Pro Cons Of Breast Feeding

[Wobbles]

Ok want to ask YOUR Thoughts girls not what the MW said ... What you say hehe

Can you girls give me you pros & cons for breast feeding currently or previously?

Thankies x

 

[beanie]

Pros - once you get past the first bit it is the easiest thing ever, just whip up your top, no waiting, reheating etc.
Its free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You get an enormous sense of achievement when the HV comments on LO's weight gain and you think - that's all down to me.
Its the only food in the world that is specifically designed to give your baby what it needs, no mums breastmilk is the same
Gives baby loads of good things such as antibodies etc that they won't get anywhere else
Gives you a great excuse to sit down and take time out with your child. When I haven't seen Seren all day it gives me a chance just to reconnect with her
Seren currently cheers yay, and throws her hands in the air when I ask if she wants mommy milk, and gets so excited. She doesn't get excited over juice or fridge milk (what we call cows milk lol)
You get a great rack

Cons
The first month or so is hell
You are the only one who can feed baby unless you express
there are medications you have to avoid
growth spurts are a nightmare - but they can also be a pro as I just sat down on the sofa and watched dvds and scoffed chocolate

Thats all I can think of at the mo

 

[Wobbles]

What age do you BF up to then? Or will you?

An hmm @ first con lol

 

[Caroline]

Once u get over the initial few weeks with BF i would say its much less hassle, no messing about sterilising stuff (unless expressing), no hasle of makinng up feeds, milk is there on demand. Great sense of acheivment that babies development is down to your efforts.

Cons, lack of sleep, only you can do night feeds, but i tend to just stay in bed in morning and leave OH to do everything.


Kayleigh is still on 100% breastmilk even though i'm now back at work.

I feed from one side in am, and express other, express at lucnch, then feed when i get home. Expressed milk is either frozen or used for next day.

BF gives u flexibility, can feed if u want but can also express so someone else can give a feed.

I personally would say give it a try, we are all here to suport you. Iif it doesn't work for you then you tried it and give up. Even a few days of BF is giving lo a good start. If you don'y give it a try and regret it it is too late to try at later date.

Atthe end of the day hun, its your decision at what is best for you. ( Ifind it handy that have spare hand so can feed and sit at pc or read a book!). Don't feel pressurised into doing anything you aren't happy with. Its your body, your baby and your choice.

 

[Wobbles]

I like the idea of expressing.

How much can you express at any one time & I had no idea you could freeze expressed milk either.

 

[Caroline]

It varies from person to person and if you are expressing between feeds or instead of a feed. In normally get about 8-9 oz.

Expressed milk can be kept in freezer for upto 3 months. I buy special freezer bags from Boots they're £7 for 40. I also have a freezer full of milk.

Once Kayleigh was 6 weeks i expressed when i could so i built up supply for when i'm back at work.

 

[Wobbles]

I prob look thick ut I don't know - How much oz does newborn usually have in one feed?

 

[KX]

when I went onto expressing my milk dried up like an old cow. I was devastated

Definitley worth a shot Wobbs, but see how it works for you and buba. Dont put yourself under any pressure xx

 

[Caroline]

Kayleigh was having 4oz of expressed milk at around 12 weeks, not sure b4 that.

 

[beanie]

The thing about exclusively expressing is that a pump is nowhere near as fgood at getting milk as a baby is, plus your baby will instinctively know when they are to increase your supply etc. What this can lead to is your milk supply diminishing quickly.

 

[Caroline]

totally unrelated but i like the quiet time at night/early morning when i'm feeding and she's snuggling makking cute little noises as she feeds. Also love the way when she's finished a feed during the day, so comes off, smacks her lips and gives me a big grin.

 

[Helen]

Hi

Just thought I'd chuck in my comments here as someone in the first few weeks. I'm not finding it hellish at all and I'd like to echo some of the comments the others have said:

You do get a huge sense of achievement as they put on weight. I'm always dead proud of myself at each weigh in. Plus I feel kinda flashy doing double feeding!

