Advantages: Really rewarding way to feed your baby Disadvantages: The difficulty can be a shock to the system
Before I had my first child I was so sure I was going to Breastfeed him for at least six months. I didn't entertain the thought of even buying a tin of formula because no matter how hard it was going to be I was going to do it. I was also going to give birth using only Gas and Air, Have immediate skin-to-skin and cook every item he ate from scratch using only organic foods. Oh if only I had been able to see into the future.
Let me begin by saying ... ...I am lucky to be able to have both perspectives on Breast Feeding. I have failed miserable at breastfeeding and two years later I have had a lovely experience feeding. I now have a completely different perspective on feeding a baby from the naïve mother-to-be I was before number one arrived.
So back to my plans for when my son arrived. I did give birth using only gas and air... entirely by accident as when I begged for the epidural I had left it ...
lulu2004 09.01.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: free, convinient, satisfying, bonding Disadvantages: unable to know how much baby has had, can be painful at first
== Breast Feeding ==
Breast feeding has many benefits for both mother and baby and at the moment the bonuses of this way of feeding your baby is trying to be pushed by the health system to become more popular. At the moment bottle feeding dominates the feeding of babies and this trying to be turned around by the government and the health care system. Breast feeding, however, is very difficult and people can experience many problems with establishing ... ...you some tips and advice from what I have learnt. I didn't know anything about breast feeding before I had my baby and I didn't want to hear the 'facts' from professionals as I felt as though they were just trying to reach targets and weren't giving me the full information. I would much rather have had the information given to me by new mum's who would be more open and honest so I would know more about what to expect. one fact which I was told at ...
lorriellah 10.06.2009 (21.11.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: healthy for babies and mothers, convenient, cheap, can be pleasant Disadvantages: ties you to the baby, gooey and oozey, more frequent feeds
I have always believed that breastfeeding is - medically and practically - preferable. When I was pregnant with my first child I fully intended to breastfeed. I also had seen my sister breastfeeding exclusively until her child was 18 months and saw all the advantages. However, my daughter was full term but born by a caesarean section and my milk never 'came in'. I breast fed exclusively for 3 or 4 days and each of these days she spent about 16-18 ... ...home I have switched to mixed feeding and I mix-fed until my daughter was 5 months old when the whole process came to some kind of natural end (she got bored?). I still believe that breastfeeding is the best way to feed and I do hope sincerely that this time round I will be able to breastfeed exclusively. I have tried to summarise the benefits and disadvantages as well as my main points of advice. ADVANTAGES
First of all and most of all the medical ...
magdadh 25.02.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Close bond with your baby Disadvantages: OOwwch sore nipples
As I scoured the ciao cafe today searching for something interesting to read, somehow I happened across this topic !. Even though it has been just over 4 years since I last breast fed, it is a topic that I feel quite strongly about and feel that I must share with you my experiences of breast feeding.
I was 17 when I gave birth to my son and I had received no advice on the labour (which I was totally unprepared for !) as I shouldn't have been pregnant ... ...that if she ignored the situation 'it' would go away. But 'it' didn't and I named him Joe. It was absolutely terrifying to know that I was responsible for this little tiny person and I decided that the best way to feed him was by breastfeeding. As I was so young the nurses were sceptical that I could ' stick it out' as I didn't know what I was doing ! As soon as he had been delivered I was given a little plastic bottle of formula milk to feed him. ...
Birky 18.06.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Helps with bonding, best food for baby, cheap! Disadvantages: SORE NIPPLES, SORE NIPPLES!!
During my first pregnancy, I didn’t give much thought to how I would feed my baby when she arrived. She was unplanned, so we had bigger issues to deal with. I duly went along to all the Parentcraft classes, where I was bombarded with leaflets and midwives proclaiming “Breast Is Best!”. I decided that I would probably give breast feeding a go, but I had no qualms about bottle-feeding if it didn’t work out.
Our daughter arrived after a long, induced, ... ...fell in love with her instantly. I knew then that I HAD to breastfeed her. It was more important than anything else and I was determined to succeed. In the delivery room, she was not interested. We were both extremely tired, so I didn’t persist. On the ward, the midwife asked if Millie had fed. When I told her she hadn’t, I was rolled onto my side, my boob whipped out of my nighty and plopped into my baby’s mouth. She fed……and fed…..and fed. An hour ...
jobillyalice 09.12.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Breastmilk has all the nutrients a baby needs and adapts to their changing needs. Disadvantages: It isn't always best for everyone and some people have difficulty doing it. There is often a lack of support for those who cannot feed in this manner.
