breast or bottle

[winnie89]

i've been having a debate with my sister in law about which will be better for each of us to use! we're obviously gonna try breast feeding but then what if we can't (my friend couldn't because her milk hadn't come in!) i have got a set of bottles and sterilizer and things in case i change my mind in the near future, but i just wondered what everyone else thinks?

 

[Kerrykins]

I'm going straight for the bottle. I know there aren't many people that do that but I do think it's a personal choice and as much as I have been warned so much about being bullied into breast feeding when it comes to it, I'm pretty determined to do it my way. I've just been told my another Mum with twins to just say to them "have you got twins" and when they say no (which is more than likely of course) then I will tell them to back off.............easier said than done tho. Other twin Mum's I've spoken to said that once the twins arrived the midwives just put the babies straight on the breast(s) even tho they knew the mothers wishes...................sorry, took over your post a bit there, but I do feel quite strongly that each person should do what is best for them. It's no good for the baby if Mum is upset and struggling..........

 

[Mrs. KM]

Same as you Winnie. I plan on breastfeeding, but I have known enough friends who haven't been able to because they didnt make enough milk. I don't want to be so determined to breastfeed that it really upsets me if it doesn't work out.

 

[leannesxb]

i am going straight to bottle as I have arthritis and need to go back on my meds once baby is here to ensure I can recover without being totally disabled. I am not allowed to take the meds whilst pregnant and obviously that means I can't breast feed either. xxx

 

[Esoames]

Just thought I'd offer some advice, I've been breastfeeding for nearly a year and it's not been easy but once you get going and get past 6 weeks, it's fairly plain sailing. Midwives will NOT just place the baby on the breast, when you are knackered, sleep deprived and very hormonal you see what you want to see and some women who are not keen on breastfeeding feel like they are pushing in to trying when in fact it's not the case. The breastfeeding rates in this country are shocking in comparison to the rest of Europe, so midwives have to at least chat to you about trying, or else they wouldn't be doing their job.

I was never made to feel like I was being forced in to doing it, my reasons for wanting to try were cost, feeling close to my baby, and to keep her with me, I didn't have a baby to palm her off on family. She's never stayed away and I don't intend on letting her. I actually got MORE midwife support post natal as I was breastfeeding, and in my eyes the more help the better!

I did however buy bottles and a sterilizer just in case, but I've never used it. I tried to give expressed milk but she wouldn't take a bottle so ive pretty much fed her her entire life.

Your milk will never not come in, if you initiate breastfeeding your body will not let you down. After a few weeks your boobs go soft so you feel empty but I've never had to top her up. It's very important to rest, drink lots of fluids and lots of skin to skin.

Ladies, your friends that bottle fed will give you horror stories, hell my mum did it! Telling me I'd feel like a cow etc. You need to do what's right for you, and ultimately that child needs to be fed. Go to a workshop at hospital or childrens centre, get clues up and make a decision for yourself.

Anyone who wants advice can freely pm me, and I'll be happy to help. It's not easy to breastfeed but it's so rewarding. Hope I've not come over to harsh xxx

 

[leannesxb]

I think thats all good as long as you are physically able to!!!

 

[winnie89]

Same as you Winnie. I plan on breastfeeding, but I have known enough friends who haven't been able to because they didnt make enough milk. I don't want to be so determined to breastfeed that it really upsets me if it doesn't work out.

Yeah I know, it seems that everyone is determined to make sure we breast feed, when I went to my 12 week scan every person I saw (I.e the sonographer, the booking in nurse, the nurse who filled in my paper work!) Lol

 

[keepontrying]

I plan to have a good crack a breast feeding - but would also like to express so OH can have a go too. I think he will miss out on such a precious time if he can feed.

 

[Mrs. KM]

I really do want to breastfeed. I just have one friend who was very determined to breastfeed but barely produced any milk. All of her friends who already had kids had really pumped up how important breastfeeding is and that mothers who don't breastfeed just don't try hard enough etc. So she was devastated when she learned there was no way she could physically provide enough milk for her daughter. In the end she does pump and gets about a quarter of a bottle a day, and receives donated breastmilk from other moms so that her daughter will still get the benefit of breastmilk which I think is great. I guess I just want to be prepared if it doesn't work out for me either. Breastfeeding is such a personal choice, and mothers shouldn't be looked down on if its something they aren't comfortable with or can't physically do for their babies. There have also always been wet nurses, so we know that there have always been issues with moms being able to breastfeed.

 

[Olive]

I'm going to try bf and expressing, but as others have said I've known a lot of woman that haven't been able to so will try but won't punish myself if it doesn't work out.

You can only do what's best for you. Bf or bottle everyone will be a good mum to their lo. Xx

 

[nikki8092]

I breastfed both my children and plan on doing so with little one when he/she arrives. Not only is it natural but its a lot easier than getting up during the night to put kettle on, make a bottle etc. When you can just lay baby next to you for a feed. I know its not everyones cup of tea so i would say do whats best for you. I would encourage all mums who can to give it a go at least then you can say you tried. xx

 

[Kerrykins]

And again I've been made to feel bad for not wanting to breast feed...........................so much for it being a personal choice.

