Did you get pressured to breastfeed?

[jowalk6]

I am pregnant with my 3rd child. Had my last 2 by c.section, tried the breastfeeding but was unsuccessful. I want to bottle feed this time, do they try to pressure you to breastfeed in hospital? x

[Hidden]

No they don't and they shouldn't and if they do tell them where to go! Ur the mother your choice entirely! X

[jowalk6 in reply to Hidden]

I will lol.. Thanks for the advice x

[thesecondtime in reply to Hidden]

I have to dissagree with you Im afraid.

Its not the mothers DESITION to breastfeed. Its the child's RIGHT to be breastfed. Breastfeding is not easy, it takes time and effort as a mum, but its your first a duty as a mother. It might not work after all, in some cases it doesnt, but you HAVE to try it. For your childs benefit, not yours.

Sorry, but I feel very strong about it, I am appalled of the lack of information and encouragement MW give to mums about breastfeeding.

[Hidden]

No, you shouldnt feel pressured to breastfeed in any way. This is entieley up to you.

If the thought of physical breastfeeding makes you feel uncomfortable have you tried purchasing a breastpump, at least this way you are still able to give your baby the right feed "through a feeding bottle" espicially in the 1st few months of the baby's life as sometimes the formula can at times leave the child constipated.

Have a good look at some on-line baby equipment stores such as Kiddicare.com & Bambino direct you could possibly get a good bargain.

xx

[jowalk6 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for your reply and for the good advice. The pump sounds like a good idea x

[jowalk6]

Thank you for your reply. I am sure you will cope well with it. Good luck x

[Hidden]

My sister in law tried with the 1st 2 and didn't get on 2 well with it so decided to bottle feed from the start, she had no problems with anyone.

Check if you need to provide milk, when I had my 3 yo they did have milk available to everyone, if u were bottle feeding or wanted to top up a breast fed baby but in the hospitals in my area now they have nothing ! Asda sell the small bottles of ready made milk that hospitals used to provide which are handy! I've heard of new dads having to go out at all hrs trying to find formula for new hungry babies!

U tried twice I think that's brilliant and it should not be an issue if u don't want to put urself through the process again , my friend breast fed her 1s successfully but found it hard to get her off it as she wouldn't take a bottle / dummy of any kind she only got her off when she found out she was pregnant with the 2nd , by this time she was 3 yo ! My friend decided she didn't want to breastfeed 2nd baby and she had no problems.

It's totally ur choice.

[jowalk6 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for the great advice x

[CheekyP]

I have heard from some friends that they have felt pressured to breast feed and then they reviewed no support from any of the medical staff when they tried. It's all very well midwives telling you to do it but they aren't the ones who have to do it and it is not up to them. Be prepared that you may feel some pressure but as others have said you are mum and the choice is absolutely yours. No one else has the right to tell you how to look after your baby x

[jowalk6 in reply to CheekyP]

Thank you for your reply x

[Megzey]

YES I did feel pressured, stick by your guns and flat out refuse.

My first was 7lbs 14oz when he was born and I wanted to breastfeed so had the midwife check me in hosp and they sent me home the next day after delivery (even though I didn't feel 100% happy with it). Had a few midwifes come to my house and they wanted to check I was feeding right and they all said yes fine. My little lad was not happy, he would cry and cry and cry all night so I rang the midwife and said I dont think he is feeding right and is crying all the time to which I got "New born babies my dear unfortuantly they do cry". I was like WTF surley not this much I was like a looney as I was so tired. A midwife came and asked to see me feeding and she was like " something isn't quite right" and I said he had been messing about just bobbing his head around and not really feeding properly so she weighed him and he ha gone down to 6oz 2lbs as he had not been feeding. I was devastated. We got admitted back into the childrens ward in the hosp at 2pm that afternoon and they wanted to operate on him to un tie his tongue so he could latch on, I was like no way. The breastfeeding specialist came to see me when she finished her shift at 10PM that night so he hadn't feed all that time and I just said I want to bottle feed him, they all ummed and arrred (I was gonna just run off so they would have had no choice, I was an emotional wreck) FINALLY they let me give him a bottle and he gulped the whole lot down, he must have been so hungry. Looking back now as it was my first I should have been abit more stronger but I didn't know and I was a wreck. Not a pleasent experience.

My second I just bottle fed from the off. I am gonna try breastfeeding with my 3rd but if it doesn't happen then not gonna dwell on it.

Good luck

[jowalk6 in reply to Megzey]

Thank you for your story. I hope all goes well x