Mum to Mum: sharing about breastfeeding

Knowing what I know now about breastfeeding and how I feel when I feed Isla, I only wish I knew more people and was surrounded by friends who breastfed when Noah was a newborn. I can guarantee I would have had more confidence and will power to breastfeed longer with Noah (as I did give up a little quicker than I would have liked!) and with Isla I feel completely different.

I was discussing with a friend today, who posted on my last breastfeeding post too, that she gained confidence from her friends who breastfed and being around other mums that were feeding. It didn’t make her feel so alienated when in public and gave her a huge amount of confidence that she needed, knowing that she was with other mums and that she wasn’t the only one feeding, gave her the support she needed. I feel a lot more in the “know” this time around, I understand what I need to do to get the milk supply for Isla, I know about the pain barrier, I had great products on hand and more importantly I had the confidence to feed her. I knew that I wanted to feed her and that I wasn’t going to let any one else make me feel like I couldn’t. Despite some friends/family not being totally comfortable with it when I feed her, I kind of have the attitude, “What do you want me to do about it?” I am not going to NOT feed her because other people are uncomfortable. If that’s the case then get out of my house, or out of my company!

I think my attitude stems from my god-daughters mum as she breastfed her and her new baby son exclusively and she is very strong minded. She has always said to me how she believes in breastfeeding and that no-one should make you feel uncomfortable about it. She has also said on many occasions about how if anyone was to make a comment to her when she is feeding in public that she would not be happy and give them a piece of her mind. I do not think I would be that brave, but it made me realise that she is completely right, we have every right to feed our babies – its the most natural thing in the world and what we were designed to do and if other people have a problem with it, well, they shouldn’t! Chances are they were once fed by their own mothers breast too.

I love the mum network I have, lots of friends that are close to me and will discuss issues and stories, friends over social networks that offer advice and stories and also my family that support me too. My mother and grandmother breastfed and have supported me 100% with Isla, they let me feed her without making faces, avoiding eye contact and carry on as if everything is just normal.

Another thing me and my friends were discussing today, people not making eye contact when you are feeding. I am glad I am not the only person to have had worries about breastfeeding in public, but I am so grateful to have the friends and support from other mums out there, that do not mind sharing their stories and advice with me – I probably would not be so confident in feeding Isla if it wasn’t for them.

There are some other mummy bloggers that are writing about their experiences with breastfeeding too, please take a look at their blogs:

http://www.circusqueen.co.uk
http://www.fipeacock.posterous.com
http://www.diaryofafirstchild.com
http://www.anewaddition.co.uk
http://www.lifehappenssosmile.blogspot.com

Check out the Snugglbundl website: http://www.snugglebundl.co.uk to see how these marvalous inventions can bring extra comfort to your baby and make life easier, getting baby from car seat to crib!

You have found a Keep Britain Breastfeeding logo, congratulations! This means you can be in with a chance of winning some fabulous prizes. Why not take a peek at the Boobiemilk blog to find out what is going on with all this Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt talk and how to take part: http://www.keepbritainbreastfeeding.co.uk/and also on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/KeepBritainBreastfeedingScavengerHunt and Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/KeepBritainBF.

To enter in to the Grand Prize from my blog post, please comment below on how you feel about “sharing” your stories, advice and worries with breastfeeding? Did you have support from a local group of other mums? Family? Friends? Are you the partner of someone who has experienced issues whilst breastfeeding, what did you do to support her?

For extra points follow @mummyconstant on Twitter and @KeepBritainBF. Tweet the following: “I’m on the @KeepBritainBF Scavenger Hunt with @mummyconstant and I want to #win lots of fab prizes http://wp.me/p2923n-D4” and leave another comment telling me you have done so along with your Twitter name.