Breastfeeding Ads in Bus stops!

[Goosie22]

ABA poster (http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/news/bus.html).


Qld Health has sponsored the Australian Breastfeeding Association Queensland Branch to run a bus shelter ad. The ad will run from 24th July to 7th August 2006 in Queensland.

Its about time!:smiliedance:

[bec79]

:smiliedance: :smiliedance: Good to see!!

[cheezelkat]

That is awesome! :smiliedance:

[Areca]

woohoo!:smiliedance:

[Little Gorilla]

Yep that's great.

Maybe on the bus stand over the road they can have one that reads...

"Are you having trouble breast feeding? Are you unable to breast feed?, Need to talk? Need some help? Don't feel alone ...call..."

So maybe those mothers who are having trouble or can't (not choose not too) won't feel that their whole world is totally bombarded with breast feeding bits & pieces and have yet another thing to feel "bad" about.

[Cheeky Little Monkey]

Yep that's great.

Maybe on the bus stand over the road they can have one that reads...

"Are you having trouble breast feeding? Are you unable to breast feed?, Need to talk? Need some help? Don't feel alone ...call..."

So maybe those mothers who are having trouble or can't (not choose not too) won't feel that their whole world is totally bombarded with breast feeding bits & pieces and have yet another thing to feel "bad" about.


I totally agree. While Yes it is wonderful that breast feeding is being promoted, I think there should be more "helpful" support out there for those who have troubles. Yes I am fully aware of Lactation Specialist etc but honestly(and I am speaking of my own personal opinion here) those of us who couldn't do breastfeeding sucessfully have to deal with enough guilt/grief etc over the fact it wasnt sucessful without having it rammed down our throats continually.

[Goosie22]

The ABA is a non profit voluntary organisation they recieve their money mostly through memberships. They have a help line (run by voluntary mothers just like us) which is supposed to be promoted with in hospitals to new mothers. Some ABA groups have hospital visitors who make first contact and invite mothers to meetings.

Breastfeeding isnt viewed as important even by some health professionals, and because of the guilt thing many dont even promote Breastfeeding correctly to new mothers antenatally/postnataly. I also think people need to take responsibility for their own Health and not rely on being spoon feed all the time.

[mum_2_5]

I totally agree. While Yes it is wonderful that breast feeding is being promoted, I think there should be more "helpful" support out there for those who have troubles. Yes I am fully aware of Lactation Specialist etc but honestly(and I am speaking of my own personal opinion here) those of us who couldn't do breastfeeding sucessfully have to deal with enough guilt/grief etc over the fact it wasnt sucessful without having it rammed down our throats continually.

I have having major problems bf ds2 so I sent an email to ABA and it took them 5 days to reply. After waiting 2 days I cantacted a lady from our local playgroup who is a councillor with ABA and she said that she would be over either that afternoon or the next afternoon. She didn't show up.:mad: I made a couple of phone calls to her but I either got one of her friends or the answering machine. All the way through my pregnancy she said if I need help with bf just to call. Well I did that and no help from her. I gave up bf in the end. Yes I feel guilty about not being able to continue but it would have been nice to have the proper support.
I have since returned to playgroup and there has been no sign of her there. I wonder if she is feeling guilty for not helping like she said she would????

I know she is only one person with ABA. I still support ABA just not her.

[Little Gorilla]

I also think people need to take responsibility for their own Health and not rely on being spoon feed all the time.

What group of women is this aimed at?

Sorry, but I needed to be spoon feed about breast feeding because on top of having a newborn for the first time, I had no bloody idea what I was doing when it came to breast feeding. It didn't come naturally to me at all - plus the support (or lack of) from the hospital and CHN was laughable - I'd read the books prior to having bubs and they were not in the least bit helpful when it actually came to "doing it"......

Breast feeding is a hands on task that you can only learn once you have had the baby.

If I had seen bus shelter signs prior to having bubs that had said

"Are you having trouble breast feeding? Are you unable to breast feed?, Need to talk? Need some help? Don't feel alone ...call..."

Or something along those lines, it might have made my breast feeding journey a bit easier knowing that, hey, so women do have trouble breast feeding, yes I do need to talk, yes I do need some help and hopefully the number I rang would have been supported by helpfull people.

[Lunar]

What group of women is this aimed at?

