I remember when I was in the 5th grade and my teacher had a baby, she was allowed to put a chair and a minifridge in the copy room near her classroom so that she could pump for her son in her break. I remembered thinking how cool it was, and now I'm relaizing how lucky she was to be allowed to do that.
Yeah and I remember my school being so cool about maternal leave. My first grade teacher ended up having a baby during the school year and she got to leave for a good 3-4 months. Most jobs barely want parents leaving for 2 months and it's really sad 😢
@@nevaehonrefni It is. I bet if women were allowed maternity leave and other benefits, we as a society would be much more positive and productive and therefore much better for it. If only the male establishment could see that.
@@nevaehonrefni I'm Australian and I don't remember a single teacher who took less than 12 months off for maternity leave. I remember one teacher who took 2 years.
My mum struggled to breastfeed me in the early nineties, mainly because her mother had died 5 days before my birth, I didn't latch well, and her milk dried 7p completely after 10 dayd, and honestly I'm certain she STILL has unresolved trauma about how much she was shamed for it. She went on to breastfeed my two brothers successfully, and we all turned out just fine. People forget that an alive, happy baby is the only requisite needed of a parent. If you are feeding your child, you are doing it right. Edit: spelling + grammar
Aaaaw, that's too bad, @Sophia Nilsson. Your mother was grieving, and emotions can definitely affect milk production. Bless her heart.. she did her best at the time.
Awww Your poor mother! It's not her fault its not like she could force you to suckle. My nephew did not take to breastfeeding either much to the relief of the woman my brother married whom gave birth to my beloved nephew that I literally can't stand but tolerate for the sake of peace...Anyhow, It's not her fault. Nor is it your fault. I think for some reason it might be a 'texture' thing. And maybe Baby Sophia Nilsson just had more fun suckling from a bottle *shrug* You are exactly right, An Alive Happy Healthy, Thriving Baby and Loving Mother is what matters. I'm sure she is an absolutely amazing mother and you, your siblings, have remained the light of her life. Its time she forgave herself. Mom's are their own harshest critics smh. How dare those mothers shame her. Perhaps she was worried you would be able to feel the immense grief she felt through the milk (It's Plausible, Stranger thighs have happened) Who knows, but the important thing is she tried..and She didn't have to deal with sore, calloused nipples in addition to her trauma and grief lol. I hope your Sweet Mum has found peace
That's so cruel that people shamed her, understandable that it was hard after such a trauma but even if there's no reason why a mother struggles no one should be shamed.
I hate that the formula shortage has aggravated the bottle feeding vs breastfeeding debate. As if women who are already feeding their babies formula, for whatever reason, will be able to suddenly switch to breastfeeding. As far as I'm concerned, either way you feed a baby is difficult, so we shouldn't be shaming women regardless of how their children are fed.
Those a-holes have no say in womens' health and how our bodies work... the majority who are against baby formula are mainly men who think all women are the same and are built the same. Some women are forced to do formulas due to the lack of milk production from their own breasts. 😞 I don't like baby formulas due to the number of questionable ingredients, such as high number of sugar and carbs, but if it is between that or starvation... I rather the baby have that formula than nothing at all. The stress of city life makes producing milk difficult and other factors that make it hard. Thank you for your comment. BTW, I was given breast milk until 4 months of age and was given puree food from home made food. The reason was that I was suffering from anemia and my mom was scared of baby formulas so she made her own puree food from cooked meals to make sure I had sufficient nutrition. Anyways not all breast milk are the same, and they can variety from one pregnancy to the next. It is far more complicated than "Why not just breast feed". I can understand the notion of breast feeding being important, but I also know the difficulties it can be for some women, due to my own mothers' experience with such difficulties. Another thing I don't understand is our government worries about the low birth rates, and yet don't provide programs that would stock the selves with much needed baby supplies and food at a lower affordable prices that would make having babies easier. 🤔🤷United States isn't exactly family supportive nation, and it defiantly doesn't give a d@mn about babies after they are born. The priorities of this nation are messed up... to put it nicely.
@@LadyCoyKoi I had twins and I tried breastfeeding initially, but it didn't work out due to a difficult birth and recovery. Sometimes your best laid plans go awry and there's nothing wrong with doing your best for your children, whether that's formula feeding or breastfeeding. My kids are happy and healthy and that's what matters. I do agree, though, that new parents really do need more support. Paid maternity / paternity leave, childcare, healthcare, etc.
Nobody should be ashamed, but according to doctors real milk is best. Wether or not it comes from the mother or from another woman isn't really that relevant, but real milk is superior to formula.
@@kingexplosionmurderfuckoff9376 And yet formula feeding moms are shamed regularly for this kind of thing. As she mentioned in this video, most of the studies don't take into account socioeconomic status, which has a huge effect. For children in developed countries with access to clean water you couldn't tell which kids in any given Kindergarten class were breastfed and which were bottlefed. That doesn't mean that breastfeeding should be shamed either or that breastfeeding women shouldn't be given support. It's more that fed is best and we need to stop bothering other women about how they feed their babies.
My mom was a wet nurse when I was born, as a friend of hers had a baby but had no milk while she had more milk than I needed. She even donated milk at the hospital. I think it's weird that she was a wet nurse but at the same time, it's kinda sweet that she helped a friend in need 😅 Funny enough, other women of my family were sure she was not going to have much milk as she has small breasts, but in the end she had more than enough 😬
Your mum is amazing. Size of breast has nothing to do with it. Nipples can be an issue if inverted or mother is stressed/ malnourished and unable to produce milk xx
I also have small breasts but size has nothing to do with how much milk you can produce. I was able to produce plenty of milk and then some. Common misconception.
I gave birth to my girl one month ago. I was devasted when I couldn't breastfeed her due to the breast cancer I had eight years ago. I so so wanted to! I feel like there is a Lot of pressure nowadays on women to breastfeed. Sometimes it's just not happening
You're alive to be a mother for your wee girl! I think that is worth celebrating, and anyone who shames you for not breastfeeding is wrong. As long as you're feeding her, you're doing a really good job, and she isn't losing anything from your care, love and attention.
Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot! I'm slowly coming to terms with the way things are. You are right, we love our girl so much and take the best care of her
One thing that helped me work through my feelings of shame for "failing" to breastfeed was to make a list of all the ways formula benefitted my life. Anyone can feed baby! Switching off midnight feedings! No nursing bras, engorged breasts, or leaks! Knowing you live in a time with safe, healthy feeding alternatives! I now know that formula feeding was the single best thing I did for my newborn. And nobody will ever be able to tell how you feed your daughter by looking at her. They'll just see a well-fed, thriving little girl. You got this, mama!
Thank you all! You are right, I am so glad to live in this day and age where modern medicine saved my life and formula is around to feed my daughter in the best way that ist available to me!
I was a member of Laleche. My mother was outraged that I nursed my babies, and that was in 1974. I later began to suspect it was because she hadn't breast fed and it may have felt like I was disrespecting her. I also had a midwife and gave birth at home. Thankfully, I was at the otherside of the US!
@@elizabethmcglothlin5406 true I've never had anyone shame me and everyone in my family (both sides) breastfeeds with no issue. Infact I held a bottle for the first time a few years ago it felt very odd as no one in my family pumps so it felt very Unnatural to me.
I was never able to actually breastfeed because my babies were premature and wouldn’t ever take to it so I pumped but since I had triplets I never made enough to sustain all 3. We received donated breast milk in the nicu for the first 2 weeks of their lives and then switched to formula mixed with the little bit I was able to produce. At 9 weeks I quit pumping because I was barely getting anything out. I think it was the stress of having 2 at home and one still in the nicu and only being able to see her 1 day a week due to being 2 hours away, not driving and my husband not being able to take any more time off of work. I was extremely upset about not being able to continue but happy I was able to give them what I was able to.
You are bloody amazing mamma. I was challenged feeding one full term baby. Rest and support is required and this is rare for a woman of average financial means in this day and age. I know of a woman who pumped for her prem baby around the clock as so tiny needed very small but very frequent feeds absolutely exhausting. Be so very proud of birthing three souls on to the earth xx
Girl, you are wonder woman and don't let any misgonist,jealous or dimwitted person tell you anything. Our bodies are temples thar can support life and take pain of birth and still go to work. Men just cry when they get common colds 😑
Things said to me whilst breast feeding: 'We have a room for that' (a tiny room a pram didn't fit in and the light was broken) "You're still feeding him" (he was 6 months) "You're weaning already? Do you just want to be able to drink?" (He was 18 months) "He'll settle easier on formula" (he slept through the night) "He feeds so much, your milk must not be enough" and "you feed him too much, his going to get fat" (my mum said both) My aunt had the best when my second bit her finger. He didn't have teeth. "That's his strength? Rip your breasts! I don't know how you feed him so much and survive. You're very strong"
My mother could not produce milk, and I only produced enough for the first two months postpartum. I was made to feel guilty about it by people who should have known better. Do not criticize another mom about how or what she feeds her babies. As long as they are fed and loved, it shouldn't matter.
same here, they refered to me as cry baby even if all it was, was that my mom's nipples weren't designed to feed newborns but no one showed her any remedies for it. My older brother was nursed by my mom's twin sis who had a baby few months earlier. So the older one had more strength to be fed by my mom. There was just no cousin around when I was born. But my aunt was the first one to lose it with me and gave me formular. And suddenly I was a happy baby.
I think any amount breastfeeding is well done, and no breastfeeding should not be shamed either. Frankly, the fact that you're here means your mum fed you and was successful too, even if it wasn't "from the breast", it still was whatever was best for you and her.
I struggled to breastfeed for other reasons. I saw several lactation consultants. I internalized their insistence that I try to make breastfeeding work no matter what, even though it made my life a living nightmare. I didn't feel like they saw me as a human being with my own needs. The day I switched to formula, everything about my motherhood experience improved. It was the best decision I made for my baby and for my family. Too many women don't have adequate support for breastfeeding, and that needs to change. It should be celebrated. But I feel like many professionals are so laser-focused on breastfeeding no matter what, that they do a huge disservice to mothers whose best option is formula.
@@Miksei I had a horrible time with lactation specialists, too. Too many medical professionals have an idea already in their head how things are supposed to go and refuse to consider maybe now and then it doesn't work that way or maybe not at all.
Yes, I really did like this video. I breastfeed all 5 of my children until they were 18 months then they went straight to a cup. It was one of the most enjoyable times of being a mother for me. What a shame men have too much say so in female reproduction and nursing since the men do neither 😕
@@gg_ingy good on you. It was not enjoyable for me so I was thrilled once solids and sippy cups were mastered, no need for nursing. My blender was my best friend as everything the family ate so did the baby.
Couldn’t drink my mother’s milk back when I was born in the 2000’s so I was on this weird formula that wasn’t tested properly. Well as it turns out, after a lifetime of my stomach and digestive system not working properly, my mom got sent the link to a lawsuit for the people who made it. Apparently a lot of people either have the stomach issues that I have or they contracted a disease that ate away at their insides. It’s really awful and I really don’t feel like we’re as careful as we should be with those types of things
We should definitly be careful about the testing, but luckily in todays age we have so many tests it has to complete that things like this are almost impossible. I'm very sorry you have to go through this. I too have a chronic inflammed digestive system and bad stomach acid caused by my mother starting solids too soon. Sadly now everyone wants to start solids as soon as possible for no reason, disregarding their babys health for no reason.
Yeah, my grandma said “forget that” to the whole Dr. Spock era societal norms and breastfed, cuddled, held and loved on each and every one of her children and was a card carrying member of the Le Leche League! I whole heartedly believe that breast is best but I also don’t think you’re a bad mom for using formula.
Good on your mom. My mother nursed all 6 kids successfully, however, she felt le leche members were bullies towards her when she weaned us at 10 months
@@omegasage777 saying either “fed is best” or “breast is best” can both be very damaging to nursing people. It is an undeniable fact that breast milk is the healthiest milk that a baby can get, so in that case it is better. But if it’s causing the nursing person to break down mentally, is painful, supply issues, or any other reason a person would want to stop then formula is better. Neither is perfect, but we shouldn’t pit the sides against each other either. It’s EXTREMELY hard to breast feed and stick to it for some women, especially when they’d rather do formula. For others it’s JUST as hard to say that the best thing to do is stop breast feeding because they wanted to do it so badly. Saying either of these things is damaging to nursing people. I think you’re right, but I also think the original commenter is right in what they are saying, but that using those lines are damaging because of the way it has been used to pit women against each other and hurt the fragile mental health of new parents. I say this as a mother who breast fed for over 24 months combined🤱
@@hannahsenders6462 I think the person that said "fed is best" is saying that as long as the baby gets food (no matter how), then that works best.Tit or bottle, doesn't matter, as long as that child has the nutrient it needs.
