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09/08/2008, 12:56 odile Joined on 09/05/2008 Midlands + Swiss Jura Posts 1,570 la Leche league la Leche league, who give support to mothers with breastfeeding, is also represented in france, with some reps being British. Bonne chance    Report

11/08/2008, 19:37 Jura Joined on 28/11/2005 Posts 816 Re: la Leche league Interesting and well done to La Leche. One thing I notice though is that the French do not get so worked up about Mums breastfeeding in public as the British do...and if you take a look at British society in general 'boobs' play a huge part in advertising, comedy shows and selling newspapers and magazines. Yet the Brit's balk at a woman breastfeeding in McDonalds...!! What on earth is wrong with them? It is as if they have the attitude of: big boobies are funny (thanks Benny Hill); boobs are 'sexy' so long as they belong to Jordan...but put a baby anywhere near a nipple anywhere and everyone jumps up and down in rage! Why      Report

11/08/2008, 20:02 odile Joined on 09/05/2008 Midlands + Swiss Jura Posts 1,570 Re: la Leche league my daughter came from London to Leics a few days after baby was born, so I could look after them. Stopped on motorway service station where babyfeeding area was advertised. this turned out to be a toilet with a changing station. So we went to cafe area, where another babyfeeding station was advertised- it was a microwave! We found a little corner for her to feed- but the childrens area was next to smoking area. No screen, no nothing. I wrote to the chain- no reply! Shame. If there was a drug which could strengthen a babys immunity and help fight disease, and that would help young mums lose weight at the same time - everybody would want it on the NHS. We really need to support mums more.    Report

11/08/2008, 20:19 Jura Joined on 28/11/2005 Posts 816 Re: la Leche league Personally Odile, I think all those people who object to the sight of a woman breastfeeding her baby need to get their minds out of the gutter - which is, lets face it,  where their minds are at. They associate a baby suckling with sexual connotations...that much is clear. You hear this argument time and again - "feed the baby in the toilet if you want privacy". I know for myself that most public toilets, in my opinion, are never in a fit state for the purpose they are intended let alone for sitting and feeding a beautiful baby!! secondly; a feeding Mum would have no problem with privacy anywhere if people did not stare so much! I visited the loo at Burger King in Barcelona (recently) - on La Rambla to be precise - and immediately left due to the stink and mess coming out of the badly neglected toilet cubicle...and yet we expect Mums to feed their babies in such an environment!! I have eaten in restaurants, from highway cafe-class to 3 star Michelin - and have seen adults with appalling table manners and disgusting personal habits, and yet a baby feeding discreetly from it's mother breast is a social 'no-no'...? One thing I have also noticed...those who object the most also stare the most You are so correct; Mums and babies deserve far more respect than they currently get.      Report

12/08/2008, 7:24 Frenchie Joined on 31/05/2007 Granzay, 2 Sèvres,79 Posts 8,188 Re: la Leche league I have a feeling many people in France  don't mind seeing a mum breastfeeding her baby in a park, etc, but it is true that some  really do stare , and it is certainly embarassing.. IMO, it is due to the fact that in our modern societies, we have forgotten that we are mammals, .. there are many things linked to the body that one shouldn't mention or show.. Anyway, I hope  breastfeeding is more encouraged now than when I had my baby, cos it hurt me to breatfeed, ( when turning on the side in the bed ) as I had had a cesarian section, so after a few days they said " well you stop it then .." Life has a habit of biting you on the bum in ways that you least expect    Report

12/08/2008, 14:19 odile Joined on 09/05/2008 Midlands + Swiss Jura Posts 1,570 Re: la Leche league i had a ceasarian for first daughter, and I remember the pain when feeding at first, due to muscle contractions! I went home on day 3 ... and with husband working 120 hrs per week, 1 night in 2 away- it was hard, especially as I was new in a foreign country away from mum and family. Fortunately I had a very supportive husband (even if he was mostly away!), great neighbours and a brilliant health visitor. I do wish I had known about La Leche though- they work so hard to help, and all on a volunteer basis.    Report

13/08/2008, 19:39 Jura Joined on 28/11/2005 Posts 816 Re: la Leche league Frenchie I have always found that it is other women who do most of the staring...for some reason they find it threatening, especially when accompanied by husbands/partners - who normally couldn't give a toss! Breastfeeding at the off certainly is painful, very much so, but until you have learned how to get the baby latched on properly you just grit your teeth until you get used to it. No one ever tells you about the pain barrier which has to be worked through first! In Australia we have the wonderful 'Nursing Mothers Association' - they run a 24 hour helpline and it does not matter what time of the day or night you pick the phone up there is someone there to answer your call and help you.    Report

06/10/2008, 20:51 Rob Roy Joined on 11/03/2006 19 - Correze Posts 791 Re: la Leche league My mother advised me when I was expecting our first baby to scrub my nipples with a cold flannel every day whilst pregnant in order to 'toughen them up' ready for breast feeding - I must admit it certainly helped. I fed him for six months during which time we visited London on a day trip where I fed him in one of Harrods 'Ladies Rest Room' - whilst sitting in a corner in a very comfortable chair an elderly lady came up to me and said 'well done, dear, it is so nice to see a mother feeding her own baby in this day and age'! This was 1972  Mind you I found that no-one warns you of the contraction pains you get when you first start to breast feed while the uterus shrinks back to normal size - I found that almost worse than the birthing pains!    Report

07/10/2008, 6:51 Lisleoise Joined on 15/12/2005 Périgord Vert (NW Dordogne) Posts 1,068 Re: la Leche league Both of my kids (both caesareans) were breast fed for 10-11 months each.  With the right choice of clothing and a good breast feeding bra (I found the ones with the zips were easier to use because you can undo and do them up with one hand unlike some clip ones) you can breast feed very discreetly anywhere, I fed them in all sorts of public places and no-one really noticed. It is very painful for the first week, but persevere, it is the best thing I have ever done. It's hygenic, costs nothing, no faffing around with bottles, teats, sterilizers, tubs of powder, it's always just the right temperature and of course the health benefits to mother and baby goes without saying. Susie    Report

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