Sorry, but I needed to be spoon feed about breast feeding because on top of having a newborn for the first time, I had no bloody idea what I was doing when it came to breast feeding. It didn't come naturally to me at all - plus the support (or lack of) from the hospital and CHN was laughable - I'd read the books prior to having bubs and they were not in the least bit helpful when it actually came to "doing it"......

Breast feeding is a hands on task that you can only learn once you have had the baby.

If I had seen bus shelter signs prior to having bubs that had said

"Are you having trouble breast feeding? Are you unable to breast feed?, Need to talk? Need some help? Don't feel alone ...call..."

Or something along those lines, it might have made my breast feeding journey a bit easier knowing that, hey, so women do have trouble breast feeding, yes I do need to talk, yes I do need some help and hopefully the number I rang would have been supported by helpfull people.

:yelclap: Well said!!! Took the words out of my mouth!

[veve]

Breastfeeding isnt viewed as important even by some health professionals, and because of the guilt thing many dont even promote Breastfeeding correctly to new mothers antenatally/postnataly.

yes goosie - that is true.. HOWEVER as a new mum who struggled to get the bfeeding thing down pat .. I was INCREDIBLY relieved that my own GP didn't quesiton my choice to supplement my DS's feeds with formula ... as a new mum you are SUCH a hormonal .. stressed .. tired.. emotional .. guilt-ridden person already - especially as a first time mum ...

My GP gave me stack of positive feedback to do as much breastfeeding as I could .. and that each feed that I managed was wonderful - which is exactly what I needed to hear... not that I was neglecting my child by introducing a foreign substance to his diet...

there is alot of pressure on women to breastfeed - we all know that 'breast is best' - but each woman copes differently .. and society is very rarely supportive... but often judgemental- which is extremely sad.

xx

[FourAngelKisses]

I don't think it should be allowed. We get enough of "breast is best" shoved down our throats, we don't need even more. Me feeling as a failure for having to bottle feed my first born almost led to me having PND because of the whole breast is best thing, so no, I don't think it's a good idea.

[the_queen]

I think it's wonderful :D

[desperatehousewife]

What group of women is this aimed at?

Sorry, but I needed to be spoon feed about breast feeding because on top of having a newborn for the first time, I had no bloody idea what I was doing when it came to breast feeding. It didn't come naturally to me at all - plus the support (or lack of) from the hospital and CHN was laughable - I'd read the books prior to having bubs and they were not in the least bit helpful when it actually came to "doing it"......

Breast feeding is a hands on task that you can only learn once you have had the baby.

If I had seen bus shelter signs prior to having bubs that had said

"Are you having trouble breast feeding? Are you unable to breast feed?, Need to talk? Need some help? Don't feel alone ...call..."

Or something along those lines, it might have made my breast feeding journey a bit easier knowing that, hey, so women do have trouble breast feeding, yes I do need to talk, yes I do need some help and hopefully the number I rang would have been supported by helpfull people.

I completely agree BubbaGanoush. There is such a massive expectation that women should "just know" how to breastfeed and it should "come naturally" and "be instinct". This could not have been further from the truth for me. I am breastfeeding, however I had a nightmarish beginning and I was very well-educated in everything to do with babies, I had read every book, gone to every class, watched videos, seen live demonstrations etc. but none of this helped ME. When it comes down to it, every woman and child is individual in their technique and for some it is a very natural, instinctive process. For others it takes hours and days, sometimes weeks and months of training.

[tickle]

I think any advertising for breastfeeding is good. Some people aren't aware of the benefits of breastfeeding, so it might reach a broader range of people. I have encountered people in medical professions who have told me that formula feeding would be better for my DD, so I don't think that the breast is best notion is shoved down our throats enough some times.
I know some people can't breastfeed and breastfeeding is a mammoth task. I agree that signs for information in regards to problems with breastfeeding would also be beneficial, but any advertising for breastfeeding at all is great.
I don't think this needs to turn into an us vs them debate. We all do the best we can, so lets just look at the positives here.:)

[Pippi Longstocking]

I don't think it should be allowed. We get enough of "breast is best" shoved down our throats, we don't need even more.
I diagree with you wholeheartedly! A quick glance through the threads on bubhub should prove that the message isn't out there. You read so many women say "I couldn't breastfeed' - far more than the 1 - 3% of women who actually medically cannot.

Advertising is a fantastic idea. It's great to see the breastfeeding message being pushed, it is an important one.

[cheezelkat]

agreed Norah :thumbsup:

There needs to be far more education on the subject, especially in the lead up to birth. I know that no one told me theres a chance it was going to hurt like hell! I cried every feed for 3 days straight.

