Breastfed babies are better behaved, says research

[Fuschia]

Ah well

Maybe I am the exception

I regard it as rude to call somebody 'breastapo' however sensitive you may feel

I don't see it as my role to start a campaign against anyone, regardless of how they feed

It's none of my business and I don't have strong feelings about it ... Would just like to be left to get on with things how I choose and if from time there is a study that says there are benefits to breastfeeding I am pleased to hear it because I certainly have struggled with it and it's nice to feel there was some point to it

But as I say, I don't feel the need to jump on those who formula feed

[oldnewromantic]

Fuschia. No one was insulting breast-feeders. The term breastapo was aimed at those who apply pressure to breastfeed, irrespective of the effect on mother and child and those around them. In my experience these are more likely to be people who haven't had children. I honestly thought the conversation we were having was an adult discussion around a piece of published research and whether the headlines told the true story of the results. You hinted at a statistical background so I was really interested to discuss it with you.

If there is any campaigning here, it's to get people to speak out about their experiences, not necessarily from the point of view of 'we must all continue to breastfeed whatever the odds' and more from the point of being able to make a decision as to when to stop from an informed standpoint and with the support of others.

[jennyh]

Its such a shame that the issue raises so much angst, we should all feel proud that we provide for our babies whether it is breast milk or formula but the fact that it is such an emotive issue means hat the feelings of inadequacy are always apparent. As someone who couldnt breastfeed for lots of reasons I have huge emotional baggage that is dragging along behind me after weeks and weeks of 'accepting' it! My daughter is growing and doing really well and i feel very fortunate for that, breastfeeding mums should feel immense satisfaction that they are doing such a good job in often difficult circumstances as well. Motherhood is hard enough without the media stirring up bad feeling about our choices and decisions.

The other day someone told me that the fact my daughter has a cold is DEFINITELY down to the fact i am formula feeding her which really upset me, a bit of sensitivity wouldnt have gone amiss. The thing is that the issue is a massive one and if i could do something to lessen the huge debate I would because in my experience it doesnt make anyone feel better about being a mother, only makes you question yourself or feel some sort of guilt or regret. Mothers should feel they are doing the best they can and not feel bad either way.

Ultimately feeding our babies is just one of the things that we do to provide for them, we also teach them to speak and to walk etc. Having had a difficult upbringing myself and strained relatioships with my parents i am going to do everything i can to make sure that my daughter knows how much I adore her every day and in turn knows how to relate to other people. Less emphasis should be made on the feeding and more on the endless years of nurturing and growing!

And just quickly in relation to the formula advertising - it actually makes me feel rubbish. One of the ads actually starts by saying that breastfeeding is best and then goes on to say that later in life formula can be used, what if you have no cboice but to use formula from birth! Also - every bottle/carton/tub says that breastfeeding is best, they are legally obliged to print that. I have it on very good authority from a midwife that the formula feeding companies are encouraged to dissuade mothers from formula feeding by making the instructions on making feeds and storing milk complicated, designed to put people off! So I guess that regardless of how you feed your baby, the advertising and printing of these sorts of results will always make mothers feel pretty poor for one reason or another!

[Fuschia]

The Telegraph has an article today about breastapo

I quote from the comments

"am offended that you refer to (the NCT) and other breastfeeding support organisations as the Breastapo. How can volunteers who support women who ask for help, support and information of their own free will, be compared with the officers of a despotic tyrannic and genocidal administration"

[jennyh]

good point oldnewromantic, i think everyone should speak up about their experiences! When i originally posted my desperate post about breastfeeding problems weeks and weeks ago i had so many replies and it was incredibly supportive. Thats why this forum is so good, lots of healthy debate but also huge amounts of support from lovely people!

[oldnewromantic]

Fuschia

I did not coin the phrase. I did not refer to the NCT or any other breastfeeding support organisations. And FINALLY you've hit on the real reason it could be taken offence to, and it's nothing to do with babies. I just want to make it absolutely clear that the "you" referred to in the Telegraph is not ME.

JennyH

I too find this and other forums incredibly supportive. I used a babycentre.co.uk discussion forum a few years back and I can't tell you how much it helped me, sometimes just by reading the experiences that others had been kind and brave enough to share. So thankyou.

