Bottle or breast?

[Cazza]

Unable to BF so bottles from the start here!!

Hesty - I know exactly how you feel!! Even though I am medically unable to BF one midwife still gave me a lecture...........then I asked her to look at my notes for a particular operation date and then tell me how the hell I could BF - her face was like thunder and no, no apology forthcoming!!

I strongly believe it's up to each individual woman to make her own choice about this subject, never feel pressured into having to do something you are not at ease with.

 

[hesty14]

It is bad that the healthcare professionals just march on with the lectures without taking on the patients personal feelings. I consider myself someone, who as a qualified accountant, is reasonably well educated, a sensible person and who has done research in to this before going with my feelings and wrestling with them, still gets made to feel bad. I do not deny the research is there that it does have alot of benefits to both mother and baby but still personal choice is forgotten.

I work for the NHS as a accountant and all I hear is about the patient choice programmes and having a say in ones own care but something like this which is very much patient choice, the professionals steam roller on with the message.

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

whose personal choice though? The mother or the baby? Or is the baby forgotten about in this particular 'personal choice' when that baby leaves your body it is a person in its own right, and deserves the best, which, in the eyes of the NHS, modern scientists and anyone who takes a rudimentary biological look at the human being, is breast milk.

 

[NinjaKitty]

I totally understand that BF is the most natural way to go for baby. It's a very emotive subject. Unfortunately I find in my life that personal choice and personal circumstance go hand in hand. I will give BF my best shot but if I can't do for whatever reason I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I am truly thankful that I've found this forum because as a first time mum I know there are plenty of experienced BF-ers who can give me hints and tips when the time comes.

 

[BevG]

some ppl are unable to and some find it too difficult and some choose not to. they each make a choice that they feel is best for them and their baby, there needs to be a happy medium. noone should be made to feel horrible and selfish for choosing something that seems like the only option to them.
likewise ppl should be fuly informed of facts before making their choice nd everyone on here has access to the facts that bf is best for baby for a good start in life. what is babd for baby is a mother that is so uncomfortable breast feeding that it makes her depressed and miserable as that would make her resent the poor bubba so i hope noone feels like they should have to bf despite them haveing severe issues with it. i have the utmost respect for anyone that even tries to do it for a week but at the end of the day as long as baby is eating and gains weight its not the end of the world. i just wish everyone good luck with their babys whatever their choice

 

[rosey]

perhaps she meant that products such as cow & gate are able to have a similar effect now as breast milk for building up immune systems etc? I know lots of people who bottle fed and there child has not suffered from illnesses any worse than those breast feed, sometimes getting the illness can help to build up the immune system which is why we should not be such an overly sterile society, within reason obviously...
i know that i will be tied to baby, but there is a possibility that my husband might take maternity leave instead of me and therefore breast feeding would not be the best option. I think that bottle feeds will allow us to take turns and even let gran and grandad help out now and again rather than it having to be me that feeds the baby every hour or so.
I wish i had the luxury to take a year off work to look after the baby i would love that but its not financially possible for us.