Breastfeeding being downplayed

I don't understand when so many hospitals are "pro-breastfeeding" then they still talk nonsense about the babies must receive a top-up and crap like that.

I think if you really, really want to breastfeed, you can. (There are certain cases where the moms just don't have enough milk,though).

I was also very fortunate to have an amazing breastfeeding consultant. I phoned her every single morning and she gave me my "plan" for the day. Even though my milk supply was sometimes low, my nipples hurt like hell, my boobs got lumps and I had to have physio, I have NEVER given in to formula. To me, that means the end of breastfeeding, because once you give formula, your milk supply decreases and it becomes a vicious cycle.

Since I am a journalist, I had to attend a presentation made by the government peadiatrician this week. What he said was so interesting. They have about 10 newborn babies that die within the first month of their lives every month. In June it was 22 babies. Most of these babies die of malnutrition or being underweight. Many other factors contribute as well but he said formula must be banned in all clinics, because it discourages a culture of breastfeeding. I tend to agree. He also said many of those babies could have been saved if they received breastmilk.

Aspoestertjie, I wish I was there to help you. They put so much pressure on you in hospital to get your baby to latch and is the baby getting enough milk etc. They should just LEAVE you to sort it out yourself. I had a nurse come and WAKE ME AND BABY at 2AM AT NIGHT, undress my baby and stab a needle into her heel to see if her "bloodsugar" was fine. (It was off course fine but then she was awake and cried the whole night.) They just wanted me to give her formula but I think they saw I was a force to be reckoned with.

I didn't even have formula in my house and when by night three my milk hasn't yet come in and my baby was crying, I was stressing. But my breastfeeding consultant told me to relax, have a long bath and drink a cup of tea. It came in soon after that.