Breast or Formula

[Stef]

Whos doing what??

I quite fancy having ago at expressing milk, I dont feel comfortable with the idea of feeding straight from the breast. I dont know why I feel like that.
Ive also looked at the plus sides of breast feeding such as the imune sytem building up better anitbodies and i also like the idea that it supposed to help with weight loss after the birth.
I also like the idea you can express and freeze the milk over periods of time which would be easier than making bottles up constantly.

- QUICK QUESTION???
Can you express straight away or would the baby have to latch to the breast first of all to start breast feeing. Sorry im slightly clueless as its only been these last weeks i have been concidering it?

However, I feel it would be nice to have the odd glass of wine. I dont mean drinking to get drunk.. more on the terms of a glass of wine with my meal... IE Christmas day etc as im not a big drinker.. or shoudl I say wasnt a big drinker any way.

I would however like to feed formula and then OH can get really involved with feeds making bottles etc. As many of you know he is suffering slightly from depression and i beleive it would be a really good way to help him feel more involved,

What are you doing.. or if you have had more than one and tried both methods which would you reccomend?

I really need help

 

[Mantha3]

Babybean... why does it make you uncomfortable? Breastfeeding is natural and honestly.. that is what they are made for honey. They are not decorations or toys.. they have a use. You can still enjoy a glass of wine when breastfeeding you just can't give the baby the breastmilk for a certain period of time after drinking. Express it and dump it. I am sorry to be not understanding but I must say.. it is MUCH MUCH better to breastfeed your baby AND you. Obviously if you can't due to medical reasons that is different but unless that I think all women OWE it to their child to breastfeed. Recently studies have shown that breastfed babies are more intelligent and also think of all the wonderful nutrients offered in your milk! It is free too!!! I didn't breastfeed my first child because I was not able to but my second I did and I lost ALL my baby fat with in 3 months. You can breastfeed and pump so that your husband can feed the baby as well. I breastfed and then at the end of feeding I pumped out the last bits and froze them.. when I wanted to drink or go out I would have my husband or the sitter feed the baby the stored milk. It may be harsh to some but I see women who CHOOSE not to breastfeed the same as women who smoke while pregnant. I just can't understand it. I am not saying you need to do it for 1 year but do it atleast the recommended amount of time.. for your little one!

I am sorry but I have to say BREAST IS BEST! If you able to.. medically.

 

[beanie]

I'm going to breastfeed, I breastfed my first and am determined to do so with this one too. I never found it interfered with my life, obviously in the early weeks I was feeding a lot but she soon got into a routine. I was able to have a drink when I wanted and went out. SadlyI didn't seem to shift my baby weight but I think that had more to do with the fact I was stuffing mars bars into my mouth too much!!!

As for your DH he can feed baby expressed milk, though they recommend you don't express for the first 6 weeks. However he can have his own thing - for my OH it was bathtime, he would give Seren a bath whilst I relaxed and he has never felt as though he has missed out on any bonding. If anyhting they are like twins, and I get to feel like the spare part.

I have known mums who for some reason have had to express rather then feed their baby straight from the breast and I have to say it is a great deal of work in that not only do you have the faff of steralising bottles but you also have to express regularly. However it is a preferable option over fomula but I just wantedto warn you. Why not try breastfeeding and if its not for you then look at other options. It is so much easier to go from breast to bottle then from bottle to breast.

 

[Serene123]

I'm gonna try breastfeeding and see how it goes

 

[vicky]

i agree with seren.

I didn't breast feed Kacy thats for two reasons they wouldn't let me go home until kacy had had a full feed, and they weren't helping me so i just gave up in the end, which i shouldn't of but i did, but with this baby i'm am determined to breast feed this baby even if its not for very long, cos i'm having worries about certain things, which i will answer along the way, with breast feeding.

 

[beanie]

Vicky, any concerns please ask. I too really struggled in the hospital and the midwives were bloody useless. But other breastfeeding mums were milesmore helpful. I really do think one of the biggest factors in breastfeeding successfully is having support

 

[nikkybaby]

What is the recommended amount of time to b/f??

