breast or bottle poll - to include the new moms...

[leckershell]

This poll has probably been done loads of times, but without creating an argumentative thread, who here breastfeeds and who bottlefeeds. I went to a new parents group yesterday and the moms there seemed to be like wow can't believe you stuck with breastfeeding... and they were all sitting there talking about bottlefeeding and how their babies are already sleeping through the night.

So to include all the new moms that I was in 3rd tri with, which do you do?

I feel like less and less people are doing it (especially the younger people) and I don't understand why. It seems like a rarity to find a mom my age that breastfeeds.. I'm 22.

 

[Rosieroo]

I breastfeed and I agree with you that most people seem to bottle feed. I went to a toddler group this morning and all the mums I saw were bottlefeeding. It's a very rare occasion that I go to a toddler group and see another breastfeeding mum. It's a shame that the bottle feeding mums you saw have to gloat that their babies are sleeping through because they're on formula, I know lots of babies that are breastfed that sleep through and bottlefed that don't. I think it's down to the individual baby as to whether they can sleep through or not - DD was breastfed and slept like a dream from 8 weeks. DS is breastfed but mostly has a bottle before bed and rarely sleeps through...Next time just tell them that you can't believe they're bottlefeeding, you couldn't be doing with all that sterilising and making up/warming up of bottles, you've got fresh warm milk ready day and night

 

[siobhan]

BOTTLE fed number 1, breast fed number 2. Hoping to breat feed number 3.

I agree about younger people not breast feeding, I had my second at 22 and people were always surprised that I breast fed. I foud with my first as well, I didn't feel like I got enough support, esp off my friends. None of them had babies and couldn't understand breast feeding. Also felt the health visitor did NOTHING to try and help me keep feeding, jsut said ok swwitch to SMA then.

 

[leckershell]

Next time just tell them that you can't believe they're bottlefeeding, you couldn't be doing with all that sterilising and making up/warming up of bottles, you've got fresh warm milk ready day and night

They were talking about their monthly expenses and I dug in a "ooh formula milk is sooo expensive isn't it" and they just looked at me like damn you ... lol

(sorry to bottle feeders, iv got nothing against it, i was just trying to dig at those in my group!)

 

[flower]

Im breast feeding. I found the first two weeks quite hard work but i seem to be getting used to it now. I just get a bit frustrated that OH cant help me with night feeds, but im going to start expressing soon so he can help me out and i can get a few hours solid sleep! I live in spain, and so far have seen that most of the young mothers that i know or see around town bottle feed. Ive hardly seen anyone breast feeding!

 

[weenik]

I breast feed - I also found the first few weeks hard going because of his time in ITU, but I was determined to do it because I believe it's best for both of us. I'm glad I stuck with it. Dylan doesn't sleep all through the night, sometimes he sleeps for 6 hours and sometimes 3. I don't have him in routine yet, but I'm not too bothered....it will happen when Dylan is ready x

 

[Snuggle]

I bottle feed but its not through choice. I really wanted to breast feed but Maddison was too poorly at birth and wouldnt latch

 

[trixipaws]

im still breastfeeding- i love it when everyone compliments me on still doing it! i think the reason why lots of mums our age bottlefeed is so they can go out again, drinking etc? i must admit if i werent breastfeeding id hav had a nite out by now!

 

[missac]

I bottle feed but like snuggle it is not by choice, I "fed" him for a week he screamed and screamed all week, every day the mw would say "tonight you are going to look like Jordon" so every night I prodded my boobs and waited for them to go hard and each night - nothing! I eventually realised that he was getting nothing, he had jaundice and I was told if I didn't start feeding him he would go into hospital, so I had to give him the bottle! It turned out I had no milk - not a bean nothing came out!!

And here I go again - I feel the need to explain myself everytime someone asks I go into a long winded story as I don't want people to think I didn't want the best for my baby. However, feeding you child whether it be breast or bottle is a good thing look at all the neglected children who don't get anything, poor little mites!

I commend all mothers that can breastfeed, you all make it look so easy when in reality it is so hard, to get the right latch, to get up everytime your baby cries, to know you are the only one to be able to settle - that is a lot of pressure! I hope that with my next one I will be able to breast feed, but at least next time I won't beat myself up about it, sometimes it just doesn't happen and it doesn't mean you love your baby any less!!

 

[cloud9]

I am still breast feeding and to be honest now it is a way of life for me ..i find the thought of making up formula scarey..

my Hv has told me most give up in the first few weeks and always compliments me on how well i am doing wiht it

 

[valentine]

I breastfeed - DD has never had anything else (except Calpol!) and I find formula scary too as I wouldn't know what to do with it.