When I attended my 12-week antenatal appointment I was not sure whether I would breast-feed or not. When the midwife posed the question to me I asked her several questions about it and came to the conclusion shortly afterwards that I would give it my best shot.
From that moment on I was determined to give my baby what everyone tells me is the best by far. Unfortunately, my son had different ideas when he arrived. From my other opinions some of you ... ...as he had to be delivered by emergency caesarean section and was finally born at 10.36pm on the 21/6/00. Understandably I was in agony and to be fair to the midwives I was left alone immediately after the birth and through the night, as I was not able to move. However, when the morning came I was asked to try and feed my baby.
In the beginning I tried to breast-feed Matthew while lain on my back but every-time we tried to latch him on to the breast ...
cherryfalls 31.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Help, support and most important no pressure! Disadvantages: None
When I'm not churning Ciao cafe ops or writing consumer reviews for nasal hair clippers or hair gel and if someone can drag me away from this godforsaken computer for long enough, then I may be able to get some real work done, not real work in the sense of 9 to 5 down in the office paid work, oh no! In fact voluntary work, which I enjoy and feel I may be contributing something back into the community and peoples, especially women's lives in particular. ... ...a BREASTFEEDING COUNSELOR, there I said it, a subject and a qualification that somehow doesn't sit too comfortably on my curriculum vitae between my history A level and Certificate of Insurance Practice qualification, but out of all the jobs I have had the misfortune to work in and all the qualifications (not many) I have acquired through my school and further education, being a breastfeeding counsellor for the La Leche League of Great Britain has ...
marylou2u 19.11.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Free, Nutritional Disadvantages: Big Boobs! (May not be disadvantage for some?!)
I thought I would write this review for anyone struggling with breast feeding and looking for unbiased advice or just to share my experience. I have had two children and wanted to breastfeed both with completely different experiences and outcomes.
When pregnant with my first child I was adamant I was going to breastfeed for the first 6 months and just thought it was a natural thing that every new mum should and could do. How wrong was I?!?! When ... ...breast with the help of my midwife and fed well. During the next 2 days whilst still in hos[ital I struggled getting her latched on and became very upset. The midwives were great and helped but as soon as they left she would come off and I would stress out again trying to get her back on. Back home on day 3 I yet again struggled but my sister helped and she did feed. Over the next few days, each midwife that visited gave me advice on different feeding ...
connie1910 28.09.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: best for both of you - see op Disadvantages: difficult at first
If you are pregnant and thinking about how you might feed your new baby, I urge you to give breastfeeding every possible consideration. Even if you have naturally assumed you will use bottles, for your baby’s sake I really recommend that you examine your reasons and views one last time before you make your mind up.
Some women feel, that after 40 weeks of discomfort, stretch marks and restrictive diet/lifestyle that they have a right to ‘get ... ...that the whole idea of an infant suckling at the breast is somehow distasteful, or they worry that it will be painful/embarrassing/restrictive. All of these are views you have a right to hold, but at the same time you need to remind yourself of the benefits for your baby and only make a decision taking all these factors into consideration.
Benefits for Baby:
~ Formulas are of very high quality these days, but breastmilk is the only food naturally ...
Cazz 26.06.2001 (10.09.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: figure returns faster, no sterilising bottles etc Disadvantages: ok. get ready .. afterpains .. arrrrgh!!
I breastfed three children (not all at once..... that's one more nipple than I have!) I'm here to offer an honest opinion and a little advice from a mother, not a nurse. (I shall explain that comment later).
I won't preach, we all know breast is supposedly best for baby, but what about mum? It is said to speed up the weight loss, and also to contract the womb faster. How true this is I can't say.
I don't agree breast feeding reduces SIDS risk (sudden ... ...I don't. Neither do I believe it leads to healthier teeth (my breast fed for longest child has appalling teeth), I don't believe it reduces asthma or exzema (all 3 of my children have both these) and same for new studies believing it improves infant eyesight, my eldest wears very strong glasses and has done since she was 4 years old. In my opinion experts on breastfeeding research either a. don't know their ass from their elbow or b. need to meet ...
mizz_behaves 17.02.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Always have a drink up your jumper,lol Disadvantages: Can be a little uncomfortable in the early days
I breast fed my son for just over 10mths and only gave up because he had a mouthful of teeth,which he was'nt afraid to use (and did on several occassions). Ouch!!
