Like I voted last time.  Great book, needs publishing!

I've read through a few entries and I must say as a guy I feel kind of left out.   Now, I know there are plenty out there that would chime in and say if I really wanted to get in on the fun that they 'have ways'.  Sorry, I am not that eager.  However, since not many guys have put a comment in here, let me just ask; "when's ok to watch and when's not ok to watch?"   I've spent most of my years as a male who will by chance be somewhere and become aware that there is a woman breasfeeding her baby within sight.   Generally, I look away to try and not embarass anyone.  However, being a guy with a fairly normal interest in women I would say it is kind of hard to not look!  Even when I tell myself don't stare at them, my head still looks up, and then, there I have looked again! Which, by now, I mean I have to turn around and look away which I have noticed sometimes prompts a woman to put away her breast and stop feeding the baby.  Which really makes me feel guilty!  The thing is, if I look, and I have to admit I like the photos of breast feeding not because of the arousal effect but simply because they portray a certain beauty in nature.   The relationship between Mother and Child that is the essence of humankind and it is hard not to feel an emotional response to something as warm and nurturing as the site of a woman breastfeeding.  But, not to worry, I think you should be able to breastfeed in public, and I promise not to stare!
Thumbs up for your project!
Omanh

Very Good. Good luck getting published!

Good book! I'm sure many women would buy it... I like the variety as you pointed out in the description; funny, sad etc. Enlightening! Good luck!

This was great! I had very similar experiences feeding both my children and even though it wasn't easy - I enjoyed every minute!

Thank you! You get a thumbs up from me!

Fun read thumbs up
if you would look at my child safety project it's called 'watch out'

Oh is this ever a worthy subject. Great idea, encouraging and I imagine, so welcomed by the La Leche League.

Yes I am a contributor and project leader, but it is a really great book which highlights lots of mums, and dads as writers.

You are a god writer mothert I alike your book its qualirty mike

Great write yet i am glad I could only be a father great read mike

i wish you success.

i voted yes last time and this time as well. this is a very good and needed book.

So much that is helpful...I do hope it gets published this year.

Goodluck, thumbs up, all the best everyone, love Wennie xxxhugs

You are a very good writer I love your style.  I voted for you please vote for my book "King Loverr: Diary of a Philosophical Loner.

OK im a contributor but I'm only a small % of the talent in this project , thumbs up !

Good Day
I hope that you - being one of the 25 who were supposed to be included as one of the winners of the vote process will complain - there were 540 projects in the competition - 54 were supposed to be chosen but webook took less than half in order to cut their work load. They told me that they chose ten percent of the projects which received more than 10 votes.
I hope you will let them know, just as i have, what you think of their  unethical behavior.

A+++++

This is an amazing book, Give it an A+++!

Great book. Think breast feeding is sooo important and new mum's need all the encouragement they can get.

This book is definately needed! It's a bit late to help me, but there are plenty of new mums out there who would be grateful for the knowledge that others feel their pain. It's so refreshing to have someone tell the truth about it, magnificantly horrendous!

Very useful and easy to read

clinical books confused me these stories brought light to breastfeeding but i had already got over the worst, so the sooner its on the shelves to bring light to other mums brestfeeding the better. Publish this book PLEASSSSSE x

Wonderful!  The world needs this book and all its information!

totally support this kind of writing/perspective

Great book, great resource. Thanks for sharing it with us!

This is something I can SOOOOO relate to!  A fun, hysterical read and remembrance of those joyous and crazy days as "The Fridge" for my six babies!

absolutely brilliant. the more people who talk, the less people who feel like they are alone.

Got my vote. It's great.

many new mums are made to breastfeed at hospital, which is scary and very daunting, if they have an idea and can read stories on the way they are more likely to keep up with it.

Love it!  New mom's need all the encouragement they can get...the experience is so different for every one.  Good job!

This needs publishing. My aunt has put a lot of time and effort into this. Would be a shame of it went to waste.

I sure hope this gets published b/c it would be such a great book for all those moms out there.  It's a book that would never get old.

good luck

Good Luck xx

Got my vote, go for it!

Oh- and breastfeeding makes babies smarter too!

