What do you think is the biggest barrier to breastfeeding In Australia?

Wow! I'm really surprised that my post was attacked so passionately. That my decision to do what was best for my baby has been rejected by mothers who breastfed more easily than me. Of course I believe breast is best, all other things being equal. But given my particular set of circumstances, I felt I was making the right decision for my baby by bottlefeeding her. Thank you for the advice about steak and cheese, with the benefit of hindsight, if I can ever conceive a second time I hope I have the stamina that you have. However, I reject totally the fact that any other woman was qualified to make my decision. I knew what life I had to offer her as a breastfeeding mother or alternatively as a bottlefeeding mother. I decided I could manage our life together more effectively as a bottlefeeding mother. I am the first to admit, there's not much 'earth mother' about me and I was in way out of my depth. But I researched the best formulas from various academic sources (not just advertising as one respondent suggested!! Please, give me some intellectual credit, I may not have working boobs, but my brain's all there). And someone else suggested a wetnurse be a more suitable alternative than formula? Please, keep your breasts away from my baby - who knows what would be passed on through a wetnurse's milk? Formula is a hygenic and measured source of (yes relative) nutritional value. But I'd much rather look at the contents of a formula tin (yes including the sugar) and know what (and how much) was in my babies system rather than trust another woman's diet. Please, I hope someone wasn't suggesting that a woman's diet from a third world country would be preferable to formula!! If so, perhaps you should pick up some formula tins because these days the only real difference is the immunity factor. But I totally and wholeheartedly support your choice and effort to breastfeed whether in public or private. Just please respect other women's right to choose and don't cut them down or question their mothering ability. At the end of the day it's not physically obvious whose been formula fed and whose been breastfed. It's a mother's choice, not the baby's because like other issues, the mother knows the best decision to make for her baby because she is the only person able to consider all other factors; eg single mother, return to work, preference about breasts being touched, family support, milk supply, shift work arrangements etc etc etc. And I do agree we need more lactation consultants in hospitals and when we return home from hospital because ultimately I would love the opportunity to breastfeed again, but no guarantees I'll stick with it when this forum very obviously highlights how judgemental successful breastfeeders can be.

Luvabub, I didn't see any attacking at all, only healthy discussion, some people were in agreeance with some points with you there. There is no right or wrong in here, only your experience which I will highlight by submitting this to parliament. Everyone has different levels of experience, knowledge and understanding, and this is where the blow-ups often occur, because we all did what was best for us and / or our baby at the time... so any insinuation that it was otherwise is going to touch a raw nerve. Thank-you for your input Luvabub and I look forward to this being heard in parliament. Perhaps you could also check out the other thread and consider submitting your own story via email to be added to the Inquiry.

luvabub, I'm sorry that you felt attacked. Your opinion and experience are just as valid as anyone else's. I think that you've just raised a really interesting subject - that we assume that we can know what is in the tin just by reading the label. It's funny that we implicitly trust the companies that make formula to be open and honest and we assume that formula must be hygenic because it comes in a sealed tin. This a quote from an article from The Ecologist called Suck on This

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‘If anybody were to ask ‘which formula should I use?’ or ‘which is nearest to mother’s milk?’, the answer would be ‘nobody knows’ because there is not one single objective source of that kind of information provided by anybody,’ says Mary Smale, a breastfeeding counsellor with the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) for 28 years. ‘Only the manufacturers know what’s in their stuff, and they aren’t telling. They may advertise special ‘healthy’ ingredients like oligosaccharides, long-chain fatty acids or, a while ago, beta-carotene, but they never actually tell you what the basic product is made from or where the ingredients come from.’


The known constituents of breastmilk were and are used as a general reference for scientists devising infant formulas. But, to this day, there is no actual ‘formula’ for formula. In fact, the process of producing infant formulas has, since its earliest days, been one of trial and error.


Within reason, manufacturers can put anything they like into formula. In fact, the recipe for one product can vary from batch to batch, according to the price and availability of ingredients. While we assume that formula is heavily regulated, no transparency is required of manufacturers: they do not, for example, have to log the specific constituents of any batch or brand with any authority.


Most commercial formulas are based on cow’s milk. But before a baby can drink cow’s milk in the form of infant formula, it needs to be severely modified. The protein and mineral content must be reduced and the carbohydrate content increased, usually by adding sugar. Milk fat, which is not easily absorbed by the human body, particularly one with an immature digestive system, is removed and substituted with vegetable, animal or mineral fats.


Vitamins and trace elements are added, but not always in their most easily digestible form. (This means that the claims that formula is ‘nutritionally complete’ are true, but only in the crudest sense of having had added the full complement of vitamins and minerals to a nutritionally inferior product.)


Many formulas are also highly sweetened. While most infant formulas do not contain sugar in the form of sucrose, they can contain high levels of other types of sugar such as lactose (milk sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), glucose (also known as dextrose, a simple sugar found in plants) and maltodextrose (malt sugar). Because of a loophole in the law, these can still be advertised as ‘sucrose free’. Formula may also contain unintentional contaminants introduced during the manufacturing process. Some may contain traces of genetically engineered soya and corn.


