why do you breastfeed?

[captain-ally]

My grandmother was pressured to FF all of her children and BF was heavily discouraged, and that was when they were still using carnation powdered milk for formula. She has horror stories about my mom losing tons of weight because she wasn't getting any nutrients and it's kinda given formula a bad vibe for me since then.

Not that it's bad, lol, it's just hard not to think of those stories!

 

[dippy dee]

I love it, love it, love it.
I love it been there and not having to faf about, i'm lazy so for us breast is best.

 

[Ell87]

With my first 2 kids it was a struggle from day one and it just didn't work out...

With Lily, she's just been a natural and I think it's because I was so relaxed about it probably NOT working out that it has, if that makes sense?

My reasons:

1. It's easy and quick (She's only very rarely fed past 10 minutes).
2. It saves all the sterilising lark and having to get everything ready before we go out, I can just whip the boob out instead whenever and wherever knowing it's the right temperature and sterile for her.
3. It's free!
4. I love the bond we have and that I'm her favourite person in the whole world although it's probably "her boobs" she loves more than me, lol.
5. At night she just helps herself as she co-sleeps, so no getting up at stupid o'clock and waiting for bottles to heat up.

The downside is the fact that she's so dependant on me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing...

 

[caggimedicine]

I wanted to give Harry the best start in life - I gave up smoking and drinking before even TTC Harry, and felt guilty when I ever ate anything not completely healthy whilst pregnant... so breastfeeding was just a natural progression for me I suppose.

I love the closeness it gives us too. It's something he has with mummy - something that i'm definitely going to appreciate more when he goes to nursery - worrying that he's going to forget me as mummy and think of nursery nurses as mummies instead It's a lovely comforting thing for Harry too - when I can see him getting upset/worried, or if he's surrounded by too many people or becoming a bit overtired... boob always settles and comforts him He absolutely loves boob and it's so lovely getting him ready for bed, wrapping him up in a warm blanket and breastfeeding him until he's so sleepy he just goes floppy in my arms!

It's also SO much easier than preparing bottles/formula/heating etc etc - particularly when going out. I'm currently trying to wean Harry onto FF during the day so he only has BF in the morning and evening - he's going to nursery on 1 June and I figured it'd be easier than expressing/storing etc... but oh my god what a pain it is with all the steralising, preparation and forward planning involved with FFding.

Another downside to FFding i'm beginning to find out is poos/farts! Good god - the stuff that FF makes Harry produce is criminal. Even his breath stinks sometimes! When he was 100% breastfed there were none of these horrendous smells and giant poo explosions to have to deal with!

 

[Dukechick]

I don't have any kids yet, but once this little guy makes his appearance, I'm HOPING to breastfeed! I wouldn't even know what formula to start with. I have a tin I got for free from Nestle, but I don't think we'll even buy anymore unless we HAVE to.

I'm gonna do it because:

-It's FREE!!!!!
-It's good for baby's health
-It helps us lose weight!!
-I don't want to clean bottles and mix formula!

 

[Jelly Bean]

I combination feed ATM (because I'm not producing enough to satisfy my little milk monster), and I can definitely say that breastmilk makes him seem much more alert and contented afterwards than formula.

I would never criticise formula though...it's such a blessing to have it when you need it.

 

[Shifter]

I have always intended to BF and have been a strong advocate of BF since I was a teenager because it is the best thing for babies, it's what our boobs are for!

The extra health benefits for us mums and the fact that it is free and convenient are all extra bonuses too.

To the mums with free cans from Nestle - check out Baby Milk Action to see just what Nestle get up to in the majority world, it's quite shocking and the reason I have boycotted Nestle for about twelve years.

 

[Mervs Mum]

I have always intended to BF and have been a strong advocate of BF since I was a teenager because it is the best thing for babies, it's what our boobs are for!

The extra health benefits for us mums and the fact that it is free and convenient are all extra bonuses too.

To the mums with free cans from Nestle - check out Baby Milk Action to see just what Nestle get up to in the majority world, it's quite shocking and the reason I have boycotted Nestle for about twelve years.

I dont think people realise some of the things Nestle have done in their dark past.....I wont touch anything made by them either.

 

[Shifter]

I have always intended to BF and have been a strong advocate of BF since I was a teenager because it is the best thing for babies, it's what our boobs are for!

The extra health benefits for us mums and the fact that it is free and convenient are all extra bonuses too.

To the mums with free cans from Nestle - check out Baby Milk Action to see just what Nestle get up to in the majority world, it's quite shocking and the reason I have boycotted Nestle for about twelve years.

I dont think people realise some of the things Nestle have done in their dark past.....I wont touch anything made by them either.

No, in fact most people know nothing about their practices, their PR machine is incredibly powerful and good at hiding all the skeletons!

In brief for anyone reading and oblivious: Nestle have a track record of tricking women in poor countries into formula feeding, spending all their money on Nestle formula and diluting it too much in order to make it go further, causing their children all sorts of health problems. They have been accused of being responsible for as many as 1 million infant deaths per year. The directions on the packaging breaks all sorts of international labelling regulations, including not being in a language these women can read.

Hijack over

 

[princessellie]

i heard about that aswell, this free sample thing pisses me right off! they give it to these woman in poor countries who then formula feed their babies so their milk dries up then what?? they run out of formula and the baby starves!!! i think its horrific!!

x

 

[didda]

What a fab post!!! Really got me thinking...
It didn't even enter my head not to breastfeed, although as others have said I wouldn't have said no to FF if I'd had to!

I love breastfeeding and although I found it really painful for first 6 weeks or so I am so glad I persevered! I just love the ease of it, I see friends who FF and just know I couldn't cope with being that organised with bottles etc!!!

I must say at the mo I am getting pressure of friends to "Just try him with a bit of formula..." or mix his food with a bit of formula. WHY??? He has me, if I want to leave him with a bottle I can express (not that I have done this very much!) and it doesn't take much to squirt a bit out to mix with his food!
It is also when people say "How long are you going to do that for?" - sometimes I feel I have to justify it! I'll do it until I want to!!!

I feel so proud when I get him weighed and think to myself "I did that!!!" and when I get to another milestone it is such an achievement! Roll on 5 months on friday!!!

Sorry I have totally rambled...!!!

 

[Shifter]

i heard about that aswell, this free sample thing pisses me right off! they give it to these woman in poor countries who then formula feed their babies so their milk dries up then what?? they run out of formula and the baby starves!!! i think its horrific!!

x

After the free sample runs out and the mother's milk has dried up they have to BUY the formula. Nestle get rich and babies suffer.

 

[Mervs Mum]

These women are lead to believe that the formula is superior to their own FREE BM - and what mother, no matter what her social or economical background, doesnt want the best for their baby?? So as shifter said they do everything they can to get the formula, use dirty water in the wrong amounts with disasterous consiquences. Nestle are a big and powerful machine and they rub their hands every time the manage to make another poor mother believe what she can give her baby is inadequate. Ooooo...you've got me ranting too now - sorry