Where you encouraged or discouraged by your surroundings to nurse your child?
By smartmom
@smartmom (826)
United States
April 14, 2007 4:32pm CST
When I gave birth to my oldest son in New Jersey more than four years ago, I really felt that the surrounding community including my spouse, family, friends, nurses, doctors etc. had very conflicting ideas, when it came to nursing.
One example was how told the nurses at the hospital that I wanted to nurse my child, and that I would prefer for them not to feed him. It turned out that they completely disregarded my request, and I almost had to fight for the right to have my child with me at night, so that I could nurse him, when he was hungry.
When I was released from the hospital, I was given so much formula by the nurses, and I really think this is an encouragement to formula feed the children.
Another example was at the WIC place, were I heard so much about the benefits of nursing, but as soon as I brought the baby there after he was born, I was asked so many times, whether I needed formula. I kind of felt, that they should have let the mothers ask for it instead.
At my own household, I have felt the same pressure of nursing and not nursing, as my husband seemed to be slit between the benefits of nursing, the need to have his wife to himself, and society's stigmas associated with nursing in public.
How do you feel about this issue? Where you encouraged, discouraged or even both in regards to nursing your new born child?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@gabesmom (1246)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I had my baby in New Jersey in December of 2005. The hospital staff encouraged nursing and were very helpful in teaching me how to do it. They even had the topic covered in the seminar for the new mothers and fathers. I had a Caesarian section so I asked the nurses to bring my baby to the nursery at night and bottlefeed him there as necessary. They did a good job with this. I also got a lot of formula from the hospital and WIC but my baby stopped drinking formula as soon as my milk flow got better. I still nurse him while giving him table food and will continue to do so. My pediatrician is happy because my baby keeps on getting immunity from various illnesses through my milk. I would encourage new moms to nurse their newborns. Mother's milk is the best.
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@nica269 (1395)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I fortunately was surrounded by individuals that supported bf. My husband was my biggest supporter, and thanks to his encouragement and support I bf for 6 months, not exclusively because of other reasons, but I still bf my lo. I was fortunate enough to never encounter opposition with the whole nursing thing.
With the whole stigma of nursing in public, I again was fortunate enough to have my husbands full support, along with my family's. They weren't use to bf in the family, but they were never discouraging at all, they were amazed at how 'long' (6 months was long for them) I was still nursing. And In public, I nursed. I did it discreatly and I didn't have any issues with it. I even purchased a hooterhider. I think that IF anyone has issues with bf they should have their head examined because bf a child is NATURAL and needed.
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@mememama (3076)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I went through the same thing at the hospital and I know a few times they did give him formula, I could smell it on his breath. I kept asking to get released early because I hated it there too much, but I guess they wouldn't make money if I did that ;) I also got the infamous formula bag, I gave it to a friend. My son had problems nursing, so I had to pump. He's got a few health problems plus that formula in the hospital probably didn't help. My husband was really encouraging about pumping, he'd bring me water and was really proud of me. Some of my friends thought I was being stupid and told me how gross I am, but oh well, he got the best nutrition for awhile! We've talked about me nursing future children, he knows that the "girls" aren't his when we have a baby, the baby needs me more.
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@smartmom (826)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I was more than happy to go home after two days, and I would have left after one night, if they would have let me.
I had my youngest son in Denmark, and although I was a bit nervous about it, because they are much more relaxed when it comes to childbirth, and because I knew that the chances of getting an epidural were very slim. I was very positively surprised to, and unless I asked for it, they basically left me do my own thing. They actually recommended that the mothers had their baby with them in bed at night, as this would increase the bonding opportunities and help the nursing. It actually seemed to be true. Over the course of two nights and days, there were 6 different women in my room. Tree of them asked for a bassinet for the baby, while the other three had the baby sleep in the bed. Two of the mothers, who had the baby in the bassinet had problems nursing, while the rest had no problems. Maybe this was just a conincidence, but the nurses told me that they saw the same happen often.
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@easymoney75503 (1702)
• United States
14 Apr 07
my first child everything was great i could not complain about the hospital except that they were not completely finsihed building it and i had to walk to delivery to get my room they couldnt find the wheelchair but hey that was no big deal really. other then that it was great. now my second child it was a nightmare. i begged for pain meds and they kept forgetting me. i kept telling them she is coming and they said no your not at that point yet. well tehy all left the room and about 2 mins later i was screaming for any kind of help. the doctor and nurses got there and her head was already out. then after they washed her and i looked at her i was so tired and i begged for them to take her to the nursery for just a bit and tehy would not do it. they left her int he room with me. she was awake and crying and i was so tired and it was jsut horriable. i was scared to go to the bathroom and leave the baby crying in the little bed. i was there for 4 days and they never took her out of my room. my doctor was not there the whole time he was on vacation. it was just a nightmare.
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