Breast feeding...

[jazzmum2be]

My familly kep on at me about how I should breast feed Jamie.
Even for a couple of months.
I really don't want to.
What about if he needed feeding in town, Im not the type to just get out my boob and start feeding him. I couldnt do it.
But then again I want to do whats best for Jamie.
Is bottle feeding babies from the beginning really that bad?
Anyone else not going to breastfeed?

 

[Huddsgirl]

Both breast and bottle are fine, dont let anyone make you feel like bottles are bad. Its whatever is best for you and your baby.
I bottle fed with my 1st cause she just didnt take to the breast and i used to get really tearful and stressed and it was quite painful cause she was latching on wrong.
With my second she has taken to breast feeding like a dream and she just got on with it. I try to time my feeds round when i have to go out but i have also expressed and taken a bottle out with me just incase i am longer than i thouht.
I wouldnt worry about it too much untill baby arrives , then you can just see how your baby responds either with breast or bottle.

 

[sueken]

I'm not.I haven't breast fed any of mine and there all fine and healthy.
I tried to breast feed my last and couldn't i have really really flat nipples and after 3 days of trying in hospital and everyone and his dog proding and poking me a kind midwife went and got me a bottle.
I was in tears at this point and izzy hadn't fed for about 3 days.
Go with what you want,not with what other people want.

 

[NickyB]

I shouldn't worry about being too shy, you get over that very quickly.

 

[allycat]

you need to do what is best for you. If you really don't wanna breastfeed then you don't have to. Formula milk has come a long way and can give your little one all the nutrients he will need. My plan is to breastfeed but I don't know if she'll latch on properly etc. so I have to keep an open mind. My friend has a 6 month old baby and she couldn't breastfeed so she's bottle fed him pretty much from day one and he is very healthy

 

[JayK2387]

How about expressing!? Best of both worlds

By the way thats a BRILLIANT name for him!!

I love it - its so original hehe

Nothing to do with the fact its my name or anything!! hehe!!

If I was having a boy I wanted Aaron Jamie... couldnt have Jamie for a first name as his first born son is called Jay lol xxx

 

[bobby1]

I am very shy and don't breast feed in public. If I'm out, I do in the changing room or take expressed milk with me. Its not impossible

 

[Potbelijo]

I'm intending to breastfeed and I'm going to do my best but I have to admit I really worry about being out in public, or in front of anyone other than the OH.

Just before Christmas I met up with a couple of girls from here in the Metrocentre. Geordie&bairn fed her little one while we sat outside Starbucks and it really made me feel much better about it.

She was so unselfconcious, she just discretely lifted her top and tucked him in. Nothing was on show, not an inch of skin and there was nothing embarrasing about it at all. I didn't ask but I assume she had a nursing top and bra on to make it easier.

It really settled it in my mind that I really want to do my best and with lots of practice at home (which I'm sure I'll get ) I'll find the confidence to go feed Pixie outside as well.

Having said that I'm trying to not to get my hopes up too much. I know it's not easy and not everyone can breastfeed. Fongers crissed

 

[jazzmum2be]

Thanks for all the replys guys
Expressing would be fine, but Iv heard it takes ages just to get enough for one bottle.
I may try to breastfeed in hospital, but I have really flat/inverted nipples and would be embarased about people seeing that lol
Silly, I no.

 

[Becky]

When it comes to feeding in public I think you'll be surprised at how good you get at doing discreetly so no-one ever sees anything worth mentioning - especially as baby gets bigger and can latch on without much help! I've had conversations with people sitting close to me who haven't even realised that baby is feeding! But I understand it feeling strange for some people.

I think if you're going to try breastfeeding then you have to really want to and be quite determined to succeed as it is hard work to start with, not that bottle feeding is easy - I couldn't do it, all the sterilising and preparing of bottles, I have a lot of respect for anyone who manages to do all that work, especially night feeds.

There are pros and cons to both ways, I breastfeed because it's so much easier (in the long term) although can be hard work getting started and you can't share the job with anyone else. It really is personal choice, you have to do what's right for you and baby but I would research both ways properly - read the Breastfeeding and Bottlefeeding support threads on here to get an idea of the realities of both before you decide.

 

[Tasha20]

Jazz hun if you woudl like to try it and have inverted nips/flat nips please take a look at this

http://breastfeedingbasics.com/html/flat_inverted.shtml

Many mums with flat or inverted nips bf succesfully (with the right support and care) and I know loads whos nips then stayed out after and have sticky out nips now after finishing bfing!

Please do not be embarresed about this though and for those who are worried about bfing in public, it really can be done discretely and when you actualy get over the fear (I had it too) its acutaly quite an empowering feeling!

Bfing isn't for everyone and if you at least give your baby a few days/ week of colostrum your giving him a wonderful start

Also stock up on nip cream really helps

Lanisinoh is fab!

