Bottle Feeding Mommies

Karen - posted on 09/13/2009

I don't understand why bottle feeding is a bad thing either. Formula has lots of vitamins and nutrients. The important thing is that the baby is happy and healthy. I bottle fed along with breastfeeding for the first 5 months. Like you I prefer bottle feeding and like to know exactly how much my baby is eating. With breastfeeding it seemed like she wasn't getting enough and always hungry afterwards.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 09/13/2009

I think her point was to the women who gave up breastfeeding because it wasn't convenient for them.

Donna - posted on 09/13/2009

What you have said is so unfair to some women including me. My baby was 9 days old before i could even hold her and 2 weeks old before i was aloud to put her to my breast. (and no she was not premmie). I tried for three weeks with a team of lactation consultants and a speach therapist to get my baby to latch and be happy taking my breast but that was never going to happen she would scream every time. To give up was the hardest desicion i ever made as i always planned to breast feed myself. So i then decided to express and feed her my milk that way; but it was impossible to keep up with that and day to day life as well. You condemn me for giving my baby formula but you have no idea what myself and alot of these women have obviously gone through before hand and that for some of us it was the hardest decision we have ever made and we are now probably much happier and healthier women and babies for this. All i ask is next time you make a statement like this try and look at it from the other side first and also ask yourself what would you do in similar sircumstance and also how your comment has made these other women feel. Don't forget any number of these women may be suffering from post natal depression and do not need to be made to feel bad for decisions they have made.

Norma - posted on 09/13/2009

I bottlefeed my little girl, she's ten months, she has only been sick once,she's very healthy, and very quiet compared to some breastfed babies I've heard.

To say that we're lazy or negligent just because we bottle feed is just disgusting! What about those poor mothers out there who would love to breast feed but can't and have no choice but to bottle?? Do they ever think of them??

Personally, I never felt comfortable about breastfeeding, I couldn't separate boobs=sex from boobs=food. But it doesn't mean I don't love my child any less. We've bonded just fine.

So those mothers who looked down on you are just self righteous bitches who need to take a good look in the mirror because they are no better than the rest of us.

Iysha - posted on 09/13/2009

Angela Nurse-



I wrote what I did in this conversation starter for moms to express their frustration about mothers like you. How can you say that mothers who choose to feed their children formula deny their children the means to be healthy? That is not true. To say that we are "brave" for feeding our children formula because of what is in it is hurtful. Shame on you. And to say that formula feeding is the "in thing" is completely untrue. The emphasis on breastfeeding is monumental. That is the whole reason for me starting the conversation. "Breast feeding is the natural thing to do, the best thing you can give your baby, if you love your baby you will breast feed, it's in baby's best interest." Tell me, when have you heard any good thing about formula feeding? Who gave you a hard time for breast feeding? Has anybody made you feel like a failure, like a bad mother, like you were doing something wrong because you were breast feeding? I'm going out on a limb here, but I really doubt you have. This conversation was not here for mothers to share negative opinions towards the actions reguarding feeding children. It was meant so that mothers who have decided to bottle feed their children can find comfort in the fact that they are not alone and that other mothers share the same frustrations they do.



Thank you for your post, but this conversation would have been better off without it.



Iysha

Michelle - posted on 09/12/2009

i have a six week old son...and at the moment am one feed breast one feed bottle...he was almost 5 weeks old and still hadn't gotten back to his birth weight. since starting him on a bottle he is gaining weight and is generally a bit happier (he also has reflux which didn't help the weight thing as he wasn't keeping anything down). so for us, it wasn't really a hard choice as i wasn't going to wait for him to continue losing weight while i felt good about myself because i was exclusively breastfeeding him....if his weight gain had been more than 20 grams a week, i probably would have liked to just breastfed him but hey.....formula is a means to an end which is a full happy baby. sometimes its not about making excuses but the health of your baby....

Angela - posted on 09/12/2009

It's not that formula feeding is bad it's just that we as women do what it takes so that we can be healthy, you know exercise, supplements etc but when it comes to giving our little ones the best start we deny them. Besides, why spend money when you don't have to? I was breast fed, my mom was breast fed and so on, why all of a sudden is it the "in thing" to formula feed. It's more of an inconvenience to have to measure, boil water etc. Do you really think that a formula company has your baby's best interest in mind? Read the ingredients, I think you're brave women for putting formula into your babies. When you're breast feeding you actually have to think about what you put into your body.

