Your decision to breastfeed

Stacey - posted on 04/19/2009

well my mom breastfed all three of her kids and my sister breastfed all three of her kids. So, naturally I have a ton of support for pro breastfeeding, which I think helps a lot. I think I would have anyway, just because it's natural to breastfeed, but having a supportive family helped a ton too. I made the decision before even becoming pregnant that I was going to breastfeed though, even if I had challenges that made it difficult. I did have some challenges, but I got through them. Having my sister and mom a phone call (or sometimes a drive) away helped a lot in the first few weeks. I remember sitting in the rocking chair when my babe was 2 weeks old, crying because he was crying. I couldn't figure out if he was hungry or tired, or what! I was so overwhelmed. I also believe that breastmilk is much more superior to formula and so the health benefits outweighed any problems or inconveniences breastfeeding may have caused. Also, now that I am breastfeeding, I realize how important it is for bonding and emotional connection with my baby.

Monica - posted on 04/19/2009

There was no decision for me, It never entered my head to bottle fee. My body was made to breastfeed and thats what I did. Its healthier and a whole lot cheaper than formula

Geralyn - posted on 04/18/2009

I remember when I was pregnant, I wanted to do it with my first son. I had no idea what it'd be like, because most of my friends used formula. When he was born, I insisted on no formula. And since day one, he has never had formula. He is almost 13 months of age. I JUST LOVE OUR "NURSEY NURSEY" TIME. Luckily I am self-employed and was able to make it work thusfar. I know that our society here in the US makes it very difficult for breastfeeding moms.... I could not imagine what our relationship would be like if he didn't breastfeed. We are so close, and I know BFing helped with the bonding. We totally understand each other even though he cannot communicate verbally yet.

Autumn - posted on 04/18/2009

I never considered not doing it from the day I decided I wanted to have children... but if I hadn't had reason enough before, I have been working in daycare centers since I graduated high school and the benefits are completely obvious. The babies whose mothers send breastmilk or come in to nurse are the ones that are there every day without fail, never sick, the ones that are happy and playing through all of october and november while the formula fed babies are laying around coughing and waiting for us to wipe their dripping noses... and I worked in one center long enough to see a group of infants move up to the toddler room, where, believe it or not, the BF babies were talking and learning their colors/alphabet/etc. months before the formula babies! I had read in so many places that breastfeeding kept babies healthier and increased a child's IQ but I didn't realize how dramatic an effect it could have until I saw it for myself.

Teresa - posted on 04/18/2009

I just never considered not doing it. When I found out I was going to have twins I was a bit concerned if I would be ABLE to do it, but I knew I would try my best. We had a tiny bit of trouble initially, but everything went great after that. Simple reasons... free, easy, and good. :)

Amy - posted on 04/17/2009

Because I wanted a baby with ridiculously chunky thighs, lol. And I really wanted to have the closeness and intimate connection with my daughter. I am very glad I stuck with it through the difficult times.

Jennifer - posted on 04/17/2009

The women of my family have been formula feeding for five generations, it's ridiculous. My husbands mother nursed him and all four of his brothers though, so when babies became a topic of discussion he asked what I intended on doing, leaving the decision totally up to me.

So I did the research. Clearly, if you do the research, you know that breast is better for you and for your baby. I just wanted to do what was best for my child.

Jessica - posted on 04/17/2009

God gave my the right equipment to nurse. I didn't get boobs from pregnancy...i got them from my mother. Plus all of the naturel benifits my son gets from breastfeeding...not to mention that it is free.

Dee'Jean - posted on 04/16/2009

No one in my family ever breastfeed so I decided to step out of the box. I had never been exposed to women who breastfed so I just weignted the pros and cons and decided to b/f. I had so many problems but I love the bonding experience and I would not change it for the world. I look forward to b/f my next children.

Leticia - posted on 04/16/2009

i couldnt wait to breastfeed!! im on my way to becoming a nutritionist and the benefits are just  too enormous for both bubs and mum:) the first 2 weeks were horrible for me though and i really had to push through the pain barrier to get it going- my nipples were slightly inverted and bubs wasnt latching properly (midwives likened her to a piranna!!) which made it worse than my labour pains:(

my best friend called it "nipple gate" the night i burst into tears in the hospital-my bub crying for my milk and my 'flaming' nipples too sore to feed, looking at other relaxed mums getting their formulas heated up after "trying" i was tempted to give in....until an angel of a midwife went against hospital protocol and suggested nipple shields until they healed and desensitised (i wasnt allowed to tell the midwives otherwise she'd get into trouble?!)

i used them intermittently for a couple of weeks (so not to decrease my milk) until they healed and from then on its been breastfeeding bliss....im soooo happy i pushed through the pain and am able to give my baby her perfectly designed wonderfood, it was all worth it!

Tatham - posted on 04/16/2009

for me there was no other option either...my mother is a nurse and b/f me and my 2 younger sisters...so there really was no other option, and i wouldn't give it up for anything..i love the bonding time it gives me and my son..i plan on nursing until he is one unless he has other plans. when i see other moms having to put bottles together when i'm out, i'm so happy that i don't have to deal with all that hassle..not to mention how fast i lost my baby weight, and how healthy my son is, and that it is free!

