I think one of the biggest culprits are the Doctors that spread erroneous info when it comes to jaundice. I can't tell you how many times I see couples panicking and giving formula because a doctor has said to for the jaundice. I have 3 children, all had jaundice (the first pretty bad and NONE of them had a drop of formula. I was told by the lac consultant to breastfeed around the clock. All had the bili blanket (the homecare lights for jaundice) and were fine. I EBF the first 2 for over a year and I'm currently EBF my 3 month old. My stategy with all my children once they were born was to keep them with me the entire time in the hospital (unless they had a test or temp check) I then nursed them around the clock. If you read up as the OP said you can massage your breast while baby is nursing to produce more collostrum thus helping your milk come in sooner. Keeping them on the breast and sucking as much as possibe really helps. Getting a good latch is vital, that seems to also be a stumbling block, KellyMom has a great linnk to a doctor who has great videos on latching. I do think, more docs need to emphasize breasfeeding even through jaundice and stop automatically pushing formula. Dr Sears has a great article on the subject, he does say and I agree that some paranoia creeps in when it comes to jaundice in newborns.
What also bothers me is when these mothers who just brought the baby home who say they want to nurse are bottlefeeding because "My milk is not in and my baby is going to starve"! I have never seen a newborn starve just having the Colostrum. Any lactation consultent or breastfeeding class will tell you this. Yet these women all seem clueless on that. They seem worried the kid will die if they don't eat enough. Yet the kids got wet diapers and such so they are doing okay. And instead of calling a lactation consultent to ask about what to do, they go to formula and at the end of the show go "Well I had to stop nursing because you know the baby just got too used to the formula and won't latch on now. oh well!" I know doctors are still not as educated as they should be on BF, but surely the hospital asked if they planned to nurse and had a lactation consultant talk to them? Or they should have taken breastfeeding classes!
I agree with all of you. There is so much wonderful information out there regarding breastfeeding. I don't know what is with these Dr's saying that a woman can't make enough milk because of her size or that formula should be given because the baby has jaundice. My kids also had jaundice and no formula. They are just fine. There are so many benefits to breastfeeding and I hope these forums will help new mom do their research before trying formula.
I just watched two episodes on Bringing Baby Home and was also surprised about the misinformation presented about breastfeeding on the show. I feel that as a service to the community, the show should assist the mothers in helping them to breastfeed successfully.
One of the first things that I noticed is the lack of evidence that the new mothers were drinking a lot of liquids. This is one of the best ways to increase milk production. I would like to see more of the mothers sipping on a glass of water constantly in the show. This would help to reinforce this message more.
The other thing, as commented by a writer above, is showing the new mothers in bed and breastfeeding their babies frequently rather than being up and about and socializing more than bonding and feeding their babies.
This would be a great service and source of information to new mother's who often feel confused and unaware of how much 'down' time it takes those first few weeks to get your baby and yourself off to a good start, physically and emotionally.
It wasn't until I met with a lactation consultant that I found out how important positioning, latch, liquids and rest were, even though I did do a lot of reading on the subject. It just didn't sink in or wasn't even stressed in the reading I did.
It would have saved me a lot of grief and suffering (cracked nipples, mastitis and eventual re-hospitalization) had I known then what I know now and this was 18 years ago! It still seems like much has not changed! I will be sure to give this information to my daughters and daughter-in-law when I become a grandmum!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: kim g,
Originally posted by elmopalooza14: What also bothers me is when these mothers who just brought the baby home who say they want to nurse are bottlefeeding because "My milk is not in and my baby is going to starve"!
This is exactely why I stopped watching this show. I started a post about it, but I doubt it will get posted because there where "questionable words."
My advice: talk to a lactation consult in the hosital! Don't listen to the nurses, they mean well, but give incorrect info and doctors aren't much better. My lc was great and I've successfully bf my little girl for 9 months with no formula! And still going strong.
I just finished watching Baby Diaries on DH. This mother stopped nuring at day 4 because she was sore. This doctor they interviewed said that most of us know inetellectually that breast is best. But emtionally they do not get it. That many figure they were bottlefed and turned out fine so why not? And also that many mother encounter problems but that many can be overcome with h elp. Which many mothers do not get. If they asked for help they m ight find the problem goes away.
It is so good to see other people concerned with the same thing as myself. I usually sit yelling at the TV from 2-4, because I do not understand where these women and the things they think come from. "I didn't have enough milk," it makes me want to scream...you don't have milk at first, your not suppose to have milk at first. You're suppose to have colostrum, and no baby staves on colostrum. These doctors and nurses need to be educated, they are really hurting women and their chance to bond with there children while giving them the best nutrition. And then the women who say we're doing both, BF and Bottle feeding...you're doomed. If you give your baby a bottle within the first month, especially the first week, you are never going to BF successfully. The baby gets use to the bottle and how fast and easy it is, even though they may prefer the taste of breast-milk. No pacifiers either, it's so sad how it's all about money. Instead of advertising diapers and formula they should be encouraging women to nurse, lactation consultants, and positive reinforcement! Today both episodes of BHB said they were doing both, yet I never once saw them try to BF and saw them with the bottle about 10 times. And at the end they were only bottle feeding and with formula, so sad. One of the mothers explained that the baby was lactose intolerant, and they had to change formula a few times...if she had nursed she would have never had a problem, or maybe had to just cut dairy out of her diet. My daughter is 4 months old, she is my first and we are BF exclusive. She is sensitive to dairy, but I don’t eat it any more...and we’re both happy and health. She also had jaundice, but I NEVER gave formula. A little sun light and nursing on demand and she was fine!!
Why is it that so many moms end up bottle feeding on this show? Is the show sponsered by the formula food companies?
Our bodies are designed to breastfeed! These women need to accept that their main responsibility is to just tend to that baby! Forget the parties, forget the company! Sleep when baby sleeps and breastfeed that baby! It makes me want to scream!
Personally, I worked very hard to breastfeed my first baby. I was an EXHAUSTED single mom with little to no help with the child. I had done all the research, read the books, I even had the breastfeeding book open while trying to breastfeed. At hte end of the day I decided that my child needed a sane monther more than he needed breast milk.
When my baby was about 6 weeks old I was more settled and relactated. He breastfed fine for a little while then be gave it up on his own.
I remember feeling horribly guilty about not breastfeeding and wondering what kind of mother I would be in the end. Today I have a beautiful, healthy 10 year old who's smart as a whip and never been sick a day in his life.
How about we judge one another a littl less and support one another a little more. Mother to mother aren't most of us just doing the best we can with what we have?
