Breastfeeding in the 1940s....fascinating!

danabsd · January 2014

My aunt sent this to me and I found it so incredibly interesting. Hope you guys do too!

This is just fascinating....No wonder our moms and grandmothers had difficulty breastfeeding! The following excerpt was written yesterday by one of the veteran IBCLCs on a professional list serve for lactation consultants.

She writes:

As a freshman student nurse on 1 month solo night duty on postpartum nearly 65 years ago, during the WW baby boom, 3600 births a year in our community hospital. No IV fluids in labor except for a few moms with caudals, or in dire emergencies and surgeries. Vaginally delivered mothers stayed 4-5 days in the hospital, and breast binders for comfort and swelling were routine. Fewer mothers were breastfeeding, so despite stilbesterol 3 times a day [to dry up the milk], many non-nursing mothers became swollen. All babies were NPO [nothing by mouth] for 12 hours, then fed 5% glucose water q. [every] 4 hours till 24 hours, then started on breast or formula. Unless nursing mothers had a doctor's order for q. 3 hour feedings, babies were brought out every 4 hours to nurse, but most mothers were "encouraged" to leave the baby in the nursery to be fed bottles at 2 a.m. at least the second night, and sometimes, the third. We instructed them to use one side at a feeding, and nurse for only 3 minutes the first nursing day (2nd postpartum day), then increase to 5-7 minutes on alternating sides, using one side only the next day, and then 7-10 minutes the following day. Object was to avoid damaged nipples. They were just postponed till the mother went home! Nipple shields of glass base and long rubber nipple were commonly used, and sometimes a thick rubber one with inner ridges. Bicycle horn breast pumps available, but a doctor's order necessary to pump. No parents in the nursery, premie or otherwise.

These moms were set up to FAIL and we didn't even know it. The "medicalization" of birth when it moved from home births attended by lay midwives to the hospital marked the decline in breastfeeding.

MamaMuslima01 · January 2014

Wow! That is horrible

we are lucky that today we have so many resources that are beneficial to us nursing mamas. We are fortunate to have a free will! Knowledge is power!!!!!

jesuisfatiguee · January 2014

Well, that sounds absolutely horrifying. I'm so glad the pendulum is swinging it's way back to being more natural and sane!

babywisher · January 2014

Wow! That was just insane. I amazes me how little say moms had while they were having a baby in the hospital.

sschwege · January 2014

Wow! Our pedi (probably in her early 50s) says that her mom wanted to BF her but the doctor said her milk wouldn't be rich enough and to switch to formula. Just crazy!

The only thing about this article I'm confused about is the first line where it talks about how women were not routinely given IVs, does that mean they were also not allowed to eat and drink? Because I didn't have an IV either time and I saw that as a good thing. But then I ate and drank normally, I'm guessing these women were refused any kind of hydration?

blueeyedrose86 · January 2014

That makes me sick...

Auburngirl32 · January 2014

My mom (early 70s) does not support breastfeeding and tells me that my milk isnt rich enough and give my baby formula. What makes me mad is that she is soo rude about it.

GibsonGirl620 · January 2014

So sad. Take this as a lesson to always question something that doesn't feel right to you. Drs *think* they know best, but they are not LCs. I agree with @AmyG*, there is still a lot of bad advice out there. Until we can normalize BFing again and talk openly about it with our peers, it will be hard to sort fact from fiction.

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Breastfeeding in the 1940s....fascinating!

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