This sight greeted us as we headed out for lunch from work on Wednesday. Bob the Blob in our local bakery in Exmouth Market. We never did get to the bottom of why!
Still it looks like he's having fun.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
What's a neighbourhood?
Way back in 1997/98 the Government was all about neighbourhoods. That was how our cities were going to be transformed, by small groups of people coming together and improving their local areas. Sure Start was based on neighbourhoods, and the fledgling Neighbourhood Statistics Service was set up by the Office for National Statistics. Then someone realised that to come up with statistics for areas, they need to have boundaries. And that if you want to make sure that any data you release for these small areas don't disclose the identity of individuals then these boundaries need to align with pre-existing areas that you've already published data for. And of course, you probably need to know the number of people living in your neighbourhood to do anything meaningful with the fact that there were 53 births in the area last year...
And lo, neighbourhoods became wards and all was fine and dandy. Except that wards are a political construct, and they change in order to keep electoral numbers to a reasonable level in each. Quite often your ward bears little relation to where you feel you live. But of course data and feelings don't really go hand in hand. I used to live in Lee. When we moved there we were in St Mildred's ward. This had no impact on my life if I'm honest. I had no real idea who St Mildred was, or why her name was on my ward. But then there was a reorganisation and we came under Lee Green ward. Now here was an area I could identify with. Particularly when the good voters of Lee Green ousted its Labour councillors and appointed a team of hard working Lib Dems in their place. People who live in Lee Green and care a great deal about it.
We then moved. To the Corbett Estate on the other side of Hither Green station. Technically Catford according to the Post Office, though it was considered to be in Hither Green at the time it was built, and in Catford South ward. I can't say I feel any attachment to Catford South. Hither Green is my nearest station and these days I mostly travel to work from there (Catford traffic makes that option a nightmare - it can take an hour to get to Catford station at the moment, a journey of just over a mile). When I was off on maternity leave, and on the days I do childcare, I spent most of my time at community centres which happen to come under Whitefoot ward. Catford South itself has very little going on for babies and toddlers that isn't run by religious groups with huge waiting lists to join. Or I spent time in Hither Green and Lee's parks. There are no parks in Catford South itself.
What prompted me to think about this was a leaflet I got through the door inviting me to the Catford South local assembly. The local assemblies are a great idea and give people a chance to input into what's going on in their neighbourhood (that word again). Unfortunately for me, I have far more of a personal stake in what's going on in Hither Green (Lewisham Central ward) or Lee (Lee Green ward). And what happens to the facilities I use in Whitefoot ward. The projects and initiatives for Catford South just don't relate to me at all.
It's a shame that neighbourhoods ended up drifting back to being wards, a real opportunity to get people doing something different at local level has been lost. On the other hand, if no one could measure the impact of any initiatives that were put in place, would they really be worth doing?
And lo, neighbourhoods became wards and all was fine and dandy. Except that wards are a political construct, and they change in order to keep electoral numbers to a reasonable level in each. Quite often your ward bears little relation to where you feel you live. But of course data and feelings don't really go hand in hand. I used to live in Lee. When we moved there we were in St Mildred's ward. This had no impact on my life if I'm honest. I had no real idea who St Mildred was, or why her name was on my ward. But then there was a reorganisation and we came under Lee Green ward. Now here was an area I could identify with. Particularly when the good voters of Lee Green ousted its Labour councillors and appointed a team of hard working Lib Dems in their place. People who live in Lee Green and care a great deal about it.
We then moved. To the Corbett Estate on the other side of Hither Green station. Technically Catford according to the Post Office, though it was considered to be in Hither Green at the time it was built, and in Catford South ward. I can't say I feel any attachment to Catford South. Hither Green is my nearest station and these days I mostly travel to work from there (Catford traffic makes that option a nightmare - it can take an hour to get to Catford station at the moment, a journey of just over a mile). When I was off on maternity leave, and on the days I do childcare, I spent most of my time at community centres which happen to come under Whitefoot ward. Catford South itself has very little going on for babies and toddlers that isn't run by religious groups with huge waiting lists to join. Or I spent time in Hither Green and Lee's parks. There are no parks in Catford South itself.
