Table 4.

Quotes from free text boxes in initial, 7 months and 12 months questionnaire

Question from initial questionnaire	‘were there any problems feeding your baby while you were in the hospital, birth centre or unit? What problems were there?’
Quotes	“X would not take anything from the breast and was very sleepy so had an NG tube put in.”
	“A feeding tube was inserted straight away, which prevented me from breast feeding. It also prevented her from becoming hungry enough to feed from me”
	“baby continually pushing tongue out and could not latch on. Decided to try the bottle which she took immediately so did not try breast again and was not questioned by staff”
Question from Initial, 7 months and 12 months questionnaire	‘Have you stopped breastfeeding (no longer give your baby any expressed milk or put your baby to your breast)? What were your reasons for stopping?’
Quotes	“Significant weight loss in early days, poor latch, inadequate milk being taken by baby, readmission to hospital for tube feeding, introduction of bottle feeding in hospital, milk supply subsequently drying up due to baby being put on bottle and use of pumps further made milk supply deteriorate.”
	“Baby fell asleep too much at the breast to feed properly. It was too time consuming and stressful to keep expressing.”
Question from initial, 7 months and 12 months questionnaires	“What would have helped you breastfeed longer?”
Quotes	“Knowing as I do now that it’s common to have feeding problems with Down syndrome. More specific breastfeeding support.” (from initial questionnaire)
	“I feel I was forced to give Child’s name a bottle when she was only a day old as the midwife was unwilling to entertain my concerns about the bottle meaning that she would never take the breast. I had wanted to give the milk by syringe or cup to give her a chance to keep trying the breast, but I was shot down and ridiculed.” (from 7-month questionnaire)
	“I just became too sick, unwell but at the same time I fed longer than I thought I would. Thanks to the support I received.” (from 12-month questionnaire)
	“She lost 6% of her birth weight by day 9 and the NICU home midwife suggested we move onto top up. I think that was the pinch point. If I had said no, let’s try harder to feed from the breast it might have established itself. But she had just been discharged from hospital and I was so reluctant to go back. You really have the threat of readmission hanging over you… I would have loved to feed her myself. It is my biggest sadness but there were too many other variables at play. I am pleased I was able to exclusively breast feed her though for well over 4 months.” (from 12 month questionnaire)