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Pregnancy & children
Breastfeeding
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Full list of topics
Deciding to breastfeed :
Previous awareness of breastfeeding
Gathering information, making the decision & preparing for breastfeeding
Getting started with breastfeeding :
The first breastfeed
Support from hospital staff
Positioning & attaching/latching the baby at the breast
The milk coming in
Sore nipples
The sensation of breastfeeding
Feeding patterns in the early days
Going home with a breastfed baby
Managing breastfeeding :
What daily life is like with a breastfed baby
Breastfeeding during the night
Getting support for breastfeeding
Monitoring baby's growth
Dealing with difficult times
Impact of breastfeeding upon the mother
Changing family relationships with breastfed baby
Breastfeeding an older baby
Breastfeeding and working
Breastfeeding away from home
Variations of the breastfeeding experience
Emotional & psychological aspects of breastfeeding
Cultural aspects of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding in special circumstances :
When extra care is needed for mother and/or baby
Breastfeeding more than one baby
Weaning the baby from the breast :
Introducing solid foods
Managing weaning including thoughts and feelings
Reflecting upon breastfeeding :
Advice for pregnant mothers and new mothers
Comments for health professionals
Thinking about the wider breastfeeding environment
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Breastfeeding
Subject index
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Pregnancy & children
>>
Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 22
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Her mother bottle fed but she had a strong desire to breastfeed because of the benefits for her and her baby. She thought it was natural and did not a
Difficulty with latch-on; poor weight gain; mixed breastfeeding and bottle feeding (expressed breast milk and formula); baby on regular 6 feeds during the day.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 25
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Her mother combined breastfeeding with bottle feeding and she saw her sister-in-law breastfeeding. She decided to breastfeed after reading about it du
Special Care separation from 1st baby emotionally difficult. Got into cycle of engorgement, expressing, mastitis, too much milk for six months. Has not expressed for second baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 17
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She grew up in a bottle feeding family environment but saw friends from work breastfeeding.
Difficulties with breastfeeding including positioning, sore nipples (used nipple shields), low milk supply, poor weight gain, possible depression. Having nightmares about going back to work.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 26
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He was surprised at how frequently their baby breastfed, having assumed that it would be every four hours.
Father of three. Supportive of long-term breastfeeding and co-sleeping.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 11
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She had never seen anyone breastfeed and was very unsure about it to begin with but now she is glad that she did because of the benefits for her baby.
Baby wouldn't latch on so fed expressed breastmilk through a syringe for first three days. Delaying return to work to spend more time with baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 48
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She helped to bottle feed her two younger sisters. She did not know a lot about breastfeeding but got information from her midwife, antenatal classes,
Apprehensive at first about not feeding straight after the birth and then positioning baby at the breast. No problems thereafter. Managing gradual weaning.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 22
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She used expressed breastmilk in a bottle when feeding in places where she or other people may have felt uncomfortable. She did not breastfeed in fron
Difficulty with latch-on; poor weight gain; mixed breastfeeding and bottle feeding (expressed breast milk and formula); baby on regular 6 feeds during the day.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 40-45
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Interview 06
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She practised mixed breast and bottle feeding as a result of being very ill at first and introducing a bottle of formula. Her consultant recommended r
Mixed breast and bottle feeding because the mother haemorrhaged badly after a Caesarean Section and was very ill for a long time. Expressing didn't improve milk supply.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 37
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She thinks that breastfeeding her children changed attitudes within her extended family and she and her husband believe that their daughter will also
Unsatisfactory hospital experience with first baby; other two were home births. Regrets stopping breastfeeding her first child to go back to work. She didn't do that again.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 12
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As a breastfeeding support worker she visited Muslim families to explain the importance of breastfeeding. She talked about breastfeeding through Ramad
Breastfeeding wonderful, easy. Demand fed even when baby was in an incubator after becoming jaundiced. Encourages other women in her role as breastfeeding support worker. Breastfed through Ramadan.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 31
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Her mother-in-law was supportive even though she had not breastfed herself. She talked about the Indian traditions surrounding the birth of a baby, pa
First month of breastfeeding was the hardest thing she has done in her life. Very sore and cracked nipples. Fussy babies at 4-5 months, early weaning with first baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 08
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Her first baby was born in the Middle East. She talks about the support that Omani women received from their extended family and how different it was
Struggled to feed first baby, feeling very isolated in the Middle East. Second baby easier, fed through gastroenteritis infection. Both babies had short time in Special Care.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 13
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She said that the Jewish culture is very pro-breastfeeding and the women are well looked after in the post-partum period.
Long-term breast milk expression for two babies with cleft palate. Relactation for second baby (viral meningitis at birth), extreme dairy intolerance, breastfed after operation to repair cleft.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 29
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Although she is westernised, she talked about Thai traditions and how they differed from breastfeeding practices in the UK.
One son (mixed feeding) born in Thailand, one (exclusive breastfeeding) in Britain. Very different health systems and support. Positioning problems, crying babies. Learned by observing other women.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 45
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She went back to part-time work and left expressed breast milk for her son. It was easy for him but hard for her.
Loves breastfeeding despite painful beginning. Used nipple shields. Hates being separated from her baby. Feeding time is family time. Husband works away from home during week.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 05
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Early interventions in the hospital (infant formula, syringe, cup and bottle feeding) could have caused later problems. She expressed for ten weeks be
Fed daughter expressed breast milk via bottle for 10 weeks until baby learned to breastfeed. Discusses pumping, mastitis, breast milk donation, weaning. Son's feeding straight forward.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 24
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Her baby had not breastfed properly on discharge and it was only after readmission to hospital that she received the help that she required.
