Quick Survey

Bethany - posted on 04/01/2009

Questions:
1. Did you choose to breastfeed or formula feed?
breastfeed

2. What were the major factors that contributed to your decision?
much healthier for baby and me, cheaper, easier

3. Do you feel like you were well informed on the differences between breast milk and formula?
absolutely

4. Did anyone heavily influence you or pressure you into the decision you made?
not really. I knew moms who did both, but I always assumed I'd be breast feeding, even way before my daughter was even conceived.

5. Did your family and your "in-laws" support your decision? If not, how did you deal with their lack of support?
yes, they were supportive for the early months. My mom breastfed, and others just saw it as an option like formula. Now that my daughter is a year, though, I've been getting some awkward comments.

6. What do you consider to be the easiest thing about the way you chose to feed your baby? The hardest?
The easiest is that I can feed her anywhere and don't have to worry about making sure I have a bottle to prepare. The hardest is that, early on, I felt like I was being drained of life because I was the only one who could feed her.

7. What do you think is the most common "myth" about the way you chose to feed your baby?
That it doesn't have enough nutrients (especially iron) for the baby. That's a total myth, and my daughter was exclusively breastfed for 10.5 months with no solids or vitamin supplements. Yes, breastmilk has less iron than formula, but babies absorb 49% of the iron in breastmilk, as opposed to 4% from formula. They get plenty of nutrients.

8. Do you ever regret your decision or think you chose wrong? Why or why not?
Nope, never. I know I chose the best health option for my daughter and myself, and it's pretty easy to pump and give a bottle, so I feel like I have freedom, too.

9. If you are a formula feeding mom, what brand did you chose to use and why?
NA

9. If you are a breastfeeding mom, how long did you nurse?
It has been a year, and still going strong! The plan is about two years.

10. What is the best feeding advice you can give to a new mom?
Don't give up, find a lactation consultant, and work toward a routine! The first three weeks were hard, but my daughter latched properly the first time around with the help of a lactation consultant, so it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd heard. A lot of women who breastfeed get stuck nursing every couple hours around the clock for months at a time. I just kept waking up my baby when she fell asleep at the breast until she refused to eat. Then I'd let her sleep, knowing her tummy was full. She slept better and so did I, so I can honestly say I've never been a sleep-deprived mom. Enjoy those nursing moments, because as they get fewer, you start to look forward to those times of closeness, and miss the moments that are gone.

Nancy - posted on 03/20/2009

Questions:
1. Did you choose to breastfeed or formula feed?

I chose to breastfeed all three girls until they weaned on their own.

2. What were the major factors that contributed to your decision?

Breastfeeding is the best choice and is full of benefits for the mom and the baby.  Besides that is what breasts were made for in the first place so I figured I would use them for their intended purpose.

3. Do you feel like you were well informed on the differences between breast milk and formula?

Yes, I did lots of research on my own as well as began attending La Leche League meetings while I was still pregnant.  I also took a breastfeeding class offered by the hospital where I delivered.

4. Did anyone heavily influence you or pressure you into the decision you made?

I had friends and neighbors who were succseefully breastfeeding their children while I was pregnant and I decided if they could do it so could I.

5. Did your family and your "in-laws" support your decision? If not, how did you deal with their lack of support?

My husband and mother totally supported me.  My mother-in-law did not know much about nursing so she did not really offer support.  When I decided to "extended nurse" and nurse through pregnancies and tandem nurse she was at a loss and did not know how to support me, but by that time nursing was such a normal part of our family that it did not matter to me what she thought.  I did what I thought was best for my children!

6. What do you consider to be the easiest thing about the way you chose to feed your baby?

The easiest thing about deciding to breastfeed was that it was always available when the babies wanted to nurse.  There was no making/heating formula, no bottles to clean; no trying to figure out how many bottles to take when leaving the house so that I could feed the baby.  I did not have to get out of bed at night when the baby wanted to nurse.  I only had to roll over and go back to sleep.

The hardest?

Defending myself and my decisions to do what I thought was best for my babies.

7. What do you think is the most common "myth" about the way you chose to feed your baby?

That there is something sexual or "yucky" about it.  That people do not realize it is the most natural thing in the world, and many try to make a nursing mother question whether she is doing the best thing.

8. Do you ever regret your decision or think you chose wrong?

Absolutely not!!!  I personally believe that every baby deserves to be breastfed.

Why or why not?

I strongly believe that breastmilk is the best thing a baby can be fed.

9. If you are a formula feeding mom, what brand did you chose to use and why?

not one drop of formula went into any of my three girls!

9. If you are a breastfeeding mom, how long did you nurse?

I have been nursing for more than 8 years...my oldest nursed until she was almost 4 years old;  my second nursed until she was more than 4 1/2; and my youngest is 3 1/2 and still going strong.  I strongly believe in child-led weaning!!!

10. What is the best feeding advice you can give to a new mom?

Don't expect nursing to be something that happens immediately.  It takes a little work to get the mommy/baby pair to be able to work together to make nursing come naturally.  Keep trying for at least 3 months before deciding that you cannot do it and give up.  Surround yourself with people who have nursed successfully or who totally support breastfeeding.  Attend La Leche League meetings during the pregnancy and after the baby comes to receive great knowledge and support as well as to get any questions answered by a mom who has been where you are!  Once nursing is established it is the easiest thing in a baby's life to do!!!

Arwen - posted on 03/19/2009

1. Breastfeed

2. It's healthier, and my brother and I could never tolerate formula anyway. Turns out she can't tolerate cow milk too well.

3. Yes.

4. No.

5. Yes, but some don't like my decision to nurse till she's two.

6. Easiest: always a ready supply.

Hardest: Not sleeping through the night.

7. Makes babies smarter. It doesn't. Those babies are smarter because on average smarter people breastfeed. Also that you can't nurse when you're sick, and you have to have a limited diet. You can't drink and absolutely no chocolate! LOL

8. No. My baby doesn't get sick, and it's really easy to put her down to sleep.

9. 14 months so far, plan to go till 2 years.

10. Give it two weeks. It's the hardest the first two weeks.