sophiechristophy

ClareC - do you really think that staying at home is the easy option? And, do you think that those go back to work do so due to some sense of community in wanting their tax to pay for surestart?!?

furley-yap - a suggested edit to your post just to keep things fairly represented: "If like the OP, you and your partner choose to go back to work, to earn money to make a better future for your children because you want to, hence you need to hire a nanny because it makes most economic sense, then only certain community services are available to you. But if you don't choose to go back to work, because you want to make a better future for your children, are comfortably off or because you just don't want to, and you turn up with your kid, how can you feel that you have the moral high ground to demand admission over a nanny with her charges?!

Game of Thrones

I think it is a great idea - I would have thought that whoever is leading it will make the point more than once that you have to be certain you know what you are eating when you are foraging, so could be a good opportunity for your son to get a good grip on the idea that you do need to be careful when eating things that you find.

also pm'd

Hi everyone, Just saw this: http://www.bliss.org.uk/events/london-bliss-buggy-push/ It's in aid of a really good cause. Think I would be carrying my little one rather than pushing though! Best, S

It's simple = on the condition that your own diet is a healthy one, leaving out salt and sugar, each meal time just protion some from your food on to your baby's tray, and let them play! Food under 1 is just for fun, so don't worry at all about what they are actually eating. Just focus on enjoying your babies company at meal times! Treat them like any other guest at your table. x

I think this is a really interesting article: http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detsleepthrough.html

I did not say that they are too emotional to discuss it, I suggested that if some people where feeling extremely sensitive about this topic then perhaps it would be in their best interests not to read this thread, rather than to ban the topic. HHB - for some reason you have read from my words something that is not there. I don't know why you have done this.

The intention of this thread was to discuss the issue of low breastfeeding rates in the UK and the potential causes of this, not to attack mothers or try to make any mothers feel guilty. Clearly, breastfeeding is a highly emotive issue, and those who have had difficult and upsetting experiences feel highly defensive, reactive and upset by this subject. Perhaps if you feel so sensitive and negative on the subject of breastfeeding then it would be better to avoid a thread with a subject line that is explicitly discussing this topic? In no way did I set out to offend anyone. The fact remains that we have poor breastfeeding rates at 6 months in this country, far worse than other european countries, and I think this is something that is interesting to look at and see if there are clear reasons why and if there are ways to improve the breastfeeding rates here. An NCT survey found this: "Every year more than 200,000 mothers stop breastfeeding in the first few days and weeks ? 90% of these mothers would have liked to continue. In Norway, Canada and Sweden more than 90% of mothers start to breastfeed and most continue without problems." How is considering this attacking mothers or aiming to make them feel guilty??? It is clearly an issue bigger than the personal choices of individual mothers.

Saila - who is criticising?? You said yourself in another post: "Support for bf is definitely worthy of discussion".

To the majority breatfeeding is possible. It is proven to have great health benefits for mother's and babies. I don't understand why discussing the fact that despite this the majority of women in the UK choose not to do it, and to consider why this might be and what things might help mothers in breastfeeding, causes such an agressive response. At no point have individuals been critised for their own personal choices, or mothers labelled as good or bad according to their choices.

Susyp - I noticed from your previous posts that your daughter has a milk allergy, and hellosailor, that your daughter had late diagnosed tough-tie. Just wanted to make the point that these are situations that would complicate brestfeeding beyond the norm.

Hellosailor I think that you have misunderstood my position on this. I am not saying that in absolutely all circumstances and under all conditions, breastfeeding is the right option for a mother and baby. From your description, you went above and beyond in your endevours to breastfeed, and managed under very difficult circumstances to breastfeed for a considerable length of time. In your situation, utilising formula feeding was ultimately the best option for you and your baby.

BellendenBear I totally agree re: extra support rather than lowering expectations. And I agree, it is something in the process that is failing, not mothers themselves.

