Dispel-a-Myth Monday: "It's normal to be painful at first"

At a recent meeting of Breastfeeding Supporters in Rhyl, attendees were asked to write (on a Post-It note) a Myth about Breastfeeding which they had heard in their local community.

We had a great response & were able to display them all on a Wall of Myths.

Well, actually - a Door of Myths.

I promised I would make use of them all, and so here they are!

Roughly each week on a Monday, I'll post up a new Dispel-a-Myth-Monday subject - and I hope that you'll help me by battering it down.

Please share widely, as this may help each myth to die (peacefully in it's sleep, surrounded by relatives)

An Amazon, from Greek Mythology

SO - this week's MYTH is:

"It's normal to be painful at first"

Please add a comment below to tell us why this statement is not true.  It's a Myth!

Post a comment on Facebook and I'll add them on here for you.

Here's the first Dispel-a-Myth Monday post, or all such Myth posts.

General sources for online Myth-Busting:
Dr Jack Newman (4 packed pages!)

Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths (based in UK) 

 If you missed it last week - a very popular thread about Myths on the marvellous KellyMom (FB page) - "What breastfeeding myth drives you crazy when you hear it?" Here's the link

Dispel-a-Myth posts are now taking a break for August.

Dispel-a-Myth Monday: "Breastfeeding takes longer than bottle-feeding"

At a recent meeting of Breastfeeding Supporters in Rhyl, attendees were asked to write (on a Post-It note) a Myth about Breastfeeding which they had heard in their local community.

We had a great response & were able to display them all on a Wall of Myths.

Well, actually - a Door of Myths.

I promised I would make use of them all, and so here they are!

Roughly each week on a Monday, I'll post up a new Dispel-a-Myth-Monday subject - and I hope that you'll help me by battering it down.

Please share widely, as this may help each myth to die (peacefully in it's sleep, surrounded by relatives)

An Amazon, from Greek Mythology

SO - this week's MYTH is:

"Breastfeeding takes longer than bottle-feeding"

Please add a comment below to tell us why this statement is not true.  It's a Myth!

Post a comment on Facebook and I'll add them on here for you.

Here's a link to the first Dispel-a-Myth Monday post.

General sources for online Myth-Busting:
Dr Jack Newman (4 packed pages!)

Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths (based in UK) 

Here's the link to view a very popular thread last week about Myths on the marvellous KellyMom (on Facebook - but it can be viewed even if you aren't signed up) - "What breastfeeding myth drives you crazy when you hear it?"
https://www.facebook.com/kellymomdotcom/posts/10150253025230139

Dispel-a-Myth Monday: "My Mum couldn't breastfeed, so I won't be able to"

At a recent meeting of Breastfeeding Supporters in Rhyl, attendees were asked to write (on a Post-It note) a Myth about Breastfeeding which they had heard in their local community.

We had a great response & were able to display them all on a Wall of Myths.

Well, actually - a Door of Myths.

I promised I would make use of them all, and so here they are!

Roughly each week on a Monday, I'll post up a new Dispel-a-Myth-Monday subject - and I hope that you'll help me by battering it down.

Please share widely, as this may help each myth to die (peacefully in it's sleep, surrounded by relatives)

An Amazon, from Greek Mythology

SO - this week's MYTH is:

"My Mum couldn't breastfeed, so I won't be able to"

Please add a comment below to tell us why this statement is not true.  It's a Myth!

Post a comment on Facebook and I'll add them on here for you.

Here's a link to the first Dispel-a-Myth Monday post.

General sources for online Myth-Busting:
Dr Jack Newman (4 packed pages!)

Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths (based in UK)

Dispel-a-Myth Monday: "Any breast surgery means you can't breastfeed"

At a recent meeting of Breastfeeding Supporters in Rhyl, attendees were asked to write (on a Post-It note) a Myth about Breastfeeding which they had heard in their local community.

We had a great response & were able to display them all on a Wall of Myths.

Well, actually - a Door of Myths.

I promised I would make use of them all, and so here they are!

Roughly each week on a Monday, I'll post up a new Dispel-a-Myth-Monday subject - and I hope that you'll help me by battering it down.