The recent formula shortage in the US brought to light lots of stigmas related to breastfeeding vs formula feeding that I thought (or hoped) we had moved past as a society.
Unfortunately our society is set up for the vast majority of new mothers especially if they have to work to fail in breastfeeding. There is a true lack of support from everything including misconceptions about how much better breast milk is than formula to employers making it impossible for new mothers to pump during their work day. There is huge money industry that advertises and promotes formula over breast milk and way too much of our society has bought into it.
Breastfeeding was one of the things I looked forward to the most when I was pregnant. It seemed like such a great bonding opportunity with my baby, and everyone told me all my baby weight would just melt off from it. It was unfortunately not a good experience for me. I apparently have flat nipples, and no matter what I tried, it was just excruciatingly painful. My nipples stayed raw and bloody. My baby started puking up blood from my milk, and I finally called it quits after 3 God awful months. I had conflicting emotions about it. There was an enormous sense of relief that I wouldn’t keep suffering, but it took me years to get rid of the feeling of shame I had for not being able to feed my baby. I tried again with my other two children and started to experience the same thing again. Luckily, I was able to pump and feed them without having to deal with the pain of nursing. It was so bad that I dreaded breastfeeding more than labor with my subsequent children. Pumping is tedious though, and I gave up after a few months with that as well. At least they had a few months of the benefits of breastfeeding. Just to add salt to the wound though, I ended up GAINING 20 pounds each time I breastfed. The doctor said a small percentage of womens bodies go into starvation mode and hold onto fat. I was one of the “lucky” ones 🙄
I have flat nipples too and the only way I can nurse comfortably is with a nipple shield. My first self-weaned at 13 months and my second is 16 months but shows no sign of being done. If you decide to have more children and want to try breastfeeding again I highly recommend a shield 😊
@@ashleighcavenett3108 oh I tried them. I tried a few different ones too. I have a suspicion that my kids may have a lip tie and that may have been the issue on top of the flat nipples. I didn’t know anything about them at the time, but from talking to different moms in the years afterward, it sounds plausible. Or maybe I just have really sensitive nipples lol
@@justineharper3346 I immediately thought lip tie or tongue tie while I was reading your comment. Its surprisingly common, I had no idea until I got into the birth industry.
Whether you choose to breast feed or not what matters is that the child is fed and healthy. I am saddened that a lot of places are not breastfeeding friendly. I am lucky that a lot of the places in which I have worked are breastfeeding friendly so hopefully people can feel safe and comfortable to bring their children here. But with the number of places that don't allow breastfeeding it is kind of sad because it means a mother just has to give up her life and not go places and enjoy things like restaurants or shops. Just feed your child in whatever way feels the most comfortable for you and fits your lifestyle. Bottle or breast it doesn't matter as long as a child is fed.
I was never asked not to breastfeed, but I was asked different times wouldn't I like to do that in the bathroom or would I like a towel from the kitchen to put over my baby's head (when we were already using a blanket) and sometimes in restaurants several servers and the manager eventually would come over clearly disturbed that a baby was getting to eat. My oldest is 30 now, so I imagined that things had gotten better since then. Maybe not.
@@jennamakesbugs I'm British for context and have worked for a chain restaurant and a hotel in the hotel restaurant and all three of those places are breastfeeding friendly which I think is great. When I was working at the chain restaurant I saw several women happily breastfeeding at the table where they were sat and nobody said anything.
I was breastfed back in the 80s, but no one really gave my mother any advice about how to do it. Apparently in the beginning she'd end up spilling milk in my eye when trying to get me to latch. I find this hilarious now but for a new mum with no Internet and no help it must have been pretty stressful!
Hell even with the internet I’ve squirted both my child end in the eyes with milk more than once. It’s almost impossible to not squirt milk at least once while breastfeeding especially in the beginning
In the beginning the babies cries will induce a milk spurt - and your nipples cant really hold it lol. Every mother has shot her babies eyes at least once, I guarantee you. When youre leaking and not fast enough, it happens all thw time.
My mom has her kids in the 60s and 70s. She had to battle with the hospital to bring us to her to breastfeed. She was so happy to see how much support I was given, having a child in the 2000s.
I nursed my kiddo for 14 months. I was shocked that something that I thought "should" be natural and easy was so difficult! I was fortunate enough to be able to work with a lactation specialist through the hospital where I gave birth. Towards the end, I relied heavily on a Medela pump and my kiddo drank my milk from a cup rather than a bottle. (Which seemed very weird to me at the time, but was much more practical for extended nursing into toddlerhood.) I'm so glad you shared the history of nursing in this video. It's actually reassuring that women have been struggling with these issues for thousands of years. I think as long as Baby is happy and healthy, it's up to the mother to figure out what works best for her. Also, it's perfectly fine to nurse AND formula feed Baby. It doesn't have to be exclusively one or the other. I think a lot of new moms don't have many breastfeeding moms in their social circles, so if they decide to nurse, and things go wrong, there isn't enough support or information on what to do or what's "normal." For instance, I used to worry that I wouldn't produce enough milk when my child got older. But thanks to the lactation specialist, I learned that the fat content changes over the months to match Baby's life cycle. It's really fascinating. The color changes, too. So even though I produced about the same amount of milk, in ounces, throughout the course of those 14 months, there was always enough milk to keep my kiddo full, happy, and healthy. And once Baby begins experimenting with solid food, things become so much easier. On the plus side, my kiddo is now an adult. Kiddo has almost never been sick throughout Kiddo's life. My mother was unable to nurse me due to health reasons and I was sick ALL THE TIME as a kid. It might be a coincidence, but I really do think that breastmilk gave my kiddo a health advantage that I didn't have. So even though it was difficult, I feel like I made the right decision for me and my child at that time. However, because of my mother's health concerns, I also feel like my mother made the right decision to formula-feed me and my siblings. It really is, and should always be, a personal choice.
I nursed my firstborn who was born in an Army hospital in Japan in 1970. All the women in my life were in the States and we didn't have a phone so there was no calling Mom for help (she also nursed her babies.) The military nurses and medics in the hospital were encouraging, but mostly clueless. I was unbelievably grateful for La Leche League! Their publications gave me the courage and knowledge to do what was unusual in those days. My two other children didn't come along until 9-10 years later after we returned to the States and my husband completed his BA and MA. When they were born, birthing rooms were becoming common and "rooming in" after birth was typical. What a change!
My grandmother had an experience that rings true from this. Gave birth to a big chubby baby, but because the nurses would only bring him to feed on the hospital's schedule, not his own hunger, he was losing weight in the hospital. Too tired from crying when they brought him to feed :( Luckily out of the hospital he chubbed up again.
Greek doctors and philosophers were also considered 'experts' long into Western society (the whole idea of humors lasted embarrassingly long in Western medicine) so a lot of their ideas still have ramifications today
I was told that my father and all his siblings were formula fed in the 60s, because it was suggested or even encouraged by the doctors. My other grandmother breastfed all 3 of her babies during the same time period. I have no children but I can see how incredibly draining both physically and mentally breastfeeding could be, especially in modern times. It’s awful that no matter what mothers do, society will find a way to shame their decisions.
If you are home with the baby and you don't need to rely on a daycare or babysitter, breastfeeding can actually be LESS effort than bottlefeeding. I have done both, and formula feeding was harder because I had to feed baby AND constantly wash bottles, and I was also pumping at first too. A lot of the formula was also wasted if I made a bottle and I guessed wrong at how much baby would want. With breastfeeding, we just nurse, burp, and it's done! Of course, working moms may benefit from bottles more than I did.
I loved this video, wonderful job as always! I come from a huge southern family and all aunts, my mom, everybody breastfed. I married young and had my daughter at 20. The first week or so was really hard, but the lactation consultant at my hospital was AMAZING! Once baby and I finally got the swing of things, I was so glad I stuck with it. I was producing so much I was able to donate milk back to the hospital. My cousin had also had her daughter just 3 months before I did, and we would nurse each others children, if one of us went out on an errand or was watching the girls, it was just so much easier. I breastfed my daughter until she was 2, she would walk right up to me in a room full of people and jump in my lap and start lifting my shirt up, my friends made fun of me, and were telling me I needed to ween her. I soon did, she went from breast to cup. My mother breastfed me until I was 3, so I can only imagine I did the same thing to her! But I still remember breastfeeding my daughter in the waiting room at my dentist's office, fully covered with a blanket, nothing showing, and I knew it made the 2 old men in the room so uncomfortable, but screw that! Would they rather hear her scream and cry or let her quietly feed??? No one should ever feel shame for giving their baby what it needs. Whatever your choice as a mother, whatever works for you, own it, be proud!
Finally! I was thinking to suggest this topic since AUGUST is considered as breastfeeding month. Watching while breastfeeding, already on our 30th month. The best decision that we made.
My boys take after me: mouths so small that latching is an issue, that along with COVID altered practices (most lactation consultants that I’ve looked up won’t come to the home anymore), and my own inability to produce enough milk, I’ve had to formula bottle feed. It took a long time and everyone in my life repeating: fed is best, there is no shame in how you feed your baby. Thank you for this video!
While I knew it was an issue before, I never realized how much super basic information about women was left out of most historical conversations?? Not to preach to the choir but things like, how periods were handled at different times... Something most women deal with often, for most of their lives. I consume a lot of history videos/books/documentaries and, though admittedly I hadn't ever looked for it, I don't know how Lindsay's video is the first comprehensive *anything* I've come across on it??
P.S. could you do a vid on the history of what ppl dressed their babies in? Like how Victorian Era babies (boys and gals) wore dresses etc. Awesome vid :). It should be noted that men can produce breast milk, but not as easily (or in as large quantities when compared with women). It's also generally associatrd with other underlyinh health issues (for men) such as cirrohsis of thr liver, a side effect of steroids, hormone fluctuation at puberty, etc.
Thank you for this video. It was very informative. I was born in 1946. My mother's doctor told her bottlefeeding was healthier, so I was bottlefed. She had two more babies, both bottlefed. But when she had another, she thought, "Wait a minute! My body fed my baby before birth, how could it be unhealthy to have my body feed her after her birth?" So the first three of us were bottlefed, the last three were breastfed. She had to fight with her doctors about it, and she struggled at first because there were no sources of advice. But she did it, a wonderful example for me. When I had my first baby, my doctor was angry when I told him I would be breastfeeding. But I did it, and all three of my children were breastfed. I had read "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding," which helped immensely. My daughter did not produce milk for her first, but subsequently found out that she had low thyroid. She took Synthroid, and was able to breastfeed her next baby. Women who can't breastfeed should not feel guilty, though. While breastfeeding is ideal, the most important thing is love and nurturing.
@@lyndalcushing8528 So true, but this has been happening for centuries. Women have been infantilized in mens' minds to justify making all the decisions for us. But women today aren't having it!
Wow! This is an amazing video! As a woman of color and mother of 2 I breastfed both of my children. When I went back to work after my maternity leave I had to fight like hell to have a place to pump and store my breast milk.
@Women's Rights was a Mistake Sadly, many find it gross, especially if you go further than 6 months or 1 year. I personally nursed in public once and was instantly shamed by an older couple that said it was gross to do in public lol
@@noneofurbusiness5223 I also went to school to be an RN, and that was absolutely not the case. None of us had any issues with breast feeding, and in fact learned of its benefits
@@omegasage777 I'm happy for you. I personally thought it was weird that well educated people where weirded out in OB by nsg. And yes, we learned all about breast feeding. However, their were lots of comments: gross; disgusting, etc.
Breastfeeding/nursing my daughters made me feel so powerful. It was the most beautiful experience with my babies. It was also very difficult some days.
My grandmother was able to produce so much milk that she was able to cook rice pudding and after my sister had stillbirth to her first son, she needed the double dose of medication to stop lactation, because with a single dose, the milk still was flowing
As a none mother (I don’t plan to be one either) I found this very insightful and absolutely beautiful and eye opening. I remember working at a vet clinic and one of my coworkers just had a baby. She was super eager to come back to work, but of course also missed her baby and had her maternal duties to uphold. She was able to take a room to either feed or pump whenever she needed to and luckily she worked out a time when the clinic was slow so there was never any clashing. I don’t know why I just thought it was so cool that everyone was super supportive about it. We all loved when the baby was brought over, everyone was willing to help any way they could, no one felt uncomfortable about it (granted with vet clinics you sort of get over nudity in a strange way, I guess having a finger in the tenth dog’s butt that day makes you realize it’s just anatomy lol) but it was so beautiful how we all came together like a community to help out.