Ceasarean section with first baby, nipple shields, abundant milk supply, mastitis. Has breastfed toddlers and tandem fed new baby with toddler.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 18
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She did not consider working and breastfeeding. Giving up breastfeeding was an emotional time for her and her daughter who would not take a bottle.
Bottle fed first baby; breastfed second (6 months, enjoyable, copious milk supply) and third for six weeks (difficult, unsettled).
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 40-45
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Interview 39
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It was a relief to wean her daughter onto infant formula but she had to deal with her own engorgement and in the end it made no difference to her daug
Lacked knowledge and confidence with first baby, relieved to introduce bottles. Breastfed second with ease and pleasure, would like him to take a bottle but he refuses.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 33
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Her breasts became so full during a meeting that she had to go and express some milk. Eventually she became self-employed to give herself more flexibi
Water birth, easy breastfeeding with first child. Sleep deprivation and mastitis with second. Weaning to bottle at six months in order to go back to work.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 04
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She had doubts about her milk supply and no support for breastfeeding her premature baby at home. She was disappointed when they moved onto infant for
Baby 7 weeks premature, incubator and special care, 4-hourly pumping/feeding schedule, milk dried up soon after going home. Discusses mixed emotions, kangaroo care, pressure to breastfeed.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 31
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Both of her babies became fussy at about three months of age which she thinks is because she didn't have enough milk. She felt like a failure.
First month of breastfeeding was the hardest thing she has done in her life. Very sore and cracked nipples. Fussy babies at 4-5 months, early weaning with first baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 20
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He thinks that bottle feeding became so ingrained that people forgot how to breastfeed and the breast became a sexual symbol only instead of also the
Two bottle fed and two breastfed children. Closely involved in baby care, supportive of breastfeeding. Difficulties with an unsettled baby who was eventually diagnosed as dairy intolerant.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 26
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Becoming a parent was a reality check for him. He saw his role as one of support which was not easy but very important.
Father of three. Supportive of long-term breastfeeding and co-sleeping.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 34
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She worked as a volunteer for a breastfeeding lobby group before having her children and did not have bottles or infant formula in the house although
Caesarean section, daughter in special care, thrush, continued to breastfeed because the baby had an infection. Long-term breastfeeding with her son also.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 40-45
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Interview 06
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She used infant formula “top ups”, but is pleased that her son was essentially breastfed.
Mixed breast and bottle feeding because the mother haemorrhaged badly after a Caesarean Section and was very ill for a long time. Expressing didn't improve milk supply.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 33
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She struggled to get her baby to take a bottle when she wanted to gradually wean her from breast milk to infant formula. Occasionally using expressed
Water birth, easy breastfeeding with first child. Sleep deprivation and mastitis with second. Weaning to bottle at six months in order to go back to work.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 35-39
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Interview 08
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In desperation, she gave her baby artificial milk which made her baby sleep but quickly led to the cessation of breastfeeding. In retrospect she feels
Struggled to feed first baby, feeling very isolated in the Middle East. Second baby easier, fed through gastroenteritis infection. Both babies had short time in Special Care.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 38
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Few people in her area breastfeed because the knowledge has been lost. Support groups help but changes in formula advertising and company sponsorship
Breastfed - almost exclusively, only just beginning solid food at one year. Sleepy baby with jaundice, occasional blocked duct. Baby shares mother's bed. Support group important.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 36
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She thought that buying an expensive breast pump would make her life easier. That didn't help so she tried infant formula and her son soon preferred t
Caesarean section, extended family support, thrush, early bottles of expressed breast milk and infant formula led to weaning at ten weeks. Discusses breastfeeding café and special foods.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 20
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He supported his wife in her breastfeeding and says that he can experience feeding with a bottle of expressed milk. Becoming a parent has meant accept
Two bottle fed and two breastfed children. Closely involved in baby care, supportive of breastfeeding. Difficulties with an unsettled baby who was eventually diagnosed as dairy intolerant.
Pregnancy & children
>>
Breastfeeding
>>
Age 30-34
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Interview 49
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She discussed unhelpful attitudes towards breastfeeding and some ways of encouraging and supporting women from disadvantaged areas.
Caesarean section, cracked nipples, blocked ducts and mastitis. Breastfed exclusively for 26 weeks before introducing finger foods. Trying to cut out night feeds.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
>>
Age 35-39
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Interview 25
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She thought that the best environment for breastfeeding was in a supportive community and was shocked by the advertising for infant formula in France
Special Care separation from 1st baby emotionally difficult. Got into cycle of engorgement, expressing, mastitis, too much milk for six months. Has not expressed for second baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
>>
Age 35-39
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Interview 42
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She expressed her breastmilk in the mornings so that her husband could be included in the feeding experience by giving their daughter a bottle when he
Difficult birth, engorgement, sore nipples, used nipples shields, unsettled baby required walking, rocking and massage, expressed breast milk for many months, talks about going back to work.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 30-34
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Interview 24
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Becoming parents was a big learning curve. She thinks that a young baby develops a very strong bond with its mother and that the bond with its father
Ceasarean section with first baby, nipple shields, abundant milk supply, mastitis. Has breastfed toddlers and tandem fed new baby with toddler.
Pregnancy & children
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Breastfeeding
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Age 25-29
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Interview 30
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She developed a strong emotional bond with her daughter and had to work hard at allowing other people to develop their relationships too.
Enjoyed breastfeeding, few difficulties, support network extremely important to her especially family, friends and the breastfeeding support group, La Leche League.
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