Please share widely, as this may help each myth to die (peacefully in it's sleep, surrounded by relatives)

An Amazon, from Greek Mythology

SO - this week's MYTH is:

"Any breast surgery means you can't breastfeed"

Please add a comment below to tell us why this statement is not true.  It's a Myth!

Post a comment on Facebook and I'll add them on here for you.

Here's a link to the story of Victoria Beckham, who seems determined
to disprove this Myth, yay!
Wishing to breastfeed this time round - after breast enhancement surgery,
and latterly breast reduction surgery (removal of the implants, at least).

Here's a link to the first Dispel-a-Myth Monday post.

General sources for online Myth-Busting:
Dr Jack Newman (4 packed pages!)

Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths (based in UK)

Race for Life 2011

June 2011 - Some of our Peer Supporters took their bras to Rhyl for the day and had a great time!

Claire, Gail, Felicity, Toria & Colette

The lasses were especially well-supported by bras which were provided by HotMilk (the name is "Wild Composure"), and they helped to get across the group's message that if you're lucky enough to have been provided with a pair of boobs, you should use 'em!

Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of 2 types of Breast Cancer.
It is one of two “lifestyle factors” that are associated with “convincing decreased risk” of breast cancer for all women (family history or not) - exercise is the other factor. (Further reading here)

• The risk of post-menopausal breast cancer is reduced by 4.3% for every 12 months of breastfeeding.

• For those women with a family history of breast cancer, however, the benefits are enormous - breastfeeding accrues a whopping 59% reduction in the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer.

Or, to put it more directly - NOT breastfeeding your children will increase the risk of developing breast cancer, particularly if you have a family history of the disease.

Further benefits!
Any mother breastfeeding a baby girl can also congratulate herself that she is ALSO reducing her daughter's risk of breast cancer - by around 25%!!
(Ref:  Freudenheim J.L., et al. Exposure to breastmilk in infancy and the risk of breast cancer. Epidemiology. 1994 May; 5(3): 324-31.)

Race for Life
Very well done to the girls for getting organised, for getting on with it, joining in AND getting to the end.  (And then off for some chips!!!)

If you'd like to donate to the excellent cause behind the Race for Life (Cancer Research UK), why not go and visit one of the online donation pages:

for Toria

for Colette

for Felicity

for Gail

Total raised so far - £357

Why not add some more, there's still time!!

 

Dispel-a-Myth Monday: "You can't make enough milk for Twins"

At a recent meeting of Breastfeeding Supporters in Rhyl, attendees were asked to write (on a Post-It note) a Myth about Breastfeeding which they had heard in their local community.

We had a great response & were able to display them all on a Wall of Myths.

Well, actually - a Door of Myths.

I promised I would make use of them all, and so here they are!

Roughly each week on a Monday, I'll post up a new Dispel-a-Myth-Monday subject - and I hope that you'll help me by battering it down.

Please share widely, as this may help each myth to die (peacefully in it's sleep, surrounded by relatives)

An Amazon, from Greek Mythology

SO - this week's MYTH is:

"You can't make enough milk for Twins"

Please add a comment below to tell us why this statement is not true.  It's a Myth!

If you post a comment on Facebook, I may well add them here for you.

Here's a quick link to Baby Milk Action, where you can read a tragic tale on this subject.

General sources for online Myth-Busting:
Dr Jack Newman (4 packed pages!)
Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths (based in UK)
Nurtured child post on myths & truths - 


"Myth: many mothers give up on breastfeeding too easily. Truth: Most moms want to breastfeed. Breastfeeding initiation rates are high, but the numbers of women exclusively breastfeeding drop off dramatically in the first month. Most moms run into problems and eventually switch to formula feeding due to  lack of accurate info and a lack of support."

Breastfeeding Awareness Week (BFAW)

Here are a few events organised for the week of 20th June which is National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. (At least, it is in Wales - in England it's deemed a waste of precious cash & so it's been cancelled!! Very short-sighted, and the subject of a petition set up by Lisa Lactivist, as well as a Campaign by Baby Milk Action.)
Latest news - the petition is being shared by Bounty!!
Further news - BFAW now heavily supported by RCM & Mothercare instead.