[Fuschia]

Well course 'breastapo' and 'breastfeeding nazi" are particularly offensive names to call somebody.

I must say i think of lovely, kind, motherly Clare Kedvers, Infant Feeding coordinator at Kings, and I find it ridiculous that she, and the other passionate women who work there, could be called such names, let alone the average breastfeeding woman in the street (well not necessarily literally in the street, but you know what I mean!)

Sometimes it feels that if you ever, ever say anything about the benefits of breastfeeding, you are part of some global conspiracy to make ff mums feel guilty.

How ridiculous.

I can compare it to feelings about working mothers. I work... I know that the evidence points to it being better for small children if the mother doesn't work.

Do I feel guilty?

Do I leap on any research and pooh pooh it?

Do I intervene in any discussion about how to afford staying at home, or what hard work it can be to point out that I work and my children are fine and my mume worked and I am fine, blah blah.

No, I don't. I accept we're all different, and I applaud those who stay at home with their children, and good on them. But I don't go around campaigning against them!

That's how I know that the whole breastfeeding issue has been built up by the formula companies. it's not enough to just offer formula to those who need or want it. They have to try to create an environment where any positive support for breastfeeding is wrong and immoral and designed to make other mums feel bad. Hence those horrible phrases like 'breastapo'

Anyway. I won't post any more. Obviously I am in a bad mood today but I am just so PISSED off that it seems to eb more and more accepted that it's Ok to take a pop at breastfeeding mothers, and it isn't.

So please THINK sometimes before you press send.

[Fuschia]

Oh, one last word. Do you think it's a coincidence that the day after the press reports yesterday about the bahviour thing, today the telegraph has an article attacking breastfeeders? Not at all. I'm thinking skilful management of the press by the huge publicity machine of these multinational companies. Just such a shame so many mothers can be driven to act as their stooges.

[supergolden88]

Because sometimes (and this taking it to extremes of course) the well meaning supporters of breastfeeding are so militant in their approach (the minute you give baby even a little formula/a dummy/ the bottle that's it you will never breastfeed again) that "breastapo" applies.

see another blog

http://triticumturgidum.blogspot.com/2006/04/breastapo.html

and another

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/202464/the_breastapo_thats_what_new_mothers_call_the_army_of/

http://www.pantswithnames.com/2011/04/do-breastapo-have-point.html

I breastfed both my babies BTW. My daughter exclusively for 8 months and then combination feeds for another 4. My son for about 4 exclusively and combination feeds since (he is 6 months). I am planning to stop breastfeeding sometime in the next couple of months although I would like to hold on to the 7pm feed for as long as possible. I am already beating myself up that the mild eczema my son has had since birth is due to me giving formula or solids a month early. Mothers are incredibly capable at beating ourselves up about everything we do (or don't do).

[oldnewromantic]

Oh I see it now. I am merely a stooge for a conspiracy of multinational formula companies. How could I have been so easily manipulated. My advice? Stop reading the Telegraph. I can recommended a publication called The Week. It summarises all the issues and gives extracts from across all the broadsheets so you it does give a balanced view. I quite enjoy the crossword too.

[supergolden88]

and I should have pointed out this blogpost is called

Do the 'Breastapo' have a point?

http://www.pantswithnames.com/2011/04/do-breastapo-have-point.html

and just in case I did not make it clear I completely agree with this (from blog above)

"I appreciate that the environment I'm in, the support I've been given and the education I have had have all contributed towards the decision to breast feed my babies. I know that those from more disadvantaged backgrounds (and teenagers in particular) are very unlikely to choose to breastfeed. Often they are not aware of the benefits of breast feeding and lack support in those crucial early days when breast feeding is hard. Those people campaigning to help provide information to women in order that they can make an informed decision about whether to breast feed need support, if only so that abysmal figure of 3% can grow to something vaguely acceptable."

[srisky]

'I must say i think of lovely, kind, motherly Clare Kedvers, Infant Feeding coordinator at Kings'

...don't get me started on Clare Kedvers...

...she made my blood boil at the breastfeeding workshop when she said (in no uncertain terms) that if you didn't breastfeed then your baby will develop all sorts of medical, academic and social problems. Nothing like piling on the guilt on expectant mothers to add to the difficulty of breastfeeding in the early days.