Hellosailor - I don't think my post was contradictory. A key reason as to why I think "breast is best" is unhelpful is because I think that it makes breast feeding sound like the ideal, but almost unattainable target. It is a very all or nothing statement, where as I think "every breastfeed counts" is more inclusive and accesable way to think about feeding. I am really sorry to hear about the struggle and trauma that you had with your breastfeeding, it must have been truly awful, particularly how isolated you felt. I think your experience is testiment to the fact that there isn't enough quality and accessible support for breastfeeding mothers, perhaps if there had been your situation could have been made more managable somehow, for both you and your daughter, so that you didn't suffer in the way that you did. It is unfortunate that discussing breastfeeding rates has the result of upsetting mother's who don't breastfeed. But is it then a subject that can not be discussed at all? I think that your point about why people might not breastfeed as being that they didn't want to, as opposed to some other factor, is probable in some, and perhaps many cases. I just wonder what factors have led to women feeling this way about breastfeeding, and how breastfeeding has become something that is seen by some as optional rather than essential as part of giving birth and having a baby?

We've had the original since my daughter was born 22 months ago, and have used it in all seasons and it has been great - randomly we also used it in Hawaii, and it wasn't too hot as far as I can remember :) If you want to use it from newborn you will need the infant insert - we used it over the summer and it was fine.

LucyA1308, I am wondering what you meant by this: "I choose where to feed carefully, of course" ? What are you looking for in your breastfeeding location? Pickle - it's true, the sample of the study was very small, but I think the piece is still interesting as it does highlight the failings of the current efforts in encouraging breastfeeding. Perhaps not in East Dulwich particularly, but in the Uk as a whole. Oimissus - I think your 'every breastfeed counts' is a really great slogan and much better than 'breast is best', which I don't think is helpful to women at all. Susyp - i am not judging women who do not breastfeed, but it just is not true to say that it doesn't matter whether you choose formula or if you breastfeed. Breastmilk and formula milk are not the same thing, and I don't see the benefit in saying that there is no difference between them. Again, I am not saying this to make anyone feel bad about there situation - we all make compromises and difficult decisions every day as mum's, but it is just not factual to imply there is no difference between the two. Also, I gave the example of Rwanda to make the point that breast feeding is possible for the majority of women, it isn't the potential ability to breastfeed itself (or not) that can be used to account for the low breast feeding rates in the UK.

I don't agree Sanne Panne - this is about what needs to be done to create an environment in which mothers are able to have greater success in breastfeeding. The American Accademy of Pediatrics recently stated that breastfeeding in America is a ?public health issue and not only a lifestyle choice?, and the same can be said for the UK. What you mentioned regarding returning to work is a lifestyle choice. This is not about creating more stress for mother's, but about thinking about the issue of low breastfeeding rates.

The uk has one of the worst breastfeeding rates in Europe- that can't be due just to the nature of breastfeeding itself. women in other countries have very different breastfeeding norms, in rwanda for example 77% of mothers are still breastfeeding at 22 months - in the uk less than 50% are at 8 weeks.

It is true that the support isn't there to help women establish breastfeeding, and this is a massive let down for families. It does say that there are lots of factors that lead people to make the decision about what is 'right' for their family, one example was not feeling comfortable feeding in public - that this might prevent a women from breastfeeding is terrible and indicative of the place that breast feeding has taken in our society. Also, in deciding what is 'right' for a family, parents and grandparents needs were mentioned, but what about the needs of the baby and what is right for them?

What do you think about this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/15/breastfeeding-advice-unhelpful-to-mothers I personally find it very sad that we have reached a point where one of the most basic and crucial human skills has become so erroded.

ok, new thread ahoy....

Nature Play totally rules - I had been going with my daughter up until we moved to north london a couple of months ago, and loved it so much that we started a Nature Play North London branch up here! Really recommend it to anyone - you will be amazed by how your children play, and by how each week is different. The mum's are so lovely too.

on topic i think as saffron had raised the issue of postpartum infant feeding support for women.