Breastfeeding Uncovered: Who really decides how we feed our babies? - Amy Brown

Breastfeeding Uncovered: Who Really Decides How We Feed Our Babies? by Amy Christine Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's taken me a long time to read this, not because it was a hard read, or I didn't enjoy it. It had more to do with the fact that I just dipped into it from time to time. Which is a bit of a shame really, it was both interesting and engaging.
In many ways, this follows on from the ground covered by The Politics of Breastfeeding: When Breasts Are Bad for Business. I read that some years ago now and in this book, I could see some of those themes were continued. This time, it was more to do with supporting women to breastfeed and why that might go wrong.
Much of the information in this book is common sense when you stop and think about it. Sadly though, when it comes to the highly emotive topic of feeding babies, stopping and thinking about it is the last thing that happens.
In this book, Amy Brown lays out an 18 step plan for helping more women to breastfeed. For anyone who is involved in supporting women with babies, or has a baby themselves or within their family, then this is a handy checklist. Am I doing anything, consciously or otherwise that might be damaging the breastfeeding partnership?
The main downside of this book is that I suspect for the most part it is preaching to the converted. Who is going to be interested in reading a book called Breastfeeding Uncovered? For the most part, I suspect that it will be people who already have a vested interest in the topic, either as breastfeeding women, or peer supporters. (Both categories that I fall, or have fallen, into.) It is a shame that books like this don't attract a wider audience. Particularly when you consider that the overriding message of this book is that if we wish to help more women to breastfeed and remove much of the guilt and angst that surrounds being unable to do so, then a shift in the society as a whole is necessary.
Overall this was an interesting and thought-provoking read, whilst still being accessible and easy to read.

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Tandem feeding troubles

This is the second time I've been a tandem feeder, I fed my now 4 year old with my now 2 1/2 year old for over six months, until my son (the 4 year old) self weaned.  This time round, we're about 4 months in to the tandem feeding, and I can't see my 2 1/2 year old showing any signs of wanting to stop.

In some ways it's nice, I think it helps with the jealousy, and my daughters are showing signs of becoming quite close.  But it's not all good, there are difficulties.  My eldest daughter like's a feed at bedtime, and my youngest is generally in the evening grumps stage, so I have to feed them both at once.  I know that I'm an experienced tandem feeder, but I struggle with actually feeding both at once.  It's much easier and far more comfy to breastfeed one and then the other, and I sometimes feel that by having to share the feed, my older daughter is missing out on the one on one time with me that she used to have.  Having said that, I'm not convinced that she's that bothered.

The other MAJOR downside is illness, we all know that breastfeeding is supposed to help children to resist illness and boost their imune system, but what happens when the older one is ill?  My baby is bound to get it too.  With the odd cough and cold, things haven't been too bad, but last week hand foot and mouth struck.

Not really the kind of thing that I want my four month old coming down with, but by the time the symptoms showed it was probably too late.  It's difficult though, what to do, I don't want to pass these things on to my youngest, but I don't really want to deny her sister the comfort of a feed, especially when she's unwell.....

So, I read around, did a bit of research, and in actual fact tandem feeding was probably the best thing for both of them.  The chances of Anja not coming into contact with her older sisters bugs was pretty slim, especially as we didn't know she had anything.  But by feeding her I'm helping her immune system deal with it, and by feeding my older daughter too I'll be helping her beat the bug.

They both seem to be doing ok now, Lena is all but over it, and Anja has had a few spots on her feet, a slightly grumpy day (which could just as easily have been down to teeth at this age) and nothing else so far.  Touch wood they're both on the mend now.

Been a long time....!

I've been completely useless at writing anything on here lately, sorry!  But just for a brief catch up, I've been very busy with work lately and of course looking after my little man.  Not only that but we've both been in the local paper, hope that this is big enough to read:

Uttoxpaper1

And then because we are clearly the only mother and baby that they know about at the paper they phoned us for another quote a few weeks later!  So here we are again:

Uttoxpaper2

I'm afraid I'm going to cheat a bit today, and not really write much myself.  Have to go feed the little man, just wanted to share our 'fame' with you though!

Breast feeding blues

I've just got back from taking Kai to the baby clinic and he's lost weight, he was 13lb last week, and this week he's down to 12lb 13oz.  I could cry!!

I thought that I'd done with all this weight dropping and worry after he lost loads at three weeks and had to go into hospital.  A few weeks ago I decided to try and phase out his top ups, which I was doing but hadn't managed totally yet - he's down to 2oz a feed and 4oz at night, and he has loads of time at the breast now.  I just feel really low, and despite my best efforts it really looks like the end might be in sight for the old breast milk.  I just feel so bad every time I give him formula, and now it looks like that might be all he's getting!  I know that if I go back to offering him more, then he will no longer be interested in breast milk.

The worst thing is I was convinced he was going to have put on loads, he's such a happy, lively, sociable baby and he feels very heavy to me!!  So when the weight showed on the scales I just felt terrible.  Sorry don't want to go on, should try and focus on the fact that he does seem to lively and happy and that at least I've managed to feed him for this long.