Friendly thread -Why did you choose to FF?

[midori1999]

Had you have asked this 5 years ago, maybe even less, I would have said my babies were too big (second was over the 97th centile at birth) and too hungry and my breastmilk didn't satisfy them as they needed feeding constantly. Then that with my third son my milk dried up as I was exclusively expressing and that is really hard to maintain a supply with.

Now, I know that actually, I chose to FF at the time because I didn't have correct information or adequate support in order to continue breastfeeding.

I never felt a single inking of guilt over switching to FF with my children, I did what I thought was best with the information I had at the time. I did and do though, regret not managing to successfully BF, especially now I am managing to successfully BF my daughter and it is wonderful. It does make me sad that there are women who want to BF and feel they have to give up for whatever reason, or women that feel guilty about not BF, when proper and adequate support could mean those things never happen.

 

[Hayley90]

I chose to FF because breastfeeding was just something that didn't feel natural to me and I've never had the urge to do it. Whenever I thought about getting pregnant and having a baby the idea of BF never entered my head.

When I conceived Fran I did consider the option, but decided that because my heart wouldn't be in it I would just get stressed, which in turn would make my baby stressed. So I went with the option that I felt more comfortable with - and I've never regretted it.

Fran is happy and healthy - what more could I ask for?

i felt the same. it didnt occur naturally to me, and as a result i felt it would be more work that it was worth. Sounds awful, but i dont feel bad or like i gave up/failed etc, as i never had the urge to do it in the first place.
x

 

[madcatwoman]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

 

[x Michelle x]

Fair enough not to bully people but I wish to god someone had been more pushy and forceful with getting me to seek help with Ruby's latch. I know they meant well but I don't really thank those who just said all the 'formula is fine, happy mummy is happy baby' stuff to me at the time. Formula did not make me a happy mummy in the long term.

i know, its such a fine line isn't it. I'm definitely a tough love, try harder kinda person, but it really, really was bullying
Can i just say your LO is so cute, she looks a right cheeky monkey!

 

[patch2006uk]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

I'm not gonna derail this thread, and I don't want to make anyone feel bad, but there are so many benefits to breastfeeding. The part of the brain controlling the immune system is twice as large in bf babies as FF ones, the gut flora is different, making stomach upsets less likely, there is less chance of allergies and illness, less risk of cancer and obesity. I'm sure you've heard it all before, but how anyone can question the benefits of BFing is truly beyond me. If you choose not to BF, then that's none of my business, but you can't deny the facts!

 

[midori1999]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

It is absolutely every womans choice to feed her baby how she chooses, regardless of her reasons for it. No-one should be psuhed into anything, nor made to feel guilty for their choices. However, I'm afraid I feel it is ridiculous to make the above bolded comment, the benefits of BF are very well researched and proven.

 

[Destiny08]

I chose to mix feed my baby i formula feed her during the day and breast feed at night. She needs more during the day, and i found i had a very slow milk flow and very little help from medical professionals to change that, so i'd end up feeding her for 2 hours or so, and then she'd sleep for 2 before waking up for more. i struggled to express as it took me an hour or so to get 25ml.

so i resorted to formula during the day so i didnt have to spend my day feeding her - i simply didnt have the time for it. now i can ask someone else to feed her if i need to do something, i know she's getting enough and she gets it faster than she was before

 

[madcatwoman]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

It is absolutely every womans choice to feed her baby how she chooses, regardless of her reasons for it. No-one should be psuhed into anything, nor made to feel guilty for their choices. However, I'm afraid I feel it is ridiculous to make the above bolded comment, the benefits of BF are very well researched and proven.

i say this going by personal experience, thats all!

 

[patch2006uk]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

It is absolutely every womans choice to feed her baby how she chooses, regardless of her reasons for it. No-one should be psuhed into anything, nor made to feel guilty for their choices. However, I'm afraid I feel it is ridiculous to make the above bolded comment, the benefits of BF are very well researched and proven.

i say this going by personal experience, thats all!

But it's just flying in the face of scientific consensus. Like people who smoke saying they know someone who's 90 and has smoked 50 fags a day since they were 16, and they're fine. There will always be exceptions that seem to disprove the evidence, but the facts are the facts.

*not by any means comparing FF to smoking. This was just the best analogy I could think of*

 

[nicole_]

ive never really heard of FF babies being particularly sickly or anything though, they never seem worse off, so by personal experience i agree with madcatwoman, just didnt want to say it and get eaten

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Most people unfortunately find anecdotes more compelling than actual evidence based facts.

 

[Gemie]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

I'm not gonna derail this thread, and I don't want to make anyone feel bad, but there are so many benefits to breastfeeding. The part of the brain controlling the immune system is twice as large in bf babies as FF ones, the gut flora is different, making stomach upsets less likely, there is less chance of allergies and illness, less risk of cancer and obesity. I'm sure you've heard it all before, but how anyone can question the benefits of BFing is truly beyond me. If you choose not to BF, then that's none of my business, but you can't deny the facts!

So FF babies are fat and thick? I think not!

