Breast feeding or Bottling feeding?

Nicole - posted on 12/29/2011

I tried with both my daughters to BF. My first daughter had a bad latch and it was just very hard. I pumped for a month tried to BF with bottles of formula in between and it was just too stressful. BFing when ok with the 2nd but I didnt continue it was too time consuming she was on my boob literally for 45 mins out of every hr. Lazy eater, not sure but I guess it can be normal for a newborn. I had a 14 mo old baby at home I had to take care of so I switched to formula.
I think when I have my 3rd child I will just bottle feed from the get go.

Dot - posted on 11/27/2011

I breast fed my daughter until she was 12 months and I hated every minute of it, she had tongue tie when she was born so couldn't latch on for 2 weeks and then when she was about 3 months she started losing weight and crying all the time because I didn't have enough supply, and it took another 3 months to build up the supply with tube feeding and pumping and then I had to take tablets the rest of the time to keep the supply up. I didn't bond with her until she was about 9 months old and I felt incredibly guilty and like there was something wrong with me.

When I had my son he jumped on there and I had no problems at all, no soreness, no cracked nipples. Until he was about 10 weeks old, I never figured out what the problem was. One night out of the blue he just started crying and coming off the breast, which meant it took forever to get a let down. Then what was happening once a day, went to twice a day and so on until he was doing the same thing every feed. It wasn't a supply issue because once i got him to stay on there he was happy as anything. I persisted until he was 4 and half months but it got to the point were I actually dreaded having to feed him which wasn't good for either of us. So I started formula feeding. He is a completely different baby, sleeps better and is much happier when he is awake. It is more hassle having to make bottles in the middle of the night but considering it was taking me about an hour to get him to feed anyway, all the while with him screaming it is a much calmer option for me.

Traci - posted on 06/22/2009

I breastfed all three of mine. Luckily, once the sheer pain of it wore off after the first month, it was super easy for me. So much more convenient as well! I was also lucky in the fact that weaning was not difficult at all. All mine weaned themselves by 9 months, they just lost interest. But if for some reason you cannot breastfeed (and, no, aesthetic reasons are not good ones! LOL ), no big deal...formula is a fine substitute. No reason to feel guilt about it or anything :)

Kate - posted on 06/22/2009

Boobs. Going 12 months strong!

Helen - posted on 06/21/2009

Boobies are best if you can but so many other mothers give you such a hard time if you can't and that's so unfair. i was lucky enough (or crazy enough, try three lots of severe mastitis in four months!) to be able to until I went back to work but am sick of hearing how it was so terrible that I used bottles. When my two day old son just would not latch on, a nurse in the hospital told me off for expressing and bottling it into him, telling me to use a spoon! Have you ever tried spoon feeding a two day old? Madness!!!!

Kristine - posted on 06/13/2009

I have boy/girl twins, with the boy spending 8 days in the NICU after they were born. So, I never got started breastfeeding him. When he got released, we were under strict instructions as to how much to feed him, which were impossible to follow if I breastfed. I fed his sister a little bit, but trying to pump for him and get her to latch well, etc. was just too much for me. Especially since I got released before him and was running up pumped breast milk up to the hospital.



So, I just started pumping exclusively for both and supplementing with formula, as I don't produce enough breastmilk for both. That way anyone can feed them. I definitely notice a difference in breastmilk versus formula in terms of their digestion. So, my advice is to at least bottle feed breast milk if you can. Plus if you do that and end up going back to work, there's no issue with having to wean them.



And, if you have production issues, my ob/gyn prescribed a compounded drug called Domperidone to boost my milk production. It's worked great. They eat about 70 oz. a day, with me supplying about 40-50 of that. I was only able to do about 30-40 before the drug.

Coury - posted on 06/10/2009

do whats best for you. however if you cant breastfeed i suggest just having the baby latch on for the bonding pupose. as long as your baby is nourished and gaining weight!!

Jessica - posted on 06/09/2009

Breast is best but every mother is different, physically AND emotionally. The best advice I ever received regarding breast feeding (and you get WAY more than you ask for) was to give it all you got for at least a month, if you can make it through the trial and error, the pain, the latching on of the first month you are in like flynn! ;)

I almost quit with my son. My nipples cracked and bled, he had reflux really bad and cried all the time...nursed constantly but threw it all up and acted as though he was in severe pain.. I felt drained and like a failure. I don't know how I kept going, really! Some how I did and the experience was amazing. I can't stand hearing women bash each other for not breast feeding or for not EXCLUSIVELY breast feeding. It is nobody's business and as a woman you have to take care of yourself as well. I think its silly to not even consider it because it's a "boob" but its a PERSONAL decision and ALL mothers should support each other. I came sooooo close to giving up, but I didn't. I had a great support system and found a great lactation consultant... if I didn't find that support I never would've made it, some women don't have that and I could never judge a woman for doing what SHE feels best. Some women breast feed like champs from day one, some do not. I had a very hard time with my son but when I had my daughter everything went smoothly.

Get the facts and try, but ultimately, do what is best for YOU & YOUR BABY! A happy mommy is a good mommy!

Sara - posted on 06/09/2009

I agree, Joy. My theory is, as long as it comes from a place of love, then there's nothing wrong with how you feed your child. I have to admit, I am very nervous about the next one as far as the breastfeeding goes. It was a horrible experience for me as well, and part of me wants to just give 'em the bottle right away. I had a big baby too, she was 9lbs, and she's an eater. I will never forget how awful I felt that she lost 1 pound her first 5 days and screamed all the time because I could not produce enough milk for her.



