happyforest`s poll Show results | Hide results

bluejeans (891.6 days ago)
I didnt breast feed. I have never said because of a medical reason. Maybe women say this because judgemental bitches make them feel like shit.

pooka (891.6 days ago)
oh I wasn`t saying that c-sections prevent breast feeding (if people thought that) but I was noticing a lot of the reported medical issues (on the forum) were a result of c-section issues/complications. I had a c-section with my last and breast fed through the pain of it. I would also think in a place like South African socially breast feeding is more acceptable and wide spread which might counter act the effects of c-section birth. I do think that having a c-section makes it more difficult to breast feed and cause women to be more likely to give it up because it makes it even harder. I think of my SIL who recently had her third which was also her first c-section. She breast feed all three as well but it was REALLY hard with her 3rd because she developed a massive blood infection from her c-section and was hospitalized. Luckily the staff was encouraging and helped her with breast feeding and made sure the antibiotics she was given were compatible with breast feeding. But I think if she had not been so dedicated to wanting to breast feed she might have given up, I am sure I might have. I know I was super close after my c-section just from the sheer pain of having to hold the baby, get up during the night etc. I would have loved to have handed my husband a bottle and let him feed the baby while I recovered. sweety198622 do you think that in South Africa the `norm` is to breast feed so women might feel more pressure to carry on with it despite possible c-section complications?

abbyquiet (891.7 days ago)
i wouldn`t be suprised if this poll hits a hundred comments by the end of the day. :(

andriette and christians mummy liz (891.8 days ago)
Pooka South Africa has the largest c section rate in sa,being 85 %,from that being only 20% nessecary and 50% being gynaes telling their patients they need c sections and dont give a reason becoz there isnt a reason,patients thinking the doctors knows better,which isnt always true,a c section brings more money in for them.The rest are planned c sections coz the woman prefers it.But the bfing rate here is very high.

greekgoddess26 (891.8 days ago)
i had c-sections with both my babies with my 1st one i tryed sooo hard on breasfeeding but she could not launch on at all i have tryed it for 5 days in the hospital the nurses were helping so much but it work for a lil bit,i have flat nipples, now with my 2nd c-section omg i was in so much pain i was moaning for days i also tryed to bf with him again he too coulnt launch on my breasts

RobinG (891.8 days ago)
Having a section doesnt mean you cant BF. Not sure why many think that ~ If there are complications than yes it may hinder but a section doesnt prevent milk production. If a mom who had a section doesnt have milk production it can be for many reasons and can also happen with natural delivery. Studies are not accurate so nmck I dont agree with you. ESP since there are just as many studies to show the opposite is true in most studies done. Still boils down to this, we who dont BF dont owe anyone a reason. It is OUR decision and one no one else has a right to question or have an opinion on. I dont need to give you a reason you deem acceptable to get your approval as to my decision. You want to BF then by all means go for it but I couldnt and will not have my medical reason questioned or spelled out in a % and study to have someone prove a point and make moms feel who are ligit feel like they were lying. We are not lazy. I can think of many other things that would deem a mom lazy, and some come from moms who BF. Many moms who BF and judge others and think we are denying our babies something good dont feed organic and IMO the pesticides & hormones in food are far more dangerous then formula. But that is for another debate ~ Have fun with the study. I have better things to concern over then wondering the % of moms who told the truth. Do what you will with your baby and worry about YOUR babies needs and health and leave us alone.

blondie9504 (891.8 days ago)
I intended on breastfeeding but had complications while I was in labor that required medicine. I was then going to go ahead and try to breastfeed after I pumped out all the bad stuff but again had problems that required medicine so I gave up. I really don`t eat healthy enough anyways but was going to force myself like I did when I was pregnant but with all that went on and all the stress I just opted to bottle feed so that Daddy could take care of her while I tried to rest. I WISH I coulda breastfed, it would have been so much cheaper and less bottles to wash plus gave us more bonding time but what happened, happened. My little girl is healthy and happy so thats all that matters.

andriette and christians mummy liz (891.8 days ago)
Well i had numerous reasons for not being able to go on.The reason that i had to stop is my dd didnt tolerate my milk well or something like that,she projectile vomited from day one,never kept any in so when she started losing weight and dehydrating the doctores said just stop ur endangering her life(i actualy went to one of the chain store pharmacies here and the lactation consultant said i dont care bout my babys health,if i did ill still bf despite of all the troubles,i said my dd throws up she said yeah i should have asked for meds thatll stop it for her,i said she doesnt have reflux we did a upper gi she said whatever and said i must go,i reported her and she was fired biatch lol).The other reasons adding to the fire was severe post partum depression,there were no meds they could give me with me still bfing,i said ok then ill go w/out the meds,from day one she couldt latch on,3 nurses in hospital helped me with no luck,from day 3 i pumped,tried again by day 5 to breastfeed with 2 lactation consultants present and they said a very small percentage of babies cant latch on and cant be taught either,she tore me badly,only latched on the nipple not the areola.But the vomiting made me make the final desicion.While i was pregnant i was a big advocate so i went in wanting to bf so bad,but not everything goes as planned.

