Refreshing talk today with HV's regarding BFing

[Aidan's Mummy]

So I have just finished my placement with HV's (its part of my nursing) and they were talking in general about a breastfeeding audit they have coming up. It is designed to see if they are supporting breastfeeding mothers well and what can be improved. Anyway these HV's are brilliant at supportimg mothers, for example a hv sat with a mother for a wholoe clinic (1 hour) and supported her with getting baby latched and postioning and then arranged to go in teh afternoon aswell. So they mothers in their area to have a great rang of support which is fantastic.

Anyway the conversation moved on too FF and how they weren't allowed to hand out FF leaflets unless the mother asked and they were not allowed to talk about bottles, sterlising etc unless the mother asked and even then they were only allowed to give limited information as it could be classed at promoting FF. Then one of the HV's said what happened to informed choice? As HV's it is their job to empower parents to make informed decisions about their child. Giving both BF and FF leaflets in the antenatl pack would aid parents in doing this. Yes BF is great but a mother should be presented with all the facts otherwise is isn't informed choice is it? I just found it very refereshing that health professionals recognise a mother has a choice and that they should support her in making that choice by providing relevant information

Just to add I know breast is best and this isn't a BF v FF thread I just thought it was a nice thing to hear as some mothers do feel they didn't have all the information etc

 

[Blah11]

Well, personally i think they have the right idea with not promoting formula. Its not as if people have no idea that theres formula out there For breastfeeding to become more popular AND for women to be more successful it needs to become the norm and BF becoming the norm would mean women are expected to BF unless theres a reason or problem not to (much like women are expected to have a vaginal birth unless theres a problem or specific reason).


Hope that makes sense

 

[Miss_Bump]

^^^ I agree hun

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

me too.

 

[MissMummyMoo]

I agree with your HV's, mothers are constantly made to feel belittled because they choose to FF as opposed to BF, I think having both leaflets out in packs is a great idea. Women will not feel as pressured to breastfeed and will make thier own choices without feeling guilty x

 

[special_kala]

I dont think women should be expected to breast feed at all.

Id rather they gave informatikn for formula, dont see it as promoting it tbh. Making up bottles wrog is dangerous and people need to have access to the right information.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

^ I do agree the safe way to make up bottles ought to be discussed but to be fair, that's printed on the side of the formula carton, it seems a lot of people ignore it though

 

[fairy1984]

I disagree with the above tbh

I went to a feeding class before my LO was born expecting to learn how to breastfeed and also how to make up a bottle of formula safely. All I was told was breast is best and negative views on formula feeding.

Imagine if you had mastitis in the middle of the night and had a hungry baby, surely its better to know how to make up a bottle of formula safely (if you were at your wits end with a screaming baby and sore boobs) than just feel alone and in pain? I do know that you're supposed to feed through mastitis but I also know how blooming painful that can be and the thought that your LO is getting something rather than nothing is appealing at 3am.

I just think informed choices are the best ones and mums shouldnt have the pressure on them to feel like FF is bad because HV's wont proactively talk about it to them.

 

[fairy1984]

oh i posted before the people two above me did (hope that makes more sense )

 

[special_kala]

People do ignore it but i think if ahv actually went through it with people they'd be less inclined too.

Ignore the typos im feeding W

 

[special_kala]

I dont want to live in acountry where the goverment gets to dictate what information can andcant be shared

 

[jenny_wren]

i think both should be promoted tbh
it's the mother's choice at the end of the day

​

 

[emzky90]

Tha's great that theres more help but I think the help should start from the minute you give birth- I found the MW's in hospital don't have time to be showing you. I had a great delivery and good care but when I buzzed to help me get her latched they just weren't v. helpful. I did manage to bf for 2months but I don't think there should be pressure on how to feed your baby-mothers milk or formula.

 

[wishingonastar]

Blah - you've put it in a way I'd not thought of before...very few of us complain that we're expected to give birth vaginally unless there's a problem (or we're rich enough to have a private hospital arrangement ) and the government decided that is the standard, yet many mothers are objecting to and resisting the idea that it should be promoted as standard to try BFing as the first choice...

A lot of my generation were bottle fed and tbh I bought bottles for my LO when I was preggo as it didn't even occur to me to BF (I was never brought up around or knowing about BFing) and it was only a friend who explained about BFing...even my midwife assumed I would FF for whatever reason.

I don't think health workers should be prevented from educating ppl on FF, but I do think BFing should continue to be promoted as the primary choice due to the health benefits to both mother and baby.

 

[Blah11]

I don't know how it is under different trusts but here we are given a leaflet on how to make up a bottle and not to store them etc. I got it at the same time as I got the bf stuff. It wasn't as info heavy as the bf stuff but I imagine its less complicated info.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I dont want to live in acountry where the goverment gets to dictate what information can andcant be shared

I agree, however the info is there and is freely available, it just needs to be requested.

Not that I think info on the correct way of preparing bottles would encourage anyone to bottlefeed in the first place, I know when I read about it when pregnant the first time it made me more determined to BF, what a hassle!

I just agree with those who said it shouldn't be positioned as the norm.

 

[Miss_Bump]

Sadly lots and lots of new mothers are seeing FF as the norm and I do think that if a mother decides to FF then she should have to correct information to do it properly but BF should be promoted heads and shoulders above FF without a doubt

 

[MrsVenn]

I think the information should be equal. I'm pro-bf but I can't understand this relucatance to give an informed choice. Molly had to be put on to formula at 1am on the day I was admitted back in to ICU and hubby had to make a bottle up. He didn't have a clue and neither did I! So there he was, on his own with a 5 day old, in the middle of the night, with a child screaming because she was hungry and he just broke down. Thankfully both Grandmas were able to assist, went and bought bottles, got the forumla and remembered the instructions (double checked the box) and helped him. No one else offered, not one person, what support is that?!! I had none with BF either!

When I eventually got out of hospital 5 days later, I hadn't fed my daughter once during that period and I cried for a day solid because I was so scared about how to FF. I hadn't a clue how to make up a bottle, how to sterilise, how much to give etc but I could tell you everything about BF. That's when I realised that information should be given on both so that you're aware should you ever be put in to a situation like mine. I'm pleased that your trust is focusing on that, East Herts have started too.

 

[fantastica]

Well, personally i think they have the right idea with not promoting formula. Its not as if people have no idea that theres formula out there For breastfeeding to become more popular AND for women to be more successful it needs to become the norm and BF becoming the norm would mean women are expected to BF unless theres a reason or problem not to (much like women are expected to have a vaginal birth unless theres a problem or specific reason).


Hope that makes sense

I do agree that bf should be promoted as the norm, but despite a vaginal birth being expected unless there is a problem, they do give information about c-sections (or at least they did at my antenatal class), so you are prepared if the situation does arise. Our tap water isn't suitable for babies to drink, and they couldn't even advise me on what I could do instead, or which bottled wate would be best and what to do with it. Obviously I could look this stuff up, but I was a mess after having him, and just having someone reassure me instead of googling lots of conflicting info would've really helped.



I think it's great they're looking at how bes to help new mothers, and it's goodto see they also recognise the importance of empowering parents with information so they can make the best choice for their family.

 

[lesleyann]

I think both should be talked about, at the end of the day if a mum wants to FF she will no matter how much "breast is best" is put infront of her.. It is however in the babys best intrests that the mum/dad know how to do this safely, 1 off bottle could put a babies life in danger, 1 feed with the wrong latch however will not harm the baby till the mum can get help with latch.