Is there anyone else that cringes at the thought of breastfeeding?

[Erinsmummy]

I have never tried it so I have no idea how it feels of course, I even find it strange myself that I can't stand the thought of it lol. I do have moments where I want to try but when I really do think about it I don't think I could bring myself to! Dh thinks im odd for feeling like it, he assumed id want to breastfeed and was suprised when I said I didn't.

 

[socitycourty]

you could always just compromise and do the colostrum feeding in the hospital, and if you don't like the sensation then just go to formula

 

[arlene]

I'm kind of in the same position. I just don't feel comfortable with the idea at all, I hate my nipples being touched by anyone, even DH and I don't want to stress myself out when I should be enjoying the first moments with my son. I told my mw at first and most othet people that asked that I would try to bf but in hindsight, I think I said that because it's what I was expected to say.

I'm going to talk to my mw at my next appointment about the possibility of pumping in the hospital so baby gets the colostrum and then moving on to formula. xx

 

[Emma11511]

Arlene, don't feel pressured by anyone, do what's comfortable for you. If you push yourself into breastfeeding and it's not what you want to do, then you'll end up stressed and unhappy, and so will your baby. I think it's amazing that you still want to give your baby the colostrum, so if you want to pump then move on, then do that. Formula feeding doesn't make you less of a mother, or make your baby worse-off, and I think it's sad that women are made to feel like that. Do what's right for you, not your midwife, or anyone else who questions you

 

[arlene]

Emma, thank you so much for your reply!! I ended up having a bit of a meltdown on Monday night about it cos I was getting so freaked out but felt a bit better once I had spoken to my OH who was massively supportive. xx

 

[Michelle80]

I just can't see myself BFing. I have nothing but admiration for people who do,

I'm always amazed at this type of comment. What's admirable is all that sterilising, mixing of formula, dealing with a cranky hungry baby at 3am whilst a bottle is made or gets to the right temperature, having to go through different formulae to find the right one......phew, that must be exhausting. One of the main reasons I chose to BF is that I'm just too damned lazy (and such a skinflint) to FF! If all goes smoothly with BFing, after the first few weeks it is a dawdle. And a great excuse to sit on the sofa scoffing biscuits, watching telly when the cluster feeding kicks in!

I found FF really easy! I made up the bottles every evening -took me 15 mins! Because my baby was formula fed he started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks so night feeding was no longer a problem. (FF babies stay fuller for longer as its harder to digest than breastmilk) Also my partner/mum etc.. could feed my son for me through the day while i did shopping got on with housework etc..
I plan to breastfeed this this time around but I know its going to be tough on me,
Personally BF sounds much harder work, months upon months of lack of sleep due to night feeds, been tied to the house to feed, this is just me by the way Im too modest to breastfeed in public and im not confident enough to do it in cafe's and stuff because I hate confrontation.

I suppose everyones situation is different but for me BF is going to be much harder work. Ill take 15 mins of bottle making up and getting hubby to feed through the night anyday if i could lol

 

[Wannabeam]

I felt funny about breastfeeding and so pumped instead. I tried to breastfeed once and I didn't like the sensation. My LO did just fine on formula and the expressed colostrum I gave her actually helped her get over her first cold after she left the NICU. I won't breastfeed my next baby but I will probably try pumping again, pumping feels alot different to breastfeeding as you have alot more control of what is happening to your nipples. I recommend pumping if you don't want to bf, as that way you get to give your baby some of that liquid gold. But remember it's not about the time it takes to ff,or the amount you have to bf if you don't ff, it's about what suits you and your baby best. Go with whatever feels right at the time. You may feel completely different this time round or you may feel as you do now.There's no right answer, you are completely normal having these feelings and you are not alone.All part of being a magical mum