What prompted me to think about this was a leaflet I got through the door inviting me to the Catford South local assembly. The local assemblies are a great idea and give people a chance to input into what's going on in their neighbourhood (that word again). Unfortunately for me, I have far more of a personal stake in what's going on in Hither Green (Lewisham Central ward) or Lee (Lee Green ward). And what happens to the facilities I use in Whitefoot ward. The projects and initiatives for Catford South just don't relate to me at all.
It's a shame that neighbourhoods ended up drifting back to being wards, a real opportunity to get people doing something different at local level has been lost. On the other hand, if no one could measure the impact of any initiatives that were put in place, would they really be worth doing?
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
A review of the Catford South/Whitefoot North 20 mph zone
I received this questionnaire from Lewisham council asking for my views on the 20 mph zone covering the conservation area, Corbett Estate and North Downham estates (though oddly not the prefab estate, not sure why). The zone was set up in "Spring 2007".
The first thing they do is to look at the impact of the zone in terms of accidents and casualties. A laudable aim. However, some of the data are not what I would consider fit for purpose. First things first, they claim to analyse two periods of 30 months, before and after introduction of the zone. A reasonable approach for a first pass at looking at the impact of the zone. Unfortunately, if my calculations are correct, that means that the "before" period includes 3 winters (2004/5, 2005/6 and 2006/7) and the "after" period includes 2 (2007/8 and 2008/9). Since accidents are strongly seasonal, this gives a false picture, making it very likely that numbers would be higher in the first period.
Secondly, they present two tables, one of accidents and one of casualties, which split injuries into "fatal", "serious" and "slight". There was 1 fatal accident, giving rise to 1 death, in the period before the introduction of the zone and no fatal accidents/casualties in the period after the zone was introduced. Presented in the table as a 100% reduction. Well, yes, but what is more likely is that fatal accidents in the zone are so rare as to be pretty much random. A good thing, of course, but nothing to do with the zone itself. When we look at serious injuries, there were 10 before and 3 after, a 70% reduction, but again based on tiny numbers and without taking into account possible seasonality. I'm not very convinced about using these figures for a before and after analysis either. The number of slight accidents/casualties is greater, and shows a similar percentage reduction. Again, not taking into account possible seasonality.
They then go on to extrapolate savings to the community based on some method of allocating a cost of each category of casualty. They estimate a saving of £3.5 million. Unfortunately, the leaflet doesn't see fit to tell us how this was done. Clearly it has more validity if based largely on the more robust figures (i.e. those with larger numbers). I would be very sceptical if this applied any significant amount of money to the one death before (though I suspect that it does). I would be very interested in the details of the method.
What is probably more robust, and in my mind should probably be the focus of the leaflet is the measurements of traffic speeds. According to the leaflet, these have reduced in all but three roads and the average speeds range between 14 and 27 mph. However, this paragraph fails to tell us what the average speeds were beforehand, so only a cautious welcome there. There is also no explanation of the average speeds of 27 mph, though one would hope they are on the 30 mph roads that border the zone.
I have filled in my views on the relevant sheet and returned it to the council. Their analysis is clearly well intended - it makes a change for analysis to be done at all to look at the impact of policies. It's just unfortunate that it wasn't done better.
The first thing they do is to look at the impact of the zone in terms of accidents and casualties. A laudable aim. However, some of the data are not what I would consider fit for purpose. First things first, they claim to analyse two periods of 30 months, before and after introduction of the zone. A reasonable approach for a first pass at looking at the impact of the zone. Unfortunately, if my calculations are correct, that means that the "before" period includes 3 winters (2004/5, 2005/6 and 2006/7) and the "after" period includes 2 (2007/8 and 2008/9). Since accidents are strongly seasonal, this gives a false picture, making it very likely that numbers would be higher in the first period.
Secondly, they present two tables, one of accidents and one of casualties, which split injuries into "fatal", "serious" and "slight". There was 1 fatal accident, giving rise to 1 death, in the period before the introduction of the zone and no fatal accidents/casualties in the period after the zone was introduced. Presented in the table as a 100% reduction. Well, yes, but what is more likely is that fatal accidents in the zone are so rare as to be pretty much random. A good thing, of course, but nothing to do with the zone itself. When we look at serious injuries, there were 10 before and 3 after, a 70% reduction, but again based on tiny numbers and without taking into account possible seasonality. I'm not very convinced about using these figures for a before and after analysis either. The number of slight accidents/casualties is greater, and shows a similar percentage reduction. Again, not taking into account possible seasonality.