I'm just sharing my opinion, that's all!

I had to add some more on after reading more of the responses.

From reading the above posts, I've noted a few things:

I tried for this long and then quit, too much work to pump, sore nipples, didn't latch. I dealt with all those things but at the end of the day I had a great team of midwives my and son was born at home without medication. In my heart I believe that medications interfere with a child's ability to latch properly because they're groggy. That's a whole new can of beans, drugs during labor or not.

I don't think that I've ever been hard on another woman because she chose to formula feed. I wanted to give up too when my nipples were sore, I got frustrated when my son ate like what felt all the time but I stuck it out. Yeah, good for me, is what some of you will say, but don't miss my point, just know why you're doing what you do, don't just throw in the towel because the option of formula is there. I understand that they are some women who can't physically breast feed!

As I mentioned before read the ingredients on a can of formula!

You've sparked my interest now and I have to research when formula first came onto the market and what the stimulus was for it.

Michelle - posted on 09/12/2009

I am so glad someone feels this way too. I do breastfeed my son but I totally agree there is nothing wrong with formula fed babies. I to, hate seeing/hearing the negative comments about bottle fed babies. I agree that you can bond with a child just as much as if you were breastfeeding. I was going to pump and bottle feed-no formula but after having a c-section,i was in recovery for about an 1hr and away from my baby. when i got back to my room, he was starving,so for me I just whipped out my boob and put him to it. I applaud you for standing up for this!! Way to go Mom!

Nicole - posted on 09/12/2009

I tried to breastfeed....but my milk never came in. Even though I was disappointed in not being able to breastfeed, I decided that for the benefit of my daughter (who wasn't gaining any weight) and my own sanity (1st time mother and I swear, I thought I was a horrible mother) I decided to formula feed her. Best decision I made. I can feed her, Daddy can feed her, and so can any other family member and pumping is NOT involved......and, from what I've heard, weaning a baby from breast feeding isn't easy, so that's one thing we DON'T have to worry about!!!! LOL!!! If anyone says anything, I just say, look, I'm doing whats best for MY child, and for ME, and if YOU have a problem with that, too bad. That's it. I'm sorry people are being like that to you.

Rebekka - posted on 09/12/2009

i totally agree with you! i was told so many negative things about bottlefeeding.. i pumped only for about 2 weeks and that was it.. it was so much easier bottlefeeding with the formula! my mom also did not breastfeed any of her 5 kids and we all are just fine

Lisamarie - posted on 09/12/2009

I bottle fed but 2yo from birth n doin the same for my 9 week old and they are both very happy n healthy. I found myself feeling bad for sayin i bootle feed becoz of the looks u get from other people.
When I was in hospital after givin birth to my second child a woman in the bed next 2 mine was having trouble gettin her week old daughter to latch on n was exhausted, the baby was screamin for hours because she was so hungry, the mother felt like giving up because her daughter was taking the bottle during the times she couldn't breast feed but the docs n nurses kept pushin n pushin n basically guilt trippin the poor woman.
I think everybody has the right to choose how they feed there children, it's your body n if your not comfortable or cannot for any reason breastfeed then you should not b made to feel like a failure n a bad mother. 3 out of 5 of my siblings were breastfed, two of them were not and none of us have any problems with development or health. :)

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 09/11/2009

Quoting Robin:

Quoting Sara:

Quoting Leah:

I breast-fed exclusively for the first month and then I just couldn't keep up with my daughter so I started adding a night bottle in, and now she's probably 60% bottle fed and I don't see a problem with it at all. Having said that, I had said from when I first found out I was pregnant if we couldn't feed, then I had no problems bottle feeding.

I don't see why my daughter should be screaming from hunger, just because I'm not producing enough milk when I can easily give her a bottle.

The thing I love about bottle feeding too, is my partner gets a lot more involved. When I was breastfeeding I'd spend 7 or so hours a day feeding and it really took away from his time with Ella, but now as soon as he's home from work he can feed her and spend a lot more time playing. It's great.

