Your three Best and Worst things?

[BlueHadeda]

What's your three best and three worst things of the way you feed? (Feeding from the breast, expressing, combi-feeding, etc.)

Here's mine:
Best
1. The way Shani gets all excited when I put her on my lap, ready to feed.
2. Not getting up at night to feed her.
3. The little satisfied moan she makes when the milk letdown happens.

Worst
1. Being a bit tied to the house since I don't NIP (my own fault, I know)
2. Cracked nipples (thank goodness those are over now!)
3. The runny breastmilk nappies - all her vests are tainted yellow on the back.

 

[MrsPear]

Best: it's free, always get her back for a cuddle every 2 hours when we have guests, she's getting lots of antibodies.

Worst: cracked nipples in the beginning, can't get a night off, wish she would take a bottle for when I'm back at work.

 

[Bunnikins]

Best: watching her enjoy my milk, it's free, taking her into my bed in the morning and letting her feed so I get another few hours sleep.

Worst: clinginess, can't have any "me" time if she won't take a bottle, not being able to tell how much she has drunk.

 

[sandilion]

Best: How much LO has thrived, the closeness, the boobie smiles

Worst: Biting!! Feeling a bit tied down, clusters (still) (I do have more to add but will stick to the rules!

 

[AngelofTroy]

Best: No need for sterilizing etc especially in the middle of the night, the close bond we have, and feeding in bed lying down!

Worst: OH can't do a night to give me a much needed full night's sleep, not knowing how much he's had to eat, it'll be months before someone could babysit for more than an hour or two.

 

[Sproglet]

(Robyn will only feed off one side and that's only just started happening, I pump and bottle feed the other)

Best: knowing she's getting the best start in life, the way she looks like a pirate with one eye closed and mouth open when she roots, the closeness of her tucked against me while she feeds

Worst: when she strops and refuses the breast, having to pump to keep supply going, the sore nipple

 

[Flutterly]

Best: when he's feeding and looks up at me with those eyes that say 'thanks mum'; the noise he makes when he wants boob (he can be screaming and as soon as he sees the boob he makes his food command noise) and the head butting; the fact that he has grown so much and that's all thanks to my body

Worst: the regularity of feeding; the left nipple pain (although it seems to be calming); the not being able to have anyone else feeding him.

Would like to say I could have listed so many of the bests thanks boobs

 

[Kato2]

Best:
the feeling that he needs me over anyone else

The way he stares into my eyes while we feed

Knowing in giving him the best head start

Worst:

Cracked nipples at beginning

Mastitis week 2

Not knowing how much he gets at a feed

 

[Emz1982_in_uk]

Best:

The way she smiles at me midway through a feed
Knowing her fantastic weight gain is all from me
How hassle free it is and the benefits it has for my daughter

Worst:

The blocked ducts. Never felt pain like it in my life
Waking up soaking wet and swimming in milk
Daddy feeling helpless when she cries and just wants booby

 

[bananaz]

Interesting thread!

Best Things:

1. Knowing that LO is getting food that is custom-made for her nutritional and immunological needs
2. Not having to deal with bottles
3. Getting to cuddle up close with her during feeds

Worst Things:

1. The first month - so painful!
2. Being the only person who can handle night feeds (or any other feeds for that matter)
3. Having to deal with breast pads all the time/worrying about leakage

EDIT: Oh yeah, and breast milk is free! That's another of my favorite things

 

[kittylady]

1. Knowing her weight gain is all thanks to me
2. Knowing her prefered method of feeding is boob even though she will take a bottle with breast milk in it and that she prefers the taste of breast to formula (she tried formula once and spat it out and refused it so I tried it and its vile)
3. Its free

1. Her dependance on me
2. Other people constantly asking me when I will put her on the bottle so 'they' can feed her - if I did one day put her on formula which is completely out of the question anyway if I can help it then it doesnt mean I'm going to pass her around and confuse her.
3. Hubby cant help as much

 

[vintagecat]

The best:
1. Nothing to clean up... I can just nurse and be done!
2. How relaxing it can be, especially at night when she sleeps with me and nurses.
3. Knowing that my body can nourish a human life. It's SO empowering!

The worst:
1: She won't take a bottle or pacifier, so I sometimes worry if something were to happen to me.
2. Clusterfeeding... It feels like there is no end in sight.
3. Having people tell me over and over again why they couldn't breastfeed. I seriously DO NOT care!

 

[ChuggaBump]

Best:
Getting to have lovely cuddles so regularly (I love them even at 3am!)
The noises she makes whilst feeding
The drunk curled up baby after a feed

Worst:
Suffering from d-mer (overwhelming feeling of sadness on let down)
Having to tell my 3 year old I'm too busy to do xyz
Not being sure if I'm doing the right thing (if I'm overfeeding her when she actually has tummy ache)

 

[TheSmpsns]

Best: The time spent together when he is nursing, I know he is getting the best for him, It's free and easy!

Worst: I don't pump enough since going back to work so now I have to supplement with formula, LO would only latch with a shield for the first 7 weeks... I can't even think of any other cons!

 

[greenpear]

Best:

The excited squealing and kicking LO does when she sees me take off my shirt
Huge smiles at the end of the feed
It's free!
No need to have bottles, no need to clean up
I can take her out for the whole day and no need to worry about if she will be hungry or not and whether I have enough food - just pop boob in and done deal!
For me, it's a lazy way to feed a baby - no headache haha (that's why I'll wean at 6 months )

Worst:

Finding places to NIP where old men won't ogle me
Worrying from time to time about my supply even though it's pretty good now (but early days paranoia still strikes sometimes)

 

[urchin]

Best Bits
The sleepy milk-stoned cuddles
Knowing she is getting the best
It'd free and portable

Worst Bits
Aoife retracting her tongue when she feeds - very very painful
Struggling to maintain supply
Still having to faff with sterilising as I'm also expressing

 

[Geegees]

Best:

Instant
Natural
Our bond

Worst:

No one can help me!
Nipple guards! Argh!!
Wearing a bra 24/7!

 

[BintUmmi]

Best:

Knowing she is getting the best, natural food for her.
Lovely smelling milk breath
night time feeding cuddles

Worst:

Her dependance in the early days and not being able to have a break.
Leaking (in the early days)
having to really plan my outfits if I visit someone/have visitors so I don't flash my belly when I'm feeding!

 

[Mummy1995]

Best:
1. The smiles she gives me when she latches
2. That I'm giving my girl the best
3. The little cute noises she makes

Worst:
1. Cracked nipples and engorgement
2. Having to change me and LO because my other boob has leaked right through the pad, bra and top and soaked us both
3. I never get any time off and end up being up for an hour+ a few times a night

 

[wantanerd]

Best: his smile when it's feeding time, cuddling at night, giving him the best source of food

worst: worrying he's not getting enough, my already huge boobs growing four sizes, the early months where it took an hour to feed him.