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• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 40-45 >> Interview 06 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 40-45 >> Interview 06 >> She thinks it is important to keep things in perspective and realise that you may not get it right all the time.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 01 >> Family and friends were concerned about her and their comments made it hard to continue breastfeeding especially when things were difficult.

Long labour, emergency caesarean section. Cracked nipples. Baby fed constantly but failed to thrive. Discusses chiropractic sessions, supplemental bottles, early solids, and milk donation. Now enjoying breastfeeding.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 08 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 18 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 01 >> She didn't want to supplement her baby and thinks that health professionals have different views about weight gain and different levels of training in

Long labour, emergency caesarean section. Cracked nipples. Baby fed constantly but failed to thrive. Discusses chiropractic sessions, supplemental bottles, early solids, and milk donation. Now enjoying breastfeeding.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 25-29 >> Interview 38 >> She advised all women to try breastfeeding and not to buy anything for it except perhaps a nice bra.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 25-29 >> Interview 37 >> She regrets weaning her first baby to return to work but says that she will not make the same mistake again.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 40-45 >> Interview 06 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 42 >> She wanted her daughter to gradually get used to a bottle before she returned to work.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 33 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 08 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 40-45 >> Interview 39 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 25-29 >> Interview 38 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 49 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 34 >> Most of the midwives were “fantastic” but she was furious when a midwife in Special Care gave her baby infant formula against her wishes.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 40-45 >> Interview 19 >> She breastfed her baby with Down's Syndrome until doctor's recommended infant formula for slow weight gain which turned out to be caused by her baby's

Breastfed baby with Down's Syndrome. Jaundice. Slow weight gain led to mixed formula and breastfeeding, possibly due to heart problem that required surgery at 4½ months. Baby constipated on formula.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 25-29 >> Interview 10 >> Breastfeeding is not common in her area and she received undermining suggestions from a lot of people around her about introducing infant formula.

Little help from midwives in hospital. Used nipple shields for inverted nipples, affected milk supply. Postnatal depression with one child. Dairy intolerance with another. Practices attachment parenting.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 20-24 >> Interview 09 >> Her priorities changed as she adapted to motherhood and her baby's needs became more important than going out.

Initially found breastfeeding hard with tongue-tie, sore nipples latching-on problems and syringe feeding. Sought help from chiropractor with craniosacral therapy for baby. Proud that she persevered.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 34 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 27 >> She and her family supported the Nestlé Boycott and later campaigns a) against infant formula marketing and advertising and b) for change to the UK mi

Nursing strikes with her son. Daughter required heart surgery after birth. Expressed breastmilk for her and also provided some for the milk bank. Working and breastfeeding.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 17 >> She suggested that all health professionals should do 'Baby Friendly' training and that all women should take as much maternity leave as possible.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 40-45 >> Interview 19 >> Her baby was not gaining enough weight so she had to set an alarm to wake them both to feed in the night.

Breastfed baby with Down's Syndrome. Jaundice. Slow weight gain led to mixed formula and breastfeeding, possibly due to heart problem that required surgery at 4½ months. Baby constipated on formula.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 36 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 34 >> Her children were both big babies and her health visitors told her that her daughter was overweight and her son would be malnourished without solids.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 25 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 14 >> She did not find the professionals that she dealt with very helpful and is critical of the western system of childbirth and infant feeding.

Talks about "natural" birth and breastfeeding; pressure from Social Services and health professionals to conform to expected behaviours; conflicting advice, prolonged breastfeeding and the difficulties of weaning a toddler.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 05 >> She was annoyed about the early introduction of infant formula which impacted upon her breastfeeding experience.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 31 >> As a pharmacist her training focused on infant formula but all knowledge “went out of the window” when she became a mother and she relied on her insti

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 14 >> She thinks that people are conditioned to behave in certain ways and that the barriers to breastfeeding for disadvantaged women are social.

Talks about "natural" birth and breastfeeding; pressure from Social Services and health professionals to conform to expected behaviours; conflicting advice, prolonged breastfeeding and the difficulties of weaning a toddler.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 29 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 47 >> She got “a bit panicked” about going back to work until she realised that she would be at home with her baby more than she would be at work.

Excellent help with getting breastfeeding established with first child. No problems with either. Anxious about going back to work and being separated from baby.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 20-24 >> Interview 15 >> Her baby needed resuscitating and was given infant formula. She was concerned about not being able to feed him in the first hour.

Bad hospital experiences. Copious milk supply, leaking, engorgement, solids at four months followed by breast refusal and early weaning. Now a peer supporter for other breastfeeding women.

• Pregnancy & children >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 04 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 31 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 30-34 >> Interview 04 >> Her baby was born prematurely in Germany and she called monitoring her growth a “numbers game”.

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 35-39 >> Interview 25 >> 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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 25-29 >> Interview 22 >> Breastfeeding has been a fantastic experience for her and she has an incredible feeling of satisfaction and achievement for having kept going through

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 >> Breastfeeding >> Age 25-29 >> Interview 22 >> Her baby's weight gain slowed so she gave her top ups of expressed milk and infant formula. She used Domperidone* to improve her milk supply.

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.