Bottle feeding mums don't have anything negative to say about breast-feeding mums, so it should go both ways

I find this to be very untrue.  I breastfeed and I love it, but I think you should do what's best for you and your baby.  I know that breastfeeding is not for everyone.  That being said, breastfeeding moms are constantly being told that what they are doing is "disgusting" or "dirty"  I just read an article about a woman who was harrased (by another woman) because she was breastfeeding in a park.  So you can't say that bottle feeding moms don't say negative things because they do and I know that it goes both ways.  If you can bottle feed in public then we should be able to breastfeed and people should just mind their own business and let us all be moms and decide what we think is best for our little ones :)

although I agree with 99 percent of what has been said, I however dont agree with being able to BF in public with out a cover, I agree with BF anywhere but I also think it should be discreet, I personally would not want my child as he gets older seeing another womans breast, but that is me personally, I just dont think they should completely expose themselves, that is all.

I realize we're getting into another issue here, but I do cover up as much as I can.  My daughter gets very hot and sweaty so it's hard.  She also moves around a lot so sometimes I come uncovered, but I'm not going to make a big deal about it.  Can you imagine your little one getting very hot and uncomfortable while your feeding them? If a mom doesn't cover it, I don't care.  Breasts are for feeding babies.

Robin - posted on 09/11/2009

Quoting Yve:

Yeah, thanks for raising the issue.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who struggled at the desition. At his birth I had pathadine which made us both sleepy so he wasnt really interested in feeding for a few days and I couldnt consentrait without falling asleep. I had a c section so he was handed to his dad for his first feed and then the nurses took over with the feeding. I feel that's why it was so hard for me. The nurses made it too easy for me to bottle feed and I shyed away from the idea of breast feeding infront of the many visitors I was getting in the first few weeks.
I think its such a hard desition for women to make, they should not feel guilty at all.

I went through a c section also, and the nurses did the same thing, and now Im mad because I think that is part of why my son didnt want to BF, it was easier to get it from the bottle, Im not for or against either one, I just personally really wanted to BF and was not able to.

Robin - posted on 09/11/2009

Quoting Sara:

Quoting Leah:

I breast-fed exclusively for the first month and then I just couldn't keep up with my daughter so I started adding a night bottle in, and now she's probably 60% bottle fed and I don't see a problem with it at all. Having said that, I had said from when I first found out I was pregnant if we couldn't feed, then I had no problems bottle feeding.

I don't see why my daughter should be screaming from hunger, just because I'm not producing enough milk when I can easily give her a bottle.

The thing I love about bottle feeding too, is my partner gets a lot more involved. When I was breastfeeding I'd spend 7 or so hours a day feeding and it really took away from his time with Ella, but now as soon as he's home from work he can feed her and spend a lot more time playing. It's great.

Bottle feeding mums don't have anything negative to say about breast-feeding mums, so it should go both ways

I find this to be very untrue.  I breastfeed and I love it, but I think you should do what's best for you and your baby.  I know that breastfeeding is not for everyone.  That being said, breastfeeding moms are constantly being told that what they are doing is "disgusting" or "dirty"  I just read an article about a woman who was harrased (by another woman) because she was breastfeeding in a park.  So you can't say that bottle feeding moms don't say negative things because they do and I know that it goes both ways.  If you can bottle feed in public then we should be able to breastfeed and people should just mind their own business and let us all be moms and decide what we think is best for our little ones :)

although I agree with 99 percent of what has been said, I however dont agree with being able to BF in public with out a cover, I agree with BF anywhere but I also think it should be discreet, I personally would not want my child as he gets older seeing another womans breast, but that is me personally, I just dont think they should completely expose themselves, that is all.

Robin - posted on 09/11/2009

Im sorry others have said those things to you. I do bottle feed but I desperately wanted to breast feed, there were complications though that didnt allow me to, but it is a personal choice and they baby will be healthy and happy either way.

My son has been in PERFECT health, never been sick with anything, and is just average except for his head lol, which is in the 99th percentile! and he's a formula fed baby, so I dont see how its bad for the baby, I just wanted to BF because it is bonding, and I wanted the experience. I dont see anything wrong with either way.

