Re: [ozmidwifery] "formula lunches"

[Deliverywoman]

Hi,

 

I too have experience problems breastfeeding all my 4 children, and with No. 5 on the way am seeking a lot of support to enable me to successfully breastfeed this little one.

 

Abby, like you I felt 'ripped off' due to the lack of support and edcuation that was provided to me with many of my babes, but also ripped off when with babes' 3 and 4 even with support and education there were still a great deal of difficulties. 

 

With No. 2, I actually started to suffer PND when I finally realised that my darling daughter at 6 weeks (whom I had totally refused and would not let anyone give her supps in any way, shape or form) She was still 200gms below birth weight and looked extremely anorexic and actually had pressure area sores on her sacrum due to her emaciated state.  In reflection you could say I was suffering anorexia nervosa by proxy as I was unable to see her in that way, to me she looked healthy etc, it was the production of a photo of her that shocked me into reality.

 

I am extremely traumatised by each of my 'failures' to breastfeed and maybe I could invite all you wonderful women to come and stay with me for baby No. 5 and achieve what I am now beginning to believe is the impossible for me.  The one thing I CAN say is that despite my trauma etc.  there is no WAY I can NOT try to breastfeed, to me not trying and putting baby straight onto formula (as has been suggested by many a healthcare professional, including midwifes, M&CHN and ABA counsellors) is to really 'fail'. 

 

So for those that have 'tried' you have not 'failed' for to not try is to fail.

 

Yours in Childbirth

Rita

deliverywoman

 

Abby and Toby <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>>Just like a traumatic birth experience, this takes time to work through
but perhaps could be avoided if these women had been supported in a
breastfeeding culture initially.
P.S. I wet nursed a friend's adopted baby - she is now 20
> Pinky

Hi,

This topic is great reading.
While suffering with PND, which I think was PTSD, my ECN suggested I start
comp feeding because one day Akayrii had lost weight. I was advised to come
in and see her every week, drink sustagen and comp feed one feed a day. She
gave me samples of different formulas and away I went. What this meant was
me being stressed, stacking on the weight( thanks sustagen) and my milk
supply dwindling.
What I was not told and am quite upset now that I know a lot more than I did
then, was that ABA existed and they could really help me, I was given no
helpline n! umbers, no support group numbers, I wasn't told that comp feeding
could decrease my supply not increase it ( even though it gave my nipples a
rest and gave my body a chance to make more milk??!!), that comp feeding
could cause nipple confusion etc etc.
I adore my ECN but that is one thing I feel so let down about, I struggled
with "failing" at birth and then had to deal with "failing" at
breastfeeding. My daughter self weaned at 9months, she was having about 3
feeds from me and 2 comp feeds at that stage. She started getting eczema at
6months and has just gotten worse and worse. Ever since she started on
formula she has had, what I believe to be weakened lungs and was suffering
from asthma for a little while. It wasn't until I came out of my PND haze at
11months, that I realised what had happened and the choices I had made and
then it was too late.
Anyway, my point is that I find it distressing that some midwives and early
childhood nurses ! and other professionals have no idea how to support or
encourage breastfeeding mums.
From the things I have read now I know why. It is really sad. Formula
companies make so much money, if they were that interested in maternal and
child health they would put money into researching how to help encourage and
educate women to breastfeed, not sponsoring meetings and luncheons.

Thanks for the book recommendations........yay more books to buy!!
Love Abby

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