
Breastfeeding Support Group
While breastfeeding is recommended by many doctors, it is not as simple as it seems. This is a community dedicated to parents who are choosing to breastfeed, providing a safe place to discuss everything from pumping, to questions of whether baby is getting enough, weaning, breast care, scheduling, supply, and more.

deleted_user
Hey all,
I was just wondering, I know most of you have chose to breastfeed, and I was wondering what made you make that decision? Do you think it is better then not? What are your opinions on breastfeeding or not breast feeding? Or if some of you have breast fed with one baby and not the other, opinions..I'm still a long time away from having to worry about this yet, but I was just wondering everyones thoughs about it, and what made them make their decisions.
I was just wondering, I know most of you have chose to breastfeed, and I was wondering what made you make that decision? Do you think it is better then not? What are your opinions on breastfeeding or not breast feeding? Or if some of you have breast fed with one baby and not the other, opinions..I'm still a long time away from having to worry about this yet, but I was just wondering everyones thoughs about it, and what made them make their decisions.
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With my second baby I thought, no problem. I have been through the ringer with the first... I was going to be a pro. Wrong. We had another set of difficulties. I nursed her for 8 months.
Now I have my third baby and she's 6 months old. I promised myself I would nurse her for 6 months and then I would reevaluate. But she's the last baby I will have and I am loathe to stop. My only problem with nursing is that I can't lose the bulk of my pregnancy weight gain until I completely stop nursing. This happened with my other two. So my desire to get my old body back is fighting a battle with my desire to continue to breast feed this baby forever (kidding). I am giving myself until the end of the year when she will be almost 8 months to decide when to stop.
I do believe breast milk is best for babies. This is pretty much the only reason I nurse. Many people tout the money savings (formula can add up), the convenience and the bonding experience for the baby. I think it is a deeply personal decision and it has to work for both of you. I gave my 2nd daughter formula (as I stopped nursing at 8 months) and I can tell you, formula is not that inconvenient. And as for breastfeeding promoting a deeper bond between mother and child... I think that is ridiculous. Whether my baby is nursing from my breast or drinking from a bottle... I could not love her more.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Anyone else, with any opinions I'd be glad to hear them.xx
I think this is a very good topic of discussion since every person has a different reason either for or against. I think breastmilk is best, but I don't ever look down on mothers who choose to use formula, hell, my mom ff me and I'm jsut fine!! (At least that's what I tell myself) LOL
As far as losing the weight, I was always told that nursing burns more calories and you lose weight faster, but I have to agree with the pp that you don't lose the weight as quickly.
The 2nd time I stopped nursing at 8 months and it took another 8 months to lose the 35 pounds I had to lose.
As you get older it takes a little longer. So with this third baby, I figure by the time she is in college I will be back down. KIDDING. I'll figure it out when I decide to stop nursing.
I have fibromyalgia and I cannot imagine having to take the time or the energy to wash/sterilize bottles, make formula, heat them, etc. in order to feed my child. Breastmilk is ready anytime the child is. I don't have to worry about taking enough formula with me when we go out or worry about forgetting the bottles. I always have it with me and don't have to worry about running out. Hugs, Fern
don't mothers who bottle feed also get an emotional connection to their babies? sleonard, I'm not singling you out here. I've noticed (not just on this board but IRL) that nursing mothers seem to think that they are better than bottle feeding mothers. Why is that? As long of the babe is getting fed who cares how they get it.
But having breast fed two sons for a lengthy period of time and one for a very short period and switching to bottle feeding, I can honestly say there is bonding occurs faster and deeper when you breast feed. That's not to say that a bottle feeding mother doesn't bond with her child, just that it seesm to be a slower process when bottle feeding. But if a bottle feeding mom spends time cuddling her baby and holds the baby to feed, then bonding still happens. But lets face it, there are mothers who are not as interested in bonding or being the best parent they can be who prop bottles and don't try to bond with their child. And in that case even breast feeding probably wouldn't make them better parents. So if you love your child deeply and want the best for them and you choose to bottle feed, there is no reason to think your child won't get everything they need from bottle feeding.
However, your comment "As long as the babe is getting fed who cares how they get it," also infers a lack of understanding on your part of breastfeeding. Breastmilk has been proven to be the best form of nutrition for the baby and there is a different level of bonding that occurs when breast feeding (and again I am speaking from experience.) So it isn't just a matter of which way the baby gets their food, there is a huge difference in the quality of the food and in the level of bonding that occurs.
So maybe if bottle feeding moms wouldn't be quite so defensive and breastfeeding moms wouldn't put other down, we could find some common ground. Hugs, Fern