They then go on to extrapolate savings to the community based on some method of allocating a cost of each category of casualty. They estimate a saving of £3.5 million. Unfortunately, the leaflet doesn't see fit to tell us how this was done. Clearly it has more validity if based largely on the more robust figures (i.e. those with larger numbers). I would be very sceptical if this applied any significant amount of money to the one death before (though I suspect that it does). I would be very interested in the details of the method.
What is probably more robust, and in my mind should probably be the focus of the leaflet is the measurements of traffic speeds. According to the leaflet, these have reduced in all but three roads and the average speeds range between 14 and 27 mph. However, this paragraph fails to tell us what the average speeds were beforehand, so only a cautious welcome there. There is also no explanation of the average speeds of 27 mph, though one would hope they are on the 30 mph roads that border the zone.
I have filled in my views on the relevant sheet and returned it to the council. Their analysis is clearly well intended - it makes a change for analysis to be done at all to look at the impact of policies. It's just unfortunate that it wasn't done better.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Some history
My mum has been going through lots of old photos she's collected over the years and scanning them in. This one is of my great great grandparents, David and Sarah Lancaster. David was born in 1844. I'm not sure how old they are in this picture - the austere dress makes them look older than they probably are.
They lived in Gamlingay, a village in Cambridgeshire, situated between St Neots and Biggleswade. Its current population is around 3,500. Wikipedia has a wealth of information, including the gem that by the year of 1844 there were 5 inns in Gamlingay. They moved to Eaton Socon some time before my great grandad was born, so could well have been living there when this picture was taken. They had a baker's shop in St Neots.
They lived in Gamlingay, a village in Cambridgeshire, situated between St Neots and Biggleswade. Its current population is around 3,500. Wikipedia has a wealth of information, including the gem that by the year of 1844 there were 5 inns in Gamlingay. They moved to Eaton Socon some time before my great grandad was born, so could well have been living there when this picture was taken. They had a baker's shop in St Neots.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
It's world breastfeeding week
It's World Breastfeeding Week this week. I feel I ought to post about it.
But I'm not sure I've a lot to say. A quick search of my blog reveals I've had plenty to say in the past, so why not now? I think I've finally made peace with myself for not breastfeeding James. I wrote all about why not in a post that seems a lifetime ago. I'd always planned to do a second breastfeeding story when I stopped breastfeeding Claudia. I may still do that. But for now we're still going and I'm about to become one of those lentil-knitting extended breastfeeding types, one of the so-called breastfeeding mafia that's making woman throughout the land feel bad because they didn't want to or couldn't breastfeed (according to recent articles in the Times and the Guardian anyway). How mad is that?
These articles have it all wrong. Breast is best, that fact is undeniable. But it's not breastfeeders who are making mothers feel guilty for not doing it, it's mothers themselves. No one tried to make me feel bad about not breastfeeding James, I did that all by myself. And disappointingly, no one has criticised me for my choice to continue breastfeeding Claudia (though as she wouldn't take a bottle I'm not sure whose choice it was), despite others' tales of tutting and remarks being made.
I'll say again, the support for breastfeeding in this country is woeful. There are pockets of great support, and that's fab. But for the majority, it simply isn't there. It wasn't there for me with James and to be honest it wasn't with Claudia either, it was just that she could do it and he couldn't.
Until support improves, breastfeeding rates won't. No fancy ad campaigns from the Department of Health is going to change that.
But I'm not sure I've a lot to say. A quick search of my blog reveals I've had plenty to say in the past, so why not now? I think I've finally made peace with myself for not breastfeeding James. I wrote all about why not in a post that seems a lifetime ago. I'd always planned to do a second breastfeeding story when I stopped breastfeeding Claudia. I may still do that. But for now we're still going and I'm about to become one of those lentil-knitting extended breastfeeding types, one of the so-called breastfeeding mafia that's making woman throughout the land feel bad because they didn't want to or couldn't breastfeed (according to recent articles in the Times and the Guardian anyway). How mad is that?