[FourAngelKisses]

I read all the books, had the lactation consultant see me in hospital, I went and saw her after the births, I cried every feed for 3wks but it just wasn't working. When I put him on the bottle, I felt like the worst mother on earth because I was a failure. Everyone had told me to breastfeed my child because it was the best thing for him. It was written in every book I read, it was written in every pamphlet I read and all the midwives and the LC told me it was best. So I really do not think it needs to be shoved in your face as well at a bus stop.

[Pippi Longstocking]

I remember when I had my first baby - I was shocked that breastfeeding hurt so much. I had NO idea! I just assumed that you take one baby and one booby and combine. I have read so many people say "I had to give up breastfeeding because my nipples were bleeding". I have breastfed 5 babies and come to realise that that is actually normal. I have had mastitis three times, twice which resulted in green pus running from my breast. Breastfeeding hurts! But then it settles down, baby learns what to do, mama learns what to do and it becomes the most amazingly beautiful (and easy) thing to do in the world. it really is now a case of take one baby, one booby and combine! :D

[~EmsMum~]

thats great :thumbsup:

[FourAngelKisses]

Just to clarify, I am not against breastfeeding, if you can do it, that's great, but if you can't, then you shouldn't be made to feel guilty. I think that the message is out there enough and everyone knows about the ABA already.

[cosmic]

I don't think the message is out there enough - if it was, why would we have such dismal BF rates? My DD was very slow to gain weight - she only got to her birthweight at 4 weeks, and my ECHN dutifully turned up to my house week after week to weigh her, all the while making comments that 'it's important that she put on enough weight or it will affect her brain development' and 'if she doesn't improve we might have to look at formula'. :mad: She also told me that babies not gaining enough weight is a matter for DOCS. :eek: oh, and then she told me that she is 'lenient' and that if I'd seen her colleague, she would never have let me go so long before introducing formula. :banghead:

I told her in no uncertain terms that I would express 24hrs a day if my baby needed more food but she would not under any circumstances be given formula. I can very easily see how mothers get PND and how breastfeeding doesn't work when they receive such horribly bad advice from people who should know better.

[Ana Gram]

I think what it all comes down to is the way it comes across. Once they find a way of encouraging breastfeeding WITHOUT being negative about formula feeding, it will be a good start.

[Tam-I-Am]

Yeah, I agree Chelle. I'm all for breastfeeding (I mean - I'm still breastfeeding my 13 month old) - but I don't think the negativity about formula feeding, and formula feeding mothers in particular, needs to exist.

And that's disgusting, Cosmic! I hope you reported her ***!

[BlueEyedGirl]

I think its a great idea. Like so other first-time mums, I wasn't aware of the pain that would be involved at the beginning, and at one stage in the first week, both nipples were cracked and bleeding, so I dreaded the thought of feed-time. I have also had mastitis, only mild, but jeez!

I am happy to say that I am still breastfeeding 8 months later, and am not ready to wean my DD. Am a little concerned about when the teeth finally do come through, as she aready 'bites' with her gums!

[Goosie22]

Once they find a way of encouraging breastfeeding WITHOUT being negative about formula feeding, it will be a good start.

How would that work? What postives has formula besides the commercial availability?

Breastfeeding is the Biological Norm, formula is a substitute with very little incommon with Breastmilk.

It would be like trying to find the positives of any negative health decision, there arent many apart from trying not to offend.

[FourAngelKisses]

Well one positive side of formula is that it keeps your kids alive.

[Goosie22]

She also told me that babies not gaining enough weight is a matter for DOCS. :eek: oh, and then she told me that she is 'lenient' and that if I'd seen her colleague, she would never have let me go so long before introducing formula.

Cosmic, I agree with Clarabelle you should report her for her bulling behavour. Threatening to call DOCS due to slow weight gain is very poor form:mad: and not supportive at all.

[Ana Gram]

This is the attitude that people find rather unhelpful. Yes breast feeding is best blah blah blah, but for the women who had to use formula for whatever reason, we don't need to hear how we are killing our children all the time because we were unable to breastfeed.
We get treated like our opinions don't count and if we aren't breast feeding we aren't worth knowing on top of being awful parents for not "trying harder" when it comes to breastfeeding.

The major postive of formula is that for women who are unable to breastfeed, can feed their children. And that is a very big positive.

