Yeah, this is all true - i was just thinking out loud about the prescription only thing - i didn't know other countries did it, makes you think though!

Here in the UK there IS a big drive to get more in line with WHO BF guidelines. Formula and the problems associated with not BFing (ear infections, more colds, weaker immune systems to begin with etc.) cost our NHS money - that's why they're pushing it, for the same reason they've banned smoking in public places and are considering adding extra VAT on high-calorie junk foods. It costs us all money to treat things which were preventable so the government is out to save save save wherever it can (so it can spend it on "defence" makes me SICK!).

I think the scenario with healthcare folks is changing slowly - i had a homebirth but a pretty good breastfeeding workshop (with weighted dolls to show us various "holds" for feeding, lots of videos and a real live mumma and baby we could sit with to see a good latch) was made available (and free) and my midwives stayed after delivery until DD had fed and left me with a phone number for a 24-hour hotline to an LLL counsellor should i need it. They were in my house every day for 10 days too and always stayed until they'd seen DD feed to make sure we were doing ok. The support is coming, it just takes time.

I think the main problem is that women who are determined to FF from the start feel bullied because midwives are instructed to question the decision, but this usually gets done after birth when Baby is hungry and mum is exhausted - it'd be much better to have this discussed earlier. THere was a box on my antenatal book for "Feeding discussed". The midwife said "are you going to breastfeed?" i said "yeah" and she ticked the box! That was it! No advice or anything - luckily the next week i had a different MW and was a bit swollen (water retention) and she sent me to the BFing workshop to get me the afternoon off work so i could rest. There were a few very supportive midwives, a few paying lip-service and a few who obviously didn't care at all either way. Most of the women i know who didn't want to try BFing at all had a friend or relative who tried and failed and that put them off, or a previously BF child who had problems which put them off. So changing their mind or helping them re-think their decision when they already have a hungry newborn in their arms is madness!

B