What has breastfeeding got to do with Jamie Oliver? | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. So, following his recent win on the sugar tax, Jamie Oliver has turned his attention to breastfeeding – see here. What has breastfeeding got to do with him, you might ask? It seems that’s what everyone is thinking. But why shouldn’t it have something to do with him? Is he not a fellow mammal, human and parent?
And one with a keen interest in infant nutrition at that? You might as well say what have school meals got to do with him, if you want to look at it from the point of view that they’re our children and our business… But he achieved something wonderful for the health of our nation’s children, and it was about time that someone did that. There are plenty other male celebrities have also showed themselves to be pro-breastfeeding without being the target of hate filled messages and articles. How do we tackle that? Funding for breastfeeding support has been slashed, with many NHS funded support groups closing.
By Ali Thomas Like this: Like Loading... The 4-hour Fallacy (How your milk supply works) | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. Part three of our series, ‘The Subtle Undermining of Breastfeeding’. For part two, click here. Humans are not exactly solitary creatures. By nature, we’re pretty much pack animals – evolutionarily speaking, you’d have much more chance fighting off that sabre-toothed tiger with others than by yourself – so we tend to band together. In the modern world, most of us have support networks of family and friends and maybe a partner, and having the reassurance of a team of people who have your back is a source of confidence as you go through life. When times get tough, that support network becomes ever more critical.
What does this have to do with breastfeeding and how it can be undermined? “The hours after birth are absolutely critical for establishing early breastfeeding” So what happens when the people in your support network aren’t familiar with breastfeeding? “Suddenly, it wasn’t okay to feed our babies responsively anymore” Excerpt from a wartime baby book Now, let’s focus on you again. Nb. A vote of no confidence… don’t promote oat! | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. Part one of our series, ‘The Subtle Undermining of Breastfeeding’.
Just recently, it feels like a day doesn’t go by without me seeing a mum posting in a breastfeeding support group about how she is generally worrying about her supply. Whether it’s a post explaining what she’s eating to boost her supply, or a post questioning what she can eat to be able to pump more, every time I read a post like that I feel sad. When a mum is pregnant, she believes in herself. She believes in her body’s natural and awe-inspiring ability to produce exactly what she needs to nourish her baby. No mum worries that her body isn’t producing enough to feed her unborn child; she doesn’t thinks that she needs to boost her placenta, she has blind faith that everything will be ok without any need for measuring and checking. These days, many mums start breastfeeding with some level of uncertainty. So let’s get back to oats. By Ali Thomas. Undersupply, or underhand undermining? | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. Part two of our series, ‘The Subtle Undermining of Breastfeeding’.
For part one, click here. Does he look like his milk isn’t good enough? I logged onto a Facebook breastfeeding support group the other day and immediately saw a post from a mother who was worried that she didn’t have enough milk for her baby. Her baby was feeding almost constantly and very fussy, her breasts were no longer engorged and had become soft almost overnight, and she was unable to express much milk. Understandably, she was very stressed and was looking for support to get things back on track.
All the evidence shows that the vast majority of women are physiologically able to produce a full milk supply. Would it interest you to know that some of the products on the market today which promise to support breastfeeding mothers by boosting their milk supply are actually made by formula manufacturers? But you wouldn’t buy any expensive products like that anyway, right? By Catherine Holmes Like this: Like Loading... ‘Is he STILL breastfeeding?’ | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. Before you read any further, I think I should clear one thing up from the off about me as a mother – my breastfeeding journey started out the same as many women’s.
I thought I’d give it a go and see how we got on, but I wouldn’t beat myself up if it didn’t work out. I thought I’d probably feed for a year if all went well, and then I’d be done with it. I’d seen photos of women breastfeeding much older children, and whilst I wasn’t horrified, I didn’t really understand why they’d want to. Weren’t they just trying to keep their children babies for longer? It’s not like those galumphing toddlers and chatty pre-schoolers really needed breastmilk anymore… So what I’m saying is, I get it.
