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| − | [[Breast Is Best????]] | + | *[[Breast Is Best????]] |
| − | | + | *[[Not everyone can breastfeed]] |
| − | “It’s the most natural thing a mother can do”
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| − | Isn’t that what you hear and read about breast feeding? Well, I’m not so sure on that…
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| − | I made the decision to breastfeed pretty much from the moment I had the positive pregnancy test, I was breast fed as were both my sisters. My sister breastfed her two children ---- how hard could it be?
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| − | Well, damn hard in my experience. I remember attending the antenatal class about bottle/breast feeding.
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| − | It was most informative, and in fact a bit of a laugh watching the Daddy’s to be squirming in their chairs when breast feeding was mentioned.
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| − | One lady next to me had told her husband it was only about bottle feeding, “if he thought we were discussing breast feeding he wouldn’t have come along“, she explained.
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| − | So is it still a taboo subject?
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| − | Is it still to be hidden away as if its something to be ashamed of or embarrassed to be seen doing?
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| − | Long has it been discussed about whether mothers should breast feed in public or not, god forbid that “natural thing” is seen by other people… Why?
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| − | Why should mummies be made to feel unwelcome if their baby needs feeding?
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| − | I think recently there has been a massive change in the way breastfeeding is viewed, but still, I think we are a long way off from it being totally accepted…
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| − | So back two years ago, back to the early hours, after a long 23 hour labour, feeling pretty tired and bewildered I’m handed a 9lb 8oz baby boy --- a hungry baby boy and asked the question “are you breast or bottle feeding”…
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| − | “Breastfeeding, I’d like to breastfeed”, next thing I know my son is placed to my breast and he takes over… Like a primal knowledge had taken over, he’s suckling away and I’m left thinking “Yes, this is it, it is natural”….
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| − | A couple of minutes later, he looses his latch and starts screaming, almost as if to say “who took the milk away”…
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| − | That’s when the blind panic set in, that’s when tiredness and an over whelming urge to sleep kicked in, but no…. I can’t sleep, I need to feed my son, he needs me, I can’t sleep yet!
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| − | Trying desperately to remember what I’d learnt, how to breastfeed this screaming baby --- my mind went blank, thankfully a midwife was there and lifted him back up to feed…
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| − | We got through the next few days, I don’t know how, but between us we managed…
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| − | It certainly wasn’t easy though, my milk didn’t come through for a few days so I don’t think that helped… My boobs hurt like hell, he had one heck of a strong latch and "Lansinoh" cream was never far from my side…
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| − | I spoke to my midwife, the health visitor and both pretty much saying “Just keep going, his latch is fine”… I nearly gave up, I was at the stage when I dreaded feeding time, my poor boobies were cracked and sore and my toes would curl whenever the initial latch was taken because of the pain it caused…
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| − | But then I got help, from my mum! Who else hey?
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| − | She showed me how to massage my boob just before feeding and gently squeeze the nipple to start the milk flow…
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| − | How to ease the pain with a warm shower directly onto my chest and miracle of miracles it just suddenly became easier!
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| − | Not pain free… I had a little man who loved his milk, and would use my boobies as a substitute dummy, but I was delighted to exclusively breastfeed for 5 months until weaning started and continued breastfeeding until he was 9months… | |
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| − | I wanted to stop breastfeeding at 6 months but my little fella had different ideas, he refused every make of bottle, cup/teat there was… but again that’s a different story… The change from breast to bottle….
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| − | All I can say to mummies wanting to or struggling with breast feeding, don't feel like everyone else is breast feeding without problems, yes there are mummies who can breastfeed easily but after speaking to other mummies, most had some issues at some point and most are there to offer advice and support. There are plenty of breast feeding support groups to join or chat with...
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| − | My heart goes out to mummies who wanted to breast feed and for whatever reason didn't or were unable to, it is a unique experience and one I will forever be grateful I could experience...
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