 

[krissie23]

When it comes to feeding in public I think you'll be surprised at how good you get at doing discreetly so no-one ever sees anything worth mentioning - especially as baby gets bigger and can latch on without much help! I've had conversations with people sitting close to me who haven't even realised that baby is feeding! But I understand it feeling strange for some people.

I agree! I breastfed Amber, and I was really nervous the first time I took her out in public and had to feed her! As she was still so young, I didn't express as my HV told me it can confuse very young babies if you're just starting off breastfedding, by also giving them a bottle. I stocked up on nursing tops and bras, and found somewhere I felt comfortable feeding her. I did feel self conscious at first but If you're wearing a nursing bra, no one can see anything anyway!

It's up to you though hun, if you really don't feel comfortable doing it, you shouldn't feel forced into it, and as allycat said, there's nothing wrong with formula milk! It's a personal choice and you need to do whatever feels right for you.

 

[Anna23]

i bottle fead james and brest emma, in all honesty it was easier to brest feed more convenient and no sterilising of bottles and making up feeds ect HOWEVER its hard to establish straight away as you have to get the position right ect... and if you get it wrong it can be very painfull, also bottle feeding people otehr than you can feed baby (ok ok brest feeding you can express) but it's more convieniant when you want to go out and with brestfeeding you have to watch what you eat etc.. however it's entirly your choice don't let anyone push you one way or the other especialy the brestfeeding begrade which i am sure you'll get in hospital haha
i personaly think brestfeeding is best but i think it's everyone's choice how they feed their baby we all have our opinions etc... but it's YOUR CHOICE jsut remember that

 

[Anna23]

I shouldn't worry about being too shy, you get over that very quickly.

i agree, when your pregnant you loose all dignaty anyway

 

[Anna23]

Thanks for all the replys guys
Expressing would be fine, but Iv heard it takes ages just to get enough for one bottle.
I may try to breastfeed in hospital, but I have really flat/inverted nipples and would be embarased about people seeing that lol
Silly, I no.

before i had emma i had a slightly inverted nipple and from feeding emma it helped draw it out and i've not had much of a problem since

 

[Jaidy]

I bottle fed my son and he is perfectly healthy, I tried breast feeding but I just didnt feel comfortable with it, as hard as I tried. I dont think there is a right or a wrong, so long as your a happy mummy then you will have a happy baby. Dont let anyone pressurise you either way, you do whats right for you.

I will be bottle feeding this baby from day 1.

 

[abcd1234]

It's your choice but if it's just the public thing thats bothering you i would look in to trying to give him some colostrum at the beginning, it's the best bit.
I'm not sure how hospitals look upon bottle feeding, i've heard some people say they had to push for formula but i know when i was in hossi the lady next to me couldn't BF and they were happily providing milk for her baby. You will probably have to ask for it though especially if you stay in over night, i was left by myself when in hossi and they only checked on me to take blood etc.

As for being shy, i had to get over it very quickly as the fire alarm went off in hospital when i'd just spent ages trying to latch her on, i ended up walking in the corridor with my top totally undone and a baby attached to me, despite that i was still nervous about my first feed in public, now i couldn't care less.

Some people dont take to expressing but it takes me about 10 mins to get a decent feed out now which is pretty good going but i find that Tally doesnt like her milk out a bottle though she takes EBM better from me then anyone else.

 

[nori]

Hiya hun, I tried to breastfeed (managed a week) but it all went horribly wrong and im now using formula. The choice is yours but i would say maybe give it a go in hospital and see how you get on. For me it felt so natural (at ths start) and i loved it. Also.. you can get some great breastfeeding tops which you literally poke your nipple through so noone would see anyway.

Good luck with whatever you decide..

Claire x

 

[Minxy]

My first baby was bottle fed but I intend to breastfeed this one.

My honest opinion is that if you're at all 'Erm, well I might TRY it' about breastfeeding you're going to end up on the bottle. As someone else said you need to be stubborn, determined and informed to breastfeed successfully in the vast majority of cases.

Lots of mums feed formula from day one and there's nothing wrong with that. While it's all very well saying 'see how you feel' unless you decide you definitely want to breastfeed before or very soon after birth, you'll be a formula mum.

 

[poochielove]

If i were you i would at least give it a go, by all means have your bottles, steriliser ect ready at home (i didnt but then i was determined to breastfeed) but if you can give your baby the first bit that comes out in the first few days...its really good for them, fighting infections and such. You might regret it if you dont try (you also might not). I personally love it even though its been bloody hard work at times, but its not for everyone. Also i echo what every else has said about clever tops and bras that make feeding discreet. Also lots of big stores like M&S will let you use their changing rooms to feed. The best thing about it is its free! Also so so easy in the night than sterilising and making up bottles!!