 

[beanie]

The World Health Organistaion recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months but do recommed you breastfeed for upto 2 years

 

[luckyme225]

I'm going to breastfeed because it's better for baby, helps you burn calories and who can forget cost much cheaper.

 

[Rachel]

With Nathan I tried breast feeding but because he was early he didn't have the energy to suck and kept falling asleep and not getting enough. The midwifes didn't help either, they were horrible.

This time im determined to breast feed. It's better for baby, hopefully will hep me lose weight and it's free. If all goes well and I can breast feed I'll be stopping when baby get's his/her 1st tooth though.

 

[Mango]

I'll be breastfeeding. I want to be as connected to my lil one as possible and I think breast feeding really helps bond baby and mum. I also want to breast feed because of the health benefits both for mum and baby. A mum passes on antibodies tot he baby which help build their immune system. Also I'll lose the weight faster by breast feeding

 

[Wobbles]

I want to do combination feeds but still baffled over the whole thing!

 

[Stef]

Im still unsure..

However I do find the comment about thinking my boobs are toys or decorations was a little insenstive. If some one finds something uncomfortable (for personal reasons) the last thing you want is for some one to make comments like that alsmost making you feel ridiculed. Sorry if I have taken it the wrong way or perhaps being a little hormonal about the comment but its the way it was portrayed. I didnt realise I was such a person who came across so shallow as to think they are 'toys or decorations'.

After re-reading perhaps I have taken it totally the wrong way. But I just want every one to know that im not some immature giggly young girl who thinks its funny or any thing like that.

Sorry to whinge.

Any way. Im still weighing up the pro's and cons at the moment. I'm sure ill come to a decision shortly which I will beleive will suit me the best.

 

[Holldoll]

I know a lot of people that are weirded out by breastfeeding.

I will be breast feeding. I'll pump in between to have extra milk. I'm going to do it for 6 months and try to for at least 1 year.

 

[cheryl]

with my first i tried to breast feed but i had no help from anyone and i got really sore and craked nipples, so i gave up after 2 weeks. I was only 15 at the time. With my second i had to express because my son was born premature he couldn't suck and had to be fed by a tube. Then i fed him but the day before he came home i had to go in for the night and he was feeding every hour. My milk had dried up i don't know why it just did. So he had to go on the bottle but he was 4 weeks old by then.
With this one i am going to breastfeed for as long as i can. i have already made my mind up.
Luv Cheryl xxx

 

[Hels]

I breast fed Charlie for 3.5 months, and only gave up as I had to return to work (doing 12hr days sometimes with out a break and 40 mins each way travel on top of that, I was unable to express and I leaked!)

Unfortunatley Ill have to go back to work around the same stage, but I want to BF for as long as I can.

I enjoyed BF Charlie for these reasons:
1. Easier in the night than getting up and doing bottles!
2. A huge sense of satisfaction
3. I was slimmer than pre birth by about a stone (although that returned plus more after I stopped!!)
4. It was such a great way of bonding (yes, I know thats a bit of a cliche'!)

Id suggest giving it a go, if its not for you then you can work out alternatives.

Good luck in what you decide. x

 

[Lucy]

Yeah I plan to breastfeed this baby as well. Bfed my daughter for 18 months and would like to do the same for this baby.

As far as I'm concerned the pros of breastfeeding far outweigh any "cons" and I want to give my baby the best start in life that I possibly can.

 

[coccyx]

Breastfed all 3 of mine and hope to do same with this one. Loved it and had no problems (just made toes curl around day 5 when first starting feed, not sure why that happened!) My friend found nct very helpful. Will say I sometimes felt a little miffed when i was up feeding in early hours of morning and hubby snoring away beside me! But as health visitor said when i am feeding in the day i can give out jobs to be done by hubby.

 

[hannah_1993]

I dont have a clue wheter i want to breast or bottle what did people do?

 

[Racheltastic]

I tried to breastfeed my first and was unable to, I didn't get much help from the nurses and I found bottle feeding easier. I breastfed my second one until she was 9 months old. I am planning on breastfeeding this one up to one year. I don't think anyone HAS to breastfeed their baby it's a personal choice. There are pros and cons to doing both bf and bottle feeding. As long as YOU feel comfortable with your decision is all that really matters. Good luck!