I found it very difficult at first as I had to use nipple shields because he could'nt latch on properly. I was advised to do this by the medical staff at the hospital I was in. I used these for about 7 days and by then he was latching on fine, but don't be tempted to throw them away girls ... ...explain abit further down the op:)
The first three days where very worrying as he didn't seem to want to feed at all and I was becoming tempted to use a bottle but, the nurses said that it wasn't unusual for new borns to be this way, so I perserviered.
Finally he started feeding, every two hours he would wake for a feed, I was very relieved and glad I hadn't gone for the bottle instead.
It wasn't all plain sailing from there though (oh no)!! The ...
niclemamy 28.02.2001 (13.07.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: See opinion Disadvantages: See opinion
Since man first appeared on our planet, breasts have been used for feeding offspring. Like other mammals, humans produce milk that is specifically designed for their own babies. Sheep produce milk that is designed to cover the needs of lambs, dogs produce milk which includes all the elements necessary for puppies to grow strong, cows produce milk which will satisfy the needs of calves. There are in fact over 4,000 species of mammals, all of which ... ...baby should be put to the breast immediately following it’s birth and fed at intervals that were dependent upon the needs of the individual child and the rate at which milk was produced by the mother. Breastfeeding was the most natural thing in the world for ALL mammals, humans included.
But then the Victorians arrived on the scene, with their ‘modern’ attitudes and morals. We were above the animals and therefore our actions and ...
CherryBlossom 14.05.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Milk on tap and full of goodness. Disadvantages: Lack of support, and that was sore.....
Time for another op. I have been reading a few over the last couple of days with regards to breastfeeding, home births etc, feeling really broody not that is going to get me anywhere as I sent Derek away for a tiny op last year.
Well as many of you will already know I have four children. I breastfed all four. There are many reasons for doing this not least to ensure that they all had the natural antibodies passed onto them through the colostrum ... ...was much easier than bothering with the hazzle of sterilising bottles and making them up, it ensured that I sat down and relaxed.
Before deciding to breastfeed you need talk to your partner (if you have one), talk to mothers that have breastfed - personnally I found this more helpful than speaking to my step mum (and mother-in-law that I had around for the first 2)as opinions and attitudes change - go to NCT classes if possible as they have a support ...
sarah110 18.10.2003 (19.10.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: Physical Benefits For Baby, Emotional Benefits For Mum Disadvantages: May Be Difficult To Initiate, May Require Medication
Why would a women want to breast-feed a child she had not given birth to? The answer is because its not just the act of giving birth that makes a mother. In today’s society, some women become mothers by adoption or surrogacy. The act of surrogacy is legal in the UK, although on an expenses only basis. I came across this subject by accident a few years ago when I found an article entitled adoptive breastfeeding, something I had never heard of ... ...women’s successful adoption and subsequent breastfeeding of her child, and although not relevant to me, I had not previously considered it possible for a women to breastfeed a child without having given birth herself and I found it interesting. I had often read in novels that years ago, rich women would employ 'wet nurses', women who had themselves given birth and had milk in their breasts. These women were employed to breastfeed babies to ...
milmol 27.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding
Advantages: a happier contented baby makes for a happier contented mum and visa versa this then affcts the whole family Disadvantages: none really, try to turn disadvantages into advantages
I’m a 37-year-old mother of 4 children - oldest 18 years, youngest 2 years. I started breast-feeding my first when I was 19, and am still feeding my youngest and I must confess that a determination to succeed is a must if you are serious about breastfeeding. There are so many pitfalls that no one tells you about before you start. When you hold that soft little bundle in your arms for the first time, you are encouraged to put the baby to the breast, ... ...visitor that is fully behind you and is willing to support you, it can seem a very daunting prospect.
A few things that helped me carry on when things seemed to be going downhill.
Make sure that all the family and friends are aware of the problems that you may encounter and you have their support.
Make sure all your family/visitors know that you are breast-feeding and that if they think they might be offended they should be willing to leave the ...
tshirt 17.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Member Advice on Breastfeeding