Should Christian Mothers Breastfeeding in public?

I recently had the misfortune to stumble upon several posts on Instagram telling women how they should (or shouldn't) breastfeed in public, and I had to write a response because the posts upset me. I was doubly disappointed to see that the misinformed individuals were Christian and women, and were using Biblical references to oppress and shame breastfeeding mothers.

I need to respond to this, not in the hope that the the original posters will see it and have their opinions set straight but because the message they put out was so damaging.  The message that they put out could put mothers off breastfeeding which could be damaging for her and her children.  It is also a harmful message for society because it lays the blame for other people's sin firmly at the feet of a nursing mother and this in turn excuses people from personal responsibility and causes mothers to be shamed and condemned.

So here is my big problem; these people seem to think that it is a woman's responsibility to prevent a man from committing the sin of lust by looking at her breasts during breastfeeding.

This is absurd for three reasons.

First  BREASTFEEDING IS NOT SEXUAL!

If a man sees a woman breastfeeding and is sexually aroused then what he has is a fetish (or worse).  Women are not responsible for preventing men from becoming aroused by peculiar fetishes.  If they were women would never wear sandals, walk a dog, or indeed have their own nose on view (yes these are actual fetishes)!  Some people argue that breastfeeding should be a private act like going to the toilet or sexual intercourse, but this implies that breastfeeding is some how dirty or rude, this is a massive misunderstanding of what breastfeeding is, probably taken on board because of the way women's breasts and excretions have been talked about and portrayed in the media for the last few decades or so.  Breast milk is sterile and hygienic, it is food, drink and comfort for a baby, it does not function for the arousal of men or the elimination of waste.

Second, breasts being sexually arousing is all about context.  A breast or any other body part can be arousing to a man or not depending on the context. A breast that is feeding an infant is not sexual, it is fulfilling it's function of nourishing an infant; a breast in skimpy undies topped with pouting lips and a provocative pose are more likely to be.

Thirdly, the Bible does not say that it is a woman's responsibility to prevent a man from the sin of lust by covering themselves during breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding, lust and modesty are never mentioned in the same verse. Breasts are mentioned several times in a sexual context but never combined with breastfeeding.
Some people quote Romans 14:13:

"Let us not therefore judge another any more: but judge this rather, than no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way"

to argue that breastfeeding in front of a man might be deliberately placing a "stumbling block" to cause him commit the sin of lust, and therefore be a sin for the woman, but as I have said earlier, breastfeeding is not sexual, so breastfeeding in front of a man is not tempting or provoking him to sin.  It is simply feeding her child. That's right guys, breastfeeding isn't actually about you! Even if breastfeeding were sexual, it would no more be a woman's fault for arousing a man to lust than someone who has prepared a spread of delicious food is sinning because it might entice someone to commit the sin of greed, or a shop assistant selling jewellery might be committing a sin by luring a person to commit the sin of stealing! Because deliberately attempting to get the man to sin is not her intention when breastfeeding her baby. We have to be sensible about where tempting others to sin ends and our own personal responsibility begins, otherwise we might find an excuse to place the blame for our own sin on everyone else.
The purpose of breastfeeding is to feed and nourish and comfort an infant, no women breastfeeds with the express intent of luring a man to commit the sin of lust, so a woman openly breastfeeding is not committing a sin.

So if you are a man reading this and you're thinking "well hang on, I do find myself aroused by the sight of a woman breastfeeding her child," then may I suggest that what you need is some therapy, and not for the women to stay home or hide under a giant floral printed apron.

My final point in defence of women is that, when women first breastfeed they usually feel a sense of inhibition, simply because their breasts have previously always been sexual (thanks media for that powerful message,) and are used during intimacy, so this new function may cause her to feel shy about exposing her breasts in public to feed her baby. This is totally fine and normal and understandable, it's OK to not want another man looking at her breasts, and I am not saying that mothers should be making it obvious to everyone that they're breastfeeding.   If a woman feels self conscious during public breastfeeding, there are ways for that mother to make herself feel more comfortable about breastfeeding in public, such as using a scarf or the top-over-top method, but she should be doing this for her own comfort, not to prevent her brother from sinning, which as I have made clear above is a ridiculous suggestion, and no Christian woman breastfeeding her child does this.








We must not shame women for exposing minuscule parts of their breasts during breastfeeding, or suggest that they only bottle feed when in public, or go to a different room, or wait till they get home to feed their babies. we must encourage women when they are working hard to breastfeed their baby, which is a God approved function, regardless of where they do it.   We must not put restrictions, and rules upon a mother for how and when she should breastfeed, this could damage and end a mothers breastfeeding journey, and shame to anyone who does this.  Oh, also, the Pope says it's all good, I'm not Catholic, but I'll take this endorsement!