This listing has been drawn up from several sources, but it's not definitive, I'm sure - please feel free to add more, or to correct what I post (either in a comment below, or on the Flintshire Facebook page).

A general note, before the events:
Peer Supporter, Sara Evans, has been in touch with all North Wales MP's, AM's, MEP's to ask them to sign their High Street offices up to the BF welcome scheme as a symbolic gesture to show their support for new mothers and babies - some have already responded very supportively!
Just one example of the amazing work that is being done by mother-to-mother volunteers.



Picnic in Conwy - Saturday 18th June
sharing from the Conwy group: 

First of all, the week will begin with a family picnic in the park...
Taking place at Bodlondeb Park, Conwy from 12.30am.
See the facebook page here  (https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=193673077347410)
I hear it went well & the weather was perfect!

Peer Supporters' Meeting - All North Wales Regions
Monday 20th June
The first Gathering of Breastfeeding Peer Supporters (also co-ordinators & community midwives) from across all the areas of North Wales.  We will meet in Rhyl and spend the day networking, learning from each other's experiences, and hearing presentations from speakers. Sharon Breward (LC), and others will present workshops on various topics.

More info available in a doc on Conwy BFF group, where Siona revealed the venue will be the community centre at Rhyl Firestation! I'm sure we'll all be far too busy to ogle at Firemen, or their calendars (http://dave6.posterous.com/fw-2011-naked-fireman-calendar).

Sadly, numbers are going to be limited by the space & lack of childcare (tiny budget as always, here) - but we hope the next such event will be more child-friendly. If you are bringing a baby on June 20th, babes in arms/slings will be OK but they should be non-mobile.  (Insurance at the venue is the restriction, apparently.)

There will be a few items from Lactivist for sale (at a discount price for PS).

The event will be opened by the A.M. Ann Jones!!

Walk at Loggerheads - Monday 20th June
Ma's Bar, Mold's Breastfeeding Support group are hoping to repeat last year's very enjoyable walk in Loggerheads Park.  Last year the Caffi Florence obliged with cupcakes decorated as very tasteful boob-cakes (pink icing & strawberries, in case you are after tips) - and Sarah's just confirmed that they will do so again this year. Walkers will meet outside the cafe at 11 am.
Ideal for those who'd like a short stride out with dogs. The walk is even more pram-friendly now, but if you're babywearing maybe you'd like to walk the longer routes. Facebook event page for this walk.

Broughton Shopping Park

The Health Visitors, Midwives & other maternity support staff are sending delegates to a large Retail Park nearby (Broughton) where they will be talking with Parents & Grannies, answering questions, aswell as handing out BFAW freebies, leaflets etc.  They have attended before and always make a point of discussing the issue of BF in public with the cafes on site.


Mothercare: Sealand Rd.
You may have heard recently of the actions of the RCM & Mothercare to reinstate the cancelled BF awareness week.  Peer Supporters from Flintshire are going to be hanging out in Mothercare near Chester during BFAW week (various times). Midwifery staff from Chester are also attending.  Hoping to meet lots of parents-to-be.


Wrexham district
In Wrexham, the Peer Supporters are focussing on their groups (including the newest addition, at Caia Park) - they have arranged for a series of adverts on Heart FM throughout this week and next - promoting the groups, BF, and Peer Support.  They hope this will boost attendance & community awareness.


Walk at Alyn Waters Park, Gwersyllt - Thursday 23rd June, 10am-12 noon
The NCT have a regular walk named Prams in the Park, and they are happy to have a joint do for this week (it is usually open to anyone, actually). The Peer Supporters from both Flintshire & Wrexham should find this a convenient spot. Page about Alyn Waters: here.
Again, this park is a lovely spot for a walk with or without a pram/ toddlers.  It's also blessed with a cafe, so even if the weather is poor, do still come along for a natter!
Facebook event page for this walk.


Birkenhead Flash Mob - Saturday 25th June
More details on the Facebook page,
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=123225224423835

A dance routine is being practised!  Organised by the BF support workers in Wirral's HomeStart.
Turn up & cheer them on!!
Birkenhead, in the square outside House of Frasier, Saturday 11am.
(Press report here: Wirral Globe )


Snowdon Trip Saturday 25th June
sharing from the Gwynedd group: 

All Aboard the Breastfeeding Express!!