My cousin was FF and is skinny and graduated Oxford university.
Just sayin'

 

[patch2006uk]

ive never really heard of FF babies being particularly sickly or anything though, they never seem worse off, so by personal experience i agree with madcatwoman, just didnt want to say it and get eaten

But formula in it's modern form has only been around a few years really. Who knows whether it will be that FF babies will be sicklier when they're elderly? Or be more susceptible to certain illnesses.

I hope it's not true as a FF baby myself, but I wanted to go with the centuries tested breastmilk, not the unknown of formula.

 

[patch2006uk]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

I'm not gonna derail this thread, and I don't want to make anyone feel bad, but there are so many benefits to breastfeeding. The part of the brain controlling the immune system is twice as large in bf babies as FF ones, the gut flora is different, making stomach upsets less likely, there is less chance of allergies and illness, less risk of cancer and obesity. I'm sure you've heard it all before, but how anyone can question the benefits of BFing is truly beyond me. If you choose not to BF, then that's none of my business, but you can't deny the facts!

So FF babies are fat and thick? I think not!

My cousin was FF and is skinny and graduated Oxford university.
Just sayin'

Is that what I said? No.

 

[Mooshie]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

I'm not gonna derail this thread, and I don't want to make anyone feel bad, but there are so many benefits to breastfeeding. The part of the brain controlling the immune system is twice as large in bf babies as FF ones, the gut flora is different, making stomach upsets less likely, there is less chance of allergies and illness, less risk of cancer and obesity. I'm sure you've heard it all before, but how anyone can question the benefits of BFing is truly beyond me. If you choose not to BF, then that's none of my business, but you can't deny the facts!

I'm sorry, but comments like this do "derail" these types of threads.

I never normally comment on breastfeeding posts because I always get pissed off and it's usually best just to say nothing and leave the thread BUT it comes up time and time again and each time I get more pissed off.

I'm pretty sure everyone here is aware of the benefits of breastfeeding, but us mums who FF don't need to be reminded about them every 5 minutes from women who have been blessed with being able to have been able to it.*And you are lucky, VERY lucky!

I feel guilty every single day because for many reasons breastfeeding didn't work out for us and I find comments like these upsetting and offensive.

There I said it. I'll leave now.

 

[Hayley90]

This was meant to be a nice thread so why are pro breastfeeders coming in with their lists of facts (again!)

YES we HAVE all read it before, why post it again?

Boring for some, upsetting for others. Let it be FGS.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Nobody was reminding anyone of the benefits of breastfeeding, someone actually disputed that there were any, which is totally false and patch was simply correcting that.

 

[KatieB]

Only comment if you've chosen to FF please, I don't want this to turn into a debate I just want to see both sides to this old debate.

Yet here it is, turning into a debate. Simple enough question as well - "Why did you choose to formula feed"

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Why are people less in favour of BF 'allowed' to make false claims where as if someone DARES to provide correct info about BF, that's making people feel bad...? I don't get it

 

[patch2006uk]

I chose to FF because i wanted too. I wouldnt have felt comfortable doing it and i know that would have stressed LO out and i didnt want that. Also no one i know and i mean no one has breast fed, no one in my family as far back as i know or have been told have so its just something that ive not had around me. I also believe that formula cant be a bad thing because if it was that bad they wouldnt make it or sell it. I dont think my LO will be less educated, slower or anything like that because i didnt BF him, i personally think things like that are nothing to do with it. I dont feel bad about my decision and i dont think it makes me a bad Mum!

I chose formula with Bobby and ill choose it again with any other babies with have in the future!

totally agree there, i was a ff baby too, ive always seemed to have a very good immune system too, i really dont think theres anything in it as far as the 'benifits' go. I also dont agree with the way people are pushed into BF, i dont feel bad about it either.

I'm not gonna derail this thread, and I don't want to make anyone feel bad, but there are so many benefits to breastfeeding. The part of the brain controlling the immune system is twice as large in bf babies as FF ones, the gut flora is different, making stomach upsets less likely, there is less chance of allergies and illness, less risk of cancer and obesity. I'm sure you've heard it all before, but how anyone can question the benefits of BFing is truly beyond me. If you choose not to BF, then that's none of my business, but you can't deny the facts!

I'm sorry, but comments like this do "derail" these types of threads.

I never normally comment on breastfeeding posts because I always get pissed off and it's usually best just to say nothing and leave the thread BUT it comes up time and time again and each time I get more pissed off.

I'm pretty sure everyone here is aware of the benefits of breastfeeding, but us mums who FF don't need to be reminded about them every 5 minutes from women who have been blessed with being able to have been able to it.*And you are lucky, VERY lucky!

I feel guilty every single day because for many reasons breastfeeding didn't work out for us and I find comments like these upsetting and offensive.

There I said it. I'll leave now.

I can't lie so as not to offend people who FF. I'm sorry if my words upset you, but I'm not exaggerating or making things up. Simply correcting an error.

I'm not lucky BFing worked out - I worked damn hard, expressed for a week when LO wouldn't latch, put up with a baby who blanched my nipples for 4 months, am getting by on minimal sleep (not to do with BFing, but still), haven't left my son's side for more than 3 hours in 9 months. I'm not going o let my efforts be demeaned by someone who says there are no benefits to BFing.

Sorry thumper, it was all going so well