The bacteria Salmonella and aflatoxins – potent toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, immunosuppressive agents produced by species of the fungus Aspergillus – have regularly been detected in commercial formulas, as has Enterobacter sakazakii, a devastating foodborne pathogen that can cause sepsis (overwhelming bacterial infection in the bloodstream), meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and necrotising enterocolitis (severe infection and inflammation of the small intestine and colon) in newborn infants.


The packaging of infant formulas occasionally gives rise to contamination with broken glass and fragments of metal as well as industrial chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A (both carcinogens) and, most recently, the packaging constituent isopropyl thioxanthone (ITX; another suspected carcinogen). Infant formulas may also contain excessive levels of toxic or heavy metals, including aluminium, manganese, cadmium and lead.


Soya formulas are of particular concern due to the very high levels of plant-derived oestrogens (phytoestrogens) they contain. In fact, concentrations of phytoestrogens detected in the blood of infants receiving soya formula can be 13,000 to 22,000 times greater than the concentrations of natural oestrogens. Oestrogen in doses above those normally found in the body can cause cancer.

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With all this in mind I would hope that after this enquiry is completed that one of its recomendations is that formula companies become far more accountable. Mums and bubs who use formula deserve products that are produced in strictly controlled and transparent environments.

That full article is on the BellyBelly website, I have renamed it:

Baby Formula - What Formula Manufacturers Don't Want You To Know.

I have been trying to read through all of the posts but I haven't yet completed that task...

Firstly Cai what a great post - it brought tears to my eyes because I really know how it feels... Since this is being submitted to parliament I will share my story. I have done so before on BB but here goes...

My first child was a planned home birth. After a long 22 hours I made the decision to transfer to hospital. My contractions were 2 minutes apart from the onset of labour so you can imagine my exhaustion... When we got to hospital I requested an epidural...
The first epidural was inserted too high and caused some respiratory problems in myself... This was removed and a second go was had... This resulted in a "dural tap" - basically a release of cerebro spinal fluid which causes an intense headache... The epidural didn't take but I was left with this incredible pain. In order to push my baby out I needed a nurse on either side of my head to push on my temples - it was the only way I could control the pain...

After my baby was born I requested pethidine for the pain... I couldn't move my head without intense agony... I couldn't lie on my side without intesnse pain. The hospital staff said it wasn't a dural tap - the pain would be much worse. I was discharged the next day... I vomited on the way home due to the pain... My midwife brought nipple shields in a way to attatch my baby whilst I lay on my back. My DH had to help with this each feed. This went on for 7 days... One night my dH phoned a doctor who came to the house who agreed it was a dural tap. I was admitted to hospital that night... Still told it couldn't be a tap and perhaps I had had a mini stroke! What the!!!!
To cut a long story short a professor of anaethetics saw my chart and did a blood patch and within hours I had no headache...

So, you can imagine what all of this did for my breastfeeding... It was HELL... But, like a previous poster I chose to battle on... It was really hard at times and finally I was able to feed like a trooper and my baby was chubby and thriving... We breastfed for almost 3 years... It was so very very difficult in those early days...

What made the difference for me? Well, I had been around the homebirthing movement for a long time so I had lots of support for breastfeeding. Lots of good advice... I had a really supportive partner... I am as stubborn as a mule and I was very educated about breastfeeding... I had continuity of care. I had my own midwife. I didn't have conflicting advice as many women do... I had one professional guiding me...

I lament that women dont' feel supported. I lament that our health professionals at times don't acknowledge just how difficult those first 8 weeks can be... It's not easy. It's a challenge and breastfeeding needs a supportive community to make it work. I am a committed breastfeeder and I do know first hand just how damn hard it can be...

I too wonder what would happen if ABM just wasn't available... But we would need more support... We live in a society that is far from a village for many of us. One where women live in isolation and battle with their fears, their trials and this breeds guilt and a sense of worthlessness. I despair at that. We all love our babies and would lay down our lives for them... We need to show our love and support for women - whatever their choices. I make different ones to some of you but I deserve support just as you do...

There is no argument that breast milk is far superior to ABM - that's a moot point... I know so many women who would have continued to breastfeed if they had been supported. If they had been educated well prior to birth about how it may be tough... If they had continuity of care and no conflicting advice... This is our rsponsibility as women to seek out this information and the responsibility of the health system to aid in that information sourcing...

I found through my experience that I too was judged. I was judged for not using a bottle. So, I think that the judgement happens sadly on both sides. What I needed from those people was support for my decision. NOT to be told that it wasn't that important. It was important for me... In many ways I felt I had failed somewhat in labour I didn't want to fail at b/f as well... (that was my FEELING - not necessarily the reality)...

So, for me one of the main factors inhibiting successful breastfeeding from what I have witnessed is lack of continuity of care and birth intervention...