You know, I have a friend who is 4 months pregnant.  This would be great for her. :)

This book will be inspiring to breastfeeding mums and I think it will fill a huge gap in the marketplace.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/default.stm
Did you see the current story on the BBC website that highlights the enormnous benefits of breastfeeding for the development of the baby's lungs and for prevention of asthma?  LB1968

Great read, a must for all mums to be.

I just wanted to clarify that the 'UK Infant Feeding Survey ' as shown on the NHS website shows that 76% of UK mums breastfeed.  This survey was conducted from 2000-2005 and published in 2007. 

It clearly shows a decline in breastfeeding over the period of the first 6 months but the number of breastfeeding mums and the length for which they feed has risen significantly over the years. 

Just Call Me Daisy is about encouraging mums to keep feeding for as long as possible and hopes to help towards  increasing these statistics. 

With more health awareness about breastfeeding being available the market is increasing and  I also wonder how the credit crunch might increase these statistics.

Therefore a 76% market capacity is excellent, and thats just the UK.

Link: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles-related-surveys/infant-feeding-survey

oh and I clearly said my vote was a neutral, which in no way brings down the percentage of this work,   oh and nice blank profile.

Wow...defensive much?  I didn't say anything negative.  I was making a sex and the city reference, first of all, second of all, I was being honest.  I don't see how this would sell, because the only market are other breast feeding mothers.  I get that your story is yours, but I was speaking from a marketting perspective.  you don't like it, well that's too bad, because I'm right.  If you wanted to hear nothing but cheer, you shouldn't have bothered to invite feedback.  I mean it's not like I came on here and told YOU to shut up.  I came on and told you exactly what an agent or publisher would say.  Go be immature somewhere else

hey lightbrite? you a nursing mother? if not shut up

Mothers have the hardest job in the world good luck mike

I....well...I'm not sure what I think, to be honest.  On the one side, i almost don't think this is a subject that needs to be written about.  I mean it does, but in a medical way.  These  are like tales people tell over cosmopolitans somewhere in Manhattan.  I just don't get how this is going to sell.  Secondly, I agree with one of the other commentors.  Anthologies should have introductions, group editing for cohesiveness and an afterward.

it's a neutral for me.

great x

The stories I've read are entertaining and informative.  Considering it's an anthology, the project as a whole would benefit from an introduction and some overarching organization.

excellent real stories to enable mums to embrace themselves as humans and not just mums!

Good idea many mums will benefit from this book

Great idea !

Brilliant idea !

Wonderful idea !

love it!

Fantastic Idea.  It will give much needed support to many mums.

I wish I had read this before my kids were born. Thank you so much for a nonclinical human approach to this! Humorous to boot!

Yipee, good luck with your brilliant idea! Hooray for lactivists everywhere!

Go for it!

Great job!

This needs to be published, in support of all breastfeeding moms out there. GOOD WORK!!!

Keep up the good work.

This needs to be published!  All women need to hear these stories!

I agree that you have to do what is best for yourself and your baby. You will get comments about whatever you decide to do. At least you tried and know that you did your best and now don't feel guilty. Which happens to alot of mothers when they have to go onto the bottle. Breastfeeding is always made out to be this thing that we can all do because that is how we are created. Yet the reality is there are lots of factors that can make it a very difficult thing to do. You should be commended for giving it such a good go.

Mothers need to hear more true stories about breastfeeding before this becomes a lost art.

Great idea - well done.

Fantastic project which will benefit many mums worldwide!

I was always adamant I'd breastfeed and, somewhat arrogantly, thought it would be a breeze. Both my Mum and my sis had no problems whatsoever and, whilst I knew I'd be a bit sore and engorged for a few days, I didn't foresee the problems I'd have. My daughter was born with a urinary tract infection and I also had Pethidine during labour which I now bitterly regret and hold partially responsible. Anyway, for both those reasons she didn't latch on the first night or next day and I got little help or support from the midwives. Finally we made progress and were discharged from hospital but the next day were back in again as her UTI really took hold. She lost 10% of her birth weight in 3 days and the hospital insist I express and top up with formula. As my milk had hardly come in this meant quite a bit of formula which broke my post-natal heart.

