>While we are on the subject of older moms, I live and work in a culture
>where I see many mothers a day on child number 10, 11, 12. Obviously these
>mothers are also older, but usually between 35-45. It is so frustrating to
>try to help these moms. The usual situation is someone who has nursed all
>her kids without problems, successfully, and all of the sudden they have a
>baby who is just not gaining, while they are still doing the same
>management of BF. It breaks my heart to see it, and these moms are usually
>too busy for the "put your all into it, nurse around the clock, pump, etc"
>advise. They cringe as they have to supplement. I usually don't have
>much to tell them. Are there any studies I am not aware of regardings
>advanced births such as these? I think this might be more of a factor than
>the age. Any suggestions what to tell them?
>Thanks,
>Jessica Billowitz
>Israel
Jessica, forgive me as you will know your culture better than I do! But I
live very near a sizeable community of orthodox Jews (in Gateshead,
north-east England) , many of whom have large families as you describe. I
am in touch with them, as until recently one of my trainees was from this
community, and one of our a/n teachers is also. They also contact us for
support and information from time to time.
Our experience here is that generally, the mothers do breastfeed, but not
100 per cent successfully. They almost all start off bf, but according to
my trainee, and my own conversations and observations, they start to pump
very soon and give bottles of EBM, and then top up with formula very soon.
Long-term unrestricted bf is very unusual - and the tendency is that the
larger the family, the less time the baby gets on excl. bf....and the bf
experience tends to worsen with the number of children because of this,
not because of the age of the mother.
My trainee bf all her children long-term and unrestrictedly, and at 40, she
had five children - she was just not fertile enough to have more because
of her bf . This was considered a small family in her community, and her bf
choice was, she told us, regarded as strange by many mothers.
I would really welcome your comments on this.
Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK
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