This week’s session was about the benefits of breastfeeding. We had a delayed start, which I think was due to my children (particularly my youngest) taking a long time to settle in the creche. Once we were all ready, we had a discussion about the benefits of breastfeeding – both for the baby and the mother.
This turned into an interesting conversation, not only because the benefits are huge (many of which I’m sure most people reading this will have heard of before), but also because we were reminded by our instructor that many breastfeeding statistics are based on global figures, which could distort our view of how those statistics relate to us. The figures will often highlight the hazards of bottle-feeding, which appear alarming and, in our supportive roles, may be best not to emphasize. For instance, we were told that, globally, breastfed babies are six times more likely to survive their first three months than bottle-fed ones. But how relevant is that to a British mother, when it takes into account poorer levels of sanitation and healthcare in developing countries?
So, whilst it is useful to be aware of current research on the benefits of breastfeeding, as counsellors we also need to be aware of the effect that information may have on mothers seeking help.
I find statistics a little bit difficult to deal with. Firstly, I find that, whenever I try to quote statistics, I can’t remember the figures (‘…was that one in 500, or one in 5000??), but also, I can see how research is often used to prove theories which could just as easily be disproved by other research. So, generally, I’m happier to stick with what ‘feels right’ to me – and perhaps this goes back to what was said last week about supporting mums in finding their own solutions. If they find a solution (a style of parenting) which feels right to them, then the statistics don’t really matter.
Saying that, as a mum, it is always handy to be armed with a couple of ‘facts’ when entering a heated discussion with someone who is not pro-breastfeeding – but maybe the best fact of all is, ‘Well, this works for us’.
During our discussions, I revealed that, as a baby, I was fed on cow’s milk (yep, straight from the bottle!). I didn’t go on to say, ‘and I turned out alright’, but I suppose the implication was there. How many of the hazards of bottle-feeding did I suffer? Well, a few, but I also have some of the traits of the long-term positive effect of breastfeeding. This led me to wonder how many of these benefits are purely related to breastfeeding. Taking improved brain development as an example, a breastfed baby receives lots of skin contact, eye contact and night-time contact with mum. This improves the mother-baby bond, the communication between mother and baby and maybe this, in turn, influences brain development. I don’t doubt for one second that breastfeeding is best, but of course bottle-fed babies can have skin contact, eye contact and night-time contact with mum in abundance.
This left me thinking of how this information may be helpful in supporting mums who may be feeling guilt or grief over the end of their breastfeeding relationship (when it comes too early for them). However, I guess there is always the risk that I’ll become over zealous with attachment parenting principles, after convincing myself not to be too pushy with breastfeeding advice!
At the end of the session, we watched a wonderful DVD called: ‘The Mother-Baby Dance’.
( http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/go_shopping/videos_and_dvds/baby-led_breastfeeding_dvd )
The film was made by Christina Smilie M.D. and Kittie Franz R.N. and it shows them encouraging babies to seek their mothers’ nipple. The mother begins by relaxing her baby and then holds him, skin-to-skin to her chest (in an upright position). We then saw the baby moving into an optimum feeding position. It really was quite amazing to see such an instinctive journey.
Some of the babies were very young and some were already established in breastfeeding. However, there were a couple of babies who were up to 12 weeks old and who were bottle-fed, yet they had not lost the instinct to seek mum’s nipple! Wow!
I have seen a similar film on You Tube, which shows a newborn baby in India doing the ‘Breast Crawl’.
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrwfIcPB1u4 )
Unfortunately, my youngest didn’t settle in the creche at all well this week and he was quite upset afterwards. He’s just not used to being without mum, dad or nan I suppose and I think I will have to leave him with his dad (and his older brothers) next week. It’s not the first time one of our children has responded like this to childcare and I sometimes think we must seem a little strange to others in the way that we deal with these things – but I guess there’s a whole other blog in that!
A couple of interesting questions came up in this week’s session and it would be really good to hear what your experiences are (please leave lots of comments!). Firstly, what made you want to breastfeed? and Secondly, did breastfeeding work as a contraceptive for you?