These articles have it all wrong. Breast is best, that fact is undeniable. But it's not breastfeeders who are making mothers feel guilty for not doing it, it's mothers themselves. No one tried to make me feel bad about not breastfeeding James, I did that all by myself. And disappointingly, no one has criticised me for my choice to continue breastfeeding Claudia (though as she wouldn't take a bottle I'm not sure whose choice it was), despite others' tales of tutting and remarks being made.
I'll say again, the support for breastfeeding in this country is woeful. There are pockets of great support, and that's fab. But for the majority, it simply isn't there. It wasn't there for me with James and to be honest it wasn't with Claudia either, it was just that she could do it and he couldn't.
Until support improves, breastfeeding rates won't. No fancy ad campaigns from the Department of Health is going to change that.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Swim Swim Swim
Lewisham council have published a new booklet on Swimming for under 5s. (At least I assume it is new, I picked one up at Downham Leisure Centre today and hadn't seen it before.) It has a guide to the different swimming lessons that are available, but points out that "all Lewisham pools offer swim sessions for parents and children but they have different names." Because, of course, each set is from a different provider (since Leisure Centres are run by private sector companies under contract). At Downham the classes are for 3 months-3 years, then 3-4 years. Elsewhere in Lewisham it's 18 months-4 years then 4+. The classes are called Aquanauts 1-4 at some pools, you get Duckling awards 1-5 at Downham. Formal lessons start at age 4 in all pools, but again the programmes differ: either Aquazone or Swimschool. Confusing or what?I am really keen for J & C to go swimming. So I am persistent in trying to get them on to swimming lessons. And boy have I needed to be. We swim at Downham. At first it was impossible to get any information out of them at all, as the staff on reception knew nothing about the lessons. Then when we did get information, it was different depending on who we spoke to. I was able to book C in for lessons because I could do them on a weekday (back when I was on maternity leave) while J was in nursery. I couldn't get lessons for J, because the Saturday was full up and all the other times were unsuitable (9am or 5:30pm for a parent and child session when your creche hours are 9-5 is no use to anyone with more than one child to consider). So C did her first batch. I then rebooked her on, but moved her lesson to Saturday, as I was starting back at work. I couldn't get J into the Saturday class because he wasn't already doing swimming so I had to wait for open bookings and all the Saturday slots are gone. Thanks to my employer's flexible working hours, I was able to book him for Friday mornings. I then swapped them round so that J went on Saturdays and C went on Fridays. Phew!
Of course, with Downham, things are never simple, so fast forward to the end of that batch of lessons and time to rebook. Except that all the times have changed. Friday morning is now a 60+ swim. Saturday has changed from 9:30 to 11, which is great for those who like to laze around on Saturday morning, but means that by the time we get home J will be starving hungry and grumpy. Regardless, I have rebooked J, but have to choose a different time for C. The offered options are Tuesday morning 9am (no good, see above comments re: creche) or Thursday lunch time (no good as I work on Thursdays). So I have to take my chances with switching class again! I'm hoping to get her in on Saturdays too and M will come with me. Otherwise I will be going back to Wednesday lunchtimes and again using flexi working to do this.
Anyone with less persistence and a less flexible employer would have given up long ago! So does the council want more under 5s swimming or not? If it does I suggest the following:
1. A simplified programme that is the same across leisure centres (I actually think the 3 months- 3 years parent and child then 3-4 years pre-school model operated at Downham has the potential to work very well in practice, if it's well organised and explained).
2. Select times for the parent and child and pre-school lessons that fit in with people's lives. If you have a creche, then having parent and child sessions at the same time as it's open is actually sensible for those who have two children. You could also have pre-school and p&c at the same time, as pre-schoolers don't go in with their parents. Around lunchtime isn't ideal, as many babies/todders nap around this time, but better than not being able to go at all. 9:30 or 10 is a good time for those who can get up. 14:00 ish would just about allow people to take their younger ones and still be ready for the school run afterwards.