I have met a lot of women on COM's with similar experiences to me...wish I would have known all of this a year ago! All my friends made breastfeeding look so easy!

JL - posted on 06/08/2009

I do have to say that I just don't like being made to feel guilty for not exclusively breastfeeding both my children. I got some of that with my kids and it bothered me because we do not know what is personally going on with someone and it is not for us to judge someone elses situation. Just be thankful that their children are loved and wanted, because ultimately that is the most important thing.

JL - posted on 06/08/2009

I tried with my first but had lactation issues. I saw a number of lacatation experts and the problem was that I did not produce enough milk sufficent for my baby so I needed to supplement. I had large babies both were over 9 pounds and I am very petite. They both ate a lot from day one. Those babies could take down some milk it was ridiculous. I breast fed while supplementing for 6 months with my daughter. I tried giving her as much breast milk as possible but with my lactation issues I literally had to have her either on the breast continuely or pumping every couple hours to keep what milk I was producing to continue. Needless to say I was miserable for 6 months because instead of it being a bonding experience for me my life was dictated around getting whatever I could out of my breast and all the lactation specialist told me I had to keep constantly pumping or breast feeding to maintain the amount of milk I was able to get in. I just could not do it after 6 months because I felt like I was missing out on spending quality time with my baby and everytime I went somewhere I had to spend most of my time pumping rather than enjoying life. For me it was a horrible experience because of my lactation issues so with my second child I just opted to bottle feed and I have to say for me the second time around was much more of an enjoyable experience because I did not have the stress of dealing with my lactation issues, but I do recommend that women try it for at least a month before they turn to the bottle. Unfortunately, my milk factory was defunct, lol.

Gretchen - posted on 06/08/2009

well at least you all tried. . .i have some moms that don't want to because its a "boob" and they think its sexual. ..OH HOW THAT BUGS ME SO!!. . .but yeah breast is best. . and formula is really cows milk and high fructous corn syrup, doesn't that just make you want gag. . .so i definetly chose breast over bottle. . .its so much easier at night, you just roll over and give him the breast and they delatch when they are done, you don't have to measure, sanatize, you don't have to remember to take all that crap with you. . .i understand if you have to, you have to feed your child but just to do it over convienience really bugs me. .

Sara - posted on 05/18/2009

bottle feed. My milk, for reasons I don't understand, never really came in. I didn't have enough to sustain her, so I had to begin supplementing. I did that for about a month and then threw in the towel. I'm happy that I got to do it for that month, and I wish that I had been able to continue and provide for her what she needed. I think there's a lot of guilt involved when something that is supposed to be natural turns out to be so difficult and doesn't work. But, just because something is natural doesn't mean it is easy...I wish someone would have told me that! However, I will try again with the next one, you never know...I could be a milk factory the next time!

Evelyn - posted on 05/12/2009

I breastfed and supplemented w/formula because my daughter was having difficulty latching on in the beginning. I had a bit of difficulty w/production as well, so to be safe, the dr. recommended doing both. I would breast feed first, then give her a few ounces of forumula. She stopped breastfeeding around 7 months, went on formula only..and to cow's milk at 12 mos. Do what works best for you! But honestly, breastfeeding is one of the most wonderful things I've ever experienced...there is no other bonding exp like it!

Maria - posted on 05/03/2009

Breastfeed if you can. Bottle feed if you have to. And formula is extremely expensive if you have to go that route.

I supplemented with formula at the breast for five months, due to breast reduction surgery many years ago, but it would have been a lot easier if I could have simply breastfed. We had some problems with allergy to the formula, too.

And having had a harrowing breastfeeding experience with my daughter, I completely understand mothers who don't want to continue with it. It does greatly help to have a very competent lactation specialist handy, which I had.

Christina - posted on 04/28/2009

I never had a problem breast feeding either one of my daughters. The fact that it even says "Breast is Best" on formula, should really tell you something! Breastfeeding may be messy when your milk first comes in, but that is just human nature. If you don't breast feed you have to put an ace bandage all around you and stick cabbage leaves in it! That is not human nature! I realize that it is not easy for everyone to breastfeed for the first full year, but any amount you can give your baby helps. I can't stand pumping, so, anyone that is disciplined enough to do that, good for you. I pumped for the first six months so my youngest could have that when I went to school, but after that I supplemented with formula. Like I said though, any amount of breast milk is better than no breast milk.

Rabaab - posted on 04/28/2009

well breastfeeding any day. i bottle fed my eldest and breast fed my youngest and i can see the difference with him.. His development is much better.. No i did not find breastfeeding messy at all.. i loved nursing my son. I used to pump as well at the beg as he was taking enough from me and i was getting to full but i did not like pumping and giving him the milk.. you see babies get close to you when you breast feed them.. Here in switzerland you get like a small nipple which is like a bottle nipple which you can put on your breasts so that the baby can drink easily i did that for two months and then my son drank straight from my breast. Well my hubby did not get a chance to feed him but that is fine, as later when i changed to formula he started giving him milk.. I was must happier with my second child then first i mean with feeding..

Esther - posted on 04/27/2009

Bottle feeding breastmilk. I hated nursing. It didn't work for me or my son. It was messy, took forever, he didn't latch on properly, it was uncomfortable and he wasn't getting enough (he was jaundiced). So my pediatrician said I needed to pump & bottle feed him (at least some of the time) to make it easier for him to get some milk down to counter the jaundice. When I started doing that I figured why not keep doing that and do it exclusively. We were all happier for it (it also enabled my husband to feed him) and he was still getting the benefits of breastmilk.