Jammie - posted on 09/11/2009

Don't feel bad. I started breastfeeding my now one year old but she was not getting enough milk from me. I keeped trying until she was 6 weeks. She was on formula up until this past Tuesday. She has not gotten sick or had any other problems that people say formula feed babies get. I live in South Carolina and WIC here provides Good Start. Nestle has a formula out that helps boost a babies immune system, just like breast does. Not only that but Nestle formula has been around forever. I know this because as a college student I did a project about it in one of my business classes. Nestle did not start out making candy until well after Mr. Nestle created the first formula. So I is it al long as your child is happy and healthy, then who cares what other people think about you choice. You are doing what is best for you and your child.

User - posted on 09/11/2009

I think a lot of people don't realize just how hard breastfeeding is for some. My son absolutely refused to breastfeed for the first 2 weeks which meant that i had to spend an hour before every feed pumping for him. He got the hang of it after the that but then we discovered i wasn't producing enough milk, so i had to feed him, then pump immediately after every feed to try and increase my flow, as well as take this awful medication which was supposed to increase my supply but just gave me awful mastitis. Nothing seemed to work and i was producing less and less milk, so under my doctor's advice we started adding in formula feeds. Some people just don't have a high enough metabolism to produce adequate amounts of milk, and there is no reason you should starve your baby, or run yourself ragged having to spend an hour after EVERY feed pumping. With my next child i will definitely try breastfeeding first, but if that doesn't work i have no problems switching to bottle.

Stef - posted on 09/10/2009

Hi there. I bottlefeed my 3 month old too. Some people made me feel bad and guilty for not being too keen on breastfeeding. i'm happy to find a group of mums who share my opinion on this topic and who wouldnt judge. so far, my baby's doing well, she's passed all the milestones for her age and she's as healthy as can be. I was also bottle fed and i turned out well!

Roxy - posted on 09/10/2009

I totally agree with everything you said. I breastfed for the first 3 months. Spend money on a manual pump then got an electric pump. It was very challenging at times, was sore all the time, couldn't sleep without the baby. I enjoyed the bond very much but I have the same bond with him still as he bottlefeeds.
I actually was all about breastfeeding in the beginning..wasn't against the bottle but I intended on doing the breast till he was 1 years old, like the recommendation. Unfortunately, my son has GERD and plain & simple, breast milk is really light. Doctor gave him 2 prescriptions..the last one worked alright, but along with Soy formula it worked magically. I also couldn't keep my milk supply all the time. Now that I've been bottle-feeding for a few months...I must say it is easier. Just as a breast is ready to serve, a bottle of water and scooping of formula is as well. It is to each their own!

Jillian - posted on 09/10/2009

AMEN....We are not the first generation to FORMULA feed...and we are NOT the last. I hate when people down talk others for doing it. We are here for support not to have other people down talk us. I was only able to bottle feed my first baby....and I found it to be alot easier. My second daughter who is just 5 weeks is breastfed. It's alot harder to breast feed in my opinion because she wants to eat every hour. I can't even leave my house, I'm a prisoner and I'm not going out and whipping my tit out for all to see even if I do have a cover-up.



I'm sure your an awesome mother....keep up your great job and don't let them get to you!!!

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 09/10/2009

Quoting Leah:

I breast-fed exclusively for the first month and then I just couldn't keep up with my daughter so I started adding a night bottle in, and now she's probably 60% bottle fed and I don't see a problem with it at all. Having said that, I had said from when I first found out I was pregnant if we couldn't feed, then I had no problems bottle feeding.

I don't see why my daughter should be screaming from hunger, just because I'm not producing enough milk when I can easily give her a bottle.

The thing I love about bottle feeding too, is my partner gets a lot more involved. When I was breastfeeding I'd spend 7 or so hours a day feeding and it really took away from his time with Ella, but now as soon as he's home from work he can feed her and spend a lot more time playing. It's great.