happyforest (891.8 days ago)
i just made this poll because i realize that way more than 3% of women use the excuse that they medically COULD NOT bf. there is a difference b/w being sick, on medicine, in pain, etc and actually not ABLE to bf. the US has one of the highest rates of cs in the world, and many women suffer complications from cs that leave them `unable` to bf. but i dont think these women are in the 1-3% bc those ppl NATURALLY cannot bf, and if you get a c/s and then `can`t` bf, it was bc of the cs and not your natural body...im just trying to think of why that percent would be so low with so many women who cant bf...and also i feel like too many ppl judge non-bf moms, so those who just didnt want to bf, were done bfing, or thought bf was too hard, feel like they have to say it was a medical issue in order not to be attacked. i have no problems with ppl bfing, but i just think a lot of ppl are quick to give up and say medical issue when they could have bf it would have just been hard or painful

pooka (891.8 days ago)
I think a lot of those studies are based on normal healthy deliveries too. I believe they do kind of discount those who had complications from the hugely out of control rates of c-sections in some countries (yes another topic all together). They are also not really inclusive of the lack of social acceptance, the lack of encouragement, lack of qualified support for new moms. The degree of what we call `medical inability` has shifted given the use of formula as being so widely accepted. So while I do believe under `ideal` situations the %`s are accurate, however we live in a society that is by far below the standards on many accounts I would consider ideal and supportive for breast feeding moms. I know from my own experience with two naturals (tons of milk) and one c-section even having a c-section delivery hugely effected my milk production and the subsequent weight of my son. Who went from 95% to under 5% within the first four months. Dispute that I endured and continued to breast feed and eventually he gained back the weight he had lost.

Lookalike (891.8 days ago)
My son is six days old and my bbs hurt like hell and he`s having trouble latching on. Breastfeeding is a nightmare, but each time I try it gets just a little bit better. I understand that it can be so stressfull when all you want to do is give your baby what he so desperately wants and you`re having so much trouble. I would not consider latching problems to be medical, but perhaps many people would and would include themselves in that statistic. I think the statistic is accurate. Saying `I couldn`t` and really actually not being able to because of severe medical conditions are completely different. The fact is that formula is inferior to breastmilk, but it isn`t poison.

bellajenna (891.8 days ago)
my opinion which i am sure i will hear crap about but i think MOST people say it as in excuses because they are to damn lazy or not willing to try hard enough.

nmck (891.8 days ago)
Robin, studies do not have to ask everyone to be statistically accurate. If they have a large enough, random sample it usually does accurately reflect the general population.

nmck (891.8 days ago)
First let me say I did not want to breastfeed, but thought I would give it a shot. I had an emergency c-section at 30 weeks b/c of a hemorrhage and a couple days after the c-section my incision split and had to be wet-dry bandaged twice a day for almost 6 weeks to heal. With body trauma like that, my body had no energy left to go toward milk production as the OB and lactation consultant explained it to me. I may try to BF my next baby, but only for a week or two. Than it is bottles for us!

ibaheir2dathrone (891.8 days ago)
@Happy-- I understand what your saying. I think a lot of people feel pressured or bad that is why some lie and say it was medical. Their baby, their body, their choice! (they should be able to do what`s best for them without feeling bad about it!) :o)

loribb (891.8 days ago)
I tried to breastfeed, but i ended up having an emergency c-section that caused an internal infection. I was back in hospital a day after my baby and I were sent home. I was in hospital for 3 more days and I was too weak to pump enough to get my milk flowing, so after 5 days of pumping and getting nothing but colostrum, I got very discouraged and gave up. Also while I was in hospital my mom was looking after my baby girl and obviously had to bottle feed, and my DD seemed to prefer the bottler :( I am pregnant again however, and will be Bf`ing baby #2.

ibaheir2dathrone (891.8 days ago)
I was on meds that were unsafe for my baby. I did breast feed/pump for my 1st 3. (just this last one, I couldn`t)

RobinG (891.8 days ago)
That % is based on keeping track of women who become part of the study. And medical reasons is MANY reasons, not just the moms medical condition. I am sure many who are ligit and unable to BF werent all a part of the study. Most studies are biased and do not represent all people it pretends to represent. I know I wasnt contacted by anyone to get a real % for most accurate % and I know I am not alone. I have serious fybrocystic disease and my milk produces nasty chunky blood clots and is very painful. I attemptd to BF my 2nd and he choked alot and it was gross having to filter my milk. I didnt with my 3rd because it wasnt an option after all I went through. I never pay attention to those studies since they are never accurate and to be honest, why does it matter?? If you do you do if you dont you dont. It is a personal decision that shouldnt be judged by others as to if they are ligit in their reasoning of why they didnt. I have 2 in my family who couldnt for medical reasons too and I know they werent part of that study either. So again, that % isnt accurate. JMHO

EmmaReed84 (891.8 days ago)
With my 1st son I had developed pre-eclampsia and was so ill. I had a traumatic labour and was physically and mentally drained. I tried to BF and had several midwives try to get him to latch on, they were pulling me about, pinching my nipples. I was stressing out and my son was screaming. In the end I kept saying just give him a bottle and I was totally ignored and they kept moving me and my baby. In the end my mum just shouted at the midwife to give my soon a bottle. He took it straight away and was perfectly fine. After that experience I didn`t want to even try with my 2nd, although that now is a decision I regret

absoluties (891.8 days ago)
I know 4 girls who couldn`t BF who gave birth within the last 3 years. 1: the baby stayed in the hospital the first 2 weeks. 2: too much pain, tried for 6 weeks, big problems in the nipple area, fever and such, to top it the baby was always crying and had reflux, until she switched to formula. 3: no milk ever produced. 4: this one had premature twins to whom she had to supplement with formula, and ended up giving up BF soon enough. I BF my first baby and it was a delight, and I really really hope everything goes well and that i can BF my new baby to come.

acruz2343 (891.8 days ago)
i had a couple of reasons bf didnt work out for me..1st my son was tongue-tied and couldnt latch on, i pumped and fed him but 2nd my doc left a chunk of placenta behind during my c-sec and so i hemorrhaged for 14 weeks until i had to under go a 2nd surgery to remove the placenta, the stress my body went thru with that dried my milk up at 9 weeks pp. =(



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