This was an unexpected but very interesting lesson! I always knew breastfeeding was a touchy topic, but until now, I never really understood why. This was very enlightening! Thank you for sharing this! It'll certainly help me once I become a mother myself! ❤️
This is wonderful, Lindsay! I'm a peds nurse and I can't wait to share this video with my providers and lactation consultants. They're going to absolutely love it!
I fed a friends infant when the mom was too sick to nurse. I took her home with me for 3 days to feed her. Luckily she latch right back on to momma no confusion. I have also nursed all of my nieces and nephew. In our family if a baby was hungry we fed it. All of my 4 sisters and 1sister in law breastfeed. We agreed to cross nurse. Not every female was pregnant at the same time but most of the time we would have 2-3 babies still nursing. We also nurse our babies for 2 to 3 years. Cross nursing is a very old custom.
I am certain that I have many health issues because my mother refused to breastfeed me. She thought it was gross to "have someone suck off you". I was born in 1984. My first baby is now 4 months old. I treasure our breastfeeding time. The first month we supplemented one bottle a day of formula, she had lost a tremendous amount of weight from jaundice. We slowly phased out the formula after I saw that the first ingredient was "corn syrup" and she would scream in pain for houra from gas pain. She just turned 4 months old and I exclusively breastfeed. There were challenges but now it's easy, and I can rely on it to calm her down, help her sleep, and honestly it makes me feel a sense of bliss I have never experienced before in my life. I am grateful I get to have this experience, I know so many don't have the chance.
I did extended breastfeeding with my children. People don’t realize how common it is from an anthropological perspective and in many non western countries. I had lots of pressure to wean at 1 and definitely at 2.
So did I. I breastfed each of my last 4 kids for 2+ years each... My Mom called me a 🐄. I wish I would have breastfed my 3 older kids (they are in their 20s now) but I was very young and I listened to my Mom who said breastfeeding was gross...
@@kristywalton11 damn that's awful! My mom couldn't breastfeed but my dad is so loving he would've watched in amazement. When my mom had my brother in her first marriage she had to get a C-section and her husband said her body was ruined. My dad came into my mom's life and when she left he first husband for my dad, the first thing my dad tell her was they it was the mos beautiful scar because that's where her baby came from 🥺❤️ I'm so glad my dad gave me a good male role to look up to because now I'm with a guy who's just as amazing and understanding. Although my mom wasn't happy when she was having me and my father was asking the doctor all sorts of questions about what my mom's body parts did- 😂
Correction: Moses was fed by his own mother when his sister said, “shall I fetch a nurse for him?“ and then brought his own mother, who was paid for her service.
@@saschamayer4050 Moses was adopted by the wife of a Pharaoh. The women brought to the Pharaoh's wife to feed the baby just so happened to be Moses' actual mother.
I am currently breastfeeding my child. I’m going on 13 months almost 14 months now. The only reason I was able to last this long was because I am able to work from home full time. I have no access to childcare. No help from my government that I pay too much in taxes to. There is no support for American mothers. Yet they want us to continue to produce babies! US parents need so much more help to take care of the babies that are already here. I feel for everyone who doesn’t have the privilege of staying home to feed their child! ❤️❤️❤️M
You should realize the problem is that 'they' DON'T want you to produce babies which is exactly why its so 'inconvinient' . What 'they' actually want is you to WORK so you can pay those taxes. Tote that barge, lift that bale, punch that clock. They dont want you taking care of a baby. ' They' need half of all people, women, out there providing labor for those factories and businesses and earning money so you can pay taxes. You are chattel to 'them'. You've got the problem backwards.
Awww I've nursed all my babies and a couple friends babies. I'm a superproducer and my youngest was premature so I had a ton to share. Nursed the oldest for 18m, the middle for 2 years and the youngest for over 3½. Mama if you are reading this and are in the USA, just know you have federal rights that protect you. Your employer must provide a room to pump in that has a lock and is not a bathroom. Use your voice ❤️
@History Tea Time. Thank you for your content. The knowledge I have gained here has changed my whole POV about royalty and the tropes or stereotypes attached to them. I have so much more compassion and empathy twds an existence none of us could ever comprehend. Thank you.
See me personally, I would’ve been upset asf if I had to risk my life during childbirth for my cheating abusive husband giving him an heir to the throne and come to find out I can’t breast feed my child, and is instructed to go right back to baby making… _but that’s just me_ 🤷🏾♀️
Baby-making would've been your finest function back then XD Women in pre-modern society could accumulate their own power, if they were smart enough, but that power relied upon the survival of your dynasty, the kids you had with your asshole husband. And infant mortality were high; one heir would never be enough, and the girls would be needed for alliances. Get back in bed and keep churning out kids, maybe two in five survives! It was altogether horrible -_-
Thank you for this very informative video. My mom had triplets in 1990 me and 2 brothers and somehow fed us all until my 2 brothers died of health issues in the hospital. She then went on to have my younger brother who is 15 months younger than me. Fed all of us as best she could and used formula for us after a couple of months.
It’s mad that people actually used to think women passed their personalities down via breast milk which is why wetnurses had to pass serious physical and background checks and were almost always married women who had recently lost a baby. I mean, surely enough kids who had different personalities to their mothers or nurses that it would have been obvious this wasn’t a thing
It's probably more like since wetnurses were sometimes also basically nannies it reflected later in attachment styles or less calm wetnurses would get in more court squabbles
@@merchantfan I suppose so, there probably is some correlation between who is caring for you and who you grow to be, but noble or royal children would often have an army of caretakers and the idea that the shape of a wetnurse’s skull would affect the child’s personality is just so weird lol
That's history,cannot condone things in the past by looking at them from today's perspective. We are supposed to learn from it, not judge with hindsight.
@@carolewynn9407 we can absolutely do both. How far back do you define as history? Can we not judge a man for raping a child in 1950 because it’s ‘the past’?
This video is different than most on this channel. The history of royalty and such is fun and informative, but I really enjoyed this one, too. It is the kind of history that everyone should know about because along with breastfeeding being kept hidden and shamed, comes the denigratiion and oppression of women from those who do not reapect us or our bodies.
This, as always is an ongoing battle. As a NICU and labor and delivery nurse I see this struggle played out daily. Mothers are told “Breast feeding should be easy and natural. “. It is NOT. It takes work, dedication, and determination. Our society has so many double standards that our placed on our new mothers that it amazes me that any babies are successfully breast fed at all. Over the last 30 years I have personally seen the trends swinging back to breastfeeding but in many hospitals where the budget now rules and not the good of the patient “unnecessary “ positions such as lactation consultants are being cut out and it is falling on the floor nurses to provide all the education and support to these mothers while taking care of 3 to four mother baby couplets which is six to eighty patients a shift. You can image how little time there is per couplet and how that early support is not being provided. Thank you for covering this subject so well.
Being in Canada I had maternity leave to start with but also, despite difficulties at the start, I was physically able to do it, I didn't mind it and it meant we didn't need to buy formula which was one kind of convenience so I carried on. Someone I knew basically tortured herself by constantly pumping multiple times a day out of guilt because she refused to "give in" and use formula. Breastmilk has benefits sure, but FED IS BEST. I feel very sure if you look at a class of kindergarteners you can't tell by looking who had formula or breastmilk. The ongoing shortage of formula is horrible.
As a teacher, I can tell you that whomever released information that breast fed babies are smarter than formula babies is an absolute lie. Going from breast to plain skim milk will cause failure to thrive. Formula? Never
I am also in Canada and I only breast fed my two daughters until 3 months and 2 months. I don't know how American moms do it with such terrible mat leave. I had a great supply and support but I just didn't enjoy it and felt really touched out. Fed is absolutely best. I felt horrible stopping with my first but with my second I was much kinder to myself. I can't believe women in US manage to breastfeed and work because breastfeeding is literally a full time job.
My sister struggled to breastfeed in the beginning with her sons because of how painful and chapped her nipples got but she ended up being able to breastfeed both of them until they were at least 3. But in the end, fed is best. No matter if it's formula or breast milk. Child rearing is hard enough without added, unnecessary pressure.
Well technically breast milk does do far more than formula could ever do for the mom AND baby. Breast milk changes as the baby grows and needs different nutrients.
I was formula fed after 6 weeks of my mum struggling to breastfeed & me losing lots of weight, I turned out fine. I breastfed my eldest until 18 months and are currently breastfeeding my 6 month old, neither have ever had a bottle. As long as the baby is being fed and is happy and healthy & mum is healthy too, that’s all that should matter.
I just love the variety of fascinating topics which you investigate as well as your wry sense of humour - this is definitely one of my favourite UA-cam channels (o:
I didn’t even know a milk bank existed! What an amazing thing. I will say I no idea how hard it was to breastfeed until my sister had kids. I’d hear it could be tricky but I saw first hand it’s harder for some mothers than other.
Interesting! Thank you for pointing out that women receive pressure in ALL aspects of feeding. So many women today say they’re judged for choosing to breast feed, but I found the opposite to be true. I tried nursing my son but found it painful and so difficult that I chose to bottle feed him. With this came intense judgement from family, friends and outsiders claiming I didn’t try hard enough. This broke my heart and was already suffering from severe postpartum depression.
Love the focus on women's history on this channel! I also had trouble breastfeeding but was able to produce some milk via pumping. I am so happy there are good options for mothers these days: whether you choose to pump, breastfeed or give formula, or a combo of any of the three.
I pumped for both my kids (10 years old and 7 months old as of this comment). I still had to supplement with formula some of the time. Having the perspective I do have fed is best. No matter how you choose to feed your child, either by breastfeeding or formula, as long as they are getting the amount they need to survive and thrive that is all that matters. At the end of the video it mentioned the formula supply crisis. We are still being affected today (7 months later) but not as badly. Some stores run out of their supply really fast when their shipments come in.
They're blurring out breastfeeding now?! Come ON, UA-cam... My daughter and I had a difficult time breastfeeding. I didn't produce much milk, but it was just enough. She got formula and breastmilk after the first while, but wouldn't breastfeed past four months. I still pumped though and she had enough for one bottle per day of breastmilk up to her first birthday. I'm jealous of women who have TONS of milk!
My mother had a lot of milk and since me and my cousin were born almost in the same period she helped breastfeeding him. I also was breastfeed till I was 2, she never swept the breast milk to baby formula, I thank her a lot for that 🙏
Fennel essential oil DOES work to increase breast milk production. My daughter got very sick soon after she delivered her 2nd daughter. She couldn't nurse her for a week. She went back to breastfeeding but didn't have much milk. So she applied fennel EOs to her breasts, and her milk came back to normal.
I have absolutely loved breastfeeding my little girl. It hasn’t always been easy, but I find it such a beautiful thing to share with my baby. I’ve gotten some rude comments about feeding in public, but luckily, my husband has perfected a really good dirty look for those people.
I breastfed my daughter until she was 17 months and my son until he was three years old. It was difficult in the beginning with the oldest and my milk dried up when she was only a week old after I went through some distress. Luckily, with pumping it came back. Moms need lots of support and care to breastfeed. Every woman I know had some struggle with it.
When I saw the title of this video, it reminded me of how Queen Victoria chastised her daughters for breastfeed and said it made them the equivalent of cows... 😬
@Women's Rights was a Mistake name-calling your daughters as cows for breastfeeding their children/your grandchildren is just rubbish. But from your profile name, I'm just going to refrain from engaging you further. You're just going to waste my time.
@@areiaaphrodite I don't have kids yet (I want kids in the future) but it's unlikely I'll be able to breastfeed for long because both my mum and her mum had breast milk deficiencies.
My grandmother was a wet nurse, and I breastfed my daughter till she was 2 1/2 and even donated breastmilk to help feed 2 other baby girls. I love this video so much!
In my case, I was both breastfed and bottle-fed, and the same went with my brother. Sometimes it was breast milk, sometimes it was formula from a bottle. I'm 21 now, and my brother (almost 19) and I turned out just fine.
Thank you so much for this video. I am a long-time fan and advocate of your work and documentaries, and this particular video has been my all-time favourite! As a first-time mom who breastfed my son until his second birthday, I support and approve this message 100%. I look forward to more videos like these. God bless you Lindsay. Keep up the good work.