[gwod]

One of the most interesting things about the BBC segment, and indeed any research into infant feeding, is the polarising effect it has on discussion, when actually as I see it, we are all pretty much in agreement.

[jennyh]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> That's how I know that the whole breastfeeding

> issue has been built up by the formula companies.

> it's not enough to just offer formula to those who

> need or want it. They have to try to create an

> environment where any positive support for

> breastfeeding is wrong and immoral and designed to

> make other mums feel bad. Hence those horrible

> phrases like 'breastapo'

>

I dont often get riled easily but having just posted about my feelings about formula companies as a formula feeder I think that this comment doesnt fit. Having looked on various formula websites to find the best formula for my baby I felt rubbish to be continually reminded at how breast is best - just a few extracts taken from the most popular formula websitess so you can see my point, all of which are plastered over the homepages and not hard to find, in fact finding help on choosing a formula is harder!

an extract taken from SMA website -

Breast is best

Why breastfeeding gives your newborn the best start in life

Why breast is best for your baby

Breast milk is made up of the exact mix of proteins and nutrients your baby needs

It?s full of antibodies giving added protection against infection

It reduces the risk of asthma, eczema and other allergies

It?s sterile

It?s easy to digest

It?s available on demand at exactly the right temperature

It?s harder to overfeed your baby when breastfeeding

It?s free

It?s best for mums too:

Breastfeeding helps you bond with your baby

It reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer

It helps your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and helps prevent ?post partum haemorrhages?

It?s convenient. Breast milk comes ready prepared, so you don?t need to spend time sterilising bottles

An extract from Aptamil website -

The benefits of breastfeeding

Breastmilk is one of Mother Nature's most wonderful creations. It provides everything your baby needs, when your baby needs it, for healthy growth and development. As well as being a satisfying source of nourishment, your body responds to your baby?s needs by only ever producing as much or as little as is required.

The act of breastfeeding itself encourages intimacy and makes your baby feel safe and warm and gives you both precious time to bond. It also burns around 500 calories a day, making it easier to shift your pregnancy weight. Keep reading to find out more about the numerous reasons why breast is considered best.

Home > Feeding and nutrition > Breastfeeding advice > What are the benefits of breastfeeding?

What are the benefits of breastfeeding?

Christine, pregnancy advisor and mum

Breastfeeding gives your baby the very best start in life. As well as providing all the energy and nourishment they need, it helps strengthen their natural defences. But it?s not just your baby who benefits from breastfeeding, you will too. This article will tell you more about the benefits of breastfeeding, but if you have any questions just give us a call.

Christine, pregnancy advisor and mum

08457 623 623

An extract from the Cow & Gate website-

Breastfeeding ? the benefits for your baby

Breastmilk is perfectly balanced to suit your baby. It is easy for them to digest and contains antibodies which help support their growing immune system. It also contains nutrients called prebiotic oligosaccharides, which the friendly bacteria in your baby's tummy feed on. These bacteria then help to fight off bugs and potential infections, helping your baby to grow up happy, healthy and ready for anything! And it even contains fatty acids that help your baby?s brain develop!

Why breastfeeding is good for your baby

It's completely natural.

It contains all the nutrients and antibodies they need.

Breastfeeding can help to protect your baby from chest and ear infections and some allergies, like asthma and eczema.

Research also suggests that breastfed babies go on to have healthier blood pressure as children and are less likely to become obese adults.

Why breastfeeding is good for you

Breastmilk is free and it's always at exactly the right temperature!

When you're breastfeeding, your body releases oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, to help you and your baby bond.

Mums who breastfeed reduce their risk of developing pre-menopausal breast and ovarian cancer and fractures from osteoporosis.

Breastfeeding helps your uterus return more quickly to its pre-pregnancy size and might help use up any extra pounds you may have gained during pregnancy, helping you get your figure back more quickly!

Breastmilk is readily available, whenever and wherever you are, there?s no need to sterilise bottles.

[Belle]

gwod Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> One of the most interesting things about the BBC

> segment, and indeed any research into infant

> feeding, is the polarising effect it has on

> discussion, when actually as I see it, we are all

> pretty much in agreement.

Absolutely agree.

