Breastfeeding is awesome

[pgwenthold]

My oldest son simply stopped breastfeeding 1 day before his first birthday. He just flat-out refused after that. We stopped my second son on his first birthday and he never complained in the least. In both cases, we were extensively prepared for weaning, and in neither case were any of the books, videos, puppets, stage plays or musical numbers necessary.

In our case, the Offspring basically quit at 9 mos.

His mom was always at the edge of having enough to keep him satisfied anyway, and he just was too busy to be bothered with it anymore. I wouldn't say he flat-out refused, but it was certainly a struggle to keep him going.

 

[Vic Vega]

All I know is that if you've had any contact with the La Leche League or any other group of breastfeeding Nazis, it might be enough to get you to use formula out of pure spite.

 

[TraneWreck]

As to the title of this thread, there aren't a whole lot of things involving breasts that aren't awesome. Basically cancer is the only negative...and maybe lower back pain in certain circumstances.

Other than that, awesome through and through.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

I had the hospital pushing formula with both of my health, term babies because they were jaundiced (but not enough to need hospitalization). With the second baby, when I resisted and said I really wanted to stick with breastfeeding, I had the nurse ask me "but have you considered the benefits of formula feeding?" I was sent home with formula company "gift" bags with both.

When was that? 1920??? I don't know of any doctor that would deny that breast is best. What does jaundice have to do with it? Don't they have those lovely tanning beds for that?

 

[iknownothing]

When was that? 1920??? I don't know of any doctor that would deny that breast is best. What does jaundice have to do with it? Don't they have those lovely tanning beds for that?

2007. At a hospital that makes all the right noise and printed nice shiny brochures about how they promote breastfeeding.

Both babies were noticably jaundiced by the time we were discharged. With my first in 2005, I didn't know much and caved to the pressure to give him some formula. (Later I did some digging and couldn't find any convincing evidence that formula helps with jaundice, but it seems to be one of those things lots of doctors believe.) Which was one of the factors that set us up for a bad time with the breastfeeding. We did wind up getting one of those tanning beds for him after a few days since his bilirubin kept going up & up, and it took a week and a half before he was clear.

With my second, when I was told her bilirubin came back high (higher than her brother) and she should start on some formula, I said no and that was just a waste of time -- why not get her started on the blue light right away? So we went home with the blue light machine, and her jaundice was cleared in a couple days.

In my experience with both births, there's just utter confusion about the breastfeeding issue. The hospital wants to be seen as promoting it, but that doesn't mean the staff actually knows much about it. Then you get pressured both ways -- told to supplement with some formula, but somehow also keep breastfeeding even though the formula introduces some (sometimes significant) challenges.

Editing to add: a friend was told to completely quit nursing because "her breastmilk is making the baby jaundiced." That was a different hospital, same city here in the Midwest.

 

[ponderingturtle]

When was that? 1920??? I don't know of any doctor that would deny that breast is best. What does jaundice have to do with it? Don't they have those lovely tanning beds for that?

But they don't get enough radium water if they are breast fed. Why not go real 1920's quackery?

 

[Eos of the Eons]

2007. At a hospital that makes all the right noise and printed nice shiny brochures about how they promote breastfeeding.

Both babies were noticably jaundiced by the time we were discharged. With my first in 2005, I didn't know much and caved to the pressure to give him some formula. (Later I did some digging and couldn't find any convincing evidence that formula helps with jaundice, but it seems to be one of those things lots of doctors believe.) Which was one of the factors that set us up for a bad time with the breastfeeding. We did wind up getting one of those tanning beds for him after a few days since his bilirubin kept going up & up, and it took a week and a half before he was clear.

With my second, when I was told her bilirubin came back high (higher than her brother) and she should start on some formula, I said no and that was just a waste of time -- why not get her started on the blue light right away? So we went home with the blue light machine, and her jaundice was cleared in a couple days.

In my experience with both births, there's just utter confusion about the breastfeeding issue. The hospital wants to be seen as promoting it, but that doesn't mean the staff actually knows much about it. Then you get pressured both ways -- told to supplement with some formula, but somehow also keep breastfeeding even though the formula introduces some (sometimes significant) challenges.

Editing to add: a friend was told to completely quit nursing because "her breastmilk is making the baby jaundiced." That was a different hospital, same city here in the Midwest.

Sorry, but I find that hard to believe, very. Staff was supportive and knowledgeable in all cases I've ever seen, anecdotally. Then nurses with home care further supported mothers at home with a visit shortly after (with advice for anything breastfeeding related... even sore nipples).

I bet if they actually surveyed hospitals, then your personal experience, if true, would certainly be odd.

Also, what does breast feeding vs formula have to do with jaundice? Do you know what causes jaundice? They put babies under the blue in the hospital if there is jaundice, they don't say switch to formula and then wait after that.