To close, here are some of my favourite paintings of the most holy woman, Mary, the mother of Jesus, breastfeeding the infant Christ:

Virgin Mary Breastfeeding Jesus by Magdalena Walulik

The Virgin Nursing the Child with St. John the Baptist in Adoration, by Giampietrino

The Virgin Nursing the Child, by Pompeo Batoni

Sagrada Família, by Josefa de Óbidos

“Virgin Mary and Jesus” by Guido Reni

National Breastfeeding Week

Breastfeeding gets a lot of bad press these days,  so I thought I would take a moment to big it up a bit in honour of National Breastfeeding Week, by sharing 10 things that I love about breastfeeding.

1.  I love that it instantly solves almost any problem, baby wakes in the night, no problem, a few minutes of breastfeeding and he's back off to sleep, it contains chemicals that help both him and me off to sleep, baby falls and bumps himself, no problem, breastmilk has pain relieving properties and the crying stops, teething, same.

2. I love how my breastmilk changes consistency depending on the weather.  During the hot spell we recently had here in the South of England my boobs went into overproduction of watery milk to re-hydrate my baby.

3. I love how it's helped me lose weight, I am back at my pre pregnancy weight, it's taken a little longer after this third baby, but I'm there, and let me tell you, I have not reduced my calorie intake one iota.

4. I love how convenient it is.  At Forest school?  No problem, just get my boob out and give him a feed.  At church?  No fussing, boob is right there, Looking at the skyline on the London Eye (you've guessed it)  boob! Even walking round the supermarket, I have him in the carrier and boob is right there to keep him happy for the rest of the shopping trip.  It's always the right temperature, the right consistency, sterile and it's virtually hands free.

5. I love that breastfeeding reduces my risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis, I know that it doesn't eliminate the risk altogether and that there are other factors involved in these things, but it is great to know that the benefits aren't just for baby, they're for me too.

6. I love that it's virtually free.  You could argue that I need to eat a little more to breastfeed, but I think the financial cost of this is negligible (especially if you go to toddler groups with free biscuits!) The only other cost for me has been breast pads, which are washable, so over a period of 5 years (so far) the cost has been very small.

7. I love that only I can do it.  For me it's a wonderful privilege and blessing that only I am able to breastfeed my baby.  Not daddy or grandma or a childminder, only me. And you know what this means don't you? I get to sit down more! Woo hoo! (I love a good sit down)  "Yeah, sorry husband, can't help with the dinner right now, I'm breastfeeding!".

8. I love that Breast milk is still such a mysterious substance we still don't even know what all the ingredients are.  It's packed with good bacteria, and anti-bodies, it's literally a living substance.  People like to be able to deconstruct everything, medicalise everything, analyse and in some sense, own, it.  But breastfeeding is still full of mysteries and we are still learning all sorts about how it kills horrible bugs, cancer and how it affects children, and only we, the mamas can really own it.

9. I love that I can breastfeed and still have a drink.  The amount of alcohol in your breastmilk is the same as your blood so anything more than 0.4% blood alcohol and you'd be practically dead. This amount is actually less than is in your average glass of orange juice! The main thing to be aware of is your own ability to care for your child under the influence, and of course, co-sleeping and drinking is a no no. Cheers!

10. Finally I love that the fact my being disorganised and forgetful (yes my child arrived at Forest School this morning with no shoes on. NO SHOES!!  I had to put nappy bags on his feet!)  has no impact whatsoever on my ability to breastfeed.  I literally can't forget to take my boobs!

Breastfeeding on the London Eye!

Top 10 Breastfeeding Myths

Poor old Jamie Oliver, he really has got it in the neck this last week.  He has been called all sorts of names simply for saying that breastfeeding is good and that mums need more support in doing it.

It sometimes seems like you can't say something positive about breastfeeding without being accused of being judgmental, putting pressure on women, or even being likened to a Nazi regime.

But we really have got to keep saying good things about breastfeeding, and we really have got to keep fighting for better support because the formula companies have millions of pounds to spend telling people that their product is really good and helping mums get to it and making sure they know about it. Funding for breastfeeding support is woefully poor, so if we don't use our voices to get the message across, what hope have we got against multi national, billion dollar companies? And the mad thing is that people supporting breastfeeding don't even do it for any financial gain!  We are doing it simply because we know how good it can be, how good it can be for mums and how good it can be for babies .  And on a personal level, I did it because I saw the the emotional pain women went through when they weren't able to achieve their breastfeeding goals and I wanted to help take that pain away. (I can assure you that the formula companies are not considering your emotional well being when they promote their product, despite how much they might like to appear like your best friend.)

