I was going through this forum and just wondering how many mothers breast feed their babies. A baby is supposed to be breastfed exclusively for six months. Mothers milk is the best for a newborn baby.
I would like to hear your thoughts on this one.;)
I fed both my babies until their 2nd birthdays, and by then, it was just available at bedtime - 2nd birthday they got a 'cup' as a pressy!
However, my lovely god-daughter gave birth to the most beautiful baby boy on the 12th December, and despite having geared herself up to it for many years (it's your job as a new Mum, type of thing) found that 1. he wouldn't latch on and 2. that she simply could not produce any milk. She had a fantastic midwife supporting her, and at no point was she made to feel 'inadequate' or 'bad'. After 24 hours, she was tired and tearful, and he was tired and hungry, so he was given a bottle.
Her sister was exactly the same with her two children (now aged 5 and 3) and the girls mother, my best friend, gave up after just a few days, with each of her 3 children.
Some can do it, but others can't, and they should never be judged for taking a different route.
Bothh my sons were fed for a year.
Definitely easier option than preparing bottles and the rest of it, once both baby and mum get the hang of it.
For mums who are keen to breast feed but don't produce milk or not enough supply of it, should have about a dozen almonds everyday.
Bothh my sons were fed for a year.
Definitely easier option than preparing bottles and the rest of it, once both baby and mum get the hang of it.
For mums who are keen to breast feed but don't produce milk or not enough supply of it, should have about a dozen almonds everyday.
You are very right jnani. It is easier than preparing bottles. Any mother who is not sick can produce enough milk, its just a matter of taking enough almonds and lots of fluids.
My daughter is nearly 21, so it was a long time ago, but I breastfed her for 18 months - have no clue how to sterilise a bottle (may have to learn if I have grandchildren I guess), it seemed so much easier to do it this way.
I breastfed my som who is 24 today!) until he was 9 months old. It took about a week for us both to get the hang of what we were supposed to do ( did you know babies have to learn how to suck it isn't instinctive?) but once he got going it was really easy.
did you know babies have to learn how to suck it isn't instinctive.
I have read that human beings have no instictive behaviour.
This thread has made me remember about my paternal grandmother and my great aunt - both had babies within a few weeks of each other, but lived in different towns - neither could produce milk, so a local 'wet nurse' was employed by each family! Apparently it was common practice for hundreds of years. My father, after a few months, was weaned on to warmed goats milk. We had the bottle that he was given, for many years, but it was broken in the 50's during a house move. It was shaped like a banana! The daft things you remember, eh 🙂 !!!!!
I have read that human beings have no instictive behaviour.
I do believe this 100%!
I have breastfed my son for 9 months but PND and colic made me put my abilities back into question. I then took a training to be a peer support for breastfeeding mothers. I've then learnt that from the birth, mothers and babies have to learn to breastfeed and this is not instinctive. Thanks to a good positioning, baby will be encouraged to latch on properly and the mothers to give the best without pain.
At the end of the training, I felt good because despite the hard times, I have given the best start to my son.
This is the group I have done the training with::)
[url]Breast Friends - Home[/url]
I am really encouranged by your breastfeeding experiences. It takes a lot of hard work for both the mother and the baby to get into breast feeding. It can be very frustrating at times, kudos to all mothers who are able to do this eventually. For those who are not able to breastfeed for one reason or the other do not worry I beleive there is a reason for everything.
My baby who is four months old now could not latch, it took her one week to be able to breastfeed. That was the longest week in my life, expressing breast milk for her was the hardest thing that I have ever done.
You bet!
I breastfed exclusively until she was 6 months old and although it was tough in the middle of the night (especially since my friend's formula fed babies were sleeping through the night!). Whenever I got discouraged, I read articles on the benefits of breastfeeding and it got me through our little rough patches. My daughter actually got her first 2 teeth when she was 3.5 months old and they've just been coming in like crazy since. She started biting at about 8 months and after she drew blood a few times I cut her off and started pumping. Thankfully, with a good electric pump my baby is just over a year old and I'm still able to give her breast milk. Since I've had to pump and use bottles, I realized how convenient it was when I was feeding her straight from the tap. No bottles, no mess, no cleanup, always available and no warming up required. Bottles are a pain in the you know what!
Yes breast milk is free and much more convenient!!!! Its so easy to travel with a baby when you breast feed!!!!
A few years ago when I was doing regular pharmacy work in a Pharmacy a young girl came in and was browsing the formula feeds in an obviously worried way. As there were no prescriptions needing my attention I went to talk to her. To cut a long story short she had been happily breast feeding her baby until interfering mother-in-law made it clear she felt bottle was better. Since then her baby had been unsettled and she couldn't find a formula feed that suited him.
I felt so sorry for her. Undoubtedly part of the upset was due to her really WANTING to breast feed and this communicated itself to her baby
The moral of this tale is whether you opt for breast of bottle if you feel its right for YOU don't let others interfere.