I really hate the fact that people who give up on BFing and wish they had continued think that people who do BF have it easy. Tanby, Cailin and Flowerchild's posts show that is not the case! For the first four weeks of Liebling's life I was kicking my feet in pain every time he started a feed, but knew I'd not be able to live with myself if I gave up so quickly. In fact, I had a very pushy midwife in hospital so DS was topped up with formula, but we were able to eliminate that quickly (well, it did help that he hated the formula and vomitted it all up). One of my baby buddies was having to express every feed for a few weeks because of a problem - it takes a lot of perseverence to breastfeed and women who do BF shouldn't be told that we have it easy.

I would rather have formula than a stranger's breastmilk - and it would be expressed, not from the breast - but if I needed a friend's breastmilk I wouldn't hesitate to ask.

Another pet hate, which may seem odd, is the use of the word "boob" or "booby" to do with feeding - I dislike the word anyway, it has a sort of adolescent boy feel about it - but I do think that it sexualises breastfeeding. But "baby likes booby" just sends a shiver down me; if anyone commented on me "boobyfeeding" it would put me right off. I know I'm in a minority of one here, but even women who do breastfeed can be put off or made to feel they are getting some sort of sexual kick from feeding, which you just don't. The word "boob" has been used to me to put me off feeding or to explain why someone doesn't want to BF - "it's my boobs" or "how can you use your boobs like that?" Well, because they're my breasts and designed for breastfeeding, that's how!

BTW, has anyone else been told that if you BF your son he will turn out gay? I fail to see how thinking breasts are great makes a bloke gay LOL.

Anyway, I don't bag anyone for picking formula so long as they don't push formula on me or tell me I find it easy to BF - everyone is individual, but this thread was to find out why people quit on BFing so quickly.

I think the biggest problem is lack of education but really nearly all of the options are linked to breastfeeding problems.

I gave up breastfeeding my first son at 3 months due to personal reasons. I started supplementing with formula from 6 weeks as I thought he was hungry and I went against my child health nurses advice

My second son was born sick. due to being on medication for seizures he was also very drowsy. Therefore making feeding extremly difficult. It never crossed my mind to feed him formula. He did have supplement feeding in the first day or so but my milk came in and I pumped more then enough. . when we finally came home I tried to feed him from the breast again but he was simply to tired. So from here we expressed full time for 10 months..

My 3rd son was born and Breastfeeding was wel established by day 2. He was a champ. I admit I was a little bad and asked they didn't wake me in the night to feed him as I was so very tired but he only had formula 3 times over our 4 day stay. We have just weaned at 21 months.

WOW, when I posted my reply many pages ago I didn't realise this topic would become so popular. I haven't read all responses, only the last few pages, but I feel I need to say a little bit more.

I was also one of the people who fought to get breastfeeding happening. For 5 weeks I struggled with breast refusal, poor attachment, cracked nipples, low supply, pumping every 3 hours day and night, lack of support from everyone except DH, and a very bad LC who didn't know what she was talking about. But in the end I persevered and DD is still being breastfed. So I take offence at anyone who suggests that I breastfeed because it was easy for me and that they had it so much harder. I don't judge women who formula feed and I'd appreciate the same consideration back.

I voted for Lack of Education but this lack of education starts before we even have our bubs. I (luckily) had a natural, drug free birth but I was never advised of the risks of having an epidural (if I chose to have one), induction (which was booked for the following day after I had DD as I had mild pre eclampia) or other intervention during labour and how that may affect my ability to breastfeed, which was not portrayed as that important to begin with.
After I had DD, we struggled for 6 weeks before the problems with attachment were sorted due to a great Lactation Day Stay in our closest large town which was 45 minutes away. My MCHN was (and still is) great and has always been very supportive and well informed and a member of ABA herself. However, many mothers in my little country town don't breastfeed at all due to the lack of education and support in rural areas. I had massive oversupply issues and DD was getting way too much foremilk, was gassy and cried constantly for weeks. MCHN saw me every week to help me through it and the ABA was fantastic for support and information in this area.
Thanks to the ABA, my MCHN and Day Stay DD is 18 months and still BFing.
Our ABA group is slowly dwindling as mums just aren't breastfeeding here. Many mums don't understand how their body works and makes milk and most of the time it seems to be a competiton as to whose baby gained the most weight or sleeps though at 6 weeks of age and my slow gaining poor sleeping BF bub just didn't compare. The amount of times I heard, "just put her on the bottle and get a good nights sleep" or "Just top her up with 40mls formula and she''ll sleep through" was astounding. My friends gave me bottles, packets of formula to try, and advice re bottle feeding but had no idea about breastfeeding. I was made to feed DD in seperate rooms at family functions as to not embarrass the men (and women) and still hear, "Are you still breastfeeding that child?"
If our govt wants more mothers to breastfeed they need to start increasing their funding to support the ABA, education for mums, MCHN's and GP's and offer more trained LC's, especially in rural areas. New mums should also be offered a lengthier stay in hopital after having bubs to ensure that feeding is established and offer education about breastfeeding whilst in hospital.
The more information out there and education women, MCHN and other health professionals receive the more breastfeeding rates will increase, correct information will be shared between friends, more support will be offered from all areas of our lives, including work and family.