 

[leannesxb]

Please don't feel bad honey I don't feel guilty about it. Its whats best for me too and my son was bottle fed and hes a totally strapping 13 year old. It is a personal choice and I hate people who try and shove breast feeding and the delights of it down new mums noses. It doesn't make you bond any less in fact it allows you to feed without stress, in front of family, with other children around and everyone gets that chance to feed babe. I would feel very uncomfortable feeding infront of my 13 year old. This way he can join in feeding too. Even if I could have breast fed I wouldn't have done!!! And that is MY CHOICE!!!!!!!

 

[Kerrykins]

Thank you Leanne, so far my experience has all been people pushing it on me and I just don't think it's fair. Also, there is no way my friend who has twins would lie about having her babies put straight on the breast - why would she lie? She was really unhappy about it but so out of it felt she couldn't really do anything about it.

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

i plan to bf but im getting bottles etc in case i cant handle it or Pip can't handle it. i know loads of mums that have gone straight to the bottle, i dont see anything wrong with it as it was their choice. if i didnt feel comfortable i certainly wouldnt do it.

Kerrykins - i dont blame u for wanting to go straight to the bottle. you are gonna have ur hands full enough with two babies, let alone having to bf as well. at least with the bottle you can hand baby to ur oh or prop bottle up for them and see to the other one. if i was having twins i would bottle feed for sure.

my boobs are huge anyways lol and so i wanna at least try and use them for what they were designed for!

 

[redbear]

I will have to get out of bed to change the baby's bum anyway so i dont think that would really sway my decision, Plus a bottle warmer takes a couple of minutes to warm up and it will be in my bedroom.
I will try my best to BF but i really think it won't happen, i get grossed out by the drawings in the booklets they give you. I will try and you never know maybe i will love it but if i don't im not going to feel bad about bottle feeding. I would have bought a steriliser anyway for dummies and teething toys to be put in now and again, ive bought some breast to bottle type bottles in case i can express and breastfeed or Formula feed.
I do think that some breast feeding mums (not all) really are snobheads when it comes to breastfeeding and think that they somehow are better mum's because they Breastfeed, My sister in law was like that, would sit blowing cig smoke in baby's face while drinking a bottle or two of wine but telling everyone how much better it was to Breastfeed etc...
BTW i don't mean snobheads nasty its a word i use when people are stuck up and try to make the way they do things look better than the way anyone else does things.

 

[Esoames]

I will have to get out of bed to change the baby's bum anyway so i dont think that would really sway my decision, Plus a bottle warmer takes a couple of minutes to warm up and it will be in my bedroom.
I will try my best to BF but i really think it won't happen, i get grossed out by the drawings in the booklets they give you. I will try and you never know maybe i will love it but if i don't im not going to feel bad about bottle feeding. I would have bought a steriliser anyway for dummies and teething toys to be put in now and again, ive bought some breast to bottle type bottles in case i can express and breastfeed or Formula feed.
I do think that some breast feeding mums (not all) really are snobheads when it comes to breastfeeding and think that they somehow are better mum's because they Breastfeed, My sister in law was like that, would sit blowing cig smoke in baby's face while drinking a bottle or two of wine but telling everyone how much better it was to Breastfeed etc...
BTW i don't mean snobheads nasty its a word i use when people are stuck up and try to make the way they do things look better than the way anyone else does things.

Thanks! I'm in no way a snobhead, I find these posts end up like this, and I always end up getting upset by them. There is a breast v bottle post every week and every week I feel more and more upset by my decision to breastfeed.

You do what you need to do to feed your child. I personally didn't want to spend hundreds on formula, bottles etc. But obviously this is a given if you do decide to formula feed from the start.

I'm stepping away from this post as all I've tried to illustrate is to form your own opinion and to try and think that people read these posts and may get upset. It's not nice to read that some women are repulsed by breastfeeding. Makes me feel stupid for doing it, and that I'm not being supported in my decision to feed my child

 

[Nurse 26]

I'm planning on BF, each to their own though, its the mums choice

Esoames - thanks for your post, sorry this has upset you, you do not sound like a snob, i love to read posts from mums who have already BF, as a first time mummy to be its great to get your story and advice especially when its such a good postive experience, very encouraging

 

[nikki8092]

Like i say its not everyones cup of tea, i know plenty of people who have bottlefed their babies and they are just as healthy etc as breastfed ones. Kerrykins, twins will be hard enough to deal with without the stress of how you feed them. At the end of the day they are your babies and you will do what feels right for you and babies. Think i would have found it impossible to cope with breastfeeding if it was twins xx

 

[Kerrykins]

I'm sorry you feel upset Emma, I'm not sure Redbear meant anything personal to you - there are, after all some people that really are quite snobby about this sort of thing, not necessarily you. Anyway, I hate to think anyone has been upset on here for any reason.

I will add tho, that I was very upset - all I seem to have is people making me feel inadequate for not intending to breastfeed. I feel like a bad mother before my babies have even arrived!

Thanks to all of you that have said you understand considering I am having twins - makes me feel a bit better, although I still didn't intend to when we thought it was just one.

I really do think fair play to everyone who does intend to breastfeed, it's just not for me..................