A recent federal Parliamentary inquiry into breastfeeding found the major reasons mum stop breastfeeding are a lack of support, information and a perceived negativity towards breastfeeding in public.

Although nearly 90% mums start breastfeeding in hospital less than 20 per cent of mothers in 2003 achieved their goal of breastfeeding their baby at six months.  According to the National Health and Medical Research Council if the breastfeeding rates at three months were increased form 60% to 80% more than $11.5million could be saved.

This just shows that there needs to be a greater emphasis on support for breastfeeding mums who still feel they are not getting the support they need.  Perhaps even a different kind of support than is currently on offer?

What do you think? What support did you receive? Have these reasons affected you?

gillygirl :: Apr.28.2007 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »

As founder of the breastfeeding support group, I thought I’d better share my experience.

I have breastfed both my boys and found the experience to be totally different with each! Both times in the first few weeks I had sore nipples and had to learn to attach properly.

I remember the first night home with my son was terrible. He screamed all night and I just couldn’t attach as my nipples were cracked and sore. I remember being in tears the next day when the midwife from the hospital visited. The midwife was fantastic and really got me on the right track and I was able to him successfully feed for 7 months. I remember the first 6 weeks as the hardest and then things really did settle down. I returned to work one day a week when my eldest son was 8 weeks old and expressed while at work for 6 months.  He was then weaned at 7 months as I lose a lot of weight while breastfeeding and was unable to continue.

Son number 2, two years later was a whole new ball game! It was easier to get my head around breastfeeding second time but at 3 weeks I was hospitalised for a week with Mastitis! I have never been so sick in my life but continued breastfeeding with a lot of support from a fantastic nurse and lactation consultants at the child health centre. 

Breastfeeding while caring for a two year old was a brand new ball game and my second son was a distracted feeder who often had his best feed at night! I also fed him until 71/2 months when my increased weight loss again kicked in and I was unable to keep up my milk supply.

Even though I fed both boys for 7 months I still felt guilty when they were weaned and it is one of my reasons I would like to support mums to do the best they can and congratulate themselves for breastfeeding for however long they can.

I found it a rewarding and challenging experience and I am so glad I was able to feed my boys for as long as I did as you really do form a bond.

So if you need any tips for cracked nipples, mastitis and entertaining a toddler while breastfeeding - you know who to ask!

gillygirl :: Apr.01.2007 :: breastfeeding stories :: 5 Comments »

Ok, so have to admit - am not a breastfeeding mum anymore. But I certainly was when Charley was little!

Because she was a premmie, I couldn’t breastfeed for a while, so I expressed every three hours for months, just waiting for her to be able to breastfeed - I was desperate to. It was almost funny expressing hundreds of mls of milk and see her take only about 20 mls of it a feed! I had an entire dairy farm in my freezer!

When she did finally start, it was very difficult - she was still so little and would get tired very easily when feeding. When I first brought her home, I actually had to set my alarm for feeding times as she wouldn’t even wake up for a feed.

On top of it all, she didn’t sleep very often - still doesn’t - and so I found myself at one of those sleep schools. But once they had observed me breastfeeding, they sent me home with instructions on how to do it properly. A couple of days later, I gave up. I had been through enough trying to get her to breastfeed in the first place - and now to be told I was doing it all wrong was too much. I had lasted 5 months, but was still so upset with myself for throwing in the towel.

I love the idea of this breastfeeding support group. Even though I am not still breastfeeding I am glad to be apart of it and maybe be able to encourage some other mums who are still breastfeeding.

madmadmummy :: Apr.01.2007 :: breastfeeding stories :: No Comments »

To get our group started please share your breastfeeding story or experience and save under the category ‘breastfeeding stories’.

Please feel free to share any tips, questions or concerns you might like answered!

gillygirl :: Apr.01.2007 :: breastfeeding stories :: 3 Comments »