3. Once you've set lesson times, stick to them. Don't keep changing them about, as people make arrangements to allow them to take their kids swimming and these can be awkward to alter.
4. Keep parents informed of the inevitable odd cancellation. People are much less annoyed about these things if they're told.
5. Try putting up information about swimming lessons and how they work on the noticeboards of the pool (and that goes for the pool timetable too!), so people can find out information without having to ask at reception and getting different stories (note this could just be at Downham...)
All that said, both J & C love swimming, so I don't allow my frustrations to lead me to give up on the lessons! C passed Duckling 1 this time and J Duckling 2. Here's to the next batch and whatever that may bring.
The pic of me and C swimming on holiday. I posted some of J and I swimming at Downham a while back. Unfortunately, despite us being almost ever present for C's lessons, we missed the one where they did the photos, so we tried to recreate the idea ourselves while we were in Cornwall!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Save the Kids Korner
The Kids Korner is a distinctive Art Deco and landmark building at 232 Hither Green Lane. Built as the Park Cinema it was recently serving the community as a soft play centre. Its site is still today a strategic one for the success of Hither Green Lane and as such it has unrivalled potential to become a catalyst of regeneration of the area.
The bad news is that a planning application to demolish and build a block of flats with a shop on the front has been submitted by a land developer.
Allowing this to be the end of the Kids Korner site would effectively be surrendering to someone else's laxity, an easy option that furthers the decline of the area.
Its position on a busy junction on the high street is perfect for a community type of use but very poorly suited for quality housing. Not all desirable objectives can be fulfilled in one closely packed area and robust public amenities are more important for long term community cohesion than a few more flats.
The parade of shops ending by the Kids Korner has recently suffered a serious decline and is now even sporting some boarded up unused retail space. In the current economic downturn the addition of a commercial space to the front is not likely to improve the area. The addition of another boarded up shop is not in the interest of the area or the nearby retailers.
The area has a dramatic lack of community facilities and youth provision and as such we support the use of the Kids Korner as a multi-use community centre to include a performance space (which was the original purpose of the building) as well as other spaces for different uses so to allow as wide as possible use for the whole of our community.
The provision of a community centre is also the vision of the Hither Green Urban Design and Development Framework, and a recent audit of Youth Provision made by the Council found a complete lack of indoor spaces for activities for the youths in this part of the borough.
A community centre on the Kids Korner site will support trade as well as improve safety in the area because of the increased passage and its location at the gate of the Meridian South development will also act as a bridge across the community thus furthering community cohesion in this neighbourhood.
This petition aims as showing the Council the strength of the public's opposition to the current planning application as well as the level of support for our vision for an Arts and Community Centre for Hither Green utilizing the old Park Cinema building. Please sign by clicking on the link below!
Save the Kids Korner
The bad news is that a planning application to demolish and build a block of flats with a shop on the front has been submitted by a land developer.
Allowing this to be the end of the Kids Korner site would effectively be surrendering to someone else's laxity, an easy option that furthers the decline of the area.
Its position on a busy junction on the high street is perfect for a community type of use but very poorly suited for quality housing. Not all desirable objectives can be fulfilled in one closely packed area and robust public amenities are more important for long term community cohesion than a few more flats.
The parade of shops ending by the Kids Korner has recently suffered a serious decline and is now even sporting some boarded up unused retail space. In the current economic downturn the addition of a commercial space to the front is not likely to improve the area. The addition of another boarded up shop is not in the interest of the area or the nearby retailers.
The area has a dramatic lack of community facilities and youth provision and as such we support the use of the Kids Korner as a multi-use community centre to include a performance space (which was the original purpose of the building) as well as other spaces for different uses so to allow as wide as possible use for the whole of our community.
The provision of a community centre is also the vision of the Hither Green Urban Design and Development Framework, and a recent audit of Youth Provision made by the Council found a complete lack of indoor spaces for activities for the youths in this part of the borough.
A community centre on the Kids Korner site will support trade as well as improve safety in the area because of the increased passage and its location at the gate of the Meridian South development will also act as a bridge across the community thus furthering community cohesion in this neighbourhood.