It has really made me sad seeing the negativity surrounding breastfeeding that has been flying around social media this past week.  Many many women have been let down by the system and they are quite rightly burned.  But my concern is that with such a small voice in support of breastfeeding we risk putting generations of women off breastfeeding altogether.  When women are unsupported with their breastfeeding and things go wrong, they are often left to draw their own conclusions for why things didn't work out or are told false truths by family members and medical professionals alike which can derail their journeys.

So I wanted to take an opportunity to dispel a few of the myths surrounding breastfeeding that I have spotted over the past few days in the hope that it will fill women who are yet to embark on a breastfeeding journey with hope that breastfeeding is indeed good, and that the breastfeeding community is full of love and encouragement for other mums and mums to be.

1. Breastfeeding hurts:

Ok so, yes, sometimes breastfeeding hurts, BUT, and here is the big but, it doesn't have to hurt.  It shouldn't hurt.  If it hurts then that's a sign that something ain't quite right.  
There are a few possible causes to pain when breastfeeding. Sometimes it is quite simply that you have never had a baby suck on your nipple before and so it takes your body a little getting used to.  If pain persists though or there is cracking or bleeding, then it's important to get help.  Often a simple tweak to the position and attachment of the baby can solve feeding pain.  Sometimes it takes a little more investigation.  In rare cases a tongue tie might be to explain (a tongue tie means that baby is not able to draw the nipple to the back of the mouth, so it instead hits the hard pallet at the front of it's mouth, which can cause pain, but can be rectified fairly simply with a small surgical procedure) or a possible infection such as thrush (easily treatable when diagnosed).
The main thing to remember is that pain when breastfeeding is not inevitable, it's is not something to be expected and it is not something which should be tolerated.

2. Dad's find it harder to bond with their babies when mum's breastfeed:

There are many ways for dads to bond with their babies that don't include feeding.  Bathing, baby wearing, co-sleeping, cuddling, massage, playing together etc etc.  If dads weren't able to properly bond with their babies except through feeding then mother nature would have given men lactating breasts too.

3. Breastfeeding makes your boobs saggy:

There are three things that cause breasts to sag.  One is pregnancy.  Even if you decided not to breastfeed your body still grows breast tissue and prepares the body for breastfeeding.  Often this means your breasts grow bigger, causing them to stretch, but sometimes not, which is where I come onto the next reason for breasts sagging - genetics.  Some women will have boobs that sag, others won't, it's down to your genes.  And finally, aging.  You can't argue that gravity plays it's part in the downward direction of our breasts and over time (aging) gravity can take it's toll, unless you are one of the lucky ones (genetics).  Breastfeeding does not cause breasts to sag.

4. Breastfed babies wake more at night:

A recent study by Swansea University showed that all babies wake in the night and that what sort of milk a baby was fed did not affect the number of times they woke.

5. Breastfeeding takes longer:

Different mother and baby combinations make for different feeding times.  Some babies take a long time to feed, others take less time, they are all different. Sometimes babies will suck the breast for comfort which may have led to the myth that breastfeeding takes longer.

6. You have to eat a really healthy diet so your baby gets healthy milk:

Studies show that even mothers who would be considered moderately malnourished produce breast milk that is equal in quality to that of a well nourished mother.  It doesn't matter what you eat, your body makes excellent milk.

7. You can't drink (or eat curry, drink orange juice, etc) if you breastfeed:

It is perfectly safe to consume an alcoholic drink whilst breastfeeding.  The body is an excellent filter.  There are actually no food or drink restrictions with regard to breastfeeding.  Some mums find that different foods they eat affect their baby in different ways, but there are no hard and fast rules, it's all trial and error. But there is certainly no reason not to eat curry or cauliflower or grapes unless you discover any undesirable side effects in your baby. Here is some more information on alcohol and breastfeeding: https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/dibm/alcohol.pdf

8. My boobs/nipples are too small/ too big to breastfeed:

Nipples and boobs come in all shapes and sizes and are not a reflection on the mother's ability to produce milk or feed her baby.  It is the amount of breast fat that usually affects the size of the breasts most significantly, but also the number of ducts can vary from woman to woman from between 4 and 9 per breast. However they work on a supply and demand basis so even if you have four there is no reason why our breasts would produce less milk. Nipples also come in different sizes and do not reflect an ability or not to breastfeed.   If mums experience difficulty getting their baby to latch and find that the size of their nipple is the reason, there is almost always a way to adjust the positioning so that the baby can latch effectively, a visit to a breastfeeding supporter can help find a comfortable position.

9. You can't breastfeed twins:

Women's bodies are designed to be able to sustain multiple births. Two babies, two boobs! Don't believe me, just ask on any good breastfeeding group. Unfortunately many mothers have been led to believe it is simply not possible.  I am here to say, with the right information and support, it is.