[Lochie]

@supergolden - there is something in one of the blogs you posted that really rings true for me:

"Stay-at-home-moms and working moms fight about who's raising their children correctly, when they could be banding together to demand reliable, safe, low-cost daycare from our governing bodies. Women instead of men quit their jobs to be full-time parents based on the rationale that their men's salaries are larger, instead of asking why women are paid less than men for the same work. And when it comes to breastfeeding, women sit there battling each other over the evils of formula supplementation instead of lobbying collectively for extended, paid parental leave so early parenthood would be less stressful."

I genuninely wonder why the bf/ff issue is SUCH a devisive topic amongst women? Probably because feeding a new baby is one of the most personal and emotional times a woman will ever experience in her life....and therefore for ANYONE to criticise your chosen route after the hours and days and weeks you have angsted over your decision really can tug at your deepest emotions. It is as if someone is questioning the extent to which you really truely do love your child (be it whether you decided to bf or ff). Perhaps we should all therefore as women do each other a favour and respect and support one another's decisions more - does it really matter what each other is doing as long as the child is loved and cared for? I have no particular slant and am not pro-breast or pro-ff but I am 'pro-mum' (sounds corny doesn't it!) - mums in the UK generally have it hard enough as it is without beating each other up about feeding choices.....

[oldnewromantic]

Completely agree Lochie. I've trawled this post and I can't find any disagreement, or see anyone beating anyone else up over a feeding choice. Not really. Not when you read what's actually been said. There is another thread on a recent breastfeeding documentary that likewise has interesting discussion and sharing of experiences. We are all in agreement. What I don't like are headlines that give a misleading view of the true results of a piece of research. When that happens, it's worth discussing it (wisdom of crowds and all that) to get nearer to what the truth might be. Then we're all better off, better informed, and better able to to do the lobbying for whatever it is that will help with all aspects of parenthood.

[Lochie]

Yes I totally agree with you ONR - and actually it was one of my comments you put on your own blog posts :-$

I guess its not so much this thread in particular, more my total surprise at finding how highly debated some issues are for mothers - and I'm always curious as to why.

I don't really believe the 'breastapo' exists (or at least haven't experienced it myself) in institutional form. Posters pushing for breastfeeding made me feel guilty, however in hindsight I realise that was due to my own acute sensitivity at that time. I also found the NCT to promote breastfeeding positively (always knew I could access helplines etc if I did want to push bf any further).

When I think of the term 'breastapo' (not meaning to cause offence just sticking to topic) I think of all those people who felt it their place to comment on my use of formula, despite not being asked for their opinion. These were not mild comments - they ranged from 'you don't want to give your baby that yucky stuff' (my boss who is a friend!) to 'if you don't breastfeed your child's brain won't develop' (comment made by bf counsellor to a colleague who is expecting twins). I have no issue at all with bf being promoted, however I think the term 'breastapo' is keenly felt by some mothers because of the militant opinion sharing of SOME individuals who believe your choices are their business. And never was a choice more personal and emotional than a woman's decision on how to feed her child.

The same could be said of those who give their two-pennies worth on all child related issues though....the term 'breastapo' is surely a derogatory media-created term in much the same vein as WAG and "slummy mummy" (though obviously those terms do not quite have such negative connotations as brestapo)....

[helena handbasket]

When I was struggling with BF, PND, and whatever new mother torture you can add it seemed like similar headlines were in every paper, every day.

"Formula fed babies are fat and stupid!"

"Formula babies will die an early death of horrible things!"

"Formula babies will be in jail by 18!"

"Breast fed babies are better at everything!"

"Studies show mums that feed formula hate their babies!"

Obviously these are fictional, but absolutely how they read to me at the time. It continues to bother me how mentally/emotionally/physically fragile new mothers can be and how dangerous the language our society uses can be to them. I expect better from the BBC to be honest.

Edited to add: jennyh you are right. To the mother is is just struggling to get her baby fed those messages are everywhere, and your examples are evidence that the formula companies are not exactly as powerful as made out to be if they have been forced to put that on their website.

[helena handbasket]

Now I've had a chance to read the whole thread, and one issue comes to mind: if the breast feeding supporters are so keen to increase knowledge and understanding in new mothers, why on earth would they target the ones who are already the kind of people who inform themselves about issues? Their target can't be those who routinely inform themselves through the BBC or read the Telegraph or do online searches for advice for that matter. These are already informed people. Someone mentioned earlier that there is a more obvious target audience which would be younger, less educated women or perhaps those with inadequate access to assistance. And if that's the case, they need support in loads of other areas as well including prenatal health, diet, etc so to single out breast feeding is short sighted.