To celebrate National BF Week we are hoping to have a trip up Snowdon on the train, with as many BF mums, babies and supporters as possible and a press photo at the summit. This has been very popular - there have been enough people booked on to charter a train - the aim now is to fill it!

The train leaves Llanberis at 1pm on Saturday 25 June. As this is a group booking, please DO NOT buy your tickets online / individually. You will need to bring cash on the day and we will pay for the tickets together at that point.
Adult £17
Child £13 (age 4 – 15)
We need 54 paying travellers (adults or children) to charter our own train, and we need to confirm this number with the railway by 1 June.

To give plenty of time to purchase the tickets, take photos etc. we need to meet at the train station at 12pm midday on Saturday 25 June.

More information about the journey, how to get to the station, parking, etc. can be found here:
www.snowdonrailway.co.uk but please especially take note of the following:

• Children - A child is classed as between the ages of 4 and 15. Children aged 3 years and under may travel free of charge as long as they sit on an adult's knee and do not occupy a seat.

• Can I take a rucksack, pushchair or bike onto the train? - Snowdon Mountain Railway regrets that due to lack of space it is not practical to carry large, bulky items. Pushchairs may be left, at the owner’s own risk, at Llanberis station with the platform staff for collection on return.

• Are there toilets on the mountain? - There are toilet facilities at the Llanberis Station and Hafod Eryri at the summit of Snowdon. Please note there are no toilets or other facilities at Clogwyn or elsewhere on the mountain.

We are advised to bring slings, backpacks & toddler harnesses as there are steep drops and children need to be secured. Sound like a great opportunity to learn more about Babywearing, and see lots of slings in action!
Each baby or toddler (3 and under) must have an accompanying adult.
Also make sure you bring warm clothing and sturdy footwear as it can be cold and windy at the summit. Only a few weeks ago, there was snowfall at the summit!!

If you plan to come, please add your name to the doc titled ‘Snowdon Trip’ at the Gwynedd and Anglesey Breastfeeding Peer Supporters Facebook page.
Do not pay online, you need to pay on the day to get group discount. You are welcome to invite other BF mums and their supporters. Adult tickets are usually £25 so it is a good price and should be great fun on the day.

Is Breast Normal? Yes!!!

Just marking a place here, for the post I will have to write next week. I know I don't have to write. I know it'll be bad for my blood pressure, but I will feel the need at some point next week to correct some misinformation, myths and just plain annoying attitudes. (See my inspiration: here!)

Our National Treasure, the BBC, has a sideshow channel named BBC3 and it's on here that the show "Is Breast Best??" aired on 12/4/2011

March 2011 news

A quick round-up for March

If you think I should add anything else, please do post it up!! (Use the comments area, or the Facebook page, thanks.)

Celeb Round-Up

Elton John's adopted baby wears cloth & drinks breastmilk (but not this way!!).

Real Princesses do breastfeed - even twins!!

Poor Advice on Breastfeeding

A live webchat took place in Jan 2011 with a retired midwife who was introduced as a Breastfeeding Expert.  I have come across many women who haven't even completed a 2 day course on Breastfeeding who could have advised Mums much more positively than I see here.

You do the Hokey-cokey and you turn around...

Thanks to Fiona and all the BF support community on Facebook, I heard about this issue despite having a poorly son who just wanted to sit & eat oranges today (before you ask, he is older than 6 months!!).

I look forward to reading the careful research and discourse of UK bloggers such as Analytical Armadillo and How Breastfeeding Works on this issue... and in the meantime here are a few things I've noted down about today.

Next Meeting for Peer Supporters

Friday October 14th 2011

at the Westwood Centre, Buckley

Please arrive in plenty of time to start at 11:30am.
This will be a meeting session, and we hope to finish in time for school runs, but it will be a busy session!
A creche is available till at least 2pm, please call the office to book in advance, Thankyou.
Please bring your lunch, but there will be cake!

Hope to see you then, but if you can't make it the next date will be some more training on November 11th

Where you can go to meet with Supporters & other Breastfeeding Mums

Need Information or support with Breastfeeding?

