Breast / Bottle

[Jellybaby]

I was just wondering how many of you have thought about either breastfeeding of bottle feeding yet??

I really wanted to breastfeed last time but it all went a bit wrong and I ended up bottle feeding and I felt so guilty for months. Not sure what to do this time don't want to put too much pressure on myself and end up failing as I know I will be upset again.

Just like to see what you are all doing.

xxxx

 

[purplepants]

I will be breast feeding again, but with my other children i only managed it for a couple of weeks max then went to bottle, i wont be dissapointed in myself if thats how it happens this time, i will have tried my best and thats all anyone can expect of me.

 

[Serendipity_]

Bottle for me, as discussed with my OH. Don't shoot me down, we're all entitled to do what we like!

Sorry, don't mean to sound mardy, I keep thinking I'm talking to my mother in law

 

[MammyHip]

I will be bottle feeding from the moment bubba is born and i am 100% proud to do that. Don't feel guilty or disappointed for not breast feeding. It doesn't make you a "bad" parent. Enjoy your baby and don't feel under pressure to do what is "best". Best to me is when mother and baby are happy!

 

[Serendipity_]

I will be bottle feeding from the moment bubba is born and i am 100% proud to do that. Don't feel guilty or disappointed for not breast feeding. It doesn't make you a "bad" parent. Enjoy your baby and don't feel under pressure to do what is "best". Best to me is when mother and baby are happy!

 

[curlygurl]

I'll be breastfeeding. Luckily for me - I'm a midwife, which means I have lots of friends who are midwives and who will help me to get started. I think the reason a lot of people have problems is that they don't get enough support at the beginning, and don't realise how much the baby feeds in the first few days. And breastfeeding was a huge part of my training and it is something I really enjoy helping women with. I'm really looking forward to feeding my own baby.

However - this is my choice, and I don't judge anyone else if they chose not to. There are a million and one decisions that we are all going to have to make for our babies, and there are a million and one people who will tell us we are doing the wrong thing. All we can do is whatever is best for our families.

 

[purplepants]

Best to me is when mother and baby are happy!

I totally agree with this, that is why i will not push myself to keep breast feeding when it is making me or baby unhappy, I think the health proffecionals should stop ramming breast feeding down peoples throats & insisting its 'best' for baby.

 

[AlisonB]

I will be trying to breastfeed but as it's my first child not sure how it will go.

 

[splashmonkey]

I intend to breastfeed but, like you Alison, am conscious that it's not necessarily going to be that simple! My philosophy with this whole pregnancy is that I have an ideal world plan but, as it's my first, am totally prepared for it not to come off and to have to make last-minute changes which I will refuse to beat myself up about. I firmly believe that in life in general what's "right" is what feels necessary to you at the time, and I don't see why that should change just becuase there's a baby involved. Your happiness is baby's happiness. Do whatever you feel comfortable with girls and don't let anyone tell you different!

 

[sueken]

i'm bottle feeding as i have with last 4.With my 4th i tried to breast feed andgot loads of help in the hospital,but it turned out i have really really flat nipples (never knew before i always thought they were normal).Anyway i tried for 3 days with izzy slowly getting weaker and weaker till i could take it no more,then a really kind midwife(stella,i remember her name)said "look love its not gonna happen i'll get you a bottle" i could have kissed her for giving me permission to bottle feed.
This time i'm not letting myself have the pressure put on me,all my kids are healthy and i feel that you should do what makes you comfortable.

 

[SoonToBeMrs]

-

 

[Jellybaby]

Thanks for all your replies girls. I think sometimes there is too much pressure put on mum's to breastfeed. I think I may give it a try for the first few weeks and see how it goes and not beat myself up if I decided bottlefeeding is the way forward. You are all so lovely good to know I am not the only one who is unsure on what to do. xxxxxx

I was reading in the hospital that you can just do the first few feeds by breast so the baby gets the colostrum (think that's what it's called) then switch to the bottle.

I think last time I was made to feel like I couldn't bond with my baby properly by bottlefeeding which in hindsight was wrong as my little girl is the biggest mammy's girl ever!!!

 

[tigger]

hi girls, just wanted to join in on this one as with my son i breast fed for 6 months HOWEVER i really struggled in hospital to get him to latch on and had to give several bottle feeds to keep him going!! I found it very stressful for 3 or 4 days however it did get easier to latch him on etc...but i do remember joining a group called Breastmates who met once a week for support and a coffee which helped me continue.
At the many times when i was struggling i set myself a short term goal like i will keep trying for another week or get to a month etc...and all of a sudden i wasnt finding it hard anymore i found it nearly impossible to express most of the time so we gave him a formular bottle when i needed a break and this really helped (my son didnt have any probs with it either), some people say you mustnt mix but i think if it helps you to keep feeding for longer then it is all good...surely

Anyway, my message is that you can only do what you can do, there is no point giving yourself a hard time over it as you will get stressed and this isnt good for baby!!!

Good luck everyone

ps... i am hoping to breastfeed this time but who knows

xx tigger xx

 

[Honey83]

Morning all!!!
I plan on breast feeding, although know from hearing experiences from family, friends and people on here that it's not alwys that simple, so i am prepared to change my plan once the LO is here.
Just reading your comment Tigger, abut mixing breast and formula milk. I had thought about using formula for the last feed of the day so that my OH could feed. Is this not really recommended (i haven't really looked into it as yet), should i express the milf for the evening feed? I feel like theres so much i don't know yet, and so little time left!!

xx

 

[chrest]

I am pregnant with my first baby, and have said I will try and breast feed for 2wks. Some people (ie MIL) have commented that why am I not trying to do more than 2wks. I have said if I hate it, I will try and persist for 2wks and if I really enjoy doing it I will do longer than 2wks, but I am not putting pressure on myself to breastfeed for longer and also feeling a failure if I cant manage it!!

 

[meandthebump]

This is my first baby and i plan to breastfeed. However, i realise that it doesn't work out for everyone so if i need to bottle feed i'm fine with that. I'd like to give the breastfeeding a go first though.

 

[ejjie]

It's my first baby and I am planning to breast feed but do a bottle of formula every night so my OH can do a feed for him and to give me a break. I'm not sure how I will take to breast feeding though especially in public or around family and friends

 

[Tasha20]

Booby feeding all the way with me, can't be arsed with all that bottle crap when you can just get your boob out

I loved it first time round did it for over a year, I was petrified of doing it before I had Olivia, but I got over it

 

[Manda&Thomas]

Bottle for me
xx

 

[MammyHip]

I'm very suprised of how many of us ladies are going to bottle feed, I always got the impression that the majority of mammies did the "Breast is best" route!