Bottle feeding mums don't have anything negative to say about breast-feeding mums, so it should go both ways

I find this to be very untrue.  I breastfeed and I love it, but I think you should do what's best for you and your baby.  I know that breastfeeding is not for everyone.  That being said, breastfeeding moms are constantly being told that what they are doing is "disgusting" or "dirty"  I just read an article about a woman who was harrased (by another woman) because she was breastfeeding in a park.  So you can't say that bottle feeding moms don't say negative things because they do and I know that it goes both ways.  If you can bottle feed in public then we should be able to breastfeed and people should just mind their own business and let us all be moms and decide what we think is best for our little ones :)

Anastasia - posted on 09/10/2009

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Anastasia - posted on 09/10/2009

i don't find anything wrong with bottlefeeding your baby...and formula isn't bad at all...i use Similac Advanced Early Shield and my daughter loves it....and with this milk she is less fussy, less colicky and alot of other things. Breastfeeding isn't for everybody ( i know b/c i tried it for a month). plus the formula i use is very close to breastmilk. I say just as long as your child is getting the food it needs and gaining the weight he/she should, Why does it matter if it comes from a breast or a bottle??? The only thing that matters is a HEALTHY BABY!!!

Yve - posted on 09/10/2009

Yeah, thanks for raising the issue.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who struggled at the desition. At his birth I had pathadine which made us both sleepy so he wasnt really interested in feeding for a few days and I couldnt consentrait without falling asleep. I had a c section so he was handed to his dad for his first feed and then the nurses took over with the feeding. I feel that's why it was so hard for me. The nurses made it too easy for me to bottle feed and I shyed away from the idea of breast feeding infront of the many visitors I was getting in the first few weeks.
I think its such a hard desition for women to make, they should not feel guilty at all.

Donna - posted on 09/10/2009

My baby was two weeks old before i was even able to try and feed her and we tried for around 3 weeks which were the hardest weeks of my life. Bub just did not want to and she would get so worked up just getting into position. In the end i decided it was better for her and for me to bottle feed. This was a very hard decision to make and i also tried to continue expressing for a while and bottle feed my milk but this was also exhausting so eventually i decided on straight formula. As it turns out it has been a good move as i struggle to get her to drink all she needs to anyway. My views are that do what suits you and bub.

Eloise - posted on 09/09/2009

well i have already put a comment about this in the beastfeeding commnity! i was breastfeeding for about 3 weeks but it was to painful and then i got mastitis, and now im bottle feeding formula.



i love it!!! me and the baby are a lot less stressed, and it so much easier at night to have a bottle ready made and not have to get comfy and then brace myself for the pain!



to be honest dont listen to other people whatever is best for you and baby is your decision your a great mum dont let anyone tell you different.



as long as the baby is growing and eating well and if you are dog well then it doesnt matter!!!



hope this helps

Sarah - posted on 09/09/2009

Quoting Nikita:

I tried breastfeeding for just over two weeks and emotionally it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I was crying every time he was latched on and it ruined my mood all day every day because he was constantly hungry - which made me wonder whether he was getting enough.

i felt exactly the same. i was on the verge of suffering from pnd in the 10days that i breastfed .. switching to formulas was like lifting a huge weight off my shoulders.

Elizabeth - posted on 09/09/2009

I tried to breastfeed. My body didn't agree with it. I am now formula feeding. My baby is much happy, but more importantly, healthier.

Yve - posted on 09/09/2009

My own mum tried to make me feel bad about bottle feeding because I was breast fed when I was a baby. But I found it so hard to get him latched on. When he did latch on it was a wonderful experience (everyone should try it) but the rest of the time was a headache. breast pumps are noisy and time consuming.
I felt like a failure, But my partner can do the night feed and when he asks to feed his son, that totally makes up for it. Also cheak the label of the milk, theres nothing missing that a baby needs.

Nikita - posted on 09/09/2009

SERIOUSLY?! Some people need to get there heads outta there asses! I tried breastfeeding for just over two weeks and emotionally it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I was crying every time he was latched on and it ruined my mood all day every day because he was constantly hungry - which made me wonder whether he was getting enough. To be fair i was a bit nervous about bottlefeeding but I don't think at all that there is anything wrong with it!

These days formula milk is made to replace breast milk so it contains just as much goodness as breastmilk only its a little heavier.

These narrowminded people who look down on bottle feeding mothers need to get a bloody life! BREAST FEEDING IS NOT FOR EVERY MOTHER AND BABY!

Colleen - posted on 09/09/2009

I tried breastfeeding for a week. It didn't work for us and while it upset me at the time, I'm so happy with my decision to formula feed. I don't feel "tied down". I can come and go as I please and I don't have to worry about pumping. My son likes his formula at room temperature so I don't even have to worry about warming it up. I just pour some room temperature pre-boiled water into his bottle, add the formula, and he's good to go. If he gets hungry during a long car trip, we don't have to stop and wait for me to nurse. I just hop in the back seat and feed him in the carseat while my husband's driving. Also, I don't have the best diet so if anything, my son's probably getting more nutrients from the formula than my own milk.

