And my final comments on breastfeeding (for now). I didn’t get my figure back within seconds. It took many months of diets and exercise once I had weaned them. I breastfed in public without thinking about it. In much the same way as I would breathe in public. I never, not once, received a negative comment. But I did perfect the “stare of death” which I shared out liberally to anyone who looked complainy. My children are not obsessed about me or my breasts but they do love me very much and I love them. Kamillosan cream is a wonderful invention for sore nipples, as is fresh air. A mix of aniseed, fennel and caraway tea helps to up you milk production, sage will reduce it. Babies who are breastfed smell wonderful. Formula milk is a fantastic and life saving invention, it’s a shame it gets such a negative press and it’s a shame it gets used outside of emergencies. Breastmilk is good in many ways, it’s also dirt cheap and “easy” to prepare. The best way to feed your baby breastmilk is with your breasts. And last but not least: It’s what my breasts are for, what else would I have done.

Conker Exchange promotes breastfeeding as the ideal way to feed your baby. The World Health Organization says:

“Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. Exclusive breastfeeding from birth is possible except for a few medical conditions, and unrestricted exclusive breastfeeding results in ample milk production.”

http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/infantfeeding_recommendation/en/index.html

Conker Exchange is also aware that formula feeding your baby is not dangerous and we do not wish to demean any woman who has chosen this way to feed her baby. However, we feel it is important to make the “team members” aware that enthusiasm is not enough when it comes to breastfeeding. And that what can seem like a hopeless case can, with help, be a success. To sum up and to quote a fellow Conker “A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that because breastfeeding is natural it should be easy.  It isn't.”  Breastfeeding is natural. And it takes a lot of work and support to be good at it.