 

[iknownothing]

Sorry, but I find that hard to believe, very. Staff was supportive and knowledgeable in all cases I've ever seen, anecdotally. Then nurses with home care further supported mothers at home with a visit shortly after (with advice for anything breastfeeding related... even sore nipples).

I bet if they actually surveyed hospitals, then your personal experience, if true, would certainly be odd.

Also, what does breast feeding vs formula have to do with jaundice? Do you know what causes jaundice? They put babies under the blue in the hospital if there is jaundice, they don't say switch to formula and then wait after that.

Okaaay. You can certainly just choose to disbelieve anybody's experience that doesn't match with your view of reality.

Editing to add: The theory is that since pooping helps the body rid itself of bilirubin, giving the baby formula helps you get a little more into them, since you can't control how much they get while nursing and they are only getting a little volume before your milk comes in. The more they take in, the more they'll poop. Of course it doesn't really work that way, since breastfed babies poop more than formula fed babies.

 

[fls]

One of the treatments for breastmilk jaundice is to interrupt breastfeeding with formula for a day. But unless it is severe (which is unusual), continuing breastfeeding (and conversely increasing the frequency) +/- the addition of phytotherapy and/or supplementation with formula for a short period will be sufficient. It is odd that any pediatrician would interfere lightly with initiation of breastfeeding.

Linda

 

[pgwenthold]

2007. At a hospital that makes all the right noise and printed nice shiny brochures about how they promote breastfeeding.

Both babies were noticably jaundiced by the time we were discharged. With my first in 2005, I didn't know much and caved to the pressure to give him some formula. (Later I did some digging and couldn't find any convincing evidence that formula helps with jaundice, but it seems to be one of those things lots of doctors believe.) Which was one of the factors that set us up for a bad time with the breastfeeding. We did wind up getting one of those tanning beds for him after a few days since his bilirubin kept going up & up, and it took a week and a half before he was clear.

With my second, when I was told her bilirubin came back high (higher than her brother) and she should start on some formula, I said no and that was just a waste of time -- why not get her started on the blue light right away? So we went home with the blue light machine, and her jaundice was cleared in a couple days.

In my experience with both births, there's just utter confusion about the breastfeeding issue. The hospital wants to be seen as promoting it, but that doesn't mean the staff actually knows much about it. Then you get pressured both ways -- told to supplement with some formula, but somehow also keep breastfeeding even though the formula introduces some (sometimes significant) challenges.

Editing to add: a friend was told to completely quit nursing because "her breastmilk is making the baby jaundiced." That was a different hospital, same city here in the Midwest.

There is such a thing as "breastmilk jaundice." It is described here

http://pediatrics.about.com/library/breastfeeding/blbreastfeedingh.htm

However, as noted there, it is not necessary to stop breastfeeding because of it.

(note: you can also find information about breastmilk jaundice at the aap website)

The pediatrics.about.com website says that breastmilk jaundice occurs later - more in the 10 - 21 day range. As noted, if the baby is otherwise healthy and gaining weight, then there is no reason to stop breastfeeding.

Neonatal jaundice peaks at 3 - 5 days, and can be exacerbated by breastfeeding complications. However, the best solution is to solve the breastfeeding complications that are occurring, and not to (dare I say?) throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[iknownothing]

One of the treatments for breastmilk jaundice is to interrupt breastfeeding with formula for a day. But unless it is severe (which is unusual), continuing breastfeeding (and conversely increasing the frequency) +/- the addition of phytotherapy and/or supplementation with formula for a short period will be sufficient. It is odd that any pediatrician would interfere lightly with initiation of breastfeeding.

Linda

That's the thing, I don't think they feel like they are interfering with breastfeeding. They think they are only asking you to "supplement" and think you can switch right back to breastfeeding when you're done supplementing.

But of course, when you fill a baby's tummy up with formula he's not going to be hungry for a little while so you can't get the nursing going. Not every baby takes to nursing that well, so if you are supplementing you're missing the opportunities to practice, and not getting the stimulation to bring your milk in quickly, which means when the baby does nurse there's still no milk and baby's unhappy, which leads you to "supplement" again etc. It can take some dogged determination to get breastfeeding back on track with a newborn if you start supplementing.

 

[fls]

That's the thing, I don't think they feel like they are interfering with breastfeeding. They think they are only asking you to "supplement" and think you can switch right back to breastfeeding when you're done supplementing.

But they should know better, because of what you describe below.

But of course, when you fill a baby's tummy up with formula he's not going to be hungry for a little while so you can't get the nursing going. Not every baby takes to nursing that well, so if you are supplementing you're missing the opportunities to practice, and not getting the stimulation to bring your milk in quickly, which means when the baby does nurse there's still no milk and baby's unhappy, which leads you to "supplement" again etc. It can take some dogged determination to get breastfeeding back on track with a newborn if you start supplementing.