With the focus of all the replies being mostly education, obviously more training needs to be going on, all round - midwives, MCHN's, paed's etc... or at least referrals to LC's - but in order to prevent the conflicting advice scenario which is a huge complaint as well from many new mothers, there needs to be training provided by one body, who can voice the same message to all - they can teach in uni's, wherever... and I think this needs to be the ABA. They have training already established, they have procedures and protocols and can deliver one message. I think the ABA should be sufficiently funded so that they can fund educators to teach in all scenarios and as someone else mentioned, outreach programs as well as schools too. But it would be great to see one voice teach a generation and beyond.

I just keep getting more and more ideas reading your posts, this has greatly helped my presentation, thank-you so much for stirring up my thoughts, the opportunities are endless. I don't see a hopeless situation for breastfeeding, I am excited as there are so many things we can do. We could be the shining example on the world of how it can be.

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Lack of education not only for mothers to be, but also for professionals (midwives, obs, GP's, MCHN's (ESPECIALLY), Paed's). There are currently too many trains of thought...

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I completely agree. A good lactation consultant is hard to come by.....and most midwives have no breastfeeding knowledge what-so-ever. There is also far too much an attitude of "everyone can breastfeed" among people who are supposed to be professionals, and so people with true physical inability to breastfeed or to breastfeed exclusively are simply being shunned instead of getting the support they need, whether it be to continue trying on the breastfeeding journey or to let it go if need be. "Just drink more water" simply ain't gonna do it!

Kelly, I think that's a great idea about the ABA training health professionals. It's important that if something like this was to be introduced, that it is for all health professionals, those already practicing, not just new graduates. Otherwise it would be a long time before we would see a difference.

I do really hope that all these ideas and sharing of experiences make a difference. As some of the posters have pointed out, some women will always choose formula. Also, some women will bf easily with no problems. But the vast majority of new mums will either struggle against the odds to bf, or give up when they really did want to succeed with bfing. There is so much that could be done to change this situation, with huge benefits.

Yeah I think even if GPs etc don't try and fix the problem themselves, but just refer to LC's it would be a start. Same with MCHN's. Might as well ask the next door neighbour for advice as go to the GP or nurse these days.

for the last few days, i've had a million things running around my head that i want to add to this thread... i just never have the brain power to sit down and get it all out... i'm gonna give it a bloody good bash now tho...
i have found breast feeding to be the hardest thing i have ever encountered... but, i would never ever have given up no matter what, i still find it hard now, and Eden will be 21 weeks old tomorrow. But when its all finished and we get to a year or maybe 2 i will look back and go-"my gawd, we did it", and it will be one of the greatest acheivements of my life.
You know how people have lists of things they want to do and see in their life? Well, on my list when i die will be, successfully breast fed my babies...
And having got this far with Eden there are so many things i have yet to do with breast feeding,- feed her in the bath(we dont have a bath), feed her during my next pregnancy & labour (if she hasnt weaned herself by then), perhaps tandem feed... so many things...
In saying all of this i dont want to come across like a complete nonsense hippy i just want it to be known that i am a better person for doing this. I never knew how lovely life could be.
More women should be able to and be encouraged to breast feed, it should be so bloody 2nd nature to walk past a woman at a cafe feeding her child at the breast and for her to not be gawked at or sniggered, or even to be made to feel like a world champion caz someone goes-"oh your breast feeeding, good on you for giving it a go."
I'm really annoying myself here caz i know im jumping all over the place with my thoughts, its just i feel so passionate about this and i cant seem to word it all properly...
Breast feeding and tolerance of and education of and understanding of and believing in SHOULD just be here and availabe to everyone. It is currently been treated as a fad or choice to consider for women having babies. Just as much importance needs to be placed on it as does every aspect of birthing ur baby.
Argh, im just going around in circles, i think i'll come back and post again when i can present my thoughts in a logical way....im upsetting myself here because this is so important to me, in fact its making me cry writing it all out.
I am supportive of everyone doing whatever they feel is best for them and their babies, just why is it that there is a whole half aisle of formula at supermarkets?? And so many woman feeling so helpless and beating themsleves up as failures when not having support for breast feeding???

I loved your post Edensmumma - I know just what you mean... You said so much even though you feel you were "jumping around"... Well done on persevering if that's what is important to you... :hug:

Yes, Cailin's proud Mummy moment is something we all need to aspire to; seeing each other's point of view. I have not made a decision about future breastfeeding based on this forum, I simply highlighted how judgemental breastfeeding women can be and this does make other women feel inadequate if it doesn't work out. The feelings of inadequacy are central to this debate and should not be ignored. Yes, Flowerchild, I agree that judgement does happen sadly on both sides. Your persistance with breastfeeding is admirable given the circumstances you found yourself in. So breastfeeders need to 'impart knowledge and support breastfeeding' in a very sensitive and cautious way. This presents a difficulty because breastfeeding education also needs to be explicit and available. Very interesting article on 'formula's' (in general); it has defintely given me a lot to think about. I didn't realise how unaccountable formula companies were. It also raised the question for me about how accountable breastfeeding mothers are for their diet and milk supply to the baby.