I feel very blessed to have given birth our five children during years that were supportive of the practice. My first were twins, and through drinking a “Big Gulp” of water while I nursed them, I continued to make plenty of milk. In fact, I nodded off twice and my milk spilled into the motors when I tried pumping in 1989! Our son was weaned at 8 months because he thought it was funny to bite while he nursed with his little baby teeth. His twin sister had to be kind of encouraged off of the breastfeeding at twelve months. The three daughters after that were nursed for 10-12 months. I saw the power of breast milk in our fourth child. As soon as she weaned, she began having terrible eczema, clawing at her legs and drawing blood. She had been fine up until she weaned! I very much enjoyed nursing. The few times I went to the mall with babies or a baby I can remember that one forward thinking department store had a nursing lounge, while I sat on the floor of a dressing room at another store! Again, I’m so thankful I was in a society where I could nurse comfortably in public with a light blanket over the baby. Most Americans aren’t quite ready to see breasts in action quite yet, even thirty years later! Ha ha That’s a whole topic in and of itself!
Love this video learned a few things I didn't know I have breastfed 2 kids 2 years each so 4 years all together and in 6 months will be doing it all over again with a new baby breastfeeding is amazing and just creates that strong bond well it did for me anyways it's an amazing experience
I love your videos so much! I researched a lot about breastfeeding and how much shaming is behind it is insane. Especially if we think about how normal it is to drink cows milk or goat milk. I was only able to breastfeed for about 1 month as my daughter has a genetic disorder and needed to be tube fed from 3 weeks on. I was lucky as my breastfeeding experience was so good, I had pretty much zero problems and my milk came in very early. When she stopped nursing, I cried for days because I felt something missing and I blamed myself so much.
As a nanny for 15 years.... I came across a family who still breastfeed their 6 year old along side the 3 year old The 6 year old never touched any food while the 3 year old was happy to eat mashed I had to convince the parents to stop BF the 6 year old as 1 he was too old and 2 the son would have a temper tantrum at school lunch time as he refused their food or any other milk and made his behaviour unbearable.... He was kicked out of 2 primary school due to his behaviour and after 2 months of no BF he became a different kid, at 20 he's a gentleman, a kind boyfriend to his GF and is doing well at college
Yes, while working as a nanny, I too had a mother with a newborn nursing on one breast and her three year old on the other breast. The three year old was jealous of the newborn. I feared that he might harm the baby. The three year old would fill up on fat rich breast milk and then not want to eat table food the rest of the day.. The three year old was very spoiled. I can see the necessity of breast feeding older children in third world countries. But, for the most part, breast milk does not give an older child the proper nutrition or prepare their digestion to process table foods.
@@ithacacomments4811 I've also seen that same situation, jealousy does happen and I've seen the older one punch the baby in the face Plus a 3 year old should have equal access to the booby as a baby, they eill drink more and reduce what is left for baby Many cases I've seen kids grow up spoiled and selfish, it's different in other countries as there are large families and mum may feed many as they have no choice but who truly wants to be milked 247?
@@Lulu-ut9pv I think that breastfeeding a child between 1 and 6 months is best if you are able to do it. Breastfeeding after age 2 is ridiculous in my opinion. They need to be eating normal food.
Great overview!!! I struggled to breastfeed my first however after tons of help from a LC was able to BF all the way to 11months. My last pregnancy was twins and I lost the one and the other stayed in the NICU for 6 months as they were born extremely prematurely. I was encouraged to pump and some how had massive excess in milk. Also interesting my son was so sensitive to dairy that I was unable to consume any while attempting to breastfeed or feeding him pumped milk for if I did some serious consequences would happen. I was able to make a huge donation to the Milkbank when my son was discharged. It was cute as they sent a little thank you letter in the mail for the donation. I'm so happy I was able to do it! Feeding your child(ren) is a journey.
I had difficulty breastfeeding both my daughters. There wasn't enough coming out. With my oldest , I had a friend who would breastfeed her as she had a baby 9 months older . The baby would look at my daughter like "dude what are you doing with my food!" You'd be surprised how many times I was told not to pick up my babies because of the shit theory from Dr Spock. I told everyone to politely piss off!
I have to confess that I don't mind either nursing, or bottle fed, but I do have an issue with toddlers who climb onto their mother's lap, only to pull out her breast to nurse. This is merely a pacifier since the child eats 3 meals and uses a cup. To me, that's just as rude as a mother allowing a toddler to interrupt a phonecall so they can ask questions. Teach your child to nurse when they're hungry.
Thank you so much for sharing this Lindsay! I’ve never seen such a comprehensive history of the topic. Absolutely wild, considering just how integral it is to raising babies. I was a bottle baby, soy formula because I was allergic to the mainstream stuff. Sometimes I wonder if that has had an impact on my ability to socialize because I pretty well skipped that early stage of development. I really wish their was more research on the topic, and that breastfeeding wasn’t so stigmatized :/
My mom never breastfeed but that was only because and she had my first brother she ended up getting a really bad ammonia and it dried up her milk. Then when she had my second brother and me she figured may as well just bottlefeed us too. The only reason I can't breastfeed is because I'm on the spectrum so I have a lot of sensitivity issues. My breasts are unfortunately really really sensitive asf. I would not be able to breastfeed cause of if :( Here's a great tip for all the women who don't wanna breastfeed or if you're about to start weaning your baby - cabbage leaves. They soak in the milk and get rid of the soreness!
What you said is very interesting to me. My daughter who is almost 18; is mid-high ASD; she really struggles finding soft comfortable and supportive bras; for her large size. I was unable to breastfeed her or her brother more then a tiny bit; because I had complications with the breast reduction surgery I had.
@@mienafriggstad3360 yea bras are so uncomfortable for me too. I found that wearing soft bras help. Ones with no underwire and have a silk/satin fabric. I usually get my back band 2 sizes up. So instead of 36 I'll buy 40s. But I only wear them for work. I'm braless the rest of the time. Most of the time I don't really wear any clothes at home because clothes in general feel so icky!
My mother was widely criticized for breastfeeding my sisters and me in the 1950s. It’s so odd and very sad that women who need to use formula now get judged. Every child is different. Do what is best for your child and your situation.
@@Liitebulb because using formula was new and modern! Breastfeeding was what primitive women did! She also went natural with me instead of doing the modern and painless “twilight sleep” where they knocked you out and you woke up with a baby.
I had problems breastfeeding, also had to go back to work after 3 weeks with the first one. The second was bottle fed in the hospital and couldn't latch. Three and four went better, but the last one only went 5 months as we had to move across country. Youngest daughter did and oldest couldn't for other reason. It's definitely better for babies.
Sometimes I wonder how humans survived at all. Crazy. I breastfed all 3 of my children for 6 or 7 weeks before I had to get ready to go back to work. It was painful and horrible all 3 times but I had such pressure to do it that I felt I had no choice. People need to just leave mothers alone and let them do whatever is best for them and their babies.
Literally started watching this video WHILE I was nursing my 5-month-old this morning (and sent a screenshot of that painting of the woman spraying the priest with milk to all my mom friends for a laugh!). Really great info and context for such a personal, physiological, and “human” topic! Definitely difficult to see the map of countries’ maternity leave policies and know that the US is only 1 of 3 in the world with no guaranteed leave for new mothers (I believe the other 2 are Papua New Guinea and Syria…but my baby brain isn’t very reliable these days). Voting for policies benefiting women, mothers, and families really does benefit a society and country as a whole, just as a little PSA. And thanks for sharing about milk donation! I have several friends who are/were super producers and donated privately during the formula shortage. And it’s amazing to think about my COVID-19 vaccine antibodies (and others) being passed on before he’s old enough to get his own shots! Anyway - bodies are amazing and crazy and weird and beautiful! Mamas are superheroes no matter how you feed your baby! ❤️🍼👶🏼🍉🍉
Carl von Linné was Swedish! He used to be on the 100 kronor note and there is a university in Växjö named after him. Anyway that aside, great video - so informative and well made. I am new to your channel and currently binging the content. Thanks so mcuh for making these videos. Much Love ❤️
my mom couldn't nurse me as a baby due to me having a birth injury and didn't with my younger brother because she had PPD severely and we both turned out fine
My mom was part of the La Leche League in her hometown. Her group was interviewed & photographed for the local paper. It was a big deal, she told me, to choose the breastfeed back then & she wanted people to know how natural it was to do so. When I had my first baby, she was in the NICU for a few days so I pumped what I could. When she was finally breathing well enough to be sent home, breastfeeding took a bit to get figured out. It was frustrating but I did have help from a lactation specialist before I left the hospital. It took a few days for the baby to figure out what to do & I was very relieved. The 3 that came after her were also breastfed. I was fortunate enough to have a job & manager that didn’t mind that I took a little extra break to pump. They took formula, too, as when I went back to work & the frozen supply dwindled. I wish the milk banks had been a bigger thing when I was breastfeeding; I would’ve donated. While I had no problem continuing to breastfeed, my sister-in-law never could; she just didn’t produce enough milk. I don’t know why. Both her girls were bottle-fed & they’re fine, too. It’s great if you can breastfeed , even for a month or so, but if you can’t-for whatever reason-there is nothing to be ashamed of. Your job is to take care of your baby and you have to do what’s good for both of you. Formula is just fine!
As long as you are feeling your child, you are acting as a good parent. I hate the stigma that comes with not breastfeeding/choosing to bottle feed. As long as you care for your child you’re a great mother.
I remember when I was in the 5th grade and my teacher had a baby, she was allowed to put a chair and a minifridge in the copy room near her classroom so that she could pump for her son in her break. I remembered thinking how cool it was, and now I'm relaizing how lucky she was to be allowed to do that.
Yeah and I remember my school being so cool about maternal leave. My first grade teacher ended up having a baby during the school year and she got to leave for a good 3-4 months. Most jobs barely want parents leaving for 2 months and it's really sad 😢
@@nevaehonrefni It is. I bet if women were allowed maternity leave and other benefits, we as a society would be much more positive and productive and therefore much better for it. If only the male establishment could see that.
@@PrincessQ-qb8ly it is weird that it doesn’t exist in the USA in many countries in Europe there is maternal and paternal leave
@@nevaehonrefni I'm Australian and I don't remember a single teacher who took less than 12 months off for maternity leave. I remember one teacher who took 2 years.
@@loralogue damn, wish the U.S would catch on
My mum struggled to breastfeed me in the early nineties, mainly because her mother had died 5 days before my birth, I didn't latch well, and her milk dried 7p completely after 10 dayd, and honestly I'm certain she STILL has unresolved trauma about how much she was shamed for it. She went on to breastfeed my two brothers successfully, and we all turned out just fine. People forget that an alive, happy baby is the only requisite needed of a parent. If you are feeding your child, you are doing it right.
Edit: spelling + grammar
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Aaaaw, that's too bad, @Sophia Nilsson. Your mother was grieving, and emotions can definitely affect milk production. Bless her heart.. she did her best at the time.
My mom got the chicken pox as soon as she gave birth to me and was not able to breastfeed me
Awww Your poor mother! It's not her fault its not like she could force you to suckle. My nephew did not take to breastfeeding either much to the relief of the woman my brother married whom gave birth to my beloved nephew that I literally can't stand but tolerate for the sake of peace...Anyhow, It's not her fault. Nor is it your fault. I think for some reason it might be a 'texture' thing. And maybe Baby Sophia Nilsson just had more fun suckling from a bottle *shrug* You are exactly right, An Alive Happy Healthy, Thriving Baby and Loving Mother is what matters. I'm sure she is an absolutely amazing mother and you, your siblings, have remained the light of her life. Its time she forgave herself. Mom's are their own harshest critics smh. How dare those mothers shame her. Perhaps she was worried you would be able to feel the immense grief she felt through the milk (It's Plausible, Stranger thighs have happened) Who knows, but the important thing is she tried..and She didn't have to deal with sore, calloused nipples in addition to her trauma and grief lol. I hope your Sweet Mum has found peace
That's so cruel that people shamed her, understandable that it was hard after such a trauma but even if there's no reason why a mother struggles no one should be shamed.
I hate that the formula shortage has aggravated the bottle feeding vs breastfeeding debate. As if women who are already feeding their babies formula, for whatever reason, will be able to suddenly switch to breastfeeding. As far as I'm concerned, either way you feed a baby is difficult, so we shouldn't be shaming women regardless of how their children are fed.
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Those a-holes have no say in womens' health and how our bodies work... the majority who are against baby formula are mainly men who think all women are the same and are built the same. Some women are forced to do formulas due to the lack of milk production from their own breasts. 😞 I don't like baby formulas due to the number of questionable ingredients, such as high number of sugar and carbs, but if it is between that or starvation... I rather the baby have that formula than nothing at all. The stress of city life makes producing milk difficult and other factors that make it hard. Thank you for your comment.