10.

If you have had breast surgery you can't breastfeed:

It is very likely that after a breast reduction, or breast implants that you would still be able to breastfeed.  Check with your doctor before assuming you won't be able to breastfeed after having breast surgery. I have seen many women with both implants and reductions successfully breastfeed their babies.

Hopefully that has dispelled a few myths and maybe given some women confidence in their bodies ability to nourish their babies.

My Breastfeeding Story

Recently I was in communication with a TV production company who were looking for women who were breastfeeding through pregnancy and who might be interested in taking part in a documentary called Extraordinary Pregnancies.  I thought it could be a fun and interesting thing to be involved in.  After speaking to the producer I decided it wasn't for me, but through my conversation with her I realised that I do in fact have quite an "extraordinary" story to tell, so thought I would share it (with my own editorial control) right here on my blog. 

Before I thought about having children I assumed I would probably breastfeed for six months.  I am not sure where I got that figure from, I must have somehow absorbed it from the media or family and was probably related to six months being the recommended age for weaning, my mum had breastfed me and my three siblings and I had seen her breastfeed my youngest sister when I was 8 and saw other family friends breastfeed their children so for me breastfeeding was normal and something everyone did.

When I fell pregnant we did the usual round of ante natal and NCT classes.  The ante natal classes run by my local health visiting team didn't cover much to do with breastfeeding other than telling us that "breast is best" and giving us a leaflet.  In the NCT classes I learnt about how to latch a baby and perhaps more importantly I learnt the impact that having various forms of pain relief and intervention can have on initiating breastfeeding. I decided at that point that I wanted a natural birth without pain relief.

When "B" day finally came I was adamant that I would not be having any pain relief, although my midwife still offered me a dose of pethadine when I was in the full throes of labor.  I refused the offer as I had basically brainwashed myself into believing I would have a natural birth.  I am so glad I did because I managed to push my baby out without pain relief; and I can confirm it was very painful. (I am not sure whether different people tolerate pain differently, I like to think not and that I am just a hard nut.)  Although the birth wasn't completely without drama, he had a low heart rate and merconium in the waters and was a little slow to get breathing to begin with so had to have a bit of oxygen.  I am sure he was a little shocked and worn our after being born.

After that wonderful moment of holding my baby in my arms (you can read about it here) it was time to start breastfeeding (I had made it clear in my birth plan that I wanted to).  I almost feel like chuckling to myself when I think back to it, it seems to alien now, but essentially I held my tiny new baby in my arms while my midwife grabbed my breast and pushed my baby's head onto it.  I was told to wait for the gape than get him on.  He had a few little sucks which seemed to satisfy the midwife and then he fell asleep.  That was pretty much all he did for the next 24 hours or so while I was in hospital.

I was supposed to be checked on every 4 hours for but one check was missed and I think it might have been my saving grace because that little baby of mine wasn't feeding.  The last time I had seen the midwife he wasn't interested and she began to tell me I could hand express.  So passionate was I that this baby would be breastfed that I interrupted her before I even knew what she was going to say saying "he isn't having any formula," and "I am not giving him a bottle".  She assured me she wasn't suggesting that and instead showed me how to hand express onto a spoon, and noted that he was a little but dehydrated.  I never actually did this and we both slept on and off for about 8 hours till the morning. Suddenly I realised "gosh I haven't been checked for 8 hours"  and by that point, my boy was ready to start feeding.

I am thankful I had those 8 uninterrupted hours in which I am sure my little baby was just sleeping, and recovering from the shock of being born, until he was ready, in his own time to start feeding.  I later found out that babies actually have a couple of days worth of fluids and nutrients stored in their bodies after they are born.

Once we were home all seemed to be going well.  As a first time mum you don't know what's normal and what's not, but I pretty much assumed everything was normal.  I like to think this reflects an optimism in my personality.  He fed a lot, in the day and in the night, My nipples were a bit dry, but I left them untreated and they seemed to sort themselves out after a few days.  Then I was knocked for six after about 2 weeks when I contracted mastitis in my left breast.  I woke up one morning feeling freezing cold and shivery, then realised my breast as extremely painful to touch.  I had heard of mastitis and though this must be what it was, I was devastated.  I felt so ill, all I could do was cry.  We phoned the doctor and I was immediately prescribed antibiotics which duly took and thankfully within about 8 hours I was feeling about a million times better.  I realised that I had been pressing my breast so that my baby's nose wasn't pressing into it, and thought that this could be what caused the mastitis.  I adjusted my positioning and attachment and I thankfully never had mastitis again.