However, when she was better, we went to the breastfeeding clinic and we cracked it and 8 good weeks passed. AT 8 weeks it was like someone had flicked a switch. She screamed anytime I put her anywhere near me, turned her head away and generally looked at me as if I was trying to administer poison. This phase passed and I got through it by becoming hooked to my electric pump. All was going better again until 16 weeks when the same refusals started again. It was such a struggle but then I cottoned on that she didn't mind feeding, as long as it was in the dark as the night-time quiet feeds were the only ones that worked. So, throughout the day when she was hungry we'd make our way up to her darkened nursery for feeding. Truly bizarre and unfathomable. Suddenly, at about week 19, we cracked it. We are now week 22 and can finally say we are enjoying the lovely bonding experience that breastfeeding is.

I look back sometimes and wonder how I persevered. I have cut the story fairly short but the heart-wrenching feeling when your daughter prefers a bottle over you is hard to take in a hormone-heightened state. What I have taken from it is a deeper understanding and appreciation of how challenging it can be but have also learned a lot about myself and my new daughter as well.

i always knew i would breastfeed. it was something i looked forward to! when my husband and i got pregnant with our first child i was eager to start nursing. i wondered what it was like, if i would have trouble like so many moms, but i NEVER considered what i would do if i couldnt breastfeed. there was no 'couldnt' for me. i was going to breastfeed and that was that. my husband supported me, not knowing what he was really doing, but mostly for the reason that it was free.
when my son was born, i did try to nurse right away. though my son was kinda interested, he didnt latch on right away. i was a little nervous considering i knew he wasnt drugged or anything, we had a pretty natural birth. however, i was not concerned and took it as just the fact that he wasnt hungry. it took 10 hours, but he finally latched on, and though it was frustrating because i was so tired, i think that he still wasnt latching on completely but i felt so pressured by the nurses to get him latching or they were going to give him formula at hour 12. i didnt agree with this, after all, like i said, i was going with the idea that he would eat when he was hungry. so i did my best to just keep my son close, and in my room as often as possible, especially when the "bottle nurse" i was warned about was working.
still, i never looked back. for the first two months our son slept in a bassinet in our room, and i sat up every time he woke up to feed him. my husband seemed to be fine with this - and he usually slept right through it. i tried to get him to do things like change a diaper or sometimes get him in or out of the bassinet for me (my wrists were terribly painful during and fora long time after my pregnancy, to the point where i could hardly lift my son unless i did it just right).
anyway, we had basically no issues breastfeeding. our son was a natural, and he was allowed to feed on demand whenever he wanted or needed it. around 2 months old or so i got tired of having to get up and get him from the bassinet, so we started cosleeping. most nights my husband felt pushed out and he slept on the couch for quite a while but never made me feel i was doing anything wrong. for a while after our son was born, until sometime after i started working again (i work at home luckily) i would stay up late on the couch since our son was awake at night anyway, and wouldnt go to bed until 1 or 2 in the morning. anyhow after that we went to bed around 10 and our son slept with us. i was nervous about it at first, but after reading books by william sears who supports cosleeping as safe and nurturing, i had enough support to just do it, no matter who liked it or who didnt.
at some point during the time i was nursing (and i dont even know what point that was) i ended up with shingles, (reaffirming the idea that a chicken pox vaccine was probably something we should go with). my doctor was supportive of my breastfeeding relationship, and gave me medication and told me i had nothing to worry about, it wouldnt spread (or it would have already) and the medicine wouldnt hurt our son. we got through that just fine.
around the time our son was 7-8 months old, we started teaching him some simple, but important sign language, such as milk, hungry, more, please, etc. he liked milk most of all, and instead of crying like a normal baby when he was hungry, he would sign for milk, and he nursed! it was great to have a child at 9 months who could confidentally ask for what he wanted instead of throwing a fit!
i thought i would just nurse until around that one year mark, but as it approached, i was much more interested in child-lead weaning. i loved nursing my son, and he loved nursing, so why break that up before we had to? after all, they grow up so quickly anyway, why cut something short? so, going against everything that everyone i knew of told me, i continued nursing after our son turned 1 year old. my husband was wondering when he was going to get his wife back, and i didnt worry about it, i had complete confidence that this was the right thing to do, and our son was so sweet and connected compared to other kids his age that we knew, so i couldnt help but think it was because of our attachment parenting style!