BTW, I was given breast milk until 4 months of age and was given puree food from home made food. The reason was that I was suffering from anemia and my mom was scared of baby formulas so she made her own puree food from cooked meals to make sure I had sufficient nutrition. Anyways not all breast milk are the same, and they can variety from one pregnancy to the next. It is far more complicated than "Why not just breast feed". I can understand the notion of breast feeding being important, but I also know the difficulties it can be for some women, due to my own mothers' experience with such difficulties.
Another thing I don't understand is our government worries about the low birth rates, and yet don't provide programs that would stock the selves with much needed baby supplies and food at a lower affordable prices that would make having babies easier. 🤔🤷United States isn't exactly family supportive nation, and it defiantly doesn't give a d@mn about babies after they are born. The priorities of this nation are messed up... to put it nicely.
@@LadyCoyKoi I had twins and I tried breastfeeding initially, but it didn't work out due to a difficult birth and recovery. Sometimes your best laid plans go awry and there's nothing wrong with doing your best for your children, whether that's formula feeding or breastfeeding. My kids are happy and healthy and that's what matters. I do agree, though, that new parents really do need more support. Paid maternity / paternity leave, childcare, healthcare, etc.
Nobody should be ashamed, but according to doctors real milk is best. Wether or not it comes from the mother or from another woman isn't really that relevant, but real milk is superior to formula.
@@kingexplosionmurderfuckoff9376 And yet formula feeding moms are shamed regularly for this kind of thing. As she mentioned in this video, most of the studies don't take into account socioeconomic status, which has a huge effect. For children in developed countries with access to clean water you couldn't tell which kids in any given Kindergarten class were breastfed and which were bottlefed. That doesn't mean that breastfeeding should be shamed either or that breastfeeding women shouldn't be given support. It's more that fed is best and we need to stop bothering other women about how they feed their babies.
My mom was a wet nurse when I was born, as a friend of hers had a baby but had no milk while she had more milk than I needed. She even donated milk at the hospital.
I think it's weird that she was a wet nurse but at the same time, it's kinda sweet that she helped a friend in need 😅
Funny enough, other women of my family were sure she was not going to have much milk as she has small breasts, but in the end she had more than enough 😬
Your mum is amazing. Size of breast has nothing to do with it. Nipples can be an issue if inverted or mother is stressed/ malnourished and unable to produce milk xx
I also have small breasts but size has nothing to do with how much milk you can produce. I was able to produce plenty of milk and then some. Common misconception.
@@mimimarie7968 IKR? I think it's such an interesting misconception.
Whenever my mother ate I ate too.
The size has nothing to do with milk production, they'll grow as needed
I gave birth to my girl one month ago. I was devasted when I couldn't breastfeed her due to the breast cancer I had eight years ago. I so so wanted to!
I feel like there is a Lot of pressure nowadays on women to breastfeed. Sometimes it's just not happening
You're alive to be a mother for your wee girl! I think that is worth celebrating, and anyone who shames you for not breastfeeding is wrong. As long as you're feeding her, you're doing a really good job, and she isn't losing anything from your care, love and attention.
Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot! I'm slowly coming to terms with the way things are. You are right, we love our girl so much and take the best care of her
Take care, you are doing amazing. Sending love and best wishes to you and your baby girl. ❤️
One thing that helped me work through my feelings of shame for "failing" to breastfeed was to make a list of all the ways formula benefitted my life. Anyone can feed baby! Switching off midnight feedings! No nursing bras, engorged breasts, or leaks! Knowing you live in a time with safe, healthy feeding alternatives! I now know that formula feeding was the single best thing I did for my newborn.
And nobody will ever be able to tell how you feed your daughter by looking at her. They'll just see a well-fed, thriving little girl. You got this, mama!
Thank you all!
You are right, I am so glad to live in this day and age where modern medicine saved my life and formula is around to feed my daughter in the best way that ist available to me!
I was a member of Laleche. My mother was outraged that I nursed my babies, and that was in 1974. I later began to suspect it was because she hadn't breast fed and it may have felt like I was disrespecting her. I also had a midwife and gave birth at home. Thankfully, I was at the otherside of the US!
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I'll never understand that mentality so sad
@@AirQuotes, Of course, you have to have the support and time to do so, which far too many women don't have.
@@elizabethmcglothlin5406 true I've never had anyone shame me and everyone in my family (both sides) breastfeeds with no issue. Infact I held a bottle for the first time a few years ago it felt very odd as no one in my family pumps so it felt very Unnatural to me.
I was never able to actually breastfeed because my babies were premature and wouldn’t ever take to it so I pumped but since I had triplets I never made enough to sustain all 3. We received donated breast milk in the nicu for the first 2 weeks of their lives and then switched to formula mixed with the little bit I was able to produce. At 9 weeks I quit pumping because I was barely getting anything out. I think it was the stress of having 2 at home and one still in the nicu and only being able to see her 1 day a week due to being 2 hours away, not driving and my husband not being able to take any more time off of work. I was extremely upset about not being able to continue but happy I was able to give them what I was able to.
You are bloody amazing mamma. I was challenged feeding one full term baby. Rest and support is required and this is rare for a woman of average financial means in this day and age. I know of a woman who pumped for her prem baby around the clock as so tiny needed very small but very frequent feeds absolutely exhausting. Be so very proud of birthing three souls on to the earth xx
@@judeross3875 thank you very much for that!❤️
Girl, you are wonder woman and don't let any misgonist,jealous or dimwitted person tell you anything. Our bodies are temples thar can support life and take pain of birth and still go to work. Men just cry when they get common colds 😑
A lot of women have trouble breastfeeding for a variety of reasons. You did what you had to do to get your little ones food, and that's what counts.
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Things said to me whilst breast feeding:
'We have a room for that' (a tiny room a pram didn't fit in and the light was broken)
"You're still feeding him" (he was 6 months)
"You're weaning already? Do you just want to be able to drink?" (He was 18 months)
"He'll settle easier on formula" (he slept through the night)
"He feeds so much, your milk must not be enough" and "you feed him too much, his going to get fat" (my mum said both)
My aunt had the best when my second bit her finger. He didn't have teeth. "That's his strength? Rip your breasts! I don't know how you feed him so much and survive. You're very strong"
My mother could not produce milk, and I only produced enough for the first two months postpartum. I was made to feel guilty about it by people who should have known better. Do not criticize another mom about how or what she feeds her babies. As long as they are fed and loved, it shouldn't matter.
@Women's Rights was a Mistake you were a mistake
same here, they refered to me as cry baby even if all it was, was that my mom's nipples weren't designed to feed newborns but no one showed her any remedies for it. My older brother was nursed by my mom's twin sis who had a baby few months earlier. So the older one had more strength to be fed by my mom. There was just no cousin around when I was born. But my aunt was the first one to lose it with me and gave me formular. And suddenly I was a happy baby.
I think any amount breastfeeding is well done, and no breastfeeding should not be shamed either. Frankly, the fact that you're here means your mum fed you and was successful too, even if it wasn't "from the breast", it still was whatever was best for you and her.
I struggled to breastfeed for other reasons. I saw several lactation consultants. I internalized their insistence that I try to make breastfeeding work no matter what, even though it made my life a living nightmare. I didn't feel like they saw me as a human being with my own needs. The day I switched to formula, everything about my motherhood experience improved. It was the best decision I made for my baby and for my family. Too many women don't have adequate support for breastfeeding, and that needs to change. It should be celebrated. But I feel like many professionals are so laser-focused on breastfeeding no matter what, that they do a huge disservice to mothers whose best option is formula.
@@Miksei I had a horrible time with lactation specialists, too. Too many medical professionals have an idea already in their head how things are supposed to go and refuse to consider maybe now and then it doesn't work that way or maybe not at all.
Yes, I really did like this video. I breastfeed all 5 of my children until they were 18 months then they went straight to a cup. It was one of the most enjoyable times of being a mother for me. What a shame men have too much say so in female reproduction and nursing since the men do neither 😕
Enter doulas! Haha. They add new science to the beautiful traditions of the past!
My mom said I 'loved the boob' and so I was breastfed for about the same time and went straight to a cup too, bypassing bottles and pacifiers
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I also nursed until my kids could use a sippy cup, but they usually were drinking by 8 months. No way could I go 18 months of nursing
@@gg_ingy good on you. It was not enjoyable for me so I was thrilled once solids and sippy cups were mastered, no need for nursing. My blender was my best friend as everything the family ate so did the baby.
Couldn’t drink my mother’s milk back when I was born in the 2000’s so I was on this weird formula that wasn’t tested properly. Well as it turns out, after a lifetime of my stomach and digestive system not working properly, my mom got sent the link to a lawsuit for the people who made it. Apparently a lot of people either have the stomach issues that I have or they contracted a disease that ate away at their insides. It’s really awful and I really don’t feel like we’re as careful as we should be with those types of things
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We should definitly be careful about the testing, but luckily in todays age we have so many tests it has to complete that things like this are almost impossible. I'm very sorry you have to go through this.
I too have a chronic inflammed digestive system and bad stomach acid caused by my mother starting solids too soon. Sadly now everyone wants to start solids as soon as possible for no reason, disregarding their babys health for no reason.
Was it similac
@@sharissasterling3720 I think so. My mom took me off of it pretty quick but damage was done lol
@@KimberRose16 same, similac had gotten me so sick that the doctors thought I had meningitis
Yeah, my grandma said “forget that” to the whole Dr. Spock era societal norms and breastfed, cuddled, held and loved on each and every one of her children and was a card carrying member of the Le Leche League! I whole heartedly believe that breast is best but I also don’t think you’re a bad mom for using formula.
Good on your mom. My mother nursed all 6 kids successfully, however, she felt le leche members were bullies towards her when she weaned us at 10 months
Fed is best. As long as the baby is being fed, there is no need to shame moms for either choice
Agreed!,
@@omegasage777 saying either “fed is best” or “breast is best” can both be very damaging to nursing people. It is an undeniable fact that breast milk is the healthiest milk that a baby can get, so in that case it is better. But if it’s causing the nursing person to break down mentally, is painful, supply issues, or any other reason a person would want to stop then formula is better. Neither is perfect, but we shouldn’t pit the sides against each other either.
It’s EXTREMELY hard to breast feed and stick to it for some women, especially when they’d rather do formula. For others it’s JUST as hard to say that the best thing to do is stop breast feeding because they wanted to do it so badly. Saying either of these things is damaging to nursing people. I think you’re right, but I also think the original commenter is right in what they are saying, but that using those lines are damaging because of the way it has been used to pit women against each other and hurt the fragile mental health of new parents.
I say this as a mother who breast fed for over 24 months combined🤱
@@hannahsenders6462 I think the person that said "fed is best" is saying that as long as the baby gets food (no matter how), then that works best.Tit or bottle, doesn't matter, as long as that child has the nutrient it needs.
The recent formula shortage in the US brought to light lots of stigmas related to breastfeeding vs formula feeding that I thought (or hoped) we had moved past as a society.
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I agree, but mother's milk is best. Real milk from the mother or a wet nurse is ideal, and much better than formula.
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But it’s not always a viable option . And if a woman just simply doesn’t want to breastfeed that’s her perogative too
Unfortunately our society is set up for the vast majority of new mothers especially if they have to work to fail in breastfeeding. There is a true lack of support from everything including misconceptions about how much better breast milk is than formula to employers making it impossible for new mothers to pump during their work day. There is huge money industry that advertises and promotes formula over breast milk and way too much of our society has bought into it.
@@kingexplosionmurderfuckoff9376 have you done it?
Breastfeeding was one of the things I looked forward to the most when I was pregnant. It seemed like such a great bonding opportunity with my baby, and everyone told me all my baby weight would just melt off from it. It was unfortunately not a good experience for me. I apparently have flat nipples, and no matter what I tried, it was just excruciatingly painful. My nipples stayed raw and bloody. My baby started puking up blood from my milk, and I finally called it quits after 3 God awful months. I had conflicting emotions about it. There was an enormous sense of relief that I wouldn’t keep suffering, but it took me years to get rid of the feeling of shame I had for not being able to feed my baby. I tried again with my other two children and started to experience the same thing again. Luckily, I was able to pump and feed them without having to deal with the pain of nursing. It was so bad that I dreaded breastfeeding more than labor with my subsequent children. Pumping is tedious though, and I gave up after a few months with that as well. At least they had a few months of the benefits of breastfeeding. Just to add salt to the wound though, I ended up GAINING 20 pounds each time I breastfed. The doctor said a small percentage of womens bodies go into starvation mode and hold onto fat. I was one of the “lucky” ones 🙄
I had a very similar experience. It’s terrible what people put new mothers through.