I had ups and downs though-out the following year of breastfeeding, it sometimes seemed like he was feeding all the time and I visited a Breastfeeding Network drop-in clinic and spoke to a lovely lady about my concerns.  She reassured me that everything was fine and perfectly normal.  So I continued breastfeeding trouble free till Boris was about 9 months old, that was when the biting began.

He grew teeth and discovered he could do things with them, like make me squeal!  I was bitten so badly one time that I had a bleeding hole in my nipple which then got infected.  I didn't know what to do other than just keep feeding!  Many times I thought we might be coming towards then end of our journey, but in spite of the pain of being bitten it still somehow seemed easier to just keep going with the breastfeeding.  There were so many benefits.  It was easy to settle him, easy to get him back to sleep, there was no sterilising or washing up to do, I didn't have to think about preparing a feed for him before leaving the house, it was free and of course I knew he was still getting the health benefits of my milk, the perfectly designed proteins, enzymes, antibodies, fats, it adjusted itself according to the heat and time of the day etc etc etc, so, I kept going.   The biting passed, it was just a phase, but that wasn't the end of painful feeding.

When Boris was about a year old I fell pregnant again and feeding became extremely painful.  So much so that I had to do labor breathing to get through the pain. Again many would ask why I didn't just stop.  Part of the reason was that I discovered the World Health Recommendation for all babies was to be breastfed for two years and beyond so I became determined that I would reach that two year goal.  It was painful, really really painful.  I visited a La Leche League group to seek help but there wasn't anything they could suggest, it was simply that the pregnancy hormones in my body had made my nipples extremely sensitive, on top of this my milk supply had dramatically reduced so quite often Boris was simply dry nursing, but I took comfort in the fact that he was getting small amounts of milk and even that was of benefit to him.  He almost stopped feeding at one point and I remember one evening when I was trying to feed him to sleep he pulled down my top and waved bye bye to my breast!  But I guess the comfort sucking was enough for him to want to keep going.

It was during this time I read a book called The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle Palmer.  For me this book was a total game changer and I decided I wanted to help other mum's who wanted to breastfeed to achieve their breastfeeding goals, so I trained as a Breastfeeding helper with the Breastfeeding Network and began helping at a local baby weigh in clinic, talking to mums and helping them to overcome the problems they were having. One unusual side effect of my training was that I learnt of all the potential problems that mothers can encounter when trying to initiate breastfeeding and I became terrified of not being able to feed my second baby.   It was probably because of the hormones, because I was now equipped with what I needed to know to help myself if any problems arose.  However this didn't help stop me losing sleep wondering if this baby would be born with a tongue tie, or if I might have to have a c section or if for some reason I would be taken away from my baby after he was born.  Thankfully these fears were never realised.

Eventually my colostrum came in and Boris had a renewed interest in breastfeeding, then
my second baby was born and after a couple of days my milk came in. For a few days Boris was in seventh heaven, even drinking so much milk that he made himself sick!  Initiating breastfeeding with my second baby, Biscuit, couldn't have been more different to the medicalised experience I had with Boris. I will never forget the gorgeous moment that tiny newborn baby, its head resting on my breast, began rooting and searching for my nipple and with almost no help found his way, and latched himself on for the first time.  It felt miraculous!  He knew exactly what to do.

But feeding two babies came with it's own challenges.

I can honestly say that those first few months trying to breastfeed a newborn baby and  a very vocal and demanding toddler were the hardest months of my life.  I was never able to master the art of feeding two babies at the same time, it was always painful, I could never get into a position that was comfortable and, I hate to say this but, it felt weird.  I literally couldn't stand the sensation of having two babies suckling at the same time, it made me want to rip off my skin and run away.  Evenings were the hardest when my newborn would be cluster feeding and my older child would be wanting to be breastfed to sleep, my poor husband felt helpless and I spent many dark evenings alone in tears trying to figure out how to satisfy the needs of these two little humans who depended on me so much.

Like with everything else, the hard bit was a phase which eventually passed, we got into a pattern and rhythm with feeding, I decided to night wean Boris as I was struggling with getting up in the night to feed two infants which was hard, on him and me, but was what I needed to do at the time to survive, and I fed him less during the day too, until eventually it was just morning and evening, then just morning.

Fast forward another two years and I am pregnant again and somehow still breastfeeding my two children.  Boris just has a bit of milk in the morning and Biscuit feeds to sleep, maybe once or twice in the night and in the morning.  I know people might be asking why on earth I do it, and in all honestly it's mostly because I get to sleep just a little bit longer in the morning if I give them a bit of milk!  They like it and I get to have a bit more sleep, it's win win! I also can't deny the health benefits, of course my children get the odd cough and cold, but we are yet to have to administer any antibiotics to either of them.  Again the feeding is painful, and feeding has reduced, and don't ask me what will happen when the next baby arrives, because I don't know, I am just going with the flow and trying not to worry too much about it.  I will undoubtedly do what I have always done which is following the route of least resistance and just muddling through.  Whatever is easiest, gives me the least amount of grief and the most amount of sleep will be what I will probably do.