Juno
Care Instructions – Shopping Bag 
Mummy Milk Rocks – Shopping Bag 
“Any old Cow” Short Sleeved T 6-12 months 
“Any old Cow” Short Sleeved T 3-6 months 
Any Old Cow – Shopping Bag 
The little old lady who lives over the road and has 10 kids, now all grown up, when I had my son she came over to warn me that breastfeeding is not a contraception!
I wanted to breastfeed because I had seen the horribly aggressive advertising that Nestle do in third world countries – basically telling people that they are bad mothers unless they use formula, and I wanted to breastfeed because it has to be the best thing to start your life on, it is designed for the job! I did read somewhere that formula gos through less safety checks than pet food, and I wish I could remember where I saw that!
Brilliant blog Juno, thank you!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I didn’t ‘decide’ to breastfeed, I just did it! It wasn’t a choice I consciously made, it was an automatic assumption. I had my baby and then I breastfed him! It never really occurred to me that I would do anything else. As for breastfeeding as a contraception, I would not even go there! I know too many people who have got pregnant whilst breastfeeding. If anything I think it makes you more fertile!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Thank-you so much for your comments! It is really interesting to hear other peoples views on this.
I can’t think what made me want to breastfeed – I think I just wanted everything to be as natural as possible, so it was also a bit like an automatic assumption too.
I have used breastfeeding as a contraceptive, which has been successful for me (the five kids were planned!), but there seems to be a huge array of experiences on that one.
Keep the comments coming – it’s great to read them!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
What a great blog… living in Northern CA, USA, close to Berkeley its actually the new moms who whip out the bottles that get the stares not the other way around. There is incredible pressure to breastfeed around here, which is good, but it does make it tough for those who find it doesn’t come naturally. Luckily I was ok – never a pleasure – but it was workable for nearly 9 months (exclusively for 5). Oh… and no, breastfeeding did NOT work out as a contraceptive for us.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Thank-you Glow Mama. Really nice to hear from you – it is always very interesting to me to hear about the differences in other countries.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Well, I didn’t rely on breastfeeding as a contraceptive, I used condoms too. I didn’t get my period back until my ds was about a year old though… I breastfed exclusively for six months, then introduced solids until nine months when I returned to work
and expressed until he was a year. I think stopping expressing was definitely key in the return of my periods tho’ I am still breastfeeding him when I’m with him (and often in the night) so who knows it might have had some contraceptive effect.
I decided to breastfeed because… well, I’m not sure. It just seemed the most “natural” thing to do (although I struggled for ages because I didn’t get the right support for a long time). I kept going because I got so fed up with everyone’s unsupportive comments about how I should put him on a bottle to solve the problems and I just thought right sod you all I’ll keep going!
I remember this session myself… although I do wish they’d stop teaching about the “benefits of breastfeeding” – see Diane Wiessinger’s article I posted about the problems with this kind of language and how it stops the normalisation of breastfeeding…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Please if you are not wanting to get pregnant yet DO NOT rely on breastfeeding as a contraceptive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I speak as a breastfeeding Mum with just 13 months between two of my children and a sexual health development worker! Also don’t assume that because you are not menstruating that you are not ovulating that may be the case but you ovulate before your period so could get pregnant without your periods ever returning. Also it is well worth leaving at least 2 years between pregnancies for your own health
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Wow, it’s great to hear from you all!
g3mj0y – Please don’t think I am advocating breastfeeding as a contraceptive. I am interested to hear people’s opinions & experiences of it though. It was a choice I made – to avoid other forms of contraception – but in the knowledge that I would get pregnant at some point. (We always wanted a large & close family).
Ruth – I love your determination! Your comments about the session’s title are really interesting & I am going to read that article – now.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Thank you so much for this intersting blog. My midwife asked me whilst pregnant, would I be breast or bottle-feeding so I just said breast instantly, just seemed the most natural thing to do. Breastfeeding did work as a natural child-spacer for us, my periods were absent for around 12 months.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Thank-you Mandy
I am really glad you’re enjoying the blog.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0