If my comments were 'outrageous' or hurtful to others, I apologise. I could have used more tact in expressing my concerns regarding Omega 3's and that period after birth before milk supply is sufficient.

Let's not clog the forum with right and wrong posts. I do apologise for any offence, just wanted to add my story.

Luvabub - it is so very true breastfeeding mothers do need to be accountable for what they put into their bodies... An extension of pregnancy really. It's a really positive thing though. It always makes you stop and think before you put something in your body...

Really enjoyed reading your post Edensmumma :)

Regarding diet, I've been taking a multivitamin specific for BFing women as well as InLiven which, between the 2 products, I think covers just about every trace element needed for both maternal and child health. So if you don't like sardines ;) then I'm sure there are other more palatable means of providing your baby with a list of "ingredients" just as impressive as that on the side of a tin....and more, including anitibodies to the latest cold bug that is going around! Also, correct me if I'm wrong but if the milk-making body is running low of a few vitamins etc it will direct them into the milk first? (Before allowing them to be absorbed by the mother's body).

Thanks Chloe for posting that article on artificial BM. Very concerning. I'm definately getting a prescription to relactate (my left side) now... I would have thought ABM would have been more regulated, like a medicine maybe... what are vegetable fats doing in there? A newborn's digestive system wouldn't be geared up to digest that... so I guess it would go straight through their body? From my understanding of (school LOL) biology if you don't have the enzyme present in your body to link up with and help digest each substance in the food then that element of food will just be eliminated? Anyhow...I'll do the reading, don't need a biology lesson here :) It also got me thinking that I guess at the end of the day, ABM is a money making exercise, and if they can get away with substituting a cheap ingredient for a more expensive "optimal" ingredient they would :(

Once again, would just like say that i'm glad this isn't a pro/against formula debate anymore... I have been using ABM as a complimetary singular bottle ... and it doesn't appear to have done my baby any harm... so I'm not suddenly going to be critical of those who choose to stick with it... it's just not my personal choice IF I can re lactate my left side.

I am going into my 4th week of breastfeeding and still struggling. I have seen breastfeeding consultants, doctors, am taking Motilim and fenugreek to aid milk supply. I have bought a pump and express to aid milk supply and am still supplementing with formula so I am not against formula as without it my little one would be malnourished. I am trying so hard to breastfeed (have spent over $1000 on professional advice, medication, pump etc) as I feel the pressure from the public/bfc/and myself (cause its better for baby) to breastfeed but after getting so depressed a week ago and worried I was getting post natal depression (was crying all day at drop of hat) I have decided to take a different view. Breast is best and every day I manage to feed is one more day she gets the benefit but I can't get that upset, tired and depressed that I am no good to her or myself (do women who start bottle feeding maybe get to this point and can't go on??). When I look back the only thing that may have helped me would be not getting conflicting advice and differing techniques of attachments by nurses in hospital and being able to seek advice from BFC from day one (the hospital I attended does not allow you to pay an independent BFC to see you in hospital while you are a patient (you have to have whatever nurse is on).
On saying all of that I still believe breast is best and I will persevere for as long as my sense of humour allows me to.(my motto is "every breastfeed counts").sorry this is so longwinded (am very passionate on this topic at present)

Janey- every breast feed counts is a beautiful way of looking at it.

Janey, :hug: it took me nearly 5 weeks to stop making a visible wince whenever I realised DS was hungry. I had the associated vasospasm (psychological response becoming physiological and PAINFUL) until about week 9 or 10 before I realised it had gone all together. If you can make it past this, there is every reason to believe that you will come to a point where you will say to yourself 'THIS is what it's all about!'. What got me through, as Tanby says, was drilling into myself that the benefit was way beyond myself and that it was about the ultimate wellbeing of my child - coupled with a decision to have faith in what other nursing mothers (friends, who had their initial problems, too) around me were saying, and that was "it WILL come together and you won't look back". When mummies around you give you negative stories, ignore them, but when they are giving you something positive, I've learned to grab at those snippets because they get you through, and they are based on truth :) But I hear you, for me, at 4 weeks things were still horrendous (he had his tongue tie snipped at 4 weeks, but it doesn't magically fix it instantly...he needed to relearn how to suck with his new tongue!), and it was all I could do to remain positive through eyes spililng out tears and apologising profusely to DS. In hindsight, hopefully, you will see that 4 weeks, 6 weeks, even 12 weeks is a blip on the timescale and you WILL get through this :) ETA: sorry, meant to say that I also received conflicting advice, about attachment, and an LC in the MCHN system got me through. I just cannot understand why a policy would be upheld when it is adversely affecting the health of you and your child. Our 'system' has so far to go.

