[sm=grouphug.gif]Hi i am a mother of 2 kids and i have have always wanted to breast feed both of mine but have found it very diffcult and therefore have had to give them bottle, i found that society has been very cruel and judge women who do not not breastfeed there babiesas not given there children a healthy start andkids will turn out stupid and brianless.
Well i would like to speak on behalf all the women who have had problems trying to breastfeed and i know i am not alone, thatboth my children are very healthy and looked after welland my older daughteris one of the top pupils in her class therefore i would like to saythat as a parent it is also how much you care and support your child, not been able tobreastfeed does not makea motherbad!!
RE: Please do no hate mothers who do not Breast feed!
I completely agree.
I breastfed my eldest son who is almost five. He didn't sleep well at all, lost so much weight and I got mastitus and felt really ill for weeks. This changed dramatically when we switched him to formula. My youngest two a girl who is 2 and a boy who is eight months have been totally different and I can only think this is because they were bottle fed from the start.
I suffer from serious food allergies and eczema and it may be a conincidence but the only one of my children that does is the one I breast fed.
People do treat you differently if you don't breast feed your children, it's almost like they think you don't care because you're not feeding them yourselves and I think this is unfair. I am doing my best for my children and I think that for them bottle was totally best.
Take care
Claire.
RE: Please do no hate mothers who do not Breast feed!
Hi India,
Different things work for different people.Women have a right to do what feels best for themselves and their baby......so don't let anyone make you feel inferior just because you don't breastfeed, at least you tried and had the best intentions.
There needs to be equality on both sides.......women who choose not to brestfeed should not be made to feel inadequate or that they are being a 'bad mother' and on the other side, women who choose to breastfeed their children should be able to do so wherever and wheneverthey need to without being frowned upon.
This country (as well as other countries in the west) tend to have a negative view of brestfeeding. Just the other day i saw a mother breastfeeding her child on a park bench. A couple were walking past her shaking their heads and tutting. This should not happen in today's society.
But, i agree with the above posts. If breastfeeding does not work for you or your baby then why torture yourself trying desperately to get it right when you and your baby could be much happier bottle feeding.
Do whatever feels right.........
Kate
xxxxx
RE: Please do no hate mothers who do not Breast feed!
:)Hi,
I am glad to feel i am not alone, but i am sorry to hear of your experience in breastfeeding, dont get me wrong i think its really nice that mothers who do breastfeed there children but mothers who do not need a bit more support from society and understanding.
I have a understanding partner and he supports me in my descion and that makes me feel good, hope you have the support and theunderstanding that you should not feel gulity of your descion after all its been a good mother that counts!!
RE: Please do no hate mothers who do not Breast feed!
I only have a problem with those who refuse to try breastfeeding because it doesn't fit in with their lifestyle or those who think 'it's gross' and go straight to bottles from day one. Obviously some cannot BF at all forhealth reasons, eg HIV risk being passed to baby and I have no prob with that.
I have respect and admiration for women who make an effort to breastfeed, even if only for a day or a week. Some mother's milk is better than none. I know some women find it really difficult to nurse their babies and there isn't enough support for those who struggle with it.
I've been lucky in that I've managed to breastfeed my twins for the past four months and we're still going strong. My goal was six weeks.
While I agree that BFing is not the be all and end all of being a good mother and I certainly wouldn't call myself a 'lactivist', I do think it's selfish to deny your baby the best start in life by choosing not to breastfeed.
RE: Please do no hate mothers who do not Breast feed!
It's nice to know that you have had no problems with breastfeeding and it has come easy to you, therefore your one of the many lucky ones, but i speak on the women who i know that have tried to breastfeed there babiesbut can not, and that does not make them lazy or not giving there babies a good start, it's also how the child turns out as a adult too.
i guess its hard for women who can breastfeed so easily without a hitch to notknow how it feels for mothers who can not!!!
RE: Please do no hate mothers who do not Breast feed!
People might think just because i dont have kids means i dont have the right to comment,but it is an opinion all the same.
I agree, i dont think anyone can judge a mother for not breastfeeding. It is the mothers choice, i understand the benifits but it not as if the mothers milk is going to make a hugh difference to the child therefore its not the end of the world if it doesnt suit. I was not breastfed and I am perfectly fine with that as it was my mums choice. And someone mentioned that they dont agree with it if mothers say no because it doesnt fit in with their lifestyle...well so be it, if it doesnt suit it just doesnt suit, should they have work commitments etc these things happen and not everyones lives are as smooth running as we would like. Like i said before it is their choice and it should be leftat that.
All the best
RE: Please do no hate mothers who do not Breast feed!
It's nice to know that you have had no problems with breastfeeding and it has come easy to you, therefore your one of the many lucky ones, but i speak on the women who i know that have tried to breastfeed there babiesbut can not, and that does not make them lazy or not giving there babies a good start, it's also how the child turns out as a adult too.
i guess its hard for women who can breastfeed so easily without a hitch to notknow how it feels for mothers who can not!!!
India - I totally agree with you. I tried breastfeeding both my children and perservered as much as I could. the first time round my midwife made me feel so bad that I'd given up but i was in agony, despite that i tried with second child with no luck. I found mothers who could looked at me as if I was silly not being able to master a skill to them came naturally. My two flourished on bottled milk and are both bright little buttons
Love Twink x