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Aug
2008

Mothers from lower income families "less likely to breastfeed"

Comment Published at 00:4100:415 comments5 comments100 Visits100 VisitsReport

I just found this article on an Australian news site that Mothers from lower income families are 'less likely to breastfeed". I think it is really sad that these mothers are missing out on the support that mothers from higher income families are able to pay for such as lactation consultants etc.

Families with lower incomes would be harder hit by the extra costs of formula and the extra doctors visits etc associated with the increased illness etc caused by formula.

Why is the government not spending more money to help women access services to support breastfeeding.

By support I do not mean pressuring mothers to breastfeed or guilting them into it. I mean real support such as free breastfeeding classes for pregnant mothers, I mean free access to properly trained lactation consultants, I mean educating doctors and child health nurses so that they do not give bad information that compromises a mothers efforts to breastfeed her child. I mean legislation with real teeth that protect mothers from discrimination or harrassment.

I was really lucky, I had some great midwives and a fantastic child health nurse.  I even had access to a free hospital physiotherapist who used her 'laser' to treat sore bleeding nipples.I was strong/confident/educated enough to stand up to a paediatrician who told me to wean and then get some real information from the ABA website.

I really wish all women had access to the same sorts of support that I had (and even with the support I had it wasn't always easy).

Did you get enough support to breastfeed?

What sort of support did you have access to?

What other support do you wish you had been able to access?

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Comments

cassaustin
August 2008 | cassaustin
Re: Mothers from lower income families "less likely to breastfeed"

I wonder where they get their statistics from. I am in a normal income family. Not high, not low. I breastfed for 9 months and it was my choice to. How is it possible that it is more expensive to breastfeed when it is free?

The midwifes where i was wouldn't let me leave the hospital until Austin was latching on and drinking properly. For the first 2 days, they actually came in and checked on me each feed to make sure we were going alright. They also gave awesome after leaving hospital care. I lived 1/2 hour out of town, so i went in to see them for post-natal visits and Austin's check ups. I think i saw them about 5 times in the first 2 months of his life.

I can understand why they are feeding their babies formula if they have to go back to work for the family to survive, and if that is the case, i dont think they should be frowned upon for that.



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emmie
August 2008 | emmie
Re: Mothers from lower income families "less likely to breastfeed"

I think that is A  load of cobblers i think breasting feeding is a matter of choice for some mums though there is no choice . I was talking to a friend just the other night who is preg (15 weeks) and as she is living off partners income i told her she would be better off breast feeding as it would be cheaper for them as they are looking on moving etc. Why breast feeding classes? When i had my daughter they would not lt me leave the hospital until they saw she was feeding off boob fine.



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Ravenheart
August 2008 | Ravenheart
Re: Mothers from lower income families "less likely to breastfeed"

i would have thougt it was the oposite seeing as breastfeeding is free, anf formula is not cheap. I think its a load of bull. Im on a very low income n breastfeed??

xoxo



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      Ravenheart
August 2008 | Ravenheart
Re: Mothers from lower income families

sorry mumkim totally not having a go at you, just the ppl making up this news lol.

I think that having a lactation consultant is overated, having good family support and a good midwife did me wonders.

xoxo



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dannii17
August 2008 | dannii17
Re: Mothers from lower income families "less likely to breastfeed"

I would love to see the statistics on this and how thry are getting htere information. Im not froma  low income family and everyone i know isnt and everyone i know formula feeds. I dont see a big deal with it really. In the end the baby is getting fed and thats all that metters. Yoou would think families with money would formula feed seens they have money.

Some people cant breastfeed and there are people like me who could have but choose not too. Wether there are free classes ect i think its just up to the individual what they want to do. If people want to breastfeed they will, its a hell of alot cheaper



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