I never planned to be feeding a nearly-four-year-old, and never for once imagined that I might tandem feed this nearly-four-year-old and a two year old through pregnancy, it just sort of happened.

Some people might say that I have been lucky to have such as easy breastfeeding journey, and in some ways I agree.  I was lucky for example that neither of my children were born with a tongue tie.  I was lucky that I didn't need to have any interventions at the birth.  (although I do believe this was in part due to what I learnt and taught myself about achieving a natural birth and my sheer bloody mindedness of refusing any pain relief.) I was lucky that I didn't have any issues with underdeveloped breast tissue and lucky that I was brought up in an environment where breasts were seen as something that feeds a baby rather than sexual objects and I am eternally thankful and humbly grateful for this.  I know too many women who weren't "lucky" in these ways.  However I strongly believe that simply saying I achieved my breastfeeding goals because I was lucky undermines the hard work, dedication and commitment that I had to put in.  In those first years I never spent a day away from my babies, never a night out, or a weekend off.  Those two lives were solely dependent on my being there for them, no one else.  But I have to say in all honesty that it's been my privilege and (mostly) my joy, I have memories I will treasure forever and I am so looking forward feeding this next baby in a few months time for as long as we want.

Why I didn't share THAT breastfeeding study

There has been articles referring to a breastfeeding study being share all over my facebook feed recently. It talks about how babies who are breastfed are more likely to have higher IQ that babies who weren't breastfed and are more likely to be successful and earn more money in later life.
As a supporter of breastfeeding it might seem logical for me to share a study like this, it appears to support my choice to breastfeed for longer and make me feel good about it, it would be a finger up to people who have criticised my choice to continue breastfeeding and has the potential to encourage women who aren't yet mothers or who are breastfeeding a young baby to initiate/continue breastfeeding

But I chose not to share it, and not because the data wasn't irrefutable, and it wasn't because I was worried about upsetting my friends who didn't achieve their breastfeeding goals, or making my friends who chose not the breastfeed feel guilty. (Although these were factors.)

The reason I didn't share this study is because I don't think it's important.  I don't think it's important for making mums who breastfeed feel good, and I don't think it's important for encouraging new mums or mums-to-be to breastfeed.

And the reason I don't think it's important is because I don't think a person having a high IQ in order to earn more money is important.  

Does having a high IQ make you a good person?  Does having a high IQ make you kind?  Does having a high IQ make you compassionate?  Does having a high IQ make you loving?  The answer is no, no it doesn't.  And at the end of the day these are the things that are really important, these are the qualities I would like my children to have and the qualities I would wish upon other children.  Sadly we live in a time where how much money you earn seems to be the highest measure of a human's value and we certainly aren't going to change that by sharing a study like this.

The only value this sort of study has in encouraging mums to initiate breastfeeding or to continue doing so is a financial one.  We are putting a financial reward on breastfeeding; "your child might be richer if you breastfeed for a bit longer".  How messed up is that?  But this is the capitalist society we live in where economy is God and anything that makes people richer is elevated to the highest echelons of value. Wouldn't it be great to see headlines like "breastfed children are kinder adults" or "extended breastfeeding makes people more compassionate" now those are studies I would be interested in reading.  But more than likely they are headlines that will never exist, and not just because the truth is that breastfeeding or formula feeding has no impact on a persons level of kindness and compassion, but also because kindness, love, and compassion and not seen as important values to have in our society.

So rather than to-ing and fro-ing about two IQ points on a chart I want focus on things that are really important like instilling the values of love and kindness in my children by showing love, kindness and compassion towards others.

And as for the important benefits of breastfeeding, well, they are priceless.  

Mindbomb Monday

In the 1970's the founders of Greenpeace came up with the idea of using electronic media to communicate revolutionary ideas, they came up with the tactic "mindbomb" whereby they would use simple images, delivered by the media, that would "explode in people's minds" and create a new understanding of the world.
On some Mondays I hope to share an image that might be considered a "mindbomb" that could get people thinking throughout the week ahead.  I won't include any words with the image as I hope the image alone will speak for itself.  Sometimes I will use images found online, other times it will be my own photographs and they will reflect something that has spoken to me from the past week.  It might be shocking, inspiring, confrontational or uplifting.
If you would like to join in please share your "mindbomb" in a comment.

Breastfeeding clothes that I wish I could buy!