Michelle - posted on 09/08/2009

i bottle feed my son n it has never done him any him he is 7 months old and is advanced for hi age. people tried to make me feel that bottle feeding him was the "wrong" thing to do but i dont care. i love my son 2 pieces and do anything for him but i really did not feel the need to breastfeed him. he was born with a tooth comin thru which also made my desicion to bottle feed a lot lot easier lol.

Elisha - posted on 09/08/2009

You & me both... I breastfeed for 2 weeks after my son was born but he couldn't latch on properly and was a very hard sucker so I ended up with badly damaged nipples. As I am a first time mum I wanted advice about bottle feeding from the midwifes and they didn't want to answer any of my questions it was just push push push for the breastfeeding which made me feel terrible, like I was doing the wrong thing. In the end I started bottle feeding my baby and its been the best thing I could have done, my health nurse is fully supportive (unlike the hospital midwives) and it was also convenient when my son had late night feeds as my husband could help out. From what I have learnt, its your body, your baby & your opinion, make sure you do what feels right for you...

Lizzy - posted on 09/08/2009

i tried breastfeeding and personally think its easier and loess stressful to bottle feed

Cathi - posted on 09/08/2009

I wanted to breast feed, but could not. I was so upset about it. I cried every night for weeks! Before formula was invented, ppl gave their babies real milk when they could not breast feed. This is not a new problem, it has been happening since the dawn of babies. We should consider ourselves lucky that there is such a thing as formula. In fact, there are things in formula that is not in breast milk and breast feeding mothers have to(or are supposed to) supplement. My son is thriving on it. He is jumping over percentiles. I use the concentrate stuff, my doc and two OB nurses told me not to use the powder stuff, it has been linked to a form of menangitis that is causing death, so my way isn't as quick as yours. I don't see how bottle feeding makes you lazy anyway, isn't there more work involved?? I can't just whip a bottle out of my shirt. Isn't more work the definition of not lazy? Also, I bond with my son by spending every waking minute with him. Playing, singing, reading, cuddling, bath time, feeding...my son and I have bonded just fine, thank you very much. I certainly DO NOT neglect him!!! Every moment he is awake we are playing together, working on something to help his development. I have seen breast feeding mothers that just leave the baby to play on their own once the feeding is done...that's neglect. The other day my hubby told me we were too noisy, and have been so noisy all day...I told him to bite me, lol! We were having fun! Tell those bottle feeding nay-sayers to mind their business and raise their own kids!!

Donna - posted on 09/08/2009

I had lots of trouble with my son latching on too, i would give him one bottle of formula to start the day so that i could keep up with pumping throughout the dayso he did get my breastmilk. That helped a bit but after 8 weeks i decided to stop , and am soo much happier for it. Good luck with whatever decision you make Deanna.

Deanna - posted on 09/08/2009

hearing all of these comments is sooo reassuring! i am having the most difficulties with my one-week-old latching on to my breasts and all that i am hearing is how much better breast milk is and what i am taking away from him. pumping is so time consuming when i still have to feed him a bottle ontop of that. to hear that there are healthy formula fed babies out there makes my decision so much easier!

Tiffany - posted on 09/08/2009

i bottle feed my 6 month old, i did try to breast feed but it didnt work out. and yea i feel ya on the whole looked down upon thing. People wanna say rude comments about it but whatever my daughter is very intelligent and growing/developing as she should. so i say more power to us!!!

Angie - posted on 09/08/2009

Amen Sister! I hear you! I breastfed for the first 8 weeks and I was SOOOO glad to be done with that! Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed being able to be the only person who could feed her (unless I had to pump of course) and I was one of those people who could have probably fed a small country with breastmilk, so it wasn't that. But, if anyone would have told me how time consuming it would be - I wouldn't have done it. I love my daughter more that ANYTHING, so it's not that. I love that I'm not as exhausted and that makes me be a better mother for her. I love that we can go and do - without having to figure out a good place that I can feed her. I love that we can plan things without having to pump for future use. I love that I can stand in the shower without having the pain in my chest from the water beating down on my breasts. Breastfeeding is great, but FORMULA IS GREAT TOO! Those breastfeeding NAZIS need to just leave you alone. You are doing what a good mother should do. You are feeding your baby when she's hungry - that's what is important here!