I get how confronting it can be to see a mother nursing an older child. But here’s the thing – children only age one day at a time. So why do I believe that letting him lead this is the best way forward? But what’s it really like, feeding this tiny human that is so big and yet so small all at the same time? Returning to work and continuing to breastfeed. | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. Every time I see a post asking about returning to work, it transports me back in time. I totally remember how it felt, I was a nervous wreck wondering how she would cope (and how I would cope!) So I wanted to use my story to inform others about their options and reassure mamas everywhere – it can work, it will work.
Here’s my handy top 10 facts about returning to work, based around my own experience with informative links where relevant. 1. Returning to work definitely does not have to mean the end of breastfeeding, or even the introduction of other milk. 2. Childcare is a very personal thing, and arrangements vary from family to family. 3. It’s a good idea to provide your employer with notice in writing of your intention to continue breastfeeding and your wish to express prior to your return. 4. When it comes to need and desire to express, every mum is different. 5. 6. 7. 8. Occasionally! Let’s talk about poo, baby | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. I often see this question come up in Facebook groups: how often should a breastfed baby poo? “My baby hasn’t pooed for two days – should I be worried?” Most of us have been told at some point that it’s very common for an exclusively-breastfed baby to sometimes go several days, even ten days or more, without pooing, and that it’s not a concern as long as they seem comfortable.
In babies of six weeks or older, this is correct as long as everything else (wet nappies, weight gain, general appearance, alertness and contentedness) suggests that the baby is getting plenty of milk. Most breastfeeding mothers will at some point get that sinking feeling as they watch an ominous yellowy-brown stain work its way across their baby’s vest thanks to several days’ worth of poo building up to a nappy-escaping poonami. However, there is a misconception that this applies to all exclusively-breastfed babies, regardless of age. By Catherine Holmes. Choosing the right breastpump | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. I imagine that years ago, one didn’t need any equipment for breastfeeding.
Just your boobs and a baby. Sadly we live in a different, age – a commercialised world where you have to have a gadget for everything – even breastfeeding. Combined with that we seem to have busier lives, and mums are constantly under pressure to leave their baby with someone – as well as having to return to work. Ultimately, it seems that sooner or later in every mum’s breastfeeding journey, the question will arise ‘what breast pump should I get’ I see this arise in our support group and others all the time. And invariably, it will lead to a string of responses that I find terribly frustrating. As far as I’m concerned, there are only 3 questions that need to be considered in relation to breastpumps. Is the pump I’m considering open or closed system? Firstly, let’s focus on brands. And apparently, this is not an isolated incident. For those reasons an open pump is a single user item. Does the pump suit me? Talking about the WHO code | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group.
It can be a controversial subject, but I strongly feel that every mother, whether breastfeeding or formula feeding, should know how dishonest the infant feeding industry can be and what to look out for to protect herself from being taken advantage of. Something that has been raised a few times in recent days and weeks is the law surrounding formula sales and promotion.
This is an issue close to the heart of the admin team. Partly because as peer supporters, the codes of conduct of our organisations require us to abide by the WHO code – The World Health Organisation’s International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. But mainly because it really does matter. For the very reasons that the code exists. I often hear people say ‘I wouldn’t by convinced to use formula by an advert’. In very real terms this is about protecting babies and vulnerable new mums. The pregnant mum who hasn’t even considered how she’s going to feed yet? So let’s talk specifically about the UK. Further links. Yes, you can relactate! | through the eyes of a breastfeeding support group. As a breastfeeding support group, we regularly get asked about relactation, and the answer is yes, it is entirely possible to relactate! Even adoptive parents can induce lactation so it’s entirely possible for a mum a few months down the line (and further) to relactate.
There are two key things that must be achieved in order to get baby back to directly breastfeeding: 1) the re-establishment of a milk supply and 2) getting baby to latch at the breast. Re-establishing a milk supply: The best thing for this is to have baby suckling at the breast, but if your supply has dwindled to almost nothing and it has been some time since baby directly attached to the breast, this may not be possible immediately. Hand expressing may also help, particularly when you are first starting out, as the amounts you initially express are likely to be small, and some mums get better results using this method. Skin to skin is also extremely beneficial for milk supply. Getting baby to latch at the breast: