I will give this example as its the only one I have. Breastfeeding. With my first child, I breastfed till 4 weeks then got given ill advice from a paed and was told to put her on formula, for a week. I did when we tried to re-establish breastfeeding it went really bad. I expressed for another 2 months, we tried everything I had LC's and even feeding tubes. In the end she was so distressed at being held in the nursing position that the LC said it was probably best to discontinue. So I expressed till I couldn't anymore and FF. Now I felt "happy baby = happy mum" WRONG! I went through the worst PND imaginable. And she got severe eczema from the formula. With my second child I breastfed, it was bloody hard in the beginning and I realised a lot of what *I* had been doing the first time around was WRONG. Little things, but they do make a difference. I persevered and it was the most rewarding time of my life. I was able to look back in retrospect and see the things I could have done differently and I wish someone had said to me "Just keep trying" instead of "Just give up."
Of course every situation is different, but this is my story.
Liz, i completely agree with you.
i, also, get really annoyed when i see that statement thrown around all the time. i guess it's because i don't really understand what it actually means.
there's been times throughout this pg where i definiately haven't been a happy mummy- but i kept breastfeeding ds, and keep co-sleeping with ds as i know these things keep him happy. i personally would prefer to have a full night's sleep.
idk, i tend to think more along the lines of happy baby=happy mummy..and i completely agree that using controlled crying to the point where baby is visablly upset and even throwing up (like i've heard some people do) does not, by any means, equal a happy baby.
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