This petition aims as showing the Council the strength of the public's opposition to the current planning application as well as the level of support for our vision for an Arts and Community Centre for Hither Green utilizing the old Park Cinema building. Please sign by clicking on the link below!
Save the Kids Korner
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Save the Park Cinema, Hither Green
I'm glad to see our campaign to save the former Kids Korner (once Park Cinema) in Hither Green is getting some publicity. The Londonist picks up the story from This is Local London.
Our website can be found at hithergreenhall.org. To quote some of the background:
Our website can be found at hithergreenhall.org. To quote some of the background:
The bad news is that a planning application to demolish the former cinema and build a block of flats with a shop on the front has been submitted by a land developer.
Allowing this to be the end of the Kids Korner site would effectively be surrendering to someone else’s laxity, an easy option that furthers the decline of the area.
Its position on a busy junction on the high street is perfect for a community type of use but very poorly suited for quality housing. Not all desirable objectives can be fulfilled in one closely packed area and robust public amenities are more important for long term community cohesion than a few more flats.
The area has a dramatic lack of community facilities and youth provision and as such we support the use of the Kids Korner as a multi-use arts and community centre to include a performance space (which was the original purpose of the building) as well as other spaces for different uses so to allow as wide as possible use for the whole of our community.
The provision of a community centre is also the vision of the Hither Green Urban Design and Development Framework, and a recent audit of Youth Provision made by the Council found a complete lack of indoor spaces for activities for the youths in this part of the borough.
A community centre on the Kids Korner site will support trade as well as improve safety in the area because of the increased passage and its location at the gate of the Meridian South development will also act as a bridge across the community thus furthering community cohesion in the neighbourhood.
Friday, May 08, 2009
South East London is the best
Well we knew that anyway, but Time Out has confirmed that London's best bloggers come from the South East! Well done to the Deptford Dame, Brockley Central, the Greenwich Phantom, 853, Transpontine, and the Blackheath Bugle. I'm a regular reader of all these (except Greenwich Phantom, somehow I'd missed out there!) and can confirm they are all excellent, well worth subscribing to. And there are loads more that Time Out missed and are also fab. Some of these are listed on my blogroll.
I will just have to try and live up to your standard chaps! Although I realise that blogging about my children, breastfeeding and Lewisham hospital is never going to quite reach the same dizzy heights of interestingness.
I will just have to try and live up to your standard chaps! Although I realise that blogging about my children, breastfeeding and Lewisham hospital is never going to quite reach the same dizzy heights of interestingness.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Why 17?
Today 17 babies will die, the tragic victims of stillbirth or neonatal death. This is a statistic that is seeing no signs of decreasing, and behind each number is a family rocked to the foundations by the death of their baby.
This shocking figure, the loss of 6,500 babies every year, is something the public is not generally aware of. Most people think stillbirths don’t happen in the 21st century. Yet stillbirth in the UK is 10 times more common than cot death.
At Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, we feel this number of deaths is totally unacceptable. We have launched the Why17? campaign to raise awareness of this devastating loss and to ask the question:
“Why are 17 babies a day dying and what can be done to halt this national tragedy?”
“I just want to raise awareness of stillbirth. I had no idea that this could happen to me"
1) Follow this link, fill in your details to email your MP to make them aware of the parliamentary launch of Why17? on March 4th 2009: www.why17.org/Get-Involved/Contact-your-MP.html
2) Add your name to the list of supporters (petition) : www.why17.org/Pledge-Your-Support.html
3) Make a contribution: donate online; buy a window sticker / wristband / balloon; or plan a sponsored event. More ideas here: www.why17.org/Get-Involved.html
The photo is from flickr user sleepy-sue. Lots of people posted really amazing photos on the theme of Why 17? yesterday, this one hit home for me because James is so into Thomas the Tank Engine.
This shocking figure, the loss of 6,500 babies every year, is something the public is not generally aware of. Most people think stillbirths don’t happen in the 21st century. Yet stillbirth in the UK is 10 times more common than cot death.
At Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, we feel this number of deaths is totally unacceptable. We have launched the Why17? campaign to raise awareness of this devastating loss and to ask the question:
“Why are 17 babies a day dying and what can be done to halt this national tragedy?”