Kirsten - posted on 04/16/2009

For me there was never another option.  Like some others said it's what we were designed to do.  I don't have a problem with people who bottlefeed, I understand that it's their choice but what makes me sad is women who say, "I'll breastfeed, if I can."  I think that if you don't give yourself that out from the beginning you're much more likely to stick to it.  And this goes for everything, not just breastfeeding.  If that's what you want and what you think is best then just say that's what you're doing instead of saying that you'll try.

Allison - posted on 04/16/2009

I chose it originally (5.5 years ago) because it was free. That was the only way I could convince my husband that we could have a baby - we weren't making a lot of money and I was going to do everything on the "cheap": breastfeeding, cloth diapering, making my own baby food.

Since then, I've become much more informed and could probably write a book on why breastfeeding is so important for baby and for mom and for the parent-child relationship. I believe in child-led weaning and extended nursing, and am planning on tandem nursing my 2 year old and new baby once he arrives (due May 9th).

Emily - posted on 04/16/2009

I forgot that I'm kind of lazy. Preparing formula sounds like way too much work for me.

Ashleigh - posted on 04/16/2009

I did it because that's what you should do lol.  I have a friend who gaver her son formula, and I think I would forget all the steps that goes into it! Breastfeeding you do feed more often, but I find it more convinient to not have to prepare bottles etc.  I think why alot of mothers dont breastfeed are social pressures.  I know alot of moms who could have breastfed, but didn't because they thought it was weird.  I wasnt one of those moms to breastfeed alot in public, I didnt like it, but it didn't stop me from doing it!!

Emily - posted on 04/16/2009

It was always the norm for me too. My mother breastfed us (besides me- I was the oldest and she had bad information.) So I saw it and thought it was normal. I also babysat for a LLL leader and clearly remember thinking at 13, "Of course I will breastfeed but I won't have meetings about it. How weird!" Which is funny because I was pretty active in LLL when my oldest was a baby and toddler. When I was pregnant I had a very probreastfeeding midwife who made sure we knew about the differences in both feeding methods.  Now that I am past the breast/formula stage of my kids' lives (though I am still nursing my youngest) I find I am not  shocked by seeing bottlefed infants whereas when my oldest was a baby I was. I've also mellowed out on lots of issues and realize that bottlefeeders don't love their children any less- I actually beleived that! Most people I know breastfeed from 6-12 months. Those who stop before 12 months switch to formula but most wean completely at a year. I guess formula just isn't that prevalent where I am.

Melanie - posted on 04/16/2009

Because I can, and it works for me. But I see many moms who formula feed out of necessity and I think that's fine too.

Emily - posted on 04/16/2009

benefits to baby, my sister (pedatric nurse practitioner and I really look up to her as a mother), and decreased risk of obesity (I am the only one in my entire family that struggles with my weight and I wanted to know I did everything that I could to give my girls the advantage here).

Felicity - posted on 04/16/2009

when i had my first i was 19 and tbh i really did it so that my mum wouldnt kill me, lol. it was only once i started doing it i found what a lovely bonding experience it was. also the obvious health benifits helped to perswade me too. i dont know why any one would choose to feed their baby some thing that is second best when the best food is free and right there ready to use. with my second i am alot more informed about the whole thing and i am horrified with myself that i ever considdered bottle feeding, my eldest stopped bf herself at 7 months and it still upsets me that i gave her formula. but my little one i am pleased to say is a %100 booby fed baby and we are still going strong at 13 months. having done both i know that formula is soo much more work!! and i would never again give it to one of my babies. x

Brydget - posted on 04/16/2009

I am really surprised at how many people formula feed by choice. I wouldn't give up my experience of being able to feed my baby for anything, I think it is sad that those Mum's will never have that same experience. Oddly enough I come from a family that didn't breast feed, my Mum and two sisters didn't, both of my Aunties also opted for formula. I don't judge them or anyone who opts for formula but I do think mothers need more encouragement - getting past those first couple of weeks can be so hard but so worth it! Places like LLL do such good work.

Itsamystery - posted on 04/16/2009

It just never even occurred to me that breastfeeding was something to choose to do or choose not to do. To me breastfeeding was naturally what you do after your baby is born! I had never really had any exposure to formula, .to me it's foreign concept. I mean, I knew that formula existed but in my mind it was a backup if breastfeeding didn't work or something happened to the mother.. It wasn't until I became a mother and started socialising with other mothers that I realised some people choose formula because they prefer it or don't like/don't want to breastfeed.

Kate - posted on 04/16/2009

Like you my mum was a breast feeding consultant and breast feed both me and my sister until we were 1 and 1 and a half. If i did't feed my mum would have been so dissapointed in e. My whole life i knew i was going to have babies and i knew i would b/f them. Its what i have been brought up with. I would never frown apon a mother who chooses not to b/f but i would recomend it to any new mum. Why pay for formula when our body can make it for free and there are so many benifits to it.

Brydget - posted on 04/16/2009

I'm a biologist, can't ignore nature -LOL- Plus my sister had a baby five mos before me and I watched her deal with formula and I thought it was so much effort! Having to make formula in the middle of the night, having to worry about temperature, needing to make sure you had enough milk if you went everywhere. Instead of pop goes to breast.

Rachel - posted on 04/15/2009

The short answer is that it is what my body was made to do :)



I am not a fan of ingesting chemicals and if I prepare the majority of my food fresh, why would I give my baby a powdered substitute for his natural food source? And, too, the health benefits for both me and my children don't even leave me a choice--I'm certainly not depriving any of us of those!