when our son was almost a year old, we went to ecfe at the local school, and he met his first friend. his mom also was nursing him  and planned on an extended nursing period. yay! we all became fast friends and it was nice, for a change, to have encouragement and support to continue breastfeeding! :D i wasnt alone in my parenting beliefs! i found it hard to sit in the adult meetings during ecfe because all of the other parents took a different approach to parenting, which included parent-lead feedings, crying it out, and other 'training' methods that i felt were contrary to my instincts and the needs of babies. i felt lucky that i finally had a friend who felt the same way i did!
around 15 or 16 months old, i finally took our son to a la leche league meeting. i am still kicking myself for not going earlier! i highly recommend that every mom nursing or not attend these meetings in their area. they gave me more and more support for nursing, and confident, emotional parenting. i felt so happy to know that there are more mothers out there who felt the way i did, though they were an hour away! however, around the time our son was 18 months old, he had started to nurse less and less. i was fine with this as he was making life much more busy and exciting in so many other ways, he was mostly nursing at night, before nap and before bed, or when he got hurt or sad. we went on a family vacation to a friends wedding, and with all the traveling, being in new places, playing, and sleeping and driving here and there, he nursed less and less. aftter we got home, he nursed only once or twice every other day.. and by a week after we returned home, the day after our 4th anniversary, our son stopped nursing on his own. at the same time too, i got a period, so i think between the business of the vacation, and the change in taste from my period, our son decided that he was done.
 the next week he started signing for 'milk please' as he had done many times before, but then stopped and shook his head no. since we had gone with the 'dont ask dont refuse' method - we knew it was his decision because i had never told him no. he was 19 months old when he weaned himself, and i have to say i was a little bit disappointed! i had gone to a class was teaching the dangers of animal products, and dairy in general, and that babies, especially if still nursing, dont need any whole milk at all, i was hoping we would make it through the 'whole milk year' just by nursing. however, since he weaned i made sure he gets a good diet of fruits and veggies and good fats, some soy milk or almond milk, and he does just fine. he seems to be ahead of most kids his age, which is fine and probably somewhat genetic since me and my husband were both BORED in elementary school.. but i cant help but think that its the extended breastfeeding that helped our son reach his greatest potential! he is now 22 months old, can recognize 3 shapes, counts to 5 perfectly, 10 on occassion (sometimes he skips 6 and 8) and he can even recognize his own name. he is still emotionally connected to people, and he cuddles more than any kid i know! he prefers to be with me and his dad, but is confident that we will return when we leave (we dont leave often) i cant imagine parenting any other way, and i would like to encourage moms everywhere to just follow your instincts. so many people are going to tell you not to nurse or not to nurse for very long, they will tell you that your baby is using you or manipulating you, they will tell you that your baby needs to cry to develop their lungs, or just so that they can cry... you do NOT have to make your baby cry! the more that you respond and love your baby, the more they trust you in return. trust is not somethign that you can build when all you build their whole infancy is ignorance! the more work you put in now, the less difficult it is later. my son is living proof that attachment parenting does not cause children to become 'too dependent' - in fact it makes him more independent because he is trustful that his needs are being met. not letting him 'cry it out' doesnt make him get his way all the time, but he does know that we are here for him when he is hurt, hungry, thirsty, bored, angry, sad, overwhelmed, whatever. when he throws a tantrum now, its easy for me to understand what he needs at that moment, and its easy for me to dispell the tantrum because i have a clear picture of my sons emotions and needs. and i believe wholeheartedly, being flexible about extended breastfeeding opens up doors to your heart and your baby's heart.. ones that are vital, important, precious, needed, and emotional. being willing to breastfeed means being willing to make your life less about YOU and more about your child... and that opens more doors! :D if it werent for breastfeeding, i doubt i would have as close a connection with my son. and i wish that for every mom!