Sarah - posted on 09/08/2009

i only breastfed my son till he was 10days old .. i found it hard work and stress full .. though i didn't plan on doing it long term.

my son is now 7months old and doing absolutely fine .. he's perfectly healthy and accomplished a lot of milestones such as crawling.

other than having to switch the brand of formula he's on several tmes due to spit up and problems with wind . formula appears to be whats best for my baby.

i dont understand how people can say bottlefeeding is lazy though .. since you have to boil a kettle add the correct amount of water then the same amount of powder shake leave to cool then feed. much more effort to feed a baby .. heck a heard one girl say that she was going to breast feed her baby since she was actually too lazy to make up bottles lol!

Brooke - posted on 09/07/2009

I totally agree with you, I didnt breastfeed my first because i just didnt want to and because of anti/post natal phycosis, And im not feeding my second as he wasnt interested in the breast. I think people should ask themselves if there is a greater reason for a mum bottle feeding then just assume we cant be bothered to try it!!!!

Dana - posted on 09/07/2009

My oldest cousin is one of the smartest people I know (he does special effects for movies, etc...total computer genius) and he was never breastfed. Don't worry about what people say to you. Who cares what other people would do if they were you. Many of those people could likely use advice about aspects of their parenting, themselves!

Iysha - posted on 09/07/2009

It is great having the fathers take over feedings. I still get a little teary eyed seeing my boyfriend with our daughter. It's so sweet. I think it even makes me appreciate him more. I don't feel like I have to do everything. He is there to help and enjoys every moment.

Leah - posted on 09/07/2009

I breast-fed exclusively for the first month and then I just couldn't keep up with my daughter so I started adding a night bottle in, and now she's probably 60% bottle fed and I don't see a problem with it at all. Having said that, I had said from when I first found out I was pregnant if we couldn't feed, then I had no problems bottle feeding.

I don't see why my daughter should be screaming from hunger, just because I'm not producing enough milk when I can easily give her a bottle.

The thing I love about bottle feeding too, is my partner gets a lot more involved. When I was breastfeeding I'd spend 7 or so hours a day feeding and it really took away from his time with Ella, but now as soon as he's home from work he can feed her and spend a lot more time playing. It's great.

Bottle feeding mums don't have anything negative to say about breast-feeding mums, so it should go both ways

Donna - posted on 09/07/2009

I have been bottlefeeding my son since he was 8 weeks old, due to his torticollis in his neck breastfeeding was very painful for me and my son. And because it wasn't working it was making me very depressed and i was finding myself getting cranky with my son, as soon as a stopped it felt like a big black cloud had been lifted! I was happy and so was my son.



I dont think we should be made to feel bad for the choices we make at the end of the day they are our children i we do what is best for them in our eyes nobody elses! Well done for starting this thread and dont worry you are defenately not alone. I love bottlefeeding!!

Iysha - posted on 09/07/2009

Finally! I am so happy to hear that someone else agrees with me. I see no reason why bottle feeding is a bad thing. I totally agree that it doesn't matter as long as baby has a full belly =]

Ashley - posted on 09/07/2009

i bottlefeed my 2 month old and bottlefed my 16 month old. i never wanted to try breastfeeding so i didnt. i am happy with formulafeeding. it works for us and to me thats all that matters! both of my boys are happy, healthy guys. i'm not quite sure how ppl can say that formula feeding is lazy. i know i have to actually get out of bed in the middle of the night and come sit on the couch until my baby is finished, then we go back to bed. i know what you mean though because i have seen those comments as well. i have never had a nurse or dr say anything to me about it. my son was in the hosp for 2 months after birth and never once did they say a word. they liked that i bottlefed because they enjoyed feeding him every once in awhile. they'd let me sleep in the middle of the night and feed him for me. i like that my parnter can get up and help as well. dont let others bother you. you do what you feel is best for you and your child. the way i look at it is, as long as the baby has a full belly and is happy thats all that matters!