This reminds me that I forgot to say that I had what my midwife described as "a text book natural birth". Everything went better than I had hoped, except for tearing, but given my incredible stretch marks it is probably not that surprising I tore... My breast feeding experience was a rude shock after a wonderful birth.
I think it is great that there is more knowledge out there about the basics of breastfeeding than there was say 10 years ago but but I think to say that only 1-2% of women are physically unable to feed under estimates how many women will have significant problems. Does anyone know how many women in the past were able to feed their babies but had to have top up feeds provided by their sister/cousin/friend or what percentage of babies were breast fed successfully but did not thrive to the extent that Australian women currently expect? I know many committed breastfeeders and I don't know many for whom it has been as simple as good attachment=pain free and supply=demand. A great breastfeeding relationship is a truly miraculous thing but I think we don't do anyone any favours to pretend that it might not have ups and downs and may require a concerted effort to maintain it at the trickier times - just like any relationship really. cheers Jo At 4:13 PM +0930 19/5/05, Dean & Jo wrote: >I have a client who despite really wanting to breast feed and going >through months of hell with problems, sleep deprivation and hoards of >conflicting, formulized 'help' she has decided to comp feed. Many will >gasp at that but baby is happy and sleeping, mother is not stuck on the >couch 24/7 crying in pain and frustration and the whole family is happy >again. It is interesting as this woman had a wonderful natural birth >and was shocked to find that breast feeding naturally was not an obvious >follow on. > >I was one of the lucky ones who did just put babe on the boob and had no >problems what so ever! The only issue I had was the emotional pressure >of being the only source of nutrients for baby (drug induced hysteria >after a cs! Ha ha!) > >I really felt for this woman however as she wanted so desperately to >make her care providers proud by being able to breast feed, and yet this >added to her problems. > >It is interesting how some of the most wonderfully supportive midwives I >know and adore have been referred to half jokingly by some as 'Tit >Nazis'. >Breast feeding can cause greater heated debates than elective cs I have >found! :o) > >Cheers >Jo > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Denise Fisher >Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:53 AM >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Breastfeeding > >Breastfeeding doesn't often come up on this list, but when it does it >causes heated discussions - I don't understand why as a very reasonable >advocate of the normal, healthy way to feed a baby I feel so threatened >each time I post. :-\ >Does having a normal birth, followed by a normal breastfeeding >relationship >make a woman a better mother?? I wouldn't be surprised if, when big >numbers are crunched, that that is what statistically comes out of the >computer, while also accepting that you can't apply statistics to >individuals. Whether we like it or not we are driven by hormones over >which >we have no control - all of our loving relationships are heavily >influenced >by the hormones that are floating around us at the time. That's why >normal >birthing is so important (read Michel Odent, plus heaps of others now), >and >why breastfeeding is also incredibly important to the ability to mother >and >form secure attachments. Please don't get personally slighted over that >statement - I'm not saying that all is lost for the mother and baby who >don't experience normal - but when you're starting from the abnormal, it > >takes greater effort to get everything back to normal. > >Denise Hynd's support for normal birthing to ultimately support >breastfeeding is definitely addressing one of the barriers to successful > >breastfeeding. However, there are still a lot of midwives and doctors >who >set the mother up for failure of breastfeeding because of mismanagement, > >despite their wonderful birth experience. Lieve will support me when I >mention the very, very poor breastfeeding rates in The Netherlands >despite >home birthing. It's not a natural follow-on - it's another essential >skill >that a good midwife must learn about and acquire and then share with her > >clients. > >Yes there are barriers to breastfeeding that are beyond our immediate >control, but one of the biggest barriers is the uneducated health >professional. We're improving, and because of that I feel that some of >the >social barriers are being knocked down by confidently breastfeeding >mothers >- more women breastfeed in public without giving it a second thought; >more >mothers seek a place to pump at work, or lobby for closer childcare. >It's >happening, but only because these women start out with self-confidence, >and >that's where the assumption of breastfeeding as normal, and facilitating > >normal establishment of breastfeeding by knowledgeable midwives is the >key. > >Self-confidence in an ability to birth naturally is just as important as > >self-confidence to feed their baby naturally. Introducing doubt >needlessly >to either process destroys self-confidence. > >Denise > >*************************************** >Denise Fisher >Health e-Learning >http://www.health-e-learning.com >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >**************************************** > >-- >This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. >Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > >-- >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.8 - Release Date: 5/10/2005 > > >-- >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.322 / Virus Database: 266.11.0 - Release Date: 4/29/2005 > >-- >This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. >Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- Jo Bourne Virtual Artists Pty Ltd -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
