Blogger believes nature’s way is not for everyone
The push for more mothers to breastfeed is worthwhile, but some mothers have problems that prevent them from doing so, such as pain or difficulty producing or expressing breast milk.
Helen Farmer, a British mother of two girls who lives in Dubai, had breast reduction surgery a few years ago and was unsure if she would be able to breastfeed. She tried and found it painful.
“Breastfeeding is not easy,” said Ms Farmer, 35, a blogger. “While breastfeeding is perhaps the most natural way of feeding your child, it doesn’t come naturally to many people.
“Far too much pressure is put on new mums to get it straight away – pressure from themselves, healthcare professionals, other mums.
“Some mums don’t enjoy it or find it painful, and some babies don’t take to it.”
She had her first daughter in January 2015 and her second in February.
“I did breastfeed my first and second daughter,” Ms Farmer said. “It didn’t work well for me the first time as I did not make much milk. If you don’t get lactation support and the help you need in the first week, you can miss the opportunity.
“I did not get help for the first couple of weeks and my daughter was losing weight. The midwife was encouraging me to breastfeed. I was stressed, and stress reduces your milk supply.
“It was my mum who asked me what I wanted to do. I said I want to try combination feeding.
“I felt a huge amount of guilt as I was facing a lot of pressure to breastfeed from social media and health professionals telling me that breastfeeding was the only way.”
Ms Farmer was working full time in Dubai when she had her first child and took three and a half months off. She took unpaid leave and stopped breastfeeding a month before going back to work.
“If I had six months off, I would have continued combination feeding instead of switching to just formula,” she said.
“The maternity law is crucial in many women giving up breastfeeding. Few companies have facilities where a mum can go and pump milk.”
Ms Farmer feels that, generally, attitudes to nursing mothers are improving in the country.
“I felt judged for giving my elder daughter formula. I would go for mummy coffee mornings and everyone would be feeding and I would be very conscious of having a bottle,” she said.
“Two years later, I feel people are a lot more pro-formula and pro-mental health of the mother.”
Ms Farmer blogs about her experiences at themothershipdxb.com.
While breastfeeding is perhaps the most natural way of feeding your child, it doesn’t come naturally to many people