Finding breastfeeding clothes can be a challenge at the best of times, finding breastfeeding clothes that aren't stripey can be even more of a challenge. (What is it with breastfeeding clothes and stripes?  Who decided that nursing mums love stripes?)  Finding breastfeeding clothes which are patterned with something other than stripes and are also ethical and/or organic is near impossible.  So with this in mind I decided to put together a little selection of clothes that break the mold a little bit by being pretty, practical and ethical.  Not all these clothes are strictly "breastfeeding" clothes but they all allow easy for access.  Obviously leggings aren't essential for breastfeeding but we need something to wear under our tunics right?

1. Sea Salt Cornwall tunic

2. Green Fibers Leggings

3. ASOS organic pyjamas

4. People Tree Tricia dress

5. Frugi summer breastfeeding tunic

Oh Dear Doctor Christian

Breastfeeding is wonderful, one of the most natural thing in the world, sadly it doesn't come naturally to everyone, many women who choose to breastfeed struggle, experience immense pain, feel terrible that they have to stop and some don't even begin because of all the horror stories they have heard or because of previous bad experiences.
My heart goes out to these women, there is not enough support for women who want to breastfeed their babies.
My own breastfeeding experiences and those of my friends caused me to want to help women who want to breastfeed but find it difficult, so I trained to become a breastfeeding helper. I am passionate about breastfeeding and it's benefits.  I am also passionate about women making their own choices, and perhaps more importantly informed choices.  So you can imagine my irritation when I read the latest misinformation that is circulating the magazine shelves of our country.

I am sure you have seen it trending, it came up on no less than four facebook groups that I am part of, Doctor Christian, the dishy Doctor of Embarrassing Bodies fame has made a right old boo boo when discussing breastfeeding with Closer Magazine. I know I shouldn't be surprised that a women's magazine is bashing breastfeeding, it isn't the first time and I am sure it won't be the last.

Last time it was grabbing readers attention by scaring them into thinking breastfeeding could kill their babies, now it's telling mothers that breast feeding is pointless beyond 6 months.

Doctor Christian tried to correct what was written saying via twitter/Closer magazine's website that he had been misquoted, but even his correcting himself was factually incorrect!

The attention grabbing subheading (above) was saying that after breastfeeding for 6 months there is no need to continue, in the Closer interview he says:

“Advice on breast feeding is always changing. The World Health Organisation recommends breast feeding for up to two years, while the NHS recommends breast feeding for the first six months.

(he says this as if the two are contradictory)

“Breast milk is beneficial to a baby's immune system for the first six months, but there is no harm in continuing to do it as long as the child has a healthy diet.

(suggesting that breastfeeding after 6 months is not beneficial to the immune system)

“If a child is being breast fed until eight, this may make them overly dependent on their mother. However if they are being breast-fed at four there is no harm in this.

“I support women who want to breastfeed and would never wish to discourage anyone from doing so.”

To begin with the World Health Organisation recommend breastfeeding for up to two years AND BEYOND.  It does not recommend to stop at two years.

Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond . Exclusive breastfeeding from birth is possible except for a few medical conditions, and unrestricted exclusive breastfeeding results in ample milk production.”

The NHS recommends breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months and then supplementing with food after that. It does not recommend stopping breastfeeding after 6 months.  Babies cannot get all the nutrition they need from solid food and cows milk until they are a year old, until then babies have to have breast milk or infant formula to get all the nutrients they need. So if a woman is breastfeeding and happy to continue then why would she stop at 6 months?

Baby's immune systems continue to benefit from breast milk well beyond 6 months.
According the the Breastfeeding Network website:

Breastfeeding continues to be important for children’s nutrition, development and care after the first 6 months of life. Breastfeeding at current levels is considered to be able to contribute on average at least:-

• 75% of the energy requirements for children 6–8 months
• 50% for 9-11 months
• 40% at 12–24 months

(When breastfeeding is well established and supported it can contribute an even larger percent to energy and nutrient requirements.)

Breastmilk is also a major provider of protein, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and protective factors. 

In terms of the psychological effect of extended breastfeeding, I am not aware of any studies that show it causes damage and can only assume that this is Doctor Christian's own opinion and is not based on facts.

So I am really not sure what Doctor Christian was thinking putting his name to factually incorrect information.   He must be quite cross at Closer magazine. I am extremely saddened and disappointed that this incorrect information has been put across as factual; misleading women across the country.  Women have a hard enough time establishing breastfeeding, some women take months till they are really comfortable, so to be told that there is no need after 6 months is such a kick in the teeth and really undermines their efforts. I mean I haven't continued to breastfeed my son for nearly two years because there is "no need"!  I really hope that women who have struggled and succeeded with breastfeeding do not take this article seriously or feel like their efforts have been in vain, and that any women thinking about carrying on breastfeeding after 6 months but aren't sure if it is worth it, do research the benefits before making a decision. Women should be empowered not undermined.