I'm 27 and I do agree that mums in their twenties often don't breastfeed through choice (I don't mean cases like yours missac, where you were so keen to breastfeed). In my limited experience, I personally think there's a big embarrassment factor for people our age as well as a case of wanting their social lives and bodies back* - they just don't want to bare their boobs in front of family members, visitors, friends or in public - and have little support (Adele's post on this page is an example of this, but not sure how old Adele is).

I live in a yummy mummy village where all mums are mostly 35+ and they mostly all breastfeed. I'm not sure whether its a generational thing or a 'class' kind of thing - I'm not sure.

Interesting to see how this poll goes - hopefully this thread won't turn into an argument as it is such an emotive topic for everyone here. There's also an interesting chat re. breast and bottle feeding currently going on in Ask a Mum - also calm at the moment - here is the link if anyone wants a read.

Valentine xxx

*Our NCT breastfeeding person told us that it isn't b/feeding that ruins your boobs, but pregnancy, so they will be the same state if you've had a baby whether you b/feed or not - however I'm not sure I believe that when I see the state of my nipples after DD has had a chomp!

 

[Minxy]

I know lots of babies that are breastfed that sleep through and bottlefed that don't. I think it's down to the individual baby as to whether they can sleep through or not

True dat *yawn*

Stanley was bottle fed and wasn't a brill sleeper!

My story is very similar to Missac. Stanley was also jaundiced and I was pretty much bullied into formula by midwives who told me I was starving my baby. I don't put the onus on them as I know I was very quick to give up but after feeling I was rubbish at giving birth my self-esteem was low and I couldn't take being crap at anything else so didn't try!

Next time though, my boobs are coming out!!!!!

 

[valentine]

I know lots of babies that are breastfed that sleep through and bottlefed that don't. I think it's down to the individual baby as to whether they can sleep through or not

Very true - DD has slept through the night from 6.5 weeks from 7/7.30pm til 7.30am (she would sleep longer if we let her, but I wake her for a feed & nappy change then put her down for a snooze when I've seen her sleep til 11am - she loves her kip!).

Valentine xxx

 

[beanie]

Not sure if I am young enough to be a young mum but am just still in my 20s. I was one of the few people to breastfeed in my postnatal group and the only one to be still doing it after a month. I found it very isolating, my area has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the UK. I had seen my aut breastfeed, and one ofour friends had but both stopped very early on, and all I ever used to get was "I can't believe you are still doing that"

 

[leckershell]

- and have little support (Adele's post on this page is an example of this, but not sure how old Adele is).

Adele's a few months older than me and we live quite close to each other so I've been trying to help her out.. I'm probably a nuisance, but I mean well

 

[SarahH]

Arianna is obviously a lot older than you babies but she was combination fed.
She wouldn't feed direct off me so she had mostly expressed breast milk, except for the last feed at night which was formula.
I did this until she was bout 17(ish) weeks old as I couldnt express anymore - well not to her demand.

 

[mamichuli]

I breastfeed, but i know that i have been lucky with all three of my kids - i find it relatively easy, particularly after the first few weeks. I am one of those "older mums" now, but was only 25 when my first was born and remember that the pressure was TREMENDOUS, what with exhaustion after the birth, no support at the hospital at all, my MIL announcing to anyone who would listen that "the baby was hungry, not getting enough" and general pressure from the HUGE amount of family coming to visit (I also live in Spain and my first husband and father of my first two kids is spanish) It is a miracle that I stuck it.
I think that a lot of young mums feel embarrassed maybe at pulling out a boob. When you are older you are probably more philosophical about it, and also, my experience is that I am a) more patient now, in less of a
hurry to get other things done - lets face it, we spend aaaaaaaaages feeding our LOs, and b) I am less of a perfectionist and live more by the "if you dont like the state of my house, dont come in!!!"

I dont know if my theory is right, young mums, be interested to hear more of your views!

Flower, I am gonna pm you, as you live in spain.
Lisa

,

 

[trixipaws]

I'm not sure whether its a generational thing or a 'class' kind of thing - I'm not sure.

it does seem to be older and middle-class mums who breast feed doesnt it. i am neither tho lol like michelle says we seem 2 b in the minority.
my mum is middle-aged, middle-class and really on her soap box about it! but thats good 4 me coz i get lots of support from her, and shes really proud of me!

 

[rach]

im bottle feeding christopher out of no other reason other than personal choice feel proud of yourself for bf you are giving your baby the best start in life possible well done and stick with it xxxxxxx

 

[babyroo]

I'm doing a combination of breast and bottle but it's mainly breast.
I'm 25 and have had a mixed reaction to the way I'm feeding, some like why bother with the breast feeds when you had to top her up ,others kind of making me feel really guilty for topping her up with the bottle and others saying you should have gone for the bottle in first place.