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I have flat nipples too and the only way I can nurse comfortably is with a nipple shield. My first self-weaned at 13 months and my second is 16 months but shows no sign of being done. If you decide to have more children and want to try breastfeeding again I highly recommend a shield 😊
@@ashleighcavenett3108 oh I tried them. I tried a few different ones too. I have a suspicion that my kids may have a lip tie and that may have been the issue on top of the flat nipples. I didn’t know anything about them at the time, but from talking to different moms in the years afterward, it sounds plausible. Or maybe I just have really sensitive nipples lol
@@justineharper3346 I immediately thought lip tie or tongue tie while I was reading your comment. Its surprisingly common, I had no idea until I got into the birth industry.
Women: *feed their babies*
Men: I HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT THAT!!!!
I was looking for this comment.
I was just thinking how this boils down to men controlling women's bodies. It's frustrating
@@zethcrownett2946 We allow this!
Omg, thanks for the 100 likes on my comment! And thank you Lindsay for making another compelling history video
And some am not like other women do that too
Whether you choose to breast feed or not what matters is that the child is fed and healthy. I am saddened that a lot of places are not breastfeeding friendly. I am lucky that a lot of the places in which I have worked are breastfeeding friendly so hopefully people can feel safe and comfortable to bring their children here. But with the number of places that don't allow breastfeeding it is kind of sad because it means a mother just has to give up her life and not go places and enjoy things like restaurants or shops. Just feed your child in whatever way feels the most comfortable for you and fits your lifestyle. Bottle or breast it doesn't matter as long as a child is fed.
I was never asked not to breastfeed, but I was asked different times wouldn't I like to do that in the bathroom or would I like a towel from the kitchen to put over my baby's head (when we were already using a blanket) and sometimes in restaurants several servers and the manager eventually would come over clearly disturbed that a baby was getting to eat. My oldest is 30 now, so I imagined that things had gotten better since then. Maybe not.
@@jennamakesbugs I'm British for context and have worked for a chain restaurant and a hotel in the hotel restaurant and all three of those places are breastfeeding friendly which I think is great. When I was working at the chain restaurant I saw several women happily breastfeeding at the table where they were sat and nobody said anything.
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In Sweden a restaurant owner or similar, will get a very large Fine,for denying, a child to get fed....
I love how lindsay makes History much more simple
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"Much more simple" or "much simpler". 👍
@@Ultraviolencemode That's okay. Sorry if I came across as rude!
I was breastfed back in the 80s, but no one really gave my mother any advice about how to do it. Apparently in the beginning she'd end up spilling milk in my eye when trying to get me to latch. I find this hilarious now but for a new mum with no Internet and no help it must have been pretty stressful!
Hell even with the internet I’ve squirted both my child end in the eyes with milk more than once. It’s almost impossible to not squirt milk at least once while breastfeeding especially in the beginning
In the beginning the babies cries will induce a milk spurt - and your nipples cant really hold it lol. Every mother has shot her babies eyes at least once, I guarantee you. When youre leaking and not fast enough, it happens all thw time.
There were books and pamphlets, that were extremely informative, if anything more stressful with the internet.
My mom has her kids in the 60s and 70s. She had to battle with the hospital to bring us to her to breastfeed.
She was so happy to see how much support I was given, having a child in the 2000s.
I nursed my kiddo for 14 months. I was shocked that something that I thought "should" be natural and easy was so difficult! I was fortunate enough to be able to work with a lactation specialist through the hospital where I gave birth. Towards the end, I relied heavily on a Medela pump and my kiddo drank my milk from a cup rather than a bottle. (Which seemed very weird to me at the time, but was much more practical for extended nursing into toddlerhood.) I'm so glad you shared the history of nursing in this video. It's actually reassuring that women have been struggling with these issues for thousands of years. I think as long as Baby is happy and healthy, it's up to the mother to figure out what works best for her. Also, it's perfectly fine to nurse AND formula feed Baby. It doesn't have to be exclusively one or the other. I think a lot of new moms don't have many breastfeeding moms in their social circles, so if they decide to nurse, and things go wrong, there isn't enough support or information on what to do or what's "normal." For instance, I used to worry that I wouldn't produce enough milk when my child got older. But thanks to the lactation specialist, I learned that the fat content changes over the months to match Baby's life cycle. It's really fascinating. The color changes, too. So even though I produced about the same amount of milk, in ounces, throughout the course of those 14 months, there was always enough milk to keep my kiddo full, happy, and healthy. And once Baby begins experimenting with solid food, things become so much easier. On the plus side, my kiddo is now an adult. Kiddo has almost never been sick throughout Kiddo's life. My mother was unable to nurse me due to health reasons and I was sick ALL THE TIME as a kid. It might be a coincidence, but I really do think that breastmilk gave my kiddo a health advantage that I didn't have. So even though it was difficult, I feel like I made the right decision for me and my child at that time. However, because of my mother's health concerns, I also feel like my mother made the right decision to formula-feed me and my siblings. It really is, and should always be, a personal choice.
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I nursed my firstborn who was born in an Army hospital in Japan in 1970. All the women in my life were in the States and we didn't have a phone so there was no calling Mom for help (she also nursed her babies.) The military nurses and medics in the hospital were encouraging, but mostly clueless.
I was unbelievably grateful for La Leche League! Their publications gave me the courage and knowledge to do what was unusual in those days. My two other children didn't come along until 9-10 years later after we returned to the States and my husband completed his BA and MA. When they were born, birthing rooms were becoming common and "rooming in" after birth was typical. What a change!
My grandmother had an experience that rings true from this. Gave birth to a big chubby baby, but because the nurses would only bring him to feed on the hospital's schedule, not his own hunger, he was losing weight in the hospital. Too tired from crying when they brought him to feed :( Luckily out of the hospital he chubbed up again.
Comforting to know that men have thought they knew what was best for a woman’s own body since AT LEAST 1800bc.
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Greek doctors and philosophers were also considered 'experts' long into Western society (the whole idea of humors lasted embarrassingly long in Western medicine) so a lot of their ideas still have ramifications today
I was told that my father and all his siblings were formula fed in the 60s, because it was suggested or even encouraged by the doctors. My other grandmother breastfed all 3 of her babies during the same time period. I have no children but I can see how incredibly draining both physically and mentally breastfeeding could be, especially in modern times. It’s awful that no matter what mothers do, society will find a way to shame their decisions.
If you are home with the baby and you don't need to rely on a daycare or babysitter, breastfeeding can actually be LESS effort than bottlefeeding. I have done both, and formula feeding was harder because I had to feed baby AND constantly wash bottles, and I was also pumping at first too. A lot of the formula was also wasted if I made a bottle and I guessed wrong at how much baby would want. With breastfeeding, we just nurse, burp, and it's done! Of course, working moms may benefit from bottles more than I did.
I loved this video, wonderful job as always! I come from a huge southern family and all aunts, my mom, everybody breastfed. I married young and had my daughter at 20. The first week or so was really hard, but the lactation consultant at my hospital was AMAZING! Once baby and I finally got the swing of things, I was so glad I stuck with it. I was producing so much I was able to donate milk back to the hospital. My cousin had also had her daughter just 3 months before I did, and we would nurse each others children, if one of us went out on an errand or was watching the girls, it was just so much easier. I breastfed my daughter until she was 2, she would walk right up to me in a room full of people and jump in my lap and start lifting my shirt up, my friends made fun of me, and were telling me I needed to ween her. I soon did, she went from breast to cup. My mother breastfed me until I was 3, so I can only imagine I did the same thing to her! But I still remember breastfeeding my daughter in the waiting room at my dentist's office, fully covered with a blanket, nothing showing, and I knew it made the 2 old men in the room so uncomfortable, but screw that! Would they rather hear her scream and cry or let her quietly feed??? No one should ever feel shame for giving their baby what it needs. Whatever your choice as a mother, whatever works for you, own it, be proud!
As someone that is still currently breastfeeding, I find this so fascinating.
If you have extra, please donate! A lot of babies in poverty will do better
I feed on my mother's milk.
@@kannot1 I really want to. I can barely keep up right now unfortunately. But I will definitely encourage it of other mothers.
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Same 2 months in! Hopefully I can make it a year
Finally! I was thinking to suggest this topic since AUGUST is considered as breastfeeding month. Watching while breastfeeding, already on our 30th month. The best decision that we made.
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Best time of motherhood ❤
That photo of the woman just SHOOTING milk into that man’s face 😭
my mood
I know! The annoyed look in her face makes it perfect too 👏👏👏
The Lactation of St. Bernard.
I feel so uncomfortable😢😓🤦
I’m an audio listener, which picture was that??
My boys take after me: mouths so small that latching is an issue, that along with COVID altered practices (most lactation consultants that I’ve looked up won’t come to the home anymore), and my own inability to produce enough milk, I’ve had to formula bottle feed. It took a long time and everyone in my life repeating: fed is best, there is no shame in how you feed your baby. Thank you for this video!
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I love these videos. The history of women deserves to be told
Yes, it does. We might be the “lesser sex” according to some men, but we have a rich history beginning with Eve.
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While I knew it was an issue before, I never realized how much super basic information about women was left out of most historical conversations??
Not to preach to the choir but things like, how periods were handled at different times... Something most women deal with often, for most of their lives. I consume a lot of history videos/books/documentaries and, though admittedly I hadn't ever looked for it, I don't know how Lindsay's video is the first comprehensive *anything* I've come across on it??
Yes, it is hood to hear about women, however the author takes liberties and it’s not always factual.
P.S. could you do a vid on the history of what ppl dressed their babies in? Like how Victorian Era babies (boys and gals) wore dresses etc.
Awesome vid :). It should be noted that men can produce breast milk, but not as easily (or in as large quantities when compared with women). It's also generally associatrd with other underlyinh health issues (for men) such as cirrohsis of thr liver, a side effect of steroids, hormone fluctuation at puberty, etc.
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It's not exactly the same in composition.
@@smallbeginning2 True.
Thank you for this video. It was very informative.
I was born in 1946. My mother's doctor told her bottlefeeding was healthier, so I was bottlefed. She had two more babies, both bottlefed. But when she had another, she thought, "Wait a minute! My body fed my baby before birth, how could it be unhealthy to have my body feed her after her birth?" So the first three of us were bottlefed, the last three were breastfed. She had to fight with her doctors about it, and she struggled at first because there were no sources of advice. But she did it, a wonderful example for me. When I had my first baby, my doctor was angry when I told him I would be breastfeeding. But I did it, and all three of my children were breastfed. I had read "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding," which helped immensely. My daughter did not produce milk for her first, but subsequently found out that she had low thyroid. She took Synthroid, and was able to breastfeed her next baby. Women who can't breastfeed should not feel guilty, though. While breastfeeding is ideal, the most important thing is love and nurturing.
Just what gives/gave men the right to dictate the hows and whys of breastfeeding ? It's annoying as hell.
@@lyndalcushing8528 So true, but this has been happening for centuries. Women have been infantilized in mens' minds to justify making all the decisions for us. But women today aren't having it!
Wow! This is an amazing video! As a woman of color and mother of 2 I breastfed both of my children. When I went back to work after my maternity leave I had to fight like hell to have a place to pump and store my breast milk.
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As a woman of colour? Sigh.
That's a good thing to fight for! I hope you were successful!
I was fortunate to breastfeed my last 4 kids for 2+ years each.
*Actually the wet nurse who breastfed Moses was his own biological Mom...
we got boobies and nipples yet breast feeding is “gross”?!?!??? ppl just want it to be a sex object instead of what it’s actually used for
@Women's Rights was a Mistake Sadly, many find it gross, especially if you go further than 6 months or 1 year. I personally nursed in public once and was instantly shamed by an older couple that said it was gross to do in public lol
This is sad: when I was in nursing school to be RN most of students (avg 21-25) thought nursing a baby was gross.
@@noneofurbusiness5223 I also went to school to be an RN, and that was absolutely not the case. None of us had any issues with breast feeding, and in fact learned of its benefits
@@omegasage777 I'm happy for you. I personally thought it was weird that well educated people where weirded out in OB by nsg.
And yes, we learned all about breast feeding. However, their were lots of comments: gross; disgusting, etc.
Nothing wrong with dual purpose!!
"hearing a great many men’s opinions as to what to do or not do with their own bodies" NAILED IT 👏🏼
Breastfeeding/nursing my daughters made me feel so powerful. It was the most beautiful experience with my babies. It was also very difficult some days.