Want to find out more about where to meet other Breastfeeding mums?
Thinking about Breastfeeding and want to know more?

There are several drop-in sessions in Flintshire

where Mothers can meet Peer Supporters.

Just pop in, bring the children and have a coffee!!

For full details of Where & When, please redirect to this page...

http://flintshirefeeders.blogspot.com/p/where.html

Any questions, why not call the SupportLine?
We'd love to hear from you.

Contact 01244 - 823 234
email  breastfeeding.support@flintshire.gov.uk

My Health Professional said WHAT?!!

Inspired by this site in the US, My OB said What?!    {OB = Obstetrician}

Examples -- "You have to supplement him.  He hasn’t had enough wet diapers.  If you don’t, he will have zero blood sugar.  Is that what you want?  We’ll take him from you if we have to.  Is that what you want?"

OR "Are you planning to breastfeed?…Yeah, then you will need to give a vitamin K shot because breast milk lacks many nutrients ...… formula, with all the added vitamins, is actually better than breast milk in that respect."


- there's a very different system in the USA, of course! (see below*)  But hey - we can do ignorance just fine here in the UK....

• Mumsnet thread #1 - advice from a GP
• Mumsnet thread #2 - drugs advice from GP "Dr said I may as well {stop BF} now, and in fact it would've done him no harm if I'd given up at 6 months"
• Ahem! Ms C. B-C
• More online material, but here I'm talking about non-professional advice.
• What else can I add to this list???

If you want to stop this happening to others, you need to make a complaint - there are proper channels for this & we can help you if you'd like.

Advent collection - Who's thankful that I breastfed?

As a build-up to Christmas, and inspired by the Thanksgiving Holiday in America, I'd like to share an Advent collecton with you.  (No Blue-Peter-style Advent crowns here!)

The idea for this theme comes from an exercise we used during our Peer Support training.

"Who's thankful that I breastfed?"

Fathers

"Ladies, your Man could smell like me" suave and sophisticated advertising break here on this YouTube channel.  What the Flex guy can be with his chest is amazing, but he can't exclusively feed a baby for six months!

Real Men don't reach for the Bottle!

The “Breasts Feeling Full = A Good Thing” Myth

Here we are sharing in the weighty bounty that is the work of Anne-Marie Ablett, a Peer Supporter in the West Cheshire area.
Bosom Buddies is the name of the support group network in West Cheshire, and they are based at the Countess of Chester Hospital.  (Janet Beech is the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator there.)


This piece of writing (Anne-Marie's first!) was published on the blog "Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths" - you may be familiar with their work through Facebook? They are doing an excellent and very regular job of work of Myth-Busting... We all know some of the myths are a huge Barrier to Breastfeeding in our community.  Some of the myths dispelled on their pages are ones you & I probably used to believe ourselves (before we undertook the Peer Support training!) - and the myth discussed in this article was certainly one I believed in!


I'm very grateful to DBM, and to Anne-Marie for allowing this work to be reproduced here - I hope you'll show your appreciation in the usual way?

Here goes:

The “Breasts Feeling Full = A Good Thing” Myth

 by Anne-Marie Ablett

Nearly nine years have passed since my first (fairly disastrous) breastfeeding experience.

News archive

For the latest news go see this page, which gets updated much more regularly.
March 2011 news is found on this page.

Find us on Facebook to discuss these issues if you wish.

****

Mother & Baby Magazine, July 2010


Read about it in the Mail, Guardian, BBC, Telegraph, or the New York Times.

Oh my goodness, what were they thinking?

Advert for breastfeeding

I called this post "Advert for Breastfeeding" because that was a lovely phrase my lovely Health Visitor used to describe my first baby when she was a huge chubby milky lump! :-)

Here are some adverts from the past and present. It's my little hobby collection - would love to have any you can recommend, too?! I like ads that show breastfeeding of older children as well as babies. Also ads that show how easy it is for Mums to breastfeed out of their homes - let's show the world that it is the normal way to feed children.

Helplines for advice on Breastfeeding

We know that support groups aren't for everyone! Sometimes a phone call can be all you need to still many of your worries & endless questions.  If you think a phone call with a well-trained Breastfeeding Counsellor would help, do make a call to one of the numbers below.