It is really intimate between you and bubba. There's nothing quite like them suckling away and when you look into each others eyes, it totally melts your heart.

They do make the cutest sucking and sorta growly/yummy noises when they're feeding.

I love the feed in the morning when I stay in bed and we all cuddle up together and I feed them laid on my side. So cosy.

Other benefits are health benefits such as reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancer for mother.

Burning 250 calories per day per baby whilst you are BF ain't a bad thing either. I'm sure it's definitely helped me get back in shape so quickly.

Also a fascinating thing my HV told me... they tested breast milk by leaving it out for a week. At the end of the week there were less bugs and nasties in it than the start of the week. Such is the power of the antibodies in mummy milk!

 

[beanie]

The reason why I said it is hell in the first weeks is because I found that everyone sold breastfeeding as the natural way to feed, that it was easy and you will know what to do. Then I gave birth and failed at it. I felt so bad as it wasn't what my classes said, and it triggered a massive depression. I just think if there was more realism then more people would realise that to have a baby stuck to you 24/7 some days is normal and not a sign you are crap. I know that some people find it easy, am pretty jealous TBH. I wasn't trying to put anyone off but just say its not always fun and games in the first few months but it does get better. Sorry if you thought I was being negative.

I'm sure its 500 cals per day not 250 - yay!!!!

 

[hypnorm]

i found the first 2 weeks really hard, MV and HV's were crap so i had to teach my self, but i found a breast feeding support group and they were great, there were trained BF councillors you could sit and have a chat with all the other mums and chat about all the same problems you were having!
I stopped feeding at 9 months as we wanted to try for another and the doc advised i would have probs if i was still feeding! need not have worried 14m later and still no BFP..

The down side is only you can feed, ewan wouldn t take exressed breast milk, he would only have it 'live' you do feel like you are permanently attached to the sofa, but its lovely at 3am sat feeding listening to the birds waking!

 

[Lucy]

Hypnorm - what a crap Doctor, Beanie, Kina,Katrina (Saulino) and myself (to name a few) have conceived whilst still breastfeeding.

Wobbles:
The others have listed lots of great stuff, for me one of the major pros is bfing is a major source of comfort for your baby when they're hurt or feeling ill.

Even if you're baby just receives the colustrum it has major health benefits. (The colustrum is the clear liquid you produce until your milk comes - milk comes in 3-5 days after birth).

 

[beanie]

oooh I have thought of another

breastfed baby poo is so much nicer, doesn't smell as much.

 

[Imi]

oooh I have thought of another

breastfed baby poo is so much nicer, doesn't smell as much.

Ohhh niceeeeeee lmfao

 

[beanie]

I miss it, hate her poo now yuk!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Eelis]

oooh I have thought of another

breastfed baby poo is so much nicer, doesn't smell as much.

Yeah breastfed poo is great on the smell front. We have just started topping Aeryn up with formula milk and are both horrified at how smelly her poos are getting. Hubby came into the bedroom the other day where I was sleeping with baby and he thought it was me that smelled and opened the window, but it was Aeryn lol

As a additional pro for breast feeding I personally get a lovely "sense of being" at being able to breast feed. Can't say I am hugely spiritual but I do find it very forfilling to be able to do something so natural and "womanly" if you know what I mean.

If you can get past the pain of the first few weeks it's great.

 

[Cat]

Def I would say the best thing is the bond you feel to your LO when BF. I bawled my eyes out both times when I had to stop.

Def get help with attachment and feeding positions, the stuff I was show in hospital was crap and I found it hard to latch bub on properly and it hurt and was a little akward. When a dif midwife came to visit me after hospital she showed me a completly different way of doing it and it was far easier to get them attached and hold them in this way. So persever and if you dont find it comfortable ask to be shown a differnt way, dont be afraid to ask for help.

Also in the expressing point, you should avoid trying that for about the first 6 weeks as it can cause problems with your supply. But Im sure Beanie and Kina etc will be better able to advise.