I am a 26 year old mother of 2 perfect children  My breastfeeding story starts a little over 6 years ago when I found I was pregnant for my first time.  I was completely excited, and scared!  I was only 19 at the time and not yet at the part of my life to be considered "mother-material", but shortly after my daughter was born I realised mothering was what I was born to do!  So I spent my pregnancy reading about babies, breastfeeding, and motherhood.  I "outed" myself from the scene I was in, which was pretty much a dead end road. 
So anyway, after all the reading I had doen, I knew breastfeeding was the best thing I could ever do for my baby.  I was positive this was the only way to go, all though I was not breastfed, nor had ever even watched a baby breastfeed.  If I only knew then the love and joy and emotional bond that comes with nursing your baby!
She was born the morning after the first snow storm of the year (at the time we were living in a small American town known as the "Ice-box of the Nation!).  I'm sure we must have gotten at least 6-8 inches that night!  Shortly after her birth I tried to latch her on.  She took right to it!  but that didn't last.  Over the rest of the day, between many many visitors, breastfeeding became harder nad harder and I got more discouraged each time.  I was so tired (after laboring all night and visiting all day) I asked for a little relief from the nurses.  WHile they had my newborn baby girl in the nursery they did the (almost) unthinkable.....they fed her formula!!  Luckily, her father was outside the room and was stren in telling them that I was BREASTFEEDING, so they promised only to feed her a small ammount with a spoon. 
Ahhhh, dinner time.  The first thing I had eaten in 18 hours was a disgusting hospital meal.  Some sort of chicken breast I think, salad, potaotes, pudding and a huge pile of cauliflower.  I choked down the pudding and the cauliflower, I was still starving!!  So I called my sister and she brought me Border Bar Pizza, which is the best, greasiest, spiciest pizza around!  So I ate until I was stuffed!  Now this whole time baby was being passed around to different friends and family who stopped by so I could rest and eat!  Then came closing time for visitors and time for me and my daughter to establish a proper breastfeeding relationship. 
I cried and cired and cried for she would just not latch on!  Nothing even compared to the first time she was at my breast.  She would barley even accept it, only to pull off and tear her head the other way.  Some how, a nurse heard me struggling, (and by somehow I am referring to the lack of nurse help I got at my hospital stay,) and offered to help.  It was a no-go.  Then some sort of lactation consultant was called upon and she saved us!  She hugged me and calmed me down and got my baby to latch down, successfully.  I was so happy! 
The next day I was released.  I accepted the invitation to stay with my dad and his wife for a few days so they could help me a little.  I did really appreciate their help and his wife wsa very encouraging to my breastfeeding and was sure to express how important it was.  Breastfeeding was going great and I had already mastered the laying down position, (which was resumed for 3 months to follow!)  Meanwhile, my poor babies body was not so great.  She seemed have literally been born with a diaper rash and was having horirble gas pains.  We actually watched a 2 day old baby roll from side to side with gas pains.....remember the pile'o cauliflower previsously mentioned?  Well appereantly the hospitla staff does not take breastfeeding under consideration while meal prepping!  My dad's wife was horrified (and extremely pissed off) when I explained what I had eaten the day prior.  She even called the hospital to give them a peice of her mind!  
So on morning 5 post-partum (that is 3 nights at my dad's house), I decided I needed to go home and care for my daughter myself.  Her daddy (we weren't "together" at this time) picked us up and helped us unpack at home then I sent him on his way so we could rest. 
The next couple weeks are pretty much a blur as I spent the entire time on the couch sleeping and nursing my angel.  She fed every hour at least for about 40 minutes.  She only slept on my chest.  It seemed like it would never end, (the cycle).  ANd this whole time she would just not settle.  She had a diaper rash from front to back, inside and out.  I tried everything I coul dthink of, but nothing was seeming to help her.  I mastered the art of burping and back rubbing by the time she was a month, and by month 2 nothing had changed. 
Finally the doctors started listening ot me.  They werent really sure why my daughter was so upset and rashy, Im pretty sure they just called in colick.  I can't really remember the timeline very well but I did some reading and decided I would start an elimination diet.  Oh brother!
It took a month I think but from what I could figure, she as sensitive to dairy, tomatoes, and strawberries.  Do you remember my first P.P. meal?  PIZZA!   The two top offenders.  I was in a daze.  What was I going to eat?  SO I made another dr. apt. and demanded allergy testing.  What do you know, she was allergic to what I had already found plus wheat and egg whites!! 
It took a week or so to get EVERYTHING out of my diet but after that, it was all smooth sailing.  I nursed her for 13 months at which point I thought I had to stop!  I was returning to work (after a year of public assistance and state health care.  the U.S. doesnt have a system like we do in Canada and most employers give 4-6 weeks mat leave, mainly unpaid!) 
 After she was weaned, she stopped growing.  She did not gorw and inch or gain a pound for a whole year.  They called it failure to thrive.  I was so sad for my little girl.  I wish I knew then what I knew now.  My breastmilk was nourishing more then anything else!  With her (our) restricted diet, my milk was prefect for her.  Had only I known that.
So years went by and she caught up.  When she was 2 I married her father.  WHen she was almost 3 I gave birth to her brother. 
He was born 10 days late.  For reasons that will be left for another topic, I did not have the natural birth planned and the dr. pulled my baby out of my un-contracting body with the forceps.  It was quite traumatic for me.  Breastfeeding was great though.  Aside from a little nipple confusion (he liked his soother more then me!) and lazy eatin, he owuld fall asleep after 2 minutes of nursing, he was a breeze! 
We had a move when he was 6 months old.  And I swear, if we had not moved, I woudl be a completely different mother!
We just happend to move next door to my, now, LLL leader!  We became friends a few months later when the weather warmed up and we would visit outside.  I remember one of the furst conversations we had about breastfeeding.  I had asked her how long each of her children were nursed and she replied with "You dont want to know!!"  Well of course that made me even more curious and thats when she told me all about long-term breastfeeding. 
We have had many conversations since about breastfeeding, including the ones at LLL meetings I attend.  My current breastfeeding relationshiop has had many ups and downs.  Post partum depression included, and a constant battle with myself, to wean or not to wean.(my husband is not supportive of full-term bfing.  We have agreed to disagree.)  3 years is a long time, but worth every single emotion put into it!!  My son has taught me many things but the most important thing has been nursing him.  He gets fewer colds, they last nearly half as long as his sisters, he sleeps great.  He LOVES his momma!! 
Now my passion is breastfeeding.  I love everything about it.  I hope someday to become a LLL leader, but just not right now.  I try to encourage every preggo woman I know that breast is best.  It's worth every battle, big or small!!  YOU CAN DO IT!!!

