Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Tue, 22 Mar 2016 10:08:11 +0200 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Well done, Heather. That letter should be used as a template for all of us
responding to stupid media articles like those mentioned.
Yes Carnation milk was recommended well into the 60`s although formula was
available. I think we have quite a battle supporting women when their
mothers, aunts, grannies, sisters-in-law did not breastfeed and are trying
to sabotage the new mum`s efforts to do so. I always confess that when my
first son was born in 1964 I knew nothing about NCT, my prenatal class in
the local hospital only covered as far as the birth and I had absolutely no
support for or knowledge about breastfeeding except that I really wanted to
do it.
In those days we were in hospital 10 days (yes after a completely normal
birth) and babies were brought to us mums every four hours for ten minutes
each side.
Sleepy or not, babies were thrust on to the breast on schedule. In the
middle of guzzling, they were yanked off the breast after ten minutes each
side. I got engorged and had no idea what that was and I was given a pill
to reduce fluid.
So with the infrequent feeds and incorrect treatment of engorgement I was
puzzled that on coming home my son was crying night and day for food - but
they told me to feed him every four hours, didn`t they!
He lost weight and cried all the time. I lost weight and cried all the
time. My GP who was wonderful and actually very supportive of breastfeeding
did try to help but eventually the baby`s weight loss scared us all - and I
was told to give him Carnation Milk. He loves Carnation Milk to this day
but has always been underweight and suffered all these years from asthma and
other respiratory problems.
With baby No. 2. I had discovered NCT, went to a refresher prenatal course
with hubby as I planned a home birth and he could attend. (Don`t forget
these were those dark days of keeping hubbies out of the delivery room). I
breastfed my second son for a year and went on to breastfeed my other two
children for an extended period.
So my tip to expectant parents and new mums is:
be prepared; go to a good prenatal course which will discuss breastfeeding
in depth; if birthing in hospital demand rooming-in and zero separation;
ignore family and friends who have horror stories about breastfeeding; book
a home visit from a qualified breastfeeding counsellor; trust your own body.
My story is that of countless new mothers. I am the same woman with the
same body who stopped breastfeeding after a few weeks with first baby and
went on to feed the other children for nearly a year. What was the basic
reason? Lack of preparation, lack of knowledge, lack of support, outdated
hospital practices and NOT poor diet, poor motivation, insufficient
lactation hormones, small/large breasts/ small/large nipples.
So it was not surprising when I decided in the early 70`s to train to be an
NCT teacher and Breastfeeding Counsellor. I think that many of us who have
worked for years in this wonderful profession had a difficult first start
and perhaps we can be more empathetic to our clients who also do not find
those first weeks so easy.
Wendy Blumfield
Haifa
***********************************************
Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome
|
|
|