Rant away ;)
I'll add to it as well.
When DS1 was born I had every intention to breastfeed. A few weeks in when I first visited the Child health Nurses the first sign of an issue became apparent because he'd put on hardly any weight since being discharged from hospital. Apparently they must have assumed I was one of the 3% that wasn't trying hard enough. For three months my son had weekly weigh ins, I even did a couple of trips to the lactation consultant and was on medication to increase my milk supply. I was given new advice from every CHN and lactation consultant I saw and when I advised that I had tried the advice only to have DS1 become more unsettled I was treated like I was making excuses and not trying hard enough. When I started supplementing with formula it was like I committed a crime.
As it turns out it had nothing to do with me. My son had a very severe tongue tie and simply could not attach. He couldn't even suck out of a bottle and had to chew the liquid out. In the end the formula that I was made to feel guilty about giving him was probably the only thing that saved his life. I still can't look at photos from those first three months without feeling guilty and wanting to burst into tears when I realise just how skinny and malnourished he looked all because:
a) a number of so called health professionals failed to take the time to do any kind of assessment to diagnose the real issue rather then jumping to conclusions; and
b) Continuing to push the breastfeeding agenda when it was very apparent it was not working and to the detriment of my baby.
I will also point out that I went on to successfully breastfeed DS2 for 12 months and DS3 for 11 months and counting.
I do believe that breastfeeding is the best option for babies, but seriously if they are going to continue to push the agenda to the level they do currently then they need to ensure that all professionals are full trained to recognise the barriers or sheer inability for mothers that experience difficulties in regards to breast feeding and to be realistic in regards to what is in the best interest for each individual mum and bub in their individual circumstances.
↧