Jean (weestar) hi ya.

I just saw this thread and was surprised by what you wrote about when we met up.Did you mean that I asked you how to heat a bottle? I don't recall asking you any questions about bottles and if I did it was to get some of your experience for when I gave Olivia a bottle, if anyone else did I don't think they meant it in a derogatory way. Also, do you mean I gave you funny looks? we were cooing over Colby so I hope you aren't implying that.

To be honest I have no interest whatsoever in how someone else feeds their baby - it's their choice entiring and I don't even have a second thought when I see someone feeding their baby.

Now onto the debate. I breastfeed my 11 month old baby and now find it second nature and very easy and convenient. Like Kina, the first 9wks were hell and I didn't enjoy it at all, I nearly went over to formula many times but I went to loads of breastfeeding groups and got a lot of support on the internet (Kina especially, Urchin, Emilia, Shona, and other websites) that helped me through the pain, the complications and absolute exhaustion.
I think posters advertising the benefits of breastfeeding should be advertised in a sensitive way but should definately be visisble in as many places as possible to raise awareness as the UK has the lowest number of breastfeeders in Europe.

I personally haven't considered someone looking at me feeding Olivia is judging how I feed her, nor have I looked at a baby having a bottle and thought anything other than ahh what a lovely wee baby etc.

At the end of the day, how a mother feeds her babies is noones business except hers and her partners. I do think there needs to be a lot more awareness and support for breastfeeding though as like lots of you have said it doesn't often come easily and if mothers are feeling guilty over it then that's showing there needs to be more support.

Cat - I expressed milk so other people could give Olivia a feed which does help to give you a break if you need it.

Lucy

in no way did i say you or pips for that matter were giving me funny looks
i meant about that group of girls that were over to the right of us were all looking over, i just got the impression they were looking at me because i was the only one who wasnt BF, sorry if i upset you by that comment but no way did i put it like yous were looking at me funny

oh yeah and by the way
welcome to baby and bump

Hi Jean

Cool, glad you didn't mean me (were Pips or her pal asking you about the bottles?). The group of girls to the right must've been behind me cos I couldn't see them.

I bet wee Colby has grown so much from then, she was just a wee diddy thing when I saw her

Lucy

im sure it was you who asked how i went about heating bottles when im out but i may be werong it was a good few months ago now but im sure you were asking out of interest because of how you were giving Olivia some formula too. The girls were to the right of me and infront of you, remember i pointed them out and im sure i said 'she must be getting promoted or something' as they were very smartly dressed

anyways yeah Colby is huge now shes just cut her 4th tooth they seem to be comming in really quickly and only thing thats bothering her is nappy rash when shes about to cut a tooth Apart from that shes fine, although i still cant get her hair to stay down

Hows Olivia doing? bet shes even cuter since i last saw yous :wink:

Hows pips i aint herd from her for a while, do you still speak to her?

anyways glad to hear from you again
take care and speak soon
xxx

I breastfed jonny exclusively until I went back to work when he was 4 months. I then combination fed giving him bottles during the day and feeding him myself at night and first thing in the morning until he was eight months. I was really lucky that my body adjusted so well to him, as I was unable to express at all.

This time I hope to express when I g back to work so Frankie can have my milk. Can anyone recommend a good electric pump that isn't too expensive?

I think everyone should have the choice of how they want to feed but it should be an informed decision. It can be painful, tying and time consuming but why not give it a go! It is free and so much easier than steralising and warming bottles (I have been lucky enough to experience both sides!

As for altering your boobs! Mine have never looked better and they make my waist look smaller at the moment, OH likes to look but can't touch or he'll get a squirt in the eye!!

You're right, the meet was months and months ago now and the pub was quite busy (and we changed tables as well didn't we). Sorry if you felt awkward feeing Colby infront of those people.

Yes Olivia is coming on leaps and bounds. She's grown a lot too and walks along the furniture and has 8 teeth and is 11 months old now. I don't really hear from Pips much now because she rarely gets internet access in France but soon she'll be in Germany where she'll have internet access in her flat.

BTW - Olivia projectile vomited any formula we tried to give her when I was in so much pain from breastfeeding so that's when I epressed to give her my milk from a bottle but then she refused a bottle from around 7 wks til 6 months!

Lucy

Lynnie - I tried the Mini Medula electric pump (Kina recommended it to me), I sold it after a few weeks as it made me too sore but in hindsight I wish I'd kept it as I was sore from cracked nipples not from the pump and it was really efficient at expressing the milk.

I then bought an Avent manual pump and although it did the job it wasn't anywhere near as good as the Medula IMO. Althought the Medula can't be sterilised in the microwave which is a bit of a pain.

Lucy

I have a steam steraliser, will it go in that?

If it's an electric steam steriliser it's ok. I used to have a Tomee Tippee electric one that I used but as it was only for the occasional use it gathered too much dust on my worktop! Next time round i'm going to get a cold water steriliser (Medula can go in there)


Oh and TK Max sell Medulas a lot cheaper than the shops!