[mum_2_5]

Ok. I know "breast is best" and I see the signs at most places I go. I tried with all 5 kids to bf but with no luck. I hear people saying that they had the support, I didn't. Plus while I was in hospital with DS2 one of the midwives keep "latching" him back on everytime he took himself off. That went on for 3 hours. # hours of force feeding him left me with bruised and blistered nipples. I don't call that support. Also 2 weeks after he was born the ECHN came over and weighed him and he was still loosing weight. She suggested to comp feed with formula and I started doing that but after 24 hours and being really tired and about to crack I just put him onto formula full time. Maybe if my so called friend had called me back or came over like she said I would probably still be bf.
Yes I feel really guilty about not bf but as far as I am concered my son is thriving now and I am able to get things done around the house.

[Pippi Longstocking]

But Chelle, is it really the attitude or is it the perceived attitude? Having read this thread and many others like it, pro breatsfeeders are saying breast is best and should be the first choice. Formula is a good choice for those who canot breastfeed. Noone has said that bottle feeders are killing their babies. No one has said your opinions don't count etc.

I really think that if you were truly happy with your decision, the opinions of others wouldn't have the capacity to make you feel guilty. If you knew you had done your best, what have you got to feel guilty about?

[Goosie22]

I also think people need to take responsibility for their own Health and not rely on being spoon feed all the time.

It was in regards to making contact with those who can help you continue/establish ect. So expecting the ABA to contact you if you have a problem is unrealistic, People need to make themselves aware of how to access help and take the first step i.e. pay for membership.

[mum_2_5]

It was in regards to making contact with those who can help you continue/establish ect. So expecting the ABA to contact you if you have a problem is unrealistic, People need to make themselves aware of how to access help and take the first step i.e. pay for membership.

I was going to join ABA. I just had to get the money together first. But after she failed as a friend and a cousillor I decieded not to join. Anyway if you have to be a member to get help why do they even have contact details all over the place for you to be able to go to them for help.
Plus she is also a mother who attends the local playgroup that I also attend and told me if I needed help to call her. If she wasn't prepared to help then why did she say that????? Sorry but I was really hoping and trying to succed this time as he is my last child.

[Goosie22]

Sorry but I was really hoping and trying to succed this time as he is my last child.

It wasnt directed at you:hugs: . I can understand how you feel let down by that person, however if she had encouraged you to come along to meetings and join ABA before you had your baby so you could meet the other women available you would have had a better/bigger knowledge base and support group to fall back on.

[Ana Gram]

But Chelle, is it really the attitude or is it the perceived attitude? Having read this thread and many others like it, pro breatsfeeders are saying breast is best and should be the first choice. Formula is a good choice for those who canot breastfeed. Noone has said that bottle feeders are killing their babies. No one has said your opinions don't count etc.

I really think that if you were truly happy with your decision, the opinions of others wouldn't have the capacity to make you feel guilty. If you knew you had done your best, what have you got to feel guilty about?

That's the thing. It doesn't really matter if that's the attitude or what is perceived to be the attitude when you are the receiving end of it.
There are those who have said that feeding our babies formula is killing them, giving us a whole bunch of statistics as to all teh horrible health problem we have given our children from formula feeding.
When we say to a mother that it is ok to make the choice to formula feed, we get told that we shouldn't encourage it.

I have no guilt about formula feeding my child. I had 4 misarable, horrible, painful days in hospital breast feeding and hated it. When I got home I immeadiately went to expressing. This led to one happy mummy and one happy baby for a time. But when I got a hideous bout of ezcema and had to go on serious medication, I was more than happy to go to formula feeding. Some of the reactions I got after that were not very nice. Everytime I saw the health nurse she insisted that I go back to breast feeding and said my reason - being on steriod medication- was not a good enough excuse. For me, those sort of comment were like water off a ducks back, I didn't care what other people had to say about what I was doing with my baby. They didn't have to look after her. But there are a ton of mothers, especially new mothers who are vunerable to negative reactions and comments. I just think that if it was done in a positive reinforcement rather than trying to scare mothers from formula feeding, it would do much better for the cause.

[Goosie22]

When we say to a mother that it is ok to make the choice to formula feed, we get told that we shouldn't encourage it.

Hi Chellegoth,

Thats me:) . See, I approach it from the other side: If a mother is wanting to give formula she has a right to know the risks, Breastmilk and formula are not interchangable they are not equal.