 

[bpesta22]

When I get home, I'll post it, but the link between breast feeding and health is explained by IQ, at least in the USA.

 

[Elvis666]

I am pretty sure, however, that that attitude is not common in, say, Peoria or Memphis, let alone the small towns of the South.

Go easy on the stereotyping. My kids were breast-fed in rural West Tennessee over twenty-five years ago, and my wife would just throw a clean diaper over her shoulder and the baby's head and let 'em go to it without ever getting any comments or even dirty looks that we noticed.

People in the rural South have no problem at all with breast feeding, since, in many cases, there were never any generations that consistently bottle-fed their babies. When it became common for medical professionals to "push" breast feeding, many rural areas had never left the practice behind for the hassle of bottles.

My daughter-in-law and I discussed this just yesterday over Easter dinner that breast feeding our first grandchild was always a given for her, as is giving her the full range of recommended innoculations.

 

[Professor Yaffle]

I have found that the promotion of breastfeeding was very good when I had my kids, but the knowledge of the midwives and health visitors was often very poor and counterproductive and had far more inluence on whether you gave up than whether it was well "promoted".

Knowledge of specific breastfeeding problems was atrocious - every problem was put down to the baby not latching on perfectly because your positioning was bad. They hadn't even heard of the problem that I had (over active letdown reflex - I won't go into details...) and I had to rely on the internet and volunteer telephone lactation counsellors to get the problem sorted out. I am lucky that I come from a family where everyone breastfeeds, so I had a lot more support than most people and knew that most problems resolve themselves in the first few months. Otherwise, I would probably have given up quite early on.

 

[pgwenthold]

As to the title of this thread, there aren't a whole lot of things involving breasts that aren't awesome. Basically cancer is the only negative...and maybe lower back pain in certain circumstances.

Other than that, awesome through and through.

I just want to mention that as a guy and a father of a young one and one on the way, there is nothing at all that I find sexual about breastfeeding. It's a great activity for nourishing a little person, absolutely wonderful. But for me, seeing a baby nurse on a naked breast is about as asexual as things come.

I of course like boobs as much as the next guy, but when it comes to breastfeeding, it's not a sexual attraction.

 

[shadron]

I just want to mention that as a guy and a father of a young one and one on the way, there is nothing at all that I find sexual about breastfeeding. It's a great activity for nourishing a little person, absolutely wonderful. But for me, seeing a baby nurse on a naked breast is about as asexual as things come.

I of course like boobs as much as the next guy, but when it comes to breastfeeding, it's not a sexual attraction.

I rather doubt it is for almost anyone. What it is is a prissy attraction. It seems to arouse feelings of antipathy in those who are upset easily by seeing any form of nudity. Slightly less dumb are the many older mothers who were actively discouraged by 20th century modern ideas in child-rearing that eschewed breast feeding also seem to not be able to get past the "eeewwww" factor.

 

[TraneWreck]

I just want to mention that as a guy and a father of a young one and one on the way, there is nothing at all that I find sexual about breastfeeding. It's a great activity for nourishing a little person, absolutely wonderful. But for me, seeing a baby nurse on a naked breast is about as asexual as things come.

I of course like boobs as much as the next guy, but when it comes to breastfeeding, it's not a sexual attraction.

I hope I didn't imply otherwise. I'm just giving a thumbs-up to mammary-related activities of all sorts...except cancer.

 

[pgwenthold]

I rather doubt it is for almost anyone. What it is is a prissy attraction. It seems to arouse feelings of antipathy in those who are upset easily by seeing any form of nudity.

I agree, but I wonder, why are they so upset about nudity? Why is a nude elbow ok but a nude breast is not?

I guess I have to say, I don't agree in the assessment that "it isn't about sex, it is about nudity." I know there are culture where any nakedness is wrong, but when it is focused on boobs and genitals, how is it not about sex? Why else should a naked boob be upsetting?

Consider the scenerio, Mom and baby are sitting on the beach in their bathing suits. No one complains. She drops one side of her top to nurse the child and someone complains. Is that really about nudity?

 

[jasonpatterson]

I am pretty sure, however, that that attitude is not common in, say, Peoria or Memphis, let alone the small towns of the South. When I nursed my child in a semi-public room at the Mall of the Americas in Minneapolis, other women looked at me like I was crazy, dangerous, or both. It was most unexpected, as Minnesota is extremely liberal politically; that does not apparently carry over into social mores.

My wife breastfed our kids in public in both Louisiana and Indiana without any social problems at all. She pumped milk at work in both locations as well... She's a relatively modest woman, and threw a blanket over the kids' heads while they were feeding, but that's about the end of it. Dunno if you got a group of loonies at the mall or perhaps they weren't as appalled as you thought at the time. Who knows?