any tips on rasing brest feeding awerness in my area?

hi,
does anyone know where i'd start getting info on helping breastfeeding promotion/awareness/support/education in my area?
I went to the local surestart childrens center brestfeeding group which is advertsised as "come along and meet other brestfeeding mums" a few weeks ago, but it was just me and the midwife assistant who runs it, she said it is always just her. she also said that liverpool has a low rate of bf compered to ave. and our area lower than that, she said she thinks it is due to lack of promotion by midwives.
when i thought about it i relised no one had spoken to me about breastfeeding, the midwife asked if i was going to and if i knew the benefits and when i said yes she got me to sign my notes to say it had been discussed, i assumed if i said i wasn't going to she would have tried to talk me round but now i think she wouldn't. to start with i felt that i had been given info on breastfeeding but then relised that most of it was from a forum i use some and some from posters and leflets but not everyone researches things themselves or reads posters and leftets in hospital waiting rooms
i'm surprised at the amount of people who are shocked that i am breast
feeding her. even the midwife who came in the first few days asked how my boobs where and when u said theyd been heavy but
seamed a bit better she said "that's because your body doesn't know your
not brestfeeding" so I had to tell her I am. in hospital 14 people came
and went in our ward while we where there and they all had formula, one
woman said to the midwife while i was feeding " cant you make her close
a curtain" twice a day the woman with
the formula came round and asked what type i wanted, despite me saying i
didn't. i wasnt offered any help apart from the lady from the infant feeding team coming to see if i was being offered help.

at the baby group we go to 3 women have come over to me when they saw me feeding and asked about it, they all said they had been told to go onto formula because they didn't have enough milk, i didn't really say anything to them because i didn't want to upset them as they had already moved to forumla, but thinking about it afterward if they go on to have more children the same thing will happen again.

I just want to do something to make a positive difference and help people.

its frustrating isnt it?

we feel we are banging our heads against a brick wall most of the time, and unfortunately the health professionals are doing nothing to promote and encourage breastfeeding - like you say, formula is considered the norm and seems the most convenient method for them to deal with.

Have you considered becoming a mother supporter or breastfeeding counsellor? this way you could maybe work with the midwives and health visitors and try and encourage people to breastfeed. I am just starting my training, and i hope to give talks at antenatal classes etc to try and promote it.

I also joined my local NCT group, as they are very pro-breastfeeding, and that put me in touch with other local breastfeeding mums.

This really sounds like South London 10 years ago when I had my eldest. I was the ONLY mother who was breastfeeding. I remember being told in hospital that I didn't have enough milk and my eldest was given formula. Now I realise it wasn't true. I was also berated for bringing T into bed with me to feed her.

When T got sick at 9 months with meningitis, and rushed to hospital the health visitor called me tell me off for not sterilising bottles and watering down formula. To which I told her that I was breastfeeding and my kid was dying in hospital from meningitis, but that I'd take her advice into consideration when I contacted her superior to complain.

I remember the midwife who came to see me the first day I'd come home. She asked me what formula I was using. I just told her I was breastfeeding. She got me to sign a document that said I'd been informed of breastfeeding too only I hadn't... We didn't have breastfeeding groups or lactation consultants back then. No one helped me. My mother was the only one as she had breastfed me (back in the 70's it was almost a sin and my mother gave up at 6 months because doctors said it was unhealthy after that).

I also know how lonely you must feel. People made me feel like an outcast when I had T. I was referred to back then as some crazy hippy mom (I was often asked if I was a vegetarian actually...I'm not), as I wore my baby, co slept, openly breastfed and used cloth nappies. My mantra when people criticize me was, "I dare you to go and find an substantiated medical study that supports your views!", people would back down. At the end of the day, you can find these to support your view on breastfeeding.

The sad truth is, that a recent US study has shown that the US would save 900+ babies lives AND around 1.3Billion dollars by making sure that the majority of women breastfed to 6 months exclusively and that is not in some backwards 3rd world country who don't have fresh water and sanitation, that is the United States...one of the most advanced countries in the world. This means that the medical professionals in your area are doing a great disservice to the mothers, and the children who they are supposed to support. It is well known that formula fed babies are at a greater risk of cot death even if the breastfed baby co sleeps.

I am not sure what you can do. But really, the most you can do is lead by example. Feed in public. Develop a thick skin. See yourself as the breastfeeding advocate for your area. Know that people will have negative views of your breastfeeding, but you know better. Draw up some leaflets with information concerning breastfeeding... information such as formula is not the next best thing to breastfeeding...not according to the World Health Organisation...

1) Mothers own milk from her breast
2) Milk from a wet nurse
3) mothers own milk or from a milk bank in a bottle.
4) Formula.

Fourth. That's where formula is.

http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/breastfeeding/facts/en/index.html

You could make a leaflet with the fact file from the WHO and if people give you grief, a) pass them a leaflet with a smile, b) ignore them after that and continue breastfeeding c) come to us and we will give you virtual hugs. We've all been there. You are doing an awesome job and remember, while other's may say otherwise, the gift you give your child now, is one that will last a life time. xxx

I couldn't put any better than what Kay and Morag have said.

Its hard doing something as important and testing as breastfeeding, you need support and reassurance.

I certainly feel contacting the local infant health coordinator for your area ( should be able to find out through you hv or middy) is and ask what tey have in place for local mums and whether the hv's will be put on the baby friendly initiative training which many have now done around the country.

thanks for the replys and advice.
I've joined ABM and am planning on doing the mother support training when I can ( need to have been a member for 4 months and feeding for 6 months) and then maybe take it further after that. I also sent off for info on the peer supporter through BFN. Tried to join ntc but link wouldn't work so will phone them this week.
Im also going to go to the breastfeeding group in the childrens center again to see if the lady wants any help or has any advise.
A lady from the baby friendly team came into the baby group i go to the other week so im going to try and talk to her as well.

great!

I have just about been a member of ABM for the required time, so hope to start my mother training soon - i like that one as it is the 1st module of the counsellor training, so you can continue your training if you want to.

If you go to your local sure start centre, they may do some breastfeeding peer support training. If they have a baby cafe too you could get talking to other moms and see what training they know of.
The NCT should be able to put you in touch with your local breastfeeding counsellor and she will be able to advise you about the NCT breastfeeding counsellor diploma - be warned though, it is alot to take on. I'm currently having time out while I'm pregnant. The LLL also do training, as do the ABM as previously mentioned. It may worth looking into all 3 and seeing which suits you best