certainly won't let an untrained or pushy nurse push me to do something that just isn't right for me.

Best,
Canucker

 

[aussiegal]

Canucker, I second everything you said. I definitely don't believe that your baby will suffer if it doesn't get breast. I was bottle fed and have zero health problems. My brother was breastfed and has allergies and asthma. Go figure.

Sarah, I'm not sure what else you think I should have done. With time you say it can all be worked out by do you really think I should have persisted given that i was in massive pain from mastitis and had developed an eye infection from being completely run down. I literally could have lost all my vision in one eye?! It was all put down to stress and not getting enough sleep because I kept persisting with trying to breast feed, pump etc.

My gut feel is it's all in how you start off. My baby was left on my breast for an hour the first feed, the staff simply forgot about me and him and from then on it was all down hill. I blame myself for developing the eye infection however because I persisted and persisted with the feeding out of a sense that I HAD to because everyone around me told me to. It's not right. In the end I finally plucked up the courage to let my milk dry up and go to exclusive bottlefeeding (6 weeks later). The fact that my eye was swollen half closed and I couldnt' tolerate any light (no going outside for a month) meant that people finally learnt to keep their comments and judgements to themselves.

My biggest concern with people feeliing forced to breastfeed is if it's just not working, (for whatever reason), that people persist like I did and risk resenting their baby or at the very least not having the opportunity to enjoy all those precious early days with it (which are much more essential to bonding). It's hard to be loving and caring when you are in agony or in bed shivering with cold but sweating it up from mastitis. I was shaking so bad that the doctor gave me 4 hours to start feeling better or they would call an ambulance! That can't be good for any baby.

 

[carang]

breast is best for baby.

BUT it's not always best for the rest of the family. do what YOU feel is right for YOU and YOUR family.

we have enough to feel guilty about when raising our children, we don't need anything more. do NOT feel like you are being judged. even if you are, who cares? the people doing the judging do NOT know all of the intimate details and they don't need to.

we, as women, need to stop being so judgemental of each other and realise that each of us is doing the best that we possibly can for our families and for ourselves and leave it at that.

good luck with your decision, i hope that whatever you decide to do works out for you and your family.

enjoy your little one! they don't stay little for long!