My grandmother was able to produce so much milk that she was able to cook rice pudding and after my sister had stillbirth to her first son, she needed the double dose of medication to stop lactation, because with a single dose, the milk still was flowing
As a none mother (I don’t plan to be one either) I found this very insightful and absolutely beautiful and eye opening. I remember working at a vet clinic and one of my coworkers just had a baby. She was super eager to come back to work, but of course also missed her baby and had her maternal duties to uphold. She was able to take a room to either feed or pump whenever she needed to and luckily she worked out a time when the clinic was slow so there was never any clashing. I don’t know why I just thought it was so cool that everyone was super supportive about it. We all loved when the baby was brought over, everyone was willing to help any way they could, no one felt uncomfortable about it (granted with vet clinics you sort of get over nudity in a strange way, I guess having a finger in the tenth dog’s butt that day makes you realize it’s just anatomy lol) but it was so beautiful how we all came together like a community to help out.
This was an unexpected but very interesting lesson! I always knew breastfeeding was a touchy topic, but until now, I never really understood why. This was very enlightening! Thank you for sharing this! It'll certainly help me once I become a mother myself! ❤️
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This is wonderful, Lindsay! I'm a peds nurse and I can't wait to share this video with my providers and lactation consultants. They're going to absolutely love it!
Just remember fellow moms…. As long as your baby is being feed that is all that matters.
I fed a friends infant when the mom was too sick to nurse. I took her home with me for 3 days to feed her. Luckily she latch right back on to momma no confusion. I have also nursed all of my nieces and nephew. In our family if a baby was hungry we fed it. All of my 4 sisters and 1sister in law breastfeed. We agreed to cross nurse. Not every female was pregnant at the same time but most of the time we would have 2-3 babies still nursing. We also nurse our babies for 2 to 3 years. Cross nursing is a very old custom.
Those are your kids now, kids by suckling
You handled this topic so beautifully too. Thank you for your content. ❤️❤️
I am certain that I have many health issues because my mother refused to breastfeed me. She thought it was gross to "have someone suck off you". I was born in 1984.
My first baby is now 4 months old. I treasure our breastfeeding time. The first month we supplemented one bottle a day of formula, she had lost a tremendous amount of weight from jaundice. We slowly phased out the formula after I saw that the first ingredient was "corn syrup" and she would scream in pain for houra from gas pain. She just turned 4 months old and I exclusively breastfeed. There were challenges but now it's easy, and I can rely on it to calm her down, help her sleep, and honestly it makes me feel a sense of bliss I have never experienced before in my life.
I am grateful I get to have this experience, I know so many don't have the chance.
I did extended breastfeeding with my children. People don’t realize how common it is from an anthropological perspective and in many non western countries. I had lots of pressure to wean at 1 and definitely at 2.
So did I. I breastfed each of my last 4 kids for 2+ years each... My Mom called me a 🐄. I wish I would have breastfed my 3 older kids (they are in their 20s now) but I was very young and I listened to my Mom who said breastfeeding was gross...
I applaud you...
I breastfed both of mine till 3
@@chrisgeenadriver1631 I totally applaud you. I breastfed my youngest until he was 4...
@Women's Rights was a Mistake bad b8 m8
Yet we are shamed for it!
Say it louder girl!! 📣
Because MEN were uncomfortable with it. So we suffer. I love men. But again when you DON'T have breasts YOU don't get to decide!!!
My ex husband was so grossed out by my breastfeeding I eventually just gave it up :/
@@kristywalton11 damn that's awful! My mom couldn't breastfeed but my dad is so loving he would've watched in amazement. When my mom had my brother in her first marriage she had to get a C-section and her husband said her body was ruined. My dad came into my mom's life and when she left he first husband for my dad, the first thing my dad tell her was they it was the mos beautiful scar because that's where her baby came from 🥺❤️ I'm so glad my dad gave me a good male role to look up to because now I'm with a guy who's just as amazing and understanding. Although my mom wasn't happy when she was having me and my father was asking the doctor all sorts of questions about what my mom's body parts did- 😂
@@kristywalton11 my mom started yelling at them to stitch her up 😂
Correction: Moses was fed by his own mother when his sister said, “shall I fetch a nurse for him?“ and then brought his own mother, who was paid for her service.
I was thinking that and was about to comment.
What? I don't understand. 🤷♂️
@@saschamayer4050 The story is in Exodus 2 :)
@@saschamayer4050 Moses was adopted by the wife of a Pharaoh. The women brought to the Pharaoh's wife to feed the baby just so happened to be Moses' actual mother.
Yes yes
I am currently breastfeeding my child. I’m going on 13 months almost 14 months now. The only reason I was able to last this long was because I am able to work from home full time. I have no access to childcare. No help from my government that I pay too much in taxes to. There is no support for American mothers. Yet they want us to continue to produce babies! US parents need so much more help to take care of the babies that are already here. I feel for everyone who doesn’t have the privilege of staying home to feed their child! ❤️❤️❤️M
You should realize the problem is that 'they' DON'T want you to produce babies which is exactly why its so 'inconvinient' . What 'they' actually want is you to WORK so you can pay those taxes. Tote that barge, lift that bale, punch that clock. They dont want you taking care of a baby. ' They' need half of all people, women, out there providing labor for those factories and businesses and earning money so you can pay taxes. You are chattel to 'them'. You've got the problem backwards.
Awww I've nursed all my babies and a couple friends babies. I'm a superproducer and my youngest was premature so I had a ton to share. Nursed the oldest for 18m, the middle for 2 years and the youngest for over 3½. Mama if you are reading this and are in the USA, just know you have federal rights that protect you. Your employer must provide a room to pump in that has a lock and is not a bathroom. Use your voice ❤️
@History Tea Time. Thank you for your content. The knowledge I have gained here has changed my whole POV about royalty and the tropes or stereotypes attached to them. I have so much more compassion and empathy twds an existence none of us could ever comprehend. Thank you.
That painting of that woman squirting the priest with the breast milk was hilarious. I’m dead 🤣
See me personally, I would’ve been upset asf if I had to risk my life during childbirth for my cheating abusive husband giving him an heir to the throne and come to find out I can’t breast feed my child, and is instructed to go right back to baby making… _but that’s just me_ 🤷🏾♀️
Baby-making would've been your finest function back then XD Women in pre-modern society could accumulate their own power, if they were smart enough, but that power relied upon the survival of your dynasty, the kids you had with your asshole husband. And infant mortality were high; one heir would never be enough, and the girls would be needed for alliances. Get back in bed and keep churning out kids, maybe two in five survives! It was altogether horrible -_-
RIGHT!? Women were expected to produce immediately and often shamed if it was a girl rather than a boy because they wanted an heir.
Thank you for this very informative video. My mom had triplets in 1990 me and 2 brothers and somehow fed us all until my 2 brothers died of health issues in the hospital. She then went on to have my younger brother who is 15 months younger than me. Fed all of us as best she could and used formula for us after a couple of months.
It’s mad that people actually used to think women passed their personalities down via breast milk which is why wetnurses had to pass serious physical and background checks and were almost always married women who had recently lost a baby. I mean, surely enough kids who had different personalities to their mothers or nurses that it would have been obvious this wasn’t a thing
It's probably more like since wetnurses were sometimes also basically nannies it reflected later in attachment styles or less calm wetnurses would get in more court squabbles
@@merchantfan I suppose so, there probably is some correlation between who is caring for you and who you grow to be, but noble or royal children would often have an army of caretakers and the idea that the shape of a wetnurse’s skull would affect the child’s personality is just so weird lol
That's history,cannot condone things in the past by looking at them from today's perspective. We are supposed to learn from it, not judge with hindsight.
@@carolewynn9407 we can absolutely do both. How far back do you define as history? Can we not judge a man for raping a child in 1950 because it’s ‘the past’?
@@emilybarclay8831 There is a difference between social history and criminal history.
This video is different than most on this channel. The history of royalty and such is fun and informative, but I really enjoyed this one, too.
It is the kind of history that everyone should know about because along with breastfeeding being kept hidden and shamed, comes the denigratiion and oppression of women from those who do not reapect us or our bodies.
This, as always is an ongoing battle. As a NICU and labor and delivery nurse I see this struggle played out daily. Mothers are told “Breast feeding should be easy and natural. “. It is NOT. It takes work, dedication, and determination. Our society has so many double standards that our placed on our new mothers that it amazes me that any babies are successfully breast fed at all. Over the last 30 years I have personally seen the trends swinging back to breastfeeding but in many hospitals where the budget now rules and not the good of the patient “unnecessary “ positions such as lactation consultants are being cut out and it is falling on the floor nurses to provide all the education and support to these mothers while taking care of 3 to four mother baby couplets which is six to eighty patients a shift. You can image how little time there is per couplet and how that early support is not being provided. Thank you for covering this subject so well.
I'm so glad you use the words women, mother and breastfeeding. It's so refreshing in this current day and age!
Being in Canada I had maternity leave to start with but also, despite difficulties at the start, I was physically able to do it, I didn't mind it and it meant we didn't need to buy formula which was one kind of convenience so I carried on. Someone I knew basically tortured herself by constantly pumping multiple times a day out of guilt because she refused to "give in" and use formula. Breastmilk has benefits sure, but FED IS BEST. I feel very sure if you look at a class of kindergarteners you can't tell by looking who had formula or breastmilk. The ongoing shortage of formula is horrible.
As a teacher, I can tell you that whomever released information that breast fed babies are smarter than formula babies is an absolute lie. Going from breast to plain skim milk will cause failure to thrive. Formula? Never
I am also in Canada and I only breast fed my two daughters until 3 months and 2 months. I don't know how American moms do it with such terrible mat leave. I had a great supply and support but I just didn't enjoy it and felt really touched out. Fed is absolutely best. I felt horrible stopping with my first but with my second I was much kinder to myself. I can't believe women in US manage to breastfeed and work because breastfeeding is literally a full time job.
My sister struggled to breastfeed in the beginning with her sons because of how painful and chapped her nipples got but she ended up being able to breastfeed both of them until they were at least 3. But in the end, fed is best. No matter if it's formula or breast milk. Child rearing is hard enough without added, unnecessary pressure.
Well technically breast milk does do far more than formula could ever do for the mom AND baby.
Breast milk changes as the baby grows and needs different nutrients.
I was formula fed after 6 weeks of my mum struggling to breastfeed & me losing lots of weight, I turned out fine.
I breastfed my eldest until 18 months and are currently breastfeeding my 6 month old, neither have ever had a bottle.
As long as the baby is being fed and is happy and healthy & mum is healthy too, that’s all that should matter.
I just love the variety of fascinating topics which you investigate as well as your wry sense of humour - this is definitely one of my favourite UA-cam channels (o:
I didn’t even know a milk bank existed! What an amazing thing. I will say I no idea how hard it was to breastfeed until my sister had kids. I’d hear it could be tricky but I saw first hand it’s harder for some mothers than other.
Interesting! Thank you for pointing out that women receive pressure in ALL aspects of feeding. So many women today say they’re judged for choosing to breast feed, but I found the opposite to be true. I tried nursing my son but found it painful and so difficult that I chose to bottle feed him. With this came intense judgement from family, friends and outsiders claiming I didn’t try hard enough. This broke my heart and was already suffering from severe postpartum depression.
Love the focus on women's history on this channel! I also had trouble breastfeeding but was able to produce some milk via pumping. I am so happy there are good options for mothers these days: whether you choose to pump, breastfeed or give formula, or a combo of any of the three.
I pumped for both my kids (10 years old and 7 months old as of this comment). I still had to supplement with formula some of the time. Having the perspective I do have fed is best. No matter how you choose to feed your child, either by breastfeeding or formula, as long as they are getting the amount they need to survive and thrive that is all that matters.
At the end of the video it mentioned the formula supply crisis. We are still being affected today (7 months later) but not as badly. Some stores run out of their supply really fast when their shipments come in.
They're blurring out breastfeeding now?! Come ON, UA-cam...
My daughter and I had a difficult time breastfeeding. I didn't produce much milk, but it was just enough. She got formula and breastmilk after the first while, but wouldn't breastfeed past four months. I still pumped though and she had enough for one bottle per day of breastmilk up to her first birthday. I'm jealous of women who have TONS of milk!
sooo, i'm not the only one who noticed the -- cough, cough -- editing.
I nursed all 4 of my kids till 3 years of age . I try and help other moms when I can and one day hope to be a lactation consultant
I can't wait to hear this. Midwife here.
