Hi,

I put lack of education as my first choice but as some other mums said they are all connected. I had a wonderful 'textbook' breastfeeding experience (until she was 11mths) with my daughter and fed her until 21mths although from 11mths I started experiencing problems with my 'let down' reflex because of the stress of moving to a very hot rural town with no family/friends support. Unfortunately this tainted the whole breastfeeding experience. through this experience I at least had some understanding of the role that stress and lack of support has when you are trying to establish breastfeeding in the early days and for me, maintenance in the later stages. There was no ABA in the town I lived in and I just struggled on in a state of anxiety until I stopped breastfeeding 10mths later.

Education before you have the baby would be a good start to tell you about all your options eg how to breastfeed, attachment, problems you can have, services available, how to pick a good LC and also counselling services because it is an emotional investiment for ourselves as well as a physical one. And when you think about it, if you don't know what you are doing you get stressed and negative comments freak you out then supportive counselling is something lots of mums would probably benefit from.

I don't understand why women are discharged before breastfeeding is established, often without followup. follow up should be mandatory for I think at least the first 6 weeks.

Women need to know that it is good to keep breast feeding as long as possible. I breastfed the longest out of my group of friends and most started weaning at 6mths.

I also think for those women who can't continue to breastfeed for whatever reason need to be told thats okay and that they did their best and understand completely the reason's why they stopped. I wonder if some women are fully informed, lots of my friends said 'my milk supply was low' because they could 'feel' the milk wasn't there. Often their milk supply was fine but it was just changes in their breasts as the engorgement finally settled down. Once again, lack of education.

Education and help should really be ongoing for all stages of breastfeeding.

Thats my say anyway,

Mich