Soooooooo, if the mainstream media is obviously not trying to "enlighten" the target mothers, what are they trying to achieve? Obviously it's dirty social politics and nothing else. Which is what has polarized us.

In my mind, the best way to describe why intelligent women who FF get so worked up is this: (I was one BTW)

There is a line drawn in the sand, Breast feeders vs. Formula feeders

If you are breast feeding, you are experiencing success. Those who are experiencing success need less support because....they are already blessed with the feeling of success.

Everybody I have ever known to formula feed has done it in response to an issue. This means not experiencing success. Not feeling successful means feeling like a failure. What do we do for people who are failing? We support them. Ironically though in this instance, we are only prepared to support these failures by insisting they keep working at failing. This is what drives us insane! And this is what can't be understood without living it.

I've only ever known (to my knowledge) two people who didn't breast feed at all. One friend had breast reduction in her 20's and so something wasn't working. The other had epilepsy and required strong anti-convulsants. The hideous part of her story is that she felt so much pressure to try to BF that she went off her meds, had a seizure, and dropped the baby. Anyone who pretends that this pressure does not exist has blinders on.

[Saila]

Really well said hh

[jennyh]

saila - your post reads exactly like my experience!!! weeks and weeks of pumping every 3 hours and eventually getting nowhere, 2 weeks of mastitis, a baby with jaundice and no ability to wake up to learn how to latch! To top it all off i found a lump and upon further investigation found large numbers of cysts and lymph nodes that were blocking my milk ducts. Still waiting for biopsy results, if i were still trying to breastfeed i prob wouldn't have found the the lump.

I digress...this post isnt about the dramas of breastfeeding!! I think that it is right to say that women who cant breastfeed do feel like failures and therefore people do rally aorund to make them feel better and as a result breastfeeders could feel put out, when really we are all trying our hardest and doing a fab job so should give each other a big pat on the back! i still wish I had breastfed and have massive respect to every mother who does, i am also supremely jealous but need to get over it! Ultimately providing for our babies should be an enjoyable experience whether it be using a bottle or on the breast and no-one should take that experience away by bringing up negativity surrounding a very positive thing!

[srisky]

jennyh/salia - your experiences highlight the main reason whay I found the bf workshop and Clare Kedvers so infuriating.

They preach about bf like it's a relgion with all other options of feeding being terrible for the baby (bottle feeding expressed milk was not enough - it had to be breastfed otherwise the baby's jaw would not develop properly etc!).

They provided information on how/where to get support for breast feeding - that was v.good. However, at no point did they say that:

i) formula can help kick start bf if you are struggling;

ii) that it can provide some respite for the mother and allow her to bond with the baby (v. important in my opinion); iii) that trying to breastfeeding no-matter-what and feeling that using formula is a sign of failure can actually be dangerous for the baby (jaundice requiring rehydration via a drip, which really would set breastfeeding back)

Doing the above with guidance can acutally promote breastfeeding and make it a more enjoyable and therefore, a longterm feeding option.

If they said this then many wouldn't have to grapple with the guilt of not being able to breastfeed, more would actually succeed in breastfeeding in the long term and there would be no sense of failing regardless of the mode of feeding, just the knowledge that you doing what is best for your baby and you.

[srisky]

sorry for all the typos in my last post!

[oldnewromantic]

Brilliant point about formula helping with bf

Especially because the results for babies exclusively breast fed at 4 months, were the same as for babies with any breastmilk at 4 months. Had the message that any bf was good I might have persisted with a feed a day. But who else was told that mixing breast and bottle was something you shouldn't do. I know I got that message. I felt like a failure because it was suggested by someone that I didn't have enough milk because I had small boobs. So having spent years building up my self esteem from my teenage 'fried egg' years, it got slapped straight back down again. My daughter was on the 9th percentile and heading down. I made the best decision I could for both of us. And when I stopped I had the added advantage of enormous boobs! But only for a week.

If it ain't working it ain't working. HH reminded me of the Einstein quote. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.