many mums deem breastfeeding “unnatural”
While I’ve always hated the preaching of the “breast is best” brigade, it makes me sad that it’s just not on some women’s radar to feed their babies themselves. Recent figures show a fall in the number of new mothers breastfeeding – particularly in more deprived areas and among young girls – across the UK, only 47% of mums are still doing it at 6-8 weeks, but this falls to under 20% in some deprived areas. It seems, despite being happy to carry a baby inside their body for nine months and pushing it out of their tootsie, many mums deem breastfeeding “unnatural.”
I admit I also had reservations about breastfeeding – Will I be able to do it… and isn’t it a bit icky? Yet I changed my mind so completely I ended up feeding my little girl for six months exclusively, then a couple of times a day till she was a year old. In fact, it was such a revelation that I sometimes have to stop myself running up to pregnant women and begging them to try it.
I know this is shallow, but let’s not pretend women don’t care – it really does help you lose weight.
I’m fully aware that some women just can’t do it, or just don’t want to – it’s their body, their baby, and they know what’s best for them. I’m also a tad skeptical of the breastfeeding health hype – you know, the bit where they tell you it’ll stop your baby ever getting a cold and will give them an IQ to rival Stephen Hawking. I’m not sure I buy it.