i had an emergency c section with my son and had always wanted to breastfeed him as its a natural thing and is far more beneficial to them, i really struggled at first and didn't get much help from midwives in the hospital they were all to busy!
I found breastfeeding very difficult especially when he was wanting a feed every half an hour midwives were telling me this was normal whereas relatives were telling me it wasnt and that he seemed overly hungry all the time.
After 5 days and being at home my son was weighed and to our shock he had lost 14% of his birth weight meaning that he had to go in hospital straight away!
When i got to the hospital i found out i wasnt producing enough breast milk and this was the reason for his weight loss this really put me off and scared me away from breastfeeding so from then on i gave my son formula.
I am currently 34wks pregnant and have reconsidered breastfeeding and have started expressing and freezing just to make sure i can produce enough this time.
I recently found out that i had no skin to skin contact with my son when he was born and i feel this may have been a major part to play plus with no guidance from midwives or advice, this really affected my bond with my son and i am definitely going to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Even before i became pregnant, i knew i definitely wanted to breastfeed. i had an emergency csection in september of 2007 and the nurses didnt have time in the recovery room to assist me in breastfeeding my newborn daughter, so i attempted to latch her on myself and sucess!
Breastfeeding was hard at first, i think a lot of it for me was a mixture of tiredness, being a first time mum and trying to be a perfect mum too!  But i would say the first month is the hardest but once the feeding is established its wonderful for both you and your child. I found it painful the first few days when Alayna latched on but it was just seconds of pain, she would also feed little and often, sometimes every half hour! just knowing that i was giving my baby the best start in life was a wonderful feeling.  Alayna is one next week and i still feed her in the morning and at night.  i gave up day feeds at 11 months because of other peoples bad attitudes!

I gave birth to my little boy February 2008 by caesarian. I was really worried before about breastfeeding...thinking that maybe I wouldn't be successful. As I was taken into recovery they put him on me straight away....and he stayed there for an hour and a half. I have never in my life experienced such a burning and painful sensation. I had blood blisters on blisters and it was complete agony. I managed to carry on after finding that special cream. I was amazed that none of my friends had breastfed or even tried to. I'm so pleased to have read someone elses story of their nightmares and not felt like it was just me that suffered. Thank you for sharing. (Still breastfeeding now 6 months on).

Brought back a few memories!