Janey - you are doing a wonderful wonderful job... Such dedication and steadfastness. Well done. Blessed Thistle is another wonderful herb for increasing supply. An old midwife once told me also to soak a handful of almonds overnight and then drink the water and eat the nuts in the morning. This is said to increase supply and produce creamy milk. I have tried both and do think it helped me...

Some great news to those in Melbourne:

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I wanted to also mention that you may wish to let your Melbourne based members know that we will be having Community Statements at 2.00pm at the hearing next Thursday. This is where anyone can give a three minute statement to the Committee that will be regarded as evidence. They only have to give their first name and can say whatever they want.

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Oh I wish I could be there....

If anyone in Melbourne can go then do it. I went to the one in Cairns. It was brilliant and I got to say my 2 cents worth. If you have written a submission make sure you mention that when you talk. The more mums they here the better.

Kelly... could you post the location/times here please... although I might not be able to go because of the boys (no one to care for them).

Bathsheba you can take your kids. The only down side I had was I was in and out of the room and missed some of the speakers.

Janey - hang in there! I remember four weeks (ouch ouch ouch plus no weight gain for bub) and it does get better. It hurt for three months (tho nothing like those early weeks) and now it's only painful if the teeth get in the way when my boy is distracted :) What got me through was lots of Tim Tams, rasberry leaf tea, counting to 10 (or 20 or 30 if needed) outloud, and the mantra "this too shall pass" ... and the knowledge that it was good for my baby, not to mention a helluva lot easier when we went out or travelled. Good luck!

I havent had enough time to read through all of the posts, so I am sorry if I am repeating anything discussed.
I had great support with my first baby, however only managed to successfully breastfeed for 4 1/2 to 5 mths. I found it really hard as there was nowhere really for me to breastfeed when I was out and about. I am a particularly shy person and in Tasmania there are not many places with good parent rooms where you can breastfeed in privacy. I have since had another baby who is still breastfed. However this is more to my sheer determination rather than support from the general community. I have gone and sat in the car park in my car numerous times to feed him and had my husband hold a blanket to help with my privacy at times that I havent been able to get to somewhere private.

So basically I think it needs to be put out there that breastfeeding is a normal thing, as I think a lot of people still see it as an alternative thing to do not a normal one. Just the other day I was speaking to a mum at DD's kinder who didnt know that cloth nappies were around these days and when I spoke about breastfeeding I got a plain nup I wasnt going there. Not that this lady has anything against it, I just think there needs to be more education in the general society. As far as education for mothers, I'm not sure if they offer it in the public system as I went private, but a pre birth breastfeeding class should be encouraged with part of pre-natal care. I attended a free class before I had DD and it was a great experience to hold baby dolls and learn how I should hold them, ask all the questions and know what to expect. I actually went into it thinking that I would get blisters, cracked nipples etc. Luckily I didnt get any of these, but I knew that breastfeeding was something that both me and my baby would have to learn together not just something that would happen perfectly the first time.

Love

My beautiful girl was born full term and slightly jaundiced in a private hospital. We were moved out of hospital and into a hotel suite within 26 hours of her birth. The midwives would come in and out and all offer different advice on feeding and attachment, and none of them stayed to watch an entire feed from start to finish.
When I left the hotel I was not sure about feeding and did not think that my milk had come in. I was informed that it had and not to worry about it. I was also concerned that my baby was nrealy always asleep and would not stay awake for feeding - again I was advised not to worry.
7 days after she was born my milk actually came in. This was 3 days after I had returned home. Despite my fears about my sleeping baby who didn't feed properly everyone said she was fine, including the local maternal child nurse.
10 days after she was born my baby was admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital in the neo-natal ward for what they described as "silent starving". She had not been feeding all that time and my milk had disappeared. She was treated for jaundice and then given feeding tubes. I dealt with a lactation consultant to try and get my milk back, and luckily it worked. After 4 really hard days in hospital, my baby and I returned home and this time she actually was feeding.
If one person had actually sat with me for an entire feed, they would have seen that my girl was not feeding, very drowsy and attachment per se was not the problem. I have never felt more upset in my entire life and a complete failure.
My girl is now 8 months old and thriving - more by my good judgment in a fog of sleeplessness that something was wrong.
I also felt a complete lack of support for feeding from my parents and their friends. As we were all bottle fed, they find breastfeeding too primal and public. My father still leaves the room and my mother is embarrassed.
Baby is now great and we are now feeding once at night after her dinner and bath, when I am home from work.

I didn't take the time to read the whole thread, so I do apologise for saying something someone else most likely has said. However, I did join the forums just to post on this topic as breastfeeding is a matter near to my heart - literally!