My mother had a lot of milk and since me and my cousin were born almost in the same period she helped breastfeeding him. I also was breastfeed till I was 2, she never swept the breast milk to baby formula, I thank her a lot for that 🙏
Fennel essential oil DOES work to increase breast milk production. My daughter got very sick soon after she delivered her 2nd daughter. She couldn't nurse her for a week. She went back to breastfeeding but didn't have much milk. So she applied fennel EOs to her breasts, and her milk came back to normal.
I thought you were suppose to drink it as tea.
I have absolutely loved breastfeeding my little girl. It hasn’t always been easy, but I find it such a beautiful thing to share with my baby. I’ve gotten some rude comments about feeding in public, but luckily, my husband has perfected a really good dirty look for those people.
I breastfed my daughter until she was 17 months and my son until he was three years old. It was difficult in the beginning with the oldest and my milk dried up when she was only a week old after I went through some distress. Luckily, with pumping it came back. Moms need lots of support and care to breastfeed. Every woman I know had some struggle with it.
When I saw the title of this video, it reminded me of how Queen Victoria chastised her daughters for breastfeed and said it made them the equivalent of cows... 😬
@Women's Rights was a Mistake name-calling your daughters as cows for breastfeeding their children/your grandchildren is just rubbish. But from your profile name, I'm just going to refrain from engaging you further. You're just going to waste my time.
My Mom did likewise. Yet I still breastfed the last 4 of my 7 kids...
@@jamellfoster6029 I don't have babies yet but I plan on doing so ❤️
@@areiaaphrodite Good deal...
@@areiaaphrodite I don't have kids yet (I want kids in the future) but it's unlikely I'll be able to breastfeed for long because both my mum and her mum had breast milk deficiencies.
This was beautifully done. Thank you Lindsay.
My grandmother was a wet nurse, and I breastfed my daughter till she was 2 1/2 and even donated breastmilk to help feed 2 other baby girls. I love this video so much!
In my case, I was both breastfed and bottle-fed, and the same went with my brother. Sometimes it was breast milk, sometimes it was formula from a bottle. I'm 21 now, and my brother (almost 19) and I turned out just fine.
Thank you so much for this video. I am a long-time fan and advocate of your work and documentaries, and this particular video has been my all-time favourite! As a first-time mom who breastfed my son until his second birthday, I support and approve this message 100%. I look forward to more videos like these. God bless you Lindsay. Keep up the good work.
Very insightful and thoughtful video! It’s very difficult breastfeeding beyond age 6 months in the states.
I feel very blessed to have given birth our five children during years that were supportive of the practice. My first were twins, and through drinking a “Big Gulp” of water while I nursed them, I continued to make plenty of milk. In fact, I nodded off twice and my milk spilled into the motors when I tried pumping in 1989! Our son was weaned at 8 months because he thought it was funny to bite while he nursed with his little baby teeth. His twin sister had to be kind of encouraged off of the breastfeeding at twelve months. The three daughters after that were nursed for 10-12 months. I saw the power of breast milk in our fourth child. As soon as she weaned, she began having terrible eczema, clawing at her legs and drawing blood. She had been fine up until she weaned! I very much enjoyed nursing. The few times I went to the mall with babies or a baby I can remember that one forward thinking department store had a nursing lounge, while I sat on the floor of a dressing room at another store! Again, I’m so thankful I was in a society where I could nurse comfortably in public with a light blanket over the baby. Most Americans aren’t quite ready to see breasts in action quite yet, even thirty years later! Ha ha That’s a whole topic in and of itself!
Love this video learned a few things I didn't know I have breastfed 2 kids 2 years each so 4 years all together and in 6 months will be doing it all over again with a new baby breastfeeding is amazing and just creates that strong bond well it did for me anyways it's an amazing experience
I love your videos so much! I researched a lot about breastfeeding and how much shaming is behind it is insane. Especially if we think about how normal it is to drink cows milk or goat milk.
I was only able to breastfeed for about 1 month as my daughter has a genetic disorder and needed to be tube fed from 3 weeks on. I was lucky as my breastfeeding experience was so good, I had pretty much zero problems and my milk came in very early. When she stopped nursing, I cried for days because I felt something missing and I blamed myself so much.
As a nanny for 15 years.... I came across a family who still breastfeed their 6 year old along side the 3 year old
The 6 year old never touched any food while the 3 year old was happy to eat mashed
I had to convince the parents to stop BF the 6 year old as 1 he was too old and 2 the son would have a temper tantrum at school lunch time as he refused their food or any other milk and made his behaviour unbearable....
He was kicked out of 2 primary school due to his behaviour and after 2 months of no BF he became a different kid, at 20 he's a gentleman, a kind boyfriend to his GF and is doing well at college
Yes, while working as a nanny, I too had a mother with a newborn nursing on one breast and her three year old on the other breast.
The three year old was jealous of the newborn. I feared that he might harm the baby. The three year old would fill up on fat rich breast milk and then not want to eat table food the rest of the day.. The three year old was very spoiled.
I can see the necessity of breast feeding older children in third world countries.
But, for the most part, breast milk does not give an older child the proper nutrition or prepare their digestion to process table foods.
@@ithacacomments4811 I've also seen that same situation, jealousy does happen and I've seen the older one punch the baby in the face
Plus a 3 year old should have equal access to the booby as a baby, they eill drink more and reduce what is left for baby
Many cases I've seen kids grow up spoiled and selfish, it's different in other countries as there are large families and mum may feed many as they have no choice but who truly wants to be milked 247?
@@Lulu-ut9pv I think that breastfeeding a child between 1 and 6 months is best if you are able to do it. Breastfeeding after age 2 is ridiculous in my opinion. They need to be eating normal food.
@@clewrites agreed, but there will always be snowflakes out there insisting otherwise
@@clewrites I agree, it’s very strange to breastfeed once your child can simultaneously munch on chicken nuggets 🤷🏼♀️
Great overview!!! I struggled to breastfeed my first however after tons of help from a LC was able to BF all the way to 11months. My last pregnancy was twins and I lost the one and the other stayed in the NICU for 6 months as they were born extremely prematurely. I was encouraged to pump and some how had massive excess in milk. Also interesting my son was so sensitive to dairy that I was unable to consume any while attempting to breastfeed or feeding him pumped milk for if I did some serious consequences would happen. I was able to make a huge donation to the Milkbank when my son was discharged. It was cute as they sent a little thank you letter in the mail for the donation. I'm so happy I was able to do it! Feeding your child(ren) is a journey.
I had difficulty breastfeeding both my daughters. There wasn't enough coming out. With my oldest , I had a friend who would breastfeed her as she had a baby 9 months older . The baby would look at my daughter like "dude what are you doing with my food!"
You'd be surprised how many times I was told not to pick up my babies because of the shit theory from Dr Spock. I told everyone to politely piss off!
A very important topic! Thank you for your research and for continuing this conversation!!!
Very educational. I’m about to breastfeed for the first time and this video was very informative.
I have to confess that I don't mind either nursing, or bottle fed, but I do have an issue with toddlers who climb onto their mother's lap, only to pull out her breast to nurse. This is merely a pacifier since the child eats 3 meals and uses a cup. To me, that's just as rude as a mother allowing a toddler to interrupt a phonecall so they can ask questions. Teach your child to nurse when they're hungry.
I’ve never been this early! Love your videos :)
Thank you so much for sharing this Lindsay! I’ve never seen such a comprehensive history of the topic. Absolutely wild, considering just how integral it is to raising babies. I was a bottle baby, soy formula because I was allergic to the mainstream stuff. Sometimes I wonder if that has had an impact on my ability to socialize because I pretty well skipped that early stage of development. I really wish their was more research on the topic, and that breastfeeding wasn’t so stigmatized :/
My mom never breastfeed but that was only because and she had my first brother she ended up getting a really bad ammonia and it dried up her milk. Then when she had my second brother and me she figured may as well just bottlefeed us too.
The only reason I can't breastfeed is because I'm on the spectrum so I have a lot of sensitivity issues. My breasts are unfortunately really really sensitive asf. I would not be able to breastfeed cause of if :(
Here's a great tip for all the women who don't wanna breastfeed or if you're about to start weaning your baby - cabbage leaves. They soak in the milk and get rid of the soreness!
💕😍😍
What you said is very interesting to me. My daughter who is almost 18; is mid-high ASD; she really struggles finding soft comfortable and supportive bras; for her large size. I was unable to breastfeed her or her brother more then a tiny bit; because I had complications with the breast reduction surgery I had.
@@mienafriggstad3360 yea bras are so uncomfortable for me too. I found that wearing soft bras help. Ones with no underwire and have a silk/satin fabric. I usually get my back band 2 sizes up. So instead of 36 I'll buy 40s. But I only wear them for work. I'm braless the rest of the time. Most of the time I don't really wear any clothes at home because clothes in general feel so icky!
@@mienafriggstad3360 are you okay now after your breast reduction?
@@mienafriggstad3360 Molke brand bras are bras that some people with sensor issues find easier to wear, I like them as well.
I encourage breastfeeding as a teacher and caregiver. It is a lost right and so needed!❤❤❤
My mother was widely criticized for breastfeeding my sisters and me in the 1950s. It’s so odd and very sad that women who need to use formula now get judged. Every child is different. Do what is best for your child and your situation.
Why? Breastfeeding wasn't normal in 1950?
@@Liitebulb because using formula was new and modern! Breastfeeding was what primitive women did! She also went natural with me instead of doing the modern and painless “twilight sleep” where they knocked you out and you woke up with a baby.
I had problems breastfeeding, also had to go back to work after 3 weeks with the first one. The second was bottle fed in the hospital and couldn't latch. Three and four went better, but the last one only went 5 months as we had to move across country. Youngest daughter did and oldest couldn't for other reason. It's definitely better for babies.
Sometimes I wonder how humans survived at all. Crazy. I breastfed all 3 of my children for 6 or 7 weeks before I had to get ready to go back to work. It was painful and horrible all 3 times but I had such pressure to do it that I felt I had no choice. People need to just leave mothers alone and let them do whatever is best for them and their babies.
Same
This is so interesting! I’ve been loving your videos on my way to work as a sort of stand in for podcasts. Keep up the good work
Literally started watching this video WHILE I was nursing my 5-month-old this morning (and sent a screenshot of that painting of the woman spraying the priest with milk to all my mom friends for a laugh!). Really great info and context for such a personal, physiological, and “human” topic!
Definitely difficult to see the map of countries’ maternity leave policies and know that the US is only 1 of 3 in the world with no guaranteed leave for new mothers (I believe the other 2 are Papua New Guinea and Syria…but my baby brain isn’t very reliable these days). Voting for policies benefiting women, mothers, and families really does benefit a society and country as a whole, just as a little PSA.
And thanks for sharing about milk donation! I have several friends who are/were super producers and donated privately during the formula shortage. And it’s amazing to think about my COVID-19 vaccine antibodies (and others) being passed on before he’s old enough to get his own shots! Anyway - bodies are amazing and crazy and weird and beautiful! Mamas are superheroes no matter how you feed your baby! ❤️🍼👶🏼🍉🍉
Carl von Linné was Swedish! He used to be on the 100 kronor note and there is a university in Växjö named after him. Anyway that aside, great video - so informative and well made. I am new to your channel and currently binging the content. Thanks so mcuh for making these videos. Much Love ❤️
my mom couldn't nurse me as a baby due to me having a birth injury and didn't with my younger brother because she had PPD severely and we both turned out fine
My mom was part of the La Leche League in her hometown. Her group was interviewed & photographed for the local paper. It was a big deal, she told me, to choose the breastfeed back then & she wanted people to know how natural it was to do so. When I had my first baby, she was in the NICU for a few days so I pumped what I could. When she was finally breathing well enough to be sent home, breastfeeding took a bit to get figured out. It was frustrating but I did have help from a lactation specialist before I left the hospital. It took a few days for the baby to figure out what to do & I was very relieved.
The 3 that came after her were also breastfed. I was fortunate enough to have a job & manager that didn’t mind that I took a little extra break to pump. They took formula, too, as when I went back to work & the frozen supply dwindled. I wish the milk banks had been a bigger thing when I was breastfeeding; I would’ve donated.
While I had no problem continuing to breastfeed, my sister-in-law never could; she just didn’t produce enough milk. I don’t know why. Both her girls were bottle-fed & they’re fine, too.
It’s great if you can breastfeed , even for a month or so, but if you can’t-for whatever reason-there is nothing to be ashamed of. Your job is to take care of your baby and you have to do what’s good for both of you. Formula is just fine!
As long as you are feeling your child, you are acting as a good parent. I hate the stigma that comes with not breastfeeding/choosing to bottle feed. As long as you care for your child you’re a great mother.