Breast feeding DOES have advantages - but it isn't possible for everyone. It doesn't mean you are a bad mother . The most important thing is that you do what YOU feel is right and are happy.
My daughter was crazy about breastfeeding. I continued 24+ month. I enjoyed & she too. She is now 9 & we have a strong relation, i think it has impact of breastfeeding.
Young mothers often misled to believe that infant feeding formula does very well as a replacement for breast milk. However, nothing can duplicate the properties of breast milk, no matter how many vitamins, minerals and other supplements are added to what is basically a chemical formulation.
I do believe this 100%!
I have breastfed my son for 9 months but PND and colic made me put my abilities back into question. I then took a training to be a peer support for breastfeeding mothers. I've then learnt that from the birth, mothers and babies have to learn to breastfeed and this is not instinctive. Thanks to a good positioning, baby will be encouraged to latch on properly and the mothers to give the best without pain.
At the end of the training, I felt good because despite the hard times, I have given the best start to my son.
This is the group I have done the training with::)
[url]Breast Friends - Home[/url]
UnaBo,
How come you think that humans aren't instinctive?
What do you do when you trip over? Reach out your hands to save yourself or simply plonk on the ground? what about when you are hungry/thirsty? Raid the fridge/cupboard fruit bowl/tap or simply sit there until you starve? What about when you fancy sex? What about a situation where your child is in danger and you do everything to prevent said child coming to harm? All this is instinctive behaviour. We are members of the animal kingdom ourselves and share as many instinctive traits with them as any other member.
Other mammals have difficulty feeding their offspring but unlike humans, those who can't feed simply die.
Patsy.
I have read that human beings have no instictive behaviour.
Crowan,
Whoever wrote that is sadly misinformed.
UnaBo,
How come you think that humans aren't instinctive?
What do you do when you trip over? Reach out your hands to save yourself or simply plonk on the ground? what about when you are hungry/thirsty? Raid the fridge/cupboard fruit bowl/tap or simply sit there until you starve? What about when you fancy sex? What about a situation where your child is in danger and you do everything to prevent said child coming to harm? All this is instinctive behaviour. We are members of the animal kingdom ourselves and share as many instinctive traits with them as any other member.
Other mammals have difficulty feeding their offspring but unlike humans, those who can't feed simply die.
Patsy.
These are mostly learned behaviours. The more an animal learns from the adults around it, the less is instinctive. Humans learn almost all their behaviour.
Crowan,
Whoever wrote that is sadly misinformed.
Developmental scientists.
These are mostly learned behaviours. The more an animal learns from the adults around it, the less is instinctive. Humans learn almost all their behaviour.
No, not right.
When my son was born, the first instinct I had was to lick him and lick him I did.
When an animal is threatened, it instinctively lashes out, is territorial and craves sex to keep the species going. All this is human instinct too.
Patsy.
Developmental scientists.
Like so many of these types, they hardly have a clue what they're talking about. Clearly, none of them are in tune with their human instincts.
Like so many of these types, they hardly have a clue what they're talking about. Clearly, none of them are in tune with their human instincts.
Wow! What a dismissal of an entire group of people!
Not everyone would have licked their son. Therefore, it isn't instinct. If it were a human instinct then everyone (or, at least, all mothers) would have it. That's what an instinct is.
Wow! What a dismissal of an entire group of people!
Not everyone would have licked their son. Therefore, it isn't instinct. If it were a human instinct then everyone (or, at least, all mothers) would have it. That's what an instinct is.
How do you know they don't? Just because we are conditioned to behave in such a way, doesn't mean we don't feel like following our instincts.
We are members of the animal kingdom. Other animals learn form their adult counterparts yet still use their instincts to hunt food, etc but because we are allegedly civiilsed and can reason, we have lost touch with our animal instincts (unless one is a rapist - another form of human instinct - a sex need.) Some baby animals can't or won't suckle from their mothers, as some human babies can't. Unlike animals, we can substitute with bottle feeding. Preservation of the species is another instinct, as well as self preservation.
Well, these so-called 'experts' really aren't in touch with themselves if they think that humans have no instincts.
Patsy.
Shall we agree to disagree?
I breastfed both of mine until over a year
my first started weaning on food at just over 4months as he was grabbing at everything and was desperate to eat, by the end of week one he was on 4 small meals a day
number 2 was forced to start weaning on the dot of 17weeks due to being classed as failure to thrive, he wasn't ready and it made no difference, as in the end it turned out he had allergies, which I continued to feed through by the time I stopped I was dairy, egg and soya free myself. I will admit I was desperate to stop by the end, I loved the actual feeding but hated having to restrict my diet so much, but my view was it was short term for me, it could be life for him!
my personal view is I am too lazy to bottle feed, all that washing and sterilising etc!
Breast milk provides the ideal nutrition for infants. ... Breastfeeding lowers yourbaby's risk of having asthma or allergies. Plus, babies who are breastfedexclusively for the first 6 months, without any formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and bouts of diarrhea