So if I was not aware with regards to Breastfeeding and I found myself having difficulty and some well meaning soul suggested to me I make the choice to give formula instead of assisting me to find a solution another way as there is nothing wrong with formula and I do so. Then later on I found out about all the potential problems and recommendations based on reasearch and statistics I would be very angry that I had been dubed into thinking it was a mere CHOICE of little concequence.

[KarniF00l]

Having four babies ive never been able to breast feed.. whether it be my lack of supply that will not and wont increase or the baby not wanting to attach at all.. I actually felt mixed emotions about it.. guilt/sadness and even jealous over other parents who were able to do so.

I remember just having my first baby who wouldn't latch on and the ***** of a midwife would not let me feed him formula.. so three and a half days later still in the hospital.. my son not getting fed at all and the midi wouldn't let me. Being 19 at the time i didn't know what was going until my mum stepped up and said enough is enough then she went down to the shop and bought formula. Not a very good experience at all..

I now know that it's okay to formula feed not just for one reason but for many.. and if a parent is struggleing to breast feed.. then why not !!

[Pippi Longstocking]

There are those who have said that feeding our babies formula is killing them, giving us a whole bunch of statistics as to all teh horrible health problem we have given our children from formula feeding.. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that ff will kill your baby (like I said, i was ff and I am alive ;) ), the statisitcs do all indicate that FF is a poor choice in comparison to BM. Would you rather not know the statistics to lessen your guilty feelings? Do you not feel that it is better to be fully informed rather than blindly make a decision based on what is easier or more comfortable for you?

If I am doing something wrong, I would be quite angry with my friends if they didn't say something to me. If I was unknowingly hurting my children, i wouldn't want people to say "that's ok, you do what you want because we don't want to make you feel bad". I would want to be armed with all possible information so that I could make the best choice possible.

FF IS a second rate food in comparison to BM. But it is a fantastic food in comparison to nothing.

The problem I have is that sooo many women are saying "I couldn't breastfeed". In a word, I think that that is bollocks. Women are not that defective! I'd hope that the ads could make a difference to decrease the number of women who think they cannot breasfeed because it is a vicious cycle. The more women that say they "can't" breastfeed, the higher the FF rates, the more normalised FF becomes which makes other women doubt their own ability.

[Funkychicken]

I also think it is wonderful that the message is being brought out to where people can see it. It just might help an undecided mum to follow her heart, not what other's are telling her to do.:)

[xkwzit]

So to get back to the topic at hand...

I have really high hopes for this adverstising campaign, I hope that the ads will do so much more than simply say "breast is best". We do hear that all the time and most women would agree, but when they are at the pointy end, the fact is that many vulnerable mothers have little or no BF support and I believe that THAT is where the system fails them and THAT is why our BF rate is lower than some might like it to be.

I struggled with BF for almost 4 months with DD1 before it became a low stress experience and DD2 was no walk in the park either. I ONLY succeeded because I had TREMENDOUS support from my DH, LC and Paed. I found CHN to be a total waste of time:mad:, as they would say the exact opposite to my LC and Paed. In the end I stopped going to them and weighed my babies myself every week. CHN may be a cause for many women failing to continue BF - ironic isn't it?

I hope that the ads will provide information and help to mothers who are struggling.
I hope they will normalise the image of BF women to the wider community so that women aren't told off for BF whether it be because of WHERE they are feeding or HOW OLD the child is.
I would also like to see information to help out the working and BF mothers: hints and tips for expressing, storing / freezing, defrosting and bottle feeding EBM (but that might be a bit difficult on a bus shelter ad :rolleyes: ).

Cheers

[Pippi Longstocking]

CHN may be a cause for many women failing to continue BF - ironic isn't it?

It's a worry, hey. Maybe along with the advertising, some money could be spent on retraining CHNs. I have found that their advice generally tends to be outdated and possibly damaging.

[desperatehousewife]

It's a worry, hey. Maybe along with the advertising, some money could be spent on retraining CHNs. I have found that their advice generally tends to be outdated and possibly damaging.

I agree, it also so conflicting from one CHN to another, the same goes for Midwives. There is never the same answer and they also say that the way you were shown 5 minutes prior is wrong! I do hope this advertising takes a positive, neutral approach to encouraging and supporting women.

[porridge]

It would be really great for helpful BF ads to be put up in public spots!

I agree too with CHN and midwives being outdated and different :confused: with their advice!

As someone who really struggled with BF, getting conflicting advice was the pits - I just didn't know what to do!!