Sources:

How long should a mother breastfeed? (La Leche League International)

What are the benefits of breastfeeding my toddler? (La Leche League International)

Toddler Breastfeeding - Why on Earth? (Jack Newman’s Site)

A Natural Age of Weaning (Katherine Dettwyler Anthropologist)

How long should I nurse my baby? (Katherine Dettwyler Anthropologist)

Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet (Kellymom.com)

Changing the World

Yesterday evening I was browsing Pinterest (something I spend far too much time doing)  and came across a photo that just broke my heart, I couldn't stop looking at it, it made me so so sad.  It was a journalistic style photo of a young boy laid sleeping on a cardboard box on some steps, cradling his younger, toddler aged brother.  I think before I had a child of my own this sort of photo would have saddened me but it wouldn't have affected me like it did yesterday, I literally had tears pouring down my face, it touched me right to my core. I think it was because I could just picture these boys being my own children and they looked so vulnerable, so fragile and alone.  It felt so unfair, I was really struck by the injustice of it, that we can live in a world where there are children sleeping on the street and simultaneously we have people paying $425 to buy capsules of flakes of golds to make their poo glitter (I am not kidding, check it out). Seriously, what is wrong with the world?  It make me feel like I really am so lucky and blessed for everything that I have and the country we live in.  I don't appreciate how fortunate I am, how secure and safe.  Just having basic things like a roof over my head, electricity and clean water makes me one very lucky woman. 
The photo made me feel like I desperately wanted to do something to help, to save children like these little boys, I just wanted to scoop them into my arms and take them away from the poverty and misery and fear, but then at the same time felt helpless because there is so little that I can actually do.  I can give money, but seeing as I don't actually earn any of my own it doesn't really feel like it would be my contribution.
But then I came across this pin:

 

And I remembered that I am doing something to help the world by giving my time to voluntary breastfeeding help through The Breastfeeding Network.  I am helping mothers who want to breastfeed their babies to do so successfully and pain free, and enabling babies to have the most natural first food possible. 

I did my first session of volunteering on Friday and I felt it went really well.  I only spoke to one woman, but hopefully I made a difference to her, what she really needed was someone to listen and to reassure her that what she was doing was the right thing.  So maybe I am not directly helping children living in poverty but I am doing something to help and something I feel really passionate about and in my own small way I am changing the world.  I am not telling you this to say how great I am but to say that even these apparently small things we do can make a real difference.  And many many people are doing the same thing as me, for some it is saving animals, for others it's helping old people and for others it's simply picking up litter or recycling, but we are all doing our own little thing to help to change the world.

What are you doing to change the world today?

World Breastfeeding Week

This week is World Breastfeeding Week! and the theme this year is "Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers".  This is a cause that is close to my heart as I have recently qualified as a Breastfeeding Helper for The Breastfeeding Network.
This means that, once I get my badge, I can help mothers, at my local well baby clinic in an official capacity, who want to breastfeed.  I am really excited to get started with helping other mothers because I feel passionately for breastfeeding and really want to help those mothers who are struggling but need extra support. 
I really enjoyed the course run by The Breastfeeding Network and met some really amazing women on it. I would highly recommend it to any mother who has breastfed and would like to help others.
There are several reasons why I wanted to become a Breastfeeding Helper:

• The first is that I have seem so many women, friends and strangers alike who desperately wanted to breastfeed but have really struggled and have had to give up, I would like to help women like these to continue breastfeeding so that they and their babies can get of to the best possible start in life and motherhood.
• I read a book called "The Politics of Breastfeeding" by Gabrielle Palmer and it totally changed my view on Breastfeeding.  Before I read it I thought that there were a lot of women who "just couldn't breastfeed" but after reading this book I found out that the number of women who medically can't breastfeed is tiny (about 2% I think)  and one of the reasons many women struggle and give up is because of a lack of support.
• I strongly dislike formula companies and their insidious advertising techniques and the way that they undermine breastfeeding.  They are not there for mothers and babies they are there to make money.  By helping mothers to breastfeed I would be helping to undermine formula companies.
• On reflecting on my own experience of breastfeeding I realised that my experiences could help other mothers who want to breastfeed. 

Wow, I could actually write a whole blog post about each of these bullet points!  There is so much more to say.

I feel really strongly that if women received more support they would have more success in breastfeeding.  They shouldn't have to go out looking for it, catching a bus to the next town to attend a clinic, it should be there, ready and available. 

If you feel you can support World Breastfeeding Week, visit the website and follow the link,
Or else you can donate to The Breastfeeding Network.


 What are your thoughts about breastfeeding support or the lack thereof?