I voted education, but that is not exactly what I intended. I think the single greatest barrier to women choosing to breastfeed, or breastfeeding for longer than 6 weeks, which I believe is the major drop off point, is EXAMPLE. In our communities and our families, we do not see women breastfeeding older babies very often, and feedback from other (non-nursing) mothers is often very negative.

In order for women to value "extended" (ridiculous term!) breastfeeding, as a community we need to support and encourage breastfeeding, so it does relate back to education. The community does not seem to recognise that breastfeeding remains valuable well after the introduction of solids foods. This will be most appropriate from midwives, family health nurses, other mothers and the ABA etc. GPs, other doctors esp. paeds, and other para-medical professionals also need to get on board.

If we believe breastfeeding is essential to the health of the entire community - and I do - then we need to make a concerted effort to change the values we espouse. The campaign to reduce/defeat SIDS is a wonderful example of how a very public and emotive campaign can successfully change the way families behave across the nation. Imagine if we increased breastfeeding to the same statistical level as SIDS has decreased!

I could talk a week about the benefits of human milk for human infants, but most people here will already be very aware of those benefits. I am very happy for you to use any thing I have said in your submission/presentation if it is of value. For what it's worth, I breastfed/feed two children - one to age 3, the other almost 18 months and having 3 regular feeds a day.

Scarlet Rubies, thanks for joining to post that - I really enjoyed reading your input, and completely agree with you!
Example is something that is related to education, but is another aspect again.
When people ask me how many feeds DS still has, they seem surprised that he has more than the 'token' feeds they expect him to have. He has at least 4 feeds, not just for comfort.
You just can't 'win' though, in terms of current public favour - babies are only feeding beyond 12 months (for some people it's 9 months, for some 6, for others it's 3!) are only feeding for comfort, yet comfort feeding is something that we 'shouldn't' do in our advanced society, either! As I am wont to say from time to time, "bite me" ;)
ETA: BTW, as an aside to the idea of subsidising ABA memberships for new mummies, please remember that Health Care Card Holders DO receive a discount, so it's only $35, and you still get a book :) So, in a way, it IS subsidised for those who are genuinely on low incomes or have limited income support.

Hi All, as a community educator for the Australian Breastfeeding Association I can truly say this issue is very close to my heart. In my experience (and sorry that at this time I can't quote any supportive data/studies), Mum's who are determined to feed BEFORE bub is born generally have more success when met with any of the issues mentioned in this questionairre. I felt very lucky that the advice I was given before the birth of my first baby was very candid - it is natural, but it is a LEARNED skill that requires practice - and one of my closest friends said - IT IS PROBABLY GOING TO HURT! We have asthma and allergies and irritable bowel in my family and I was determined to do my best to try to avoid this for my children and did much research and found support BEFORE my first baby was born. My determination to do the best got me through mastitis, cracked nipples, engorgement, thrush, reduced supply and lack of let down sometimes. I would also like to point out for everyone one supportive person I met there were twenty who were ready to put me down or question my judgement. As a CE for ABA I do my best to tell pregnant women to find the facts for themselves before birth and find at least one person who has successfully breastfed to remind them it can be difficult, but also has rewards (like Motherhood really). I think if we, as a society, give mothers the opportunity to de-sexualise the breast and do what THEY feel comfortable with we will create a more supportive environment - and how could that be bad?

Steph - the midwife at our antenatal class was convinced I'd succeed just because I wanted to so much, and she knew I'd booked in for an ABA class etc. Definitely what I learned there, and here on BB, helped me succeed. Admittedly I didn't have huge hurdles to overcome, but to have words of encouragement like that makes a huge difference...coz I agree.. there are far more people out there saying discouraging things re breastfeeding than there are encouraging.

Hi ScarletRubies, loved your post - I breastfed my first for 2 years and my second weaned himself at 18 months - almost broke my heart!!! But we have allergies, asthma and irritable bowel in our family. It surprises me that many people don't know the human gut lining takes 2 years to grow and mature and breastmilk is the best defence against damage to this lining which contributes to allergies and illnesses. At nearly 6 and nearly 3 neither of my boys has asthma, although my eldest has mild eczma and the youngest is mildly allergic to peanuts, but I would hate to imagine how much worse it could be if I had not known all the benefits of breastfeeding. Did you know mammals are designed to drink their mothers milk until the milk teeth fall out? I took great delight in telling my amazing facts to anyone who felt the right to criticise me feeding my children when they were "too old". Fancy feeding my babies human milk!! What kind of a mother am I?? Currently looking forward to the birth of my 3rd and that special bond of breastfeeding - lets hope this one lets me lead the weaning!!

Fantastic, Steph! I enjoyed your post, too :)

Steph, I enjoyed reading your post - it is just so true... To find support before birth... I had planned a homebirth with my first child so I had my own midwife, thus one on one support. I too suffered with many trials in learning to breastfeed my first baby... I still cringe at those early weeks. I also had an incredibly supportive husband.