“I just want to raise awareness of stillbirth. I had no idea that this could happen to me"
1) Follow this link, fill in your details to email your MP to make them aware of the parliamentary launch of Why17? on March 4th 2009: www.why17.org/Get-Involved/Contact-your-MP.html
2) Add your name to the list of supporters (petition) : www.why17.org/Pledge-Your-Support.html
3) Make a contribution: donate online; buy a window sticker / wristband / balloon; or plan a sponsored event. More ideas here: www.why17.org/Get-Involved.html
The photo is from flickr user sleepy-sue. Lots of people posted really amazing photos on the theme of Why 17? yesterday, this one hit home for me because James is so into Thomas the Tank Engine.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Breastfed baby risk investigated (from BBC News)
I'm not sure what to think about this research. Obviously it's good that risks to babies are investigated, but making people unnecessarily worried about something that's actually extremely rare is problematic. I do think hospitals already push formula on to nervous mums too much as it is, and the message from this article is hardly going to help. What is needed is proper breastfeeding support for mums who want to do it, so that they can go home confident in their feeding and not panicking and not enjoying the time with their babies.
The number of times I've heard people say they gave up BFing because they didn't have enough milk is huge, and sadly most of the time it just isn't the case. But health professionals don't have the necessary training to help mums who think they are in this situation, and to distinguish between mums who genuinely don't have enough milk and those who do but are worrying unnecessarily.
It's sad that only 1% of mums are still bfeeding their babies at six months, but I can understand why. The lack of support is a real problem, and not just in the early days. The four-month growth spurt can be a real nightmare, and yet it's hardly talked about. A lot of mums remain unaware of it, assuming that as baby is suddenly wanting to feed more that they must be ready for solids, or that they haven't got enough milk. Yet the reality is that in most cases it can be got through with lots of feeding and perhaps some sleepless nights. I'm the first to moan about Claudia's lack of sleep, but it's only for a short time in the great scheme of things, and I think, for me, wanting to give her the best possible start was important enough to put up with it.
I'm proud that I've managed to be one of the 1% this time around. But the support when I had James was shocking, and to be honest there was next to none when I had Claudia (don't give birth on a Friday peeps, none of the BF counsellors are in at the weekends...), and it was only my own determination to do it that stopped me giving formula to her. The paediatricians wanted me to and it's so hard to stand up to a doctor and say no... And now they'll be obsessing about this on top of their obsessions with measuring babies' milk intake.
Sorry, this has turned into a bit of a rant, and isn't the most focussed piece of writing I've ever done, but blame baby brain and sleep deprivation for that one!
(Incidentally, C slept from 11 til 7 last night, what a star!)
The number of times I've heard people say they gave up BFing because they didn't have enough milk is huge, and sadly most of the time it just isn't the case. But health professionals don't have the necessary training to help mums who think they are in this situation, and to distinguish between mums who genuinely don't have enough milk and those who do but are worrying unnecessarily.
It's sad that only 1% of mums are still bfeeding their babies at six months, but I can understand why. The lack of support is a real problem, and not just in the early days. The four-month growth spurt can be a real nightmare, and yet it's hardly talked about. A lot of mums remain unaware of it, assuming that as baby is suddenly wanting to feed more that they must be ready for solids, or that they haven't got enough milk. Yet the reality is that in most cases it can be got through with lots of feeding and perhaps some sleepless nights. I'm the first to moan about Claudia's lack of sleep, but it's only for a short time in the great scheme of things, and I think, for me, wanting to give her the best possible start was important enough to put up with it.
I'm proud that I've managed to be one of the 1% this time around. But the support when I had James was shocking, and to be honest there was next to none when I had Claudia (don't give birth on a Friday peeps, none of the BF counsellors are in at the weekends...), and it was only my own determination to do it that stopped me giving formula to her. The paediatricians wanted me to and it's so hard to stand up to a doctor and say no... And now they'll be obsessing about this on top of their obsessions with measuring babies' milk intake.
Sorry, this has turned into a bit of a rant, and isn't the most focussed piece of writing I've ever done, but blame baby brain and sleep deprivation for that one!
(Incidentally, C slept from 11 til 7 last night, what a star!)
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