I am passionate about teenage pregnancy and breastfeeding.

I think that it is great that women are supported a lot more now than when I had my chldren when they choose to breastfeed.

When I had mine it wasn't the 'done thing' to breastfeed, and if you did you were on your own and left to 'get on with it'

I do feel though, that more needs to be done to educate families and the public in general about the benefits, I think sometimes women feel they can't carry on because of pressure from family and friends, and I think that is very sad.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for choice, and if a woman doesn't want to breastfeed then that is fine, so long as it is her choice, and the same goes for if she wants to stop and switch to artificial feeding.

Things have come a long way since I was told to feed my youngest son in the ladies toilet because a woman complained in my local swimming pool. But more needs to be dome in my opinion.

Teenage parents I feel are sometimes treated unfairly too, they seem to all be thought of as being stupid, I know that not all teenage pregnancies are the result of accidents, but they do happen, even to more mature women.

These young people need and deserve support, advice and educaiton so that they can make informed choices about their situation, without being judged.

It's hard enough to have a baby, but even harder when you are little more than a child yourself, and I wish that a way could be found that would make these young people stop and think, and then be responsible before they end up in this situation, but I guess for now...that is for another day.

Some of these young people go onto make wonderful parents, who study and worl to support themselves and their baby. I admire them for that.

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Bless you Mum & Dad x
Student Midwife 2007

Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

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I would say I am passionate about breastfeeding, or maybe more support of breastfeeding.

I don't have a problem with woman who choose not to breastfeed, although sometimes it is because they are misinformed or unsupported and that makes me sad. However when someone has made a fully informed decision then I don't have a problem.

Anyway, I digress, I feel strongly about people who want to breastfeed but end up being unable to due to lack of support or just plain rubbish advise.

I had a baby who refused to latch on for 36 hours (I had diamorphine in labour) but I was determined to breastfeed. TBH the support I got was hit and miss, one midwife was an angel who helped me hand express then syringe feed him. Another, continually offered to take him away and bottlefeed him and let me sleep. Thankfully I was strong enough to refuse this, but how many woman would just say 'yes' at 3am when they are desperate to sleep and worried that their baby was not eating?

So initial support is very important, but so is continued support.

We just went through the 6 week growth spurt, psychologically this is hard. I went through self doubt, was there *really* enough milk there for him. This wasn't helped by my family who questioned how often he was feeding, adding to my doubt. I have a fantastic pro-breastfeeding HV who was very supportive, along with my breastfeeding support group who are always there to reassure during these times. Thanks to this and the masses of research I have done on breastfeeding, we are still continuing (until he self-weans, which will hopefully be after 12 months).

So I guess to finish up, if I ever become a midwife, I would hope that I could be one who recognises someone who wants to breastfeed and help ensure this is successfully established.

The teenage pregnancy point is a good one. I was 19 when I became pregnant and 20 when Aidan was born. Luckily (?) I was never made to feel stupid or immature (apart from my original doctors appointment, where I was informed about abortion immediately after advising her I was pregnant). However several friends reported being 'looked down on' by health care staff, at ante-natal appts and whilst giving birth. This made me nervous about my own experiences at first.

But, do we not adapt the way we talk to people and explain things in response to how we percieve them?

Ooeer I haven't half rambled on a lot this afternoon.

Nat

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Applying for September 2009 intake at West of Scotland Uni

When I had my children it was very different to how it is now, it was definately a bottle feeding culture back then. When I had my daughter I really wanted to breastfeed her, but she was a Prem baby and had to go to scbu for three weeks. during the time I was in hospital I had to wait to be accompanied down to scbu, so by the time I got there she had already been bathed, changed, fed etc, so although I tried to breastfeed her she just wasn't interested.

With my eldest son it was easier as he came to the ward with me, but I had very little (if any) advice or support from the midwives, health visitor or anyone come to that. I struggled to get the hang of it on my own. Which thankfully I did.

I also fed my youngest son until he was 18 months old, and only stopped then when he bit me lol. But I had many problems along the way. I had a lot of support from La Leche League and they gave me loads of advice and support.

I feel it is very sad that women feel they can't breastfeed, or have to stop becasue they either don't get the support and information they need, or because of the views and opinions of family and friends etc.

My two sons both started their families very young, they were both 16 when they became dad's, and so I know first hand about the attitudes of others to teenage parents.

It makes me really mad that they are all seen as being stupid, ignorant and scroungers. A lot of young people go on to make brilliant parents who love and care for their babies. They also make every effort to support them without relying on handouts. It isn't an ideal situation, but once the young couple find they are having a aby, then they deserve allt he support and advice they can get to help them make informed decisions.

I agree with you that we do adapt the way we speak to people and adapt the way we support them and explain things in relation to how we percieve them, and that shouldn't happen. Everyone regardless of who they are should be treated the same.

Whether that will ever happen is open to question.

__________________
Bless you Mum & Dad x
Student Midwife 2007

Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

Passionate about?

Hmmm...

Normality of birth and women's right to choose place of birth.

Particularly primaparous/multiparous women wanting home birth.

I would like antenatal education improved to ensure the majority of healthy women recieve midwifery-led care in a midwifery-led unit or at home. Our home birth rate in this area is a pathetic 2%. In others (such as Cornwall) it is as high as 18%, I think this is too low.

Too many women receive too much unneccessary intervention and belevie these interventions are acceptable, as after all mother and baby are ok. They must have access to evidence-based information, witha realsitic approach. Not simply talked into epidurals, syntocinon augmentation, directed pushing, managed third stage etc...

CTG's are used to babysit women as midwives have two or three labouring women at a time to look after, too many. One-to-one care is impossible.

25% of women receive epidural analgesia in labour, this is affecting the high rate of instrumental/ caesarean births and these figures are on the rise. Despite evidence to suggest the interpretation of CTG traces is flawed, and have little relevance to birth outcomes, they are overused.

Poor care, I am most passionate about this. Whilst I believe the midwifery model is simply not workable with the shortage of midwives. The medical model is unfortunately the current and probable future replacement. Leaving the women and their families the poorest losers.

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