My husband has asthma and three of four of his sisters children have asthma and eczema. I was determined as I had educated myself well on the protective benefits of b/feeding to reduce allergies... I copped so much flack from DH family and "well meaning" people. It was incredibly difficult. But I battled on... None of my children have asthma or any allergies thus far.

Interestingly my SIL finally asked about B/feeding and allergies (after openly poo pooing me!) and chose to fully b/f her fourth for the first 6 months (the others had only been b/f for a few weeks)... He is the only one of her 4 kids without asthma and eczema.

Thanks again for your post and good luck with your next birth... :hug:

Wow, there are a lot of influences I think, but I have voted for lack of continuety of care.

I have breastfed both my children. My first till he was 3,5y and my 2nd 2,5y. But with my first it only happened because I have grown up with purely positive talk about breastfeeding. My Mum loved breastfeeding and always talked SO positively about it. My first ended up in nursery for whezzy breathing just after birth and although most of their words were positive of breastfeeding, the conditions were really bad. They basically just treated me as naive for thinking I would successfully BF. They kept him in nursery for breastfeeding problems and I had a crap LC whom I hadn't invited. I just wanted them to leave me alone, so I could get on with my breastfeeding relationship with my son. I didn't doubt my feeding ability for one moment and that got me through. I had to have someone watching me every time I tried to feed, because they thought I was cheating with how much he was feeding. Anyway, to cut a long story short, as soon as I came home he fed beautifully.

So I think that support is sorely missing and that would come naturally if you had continuety of care. But obviously the cares attitude is also vital.

Cheers Pernille

Hi Kelly and MelanieR, this is a fantastic idea as ABA does have the ability and infrstructure to do this - as a Community Educator for ABA, my primary focus is "educating" anyone about the benefits. However it it not so easy in reality - the health professionals are sometimes the most difficult to deal with; eg: the hospital where I had my two (and will be having my 3rd) is VERY pro-breastfeeding, but won't allow ABA to visit new Mum's and leave them with info about what a supportive organisation we are. When I tirelessly refused to take no for an answer and went to the very highest person in the hospital I found out the reason is simply that the health professionals involved felt threatened by ABA "encroaching" on their territory as they are supposed to be the "professionals". I have no medical training, but I am a Mum, I have successfully breastfed 2 babies, I have supported and helped Mum's who have wanted to breastfeed, why can't I and my ABA peers work with health professionals to ensure breastfeeding continues past when Mum's leave hospital? It is not about who is in the right, or who has the best medical knowledge, it is about creating a supportive environment, so Mum's can feel nurtured and valued and have somewhere/someone to turn to in the tough times - parenting can be tough, whether it's breastfeeding, sleeping, discipline, care choices - all of these things would be easier if a Mum felt she had support to choose what is right for her, especially when that choice is the tough road!!
By the way - ABA CE's are ALWAYS available for any event!! We are often looking for opportunities, so if you know a group, or a school, or pregnant Mum's, or health professionals, or anyone who wants to know more - PLEASE contact your local ABA group (listed in white pages) and ask for a Community Educator. ABA needs the help of the community to stay a strong organisation, we are all volunteers and we welcome any help!!!

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I love the suggestion of all mothers being given a free 12 month subscription to ABA!
I have had to go to the FMAU a couple of times already(and have to go again tomorrow!)
FMAU=Fetal Monitoring Assessment Unit. Over 4 hours they take your blood pressure average,take some blood and get out on the baby monitor for their heartbeat/movements just to make sure everything is AOK

Anyhow,the ABA is offering a breastfeeding class over a weekend for 1st time mums(well,i guess any mum really)to learn about breastfeeding,what to expect etc..all for $95!

Of course that includes a years membership.

That's all fine and well,anything to promote and help out with mums breastfeeding is only a great thing..but to be 'suckered in' to paying for something that somes free and naturally..i dont know..kinda runs me the wrong way.

I think ABA should give(or offer)a years membership to all mums(no matter what number child)for free,then only if you decide to stay for longer then that year do you pay a membership fee(im sure they need financial help too to keep things going)

We,as Australians can get most medical things(and especially when having a baby)for free on Medicare..so why not also have membership to ABA on Medicare too if a mother chooses too?

Sounds great to me!

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Hi Clearbrite, just wanted to re-iterate what IK mentioned - ABA is a not for profit organisation that receives no subsidies (that I am currently aware of). All Breastfeeding counsellors and Community Educators are volunteers, we give up our own weekends for training, nights for meeting planning, time off from paid work to make hospital visits (luckily I have a very understanding boss!), but our organisation desperately needs these funds. When planning a seminar - be it breastfeeding education, or mother's returning to work, we do carefully plan costs of hall hire, tea and coffee and nibblies and the literature handed out as well as hoping to be able to contribute a small amount back to the organisation for advertising etc. It is a difficult balance to strike - but the more people who support ABA, donate, join membership and come to our seminars, the more we are able to moderate pricing! So please talk to your local group if pricing is an issue, but promote as many people as possible to join the organisation or even better - promote government subsidies for ABA!!!