Babies: 0 - 3 Months

BF vs. FF

Good evening, hoping that I can get some insight from you ladies. I've always thought that I would BF, but since actually coming to the place to have to make he decision, I'm not so sure. I just don't think that I'm 'that girl' I don't mean that in a bad way, I just feel kind of uncomfortable about it. However lately I've brought the subject back for debate & am wondering if it's really so bad. Also, my main argument with myself for not doing it was that I wasn't into having to pump at work, but now I'm not going back to work, I'll be a SAHM. I guess what I'm asking is: did any of you feel the same way about BF, what made you change your mind if you did & do you regret your decision either way? TIA!?

Sorry this ended up a little longer than expected. ?

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Re: BF vs. FF

  • I've always wanted to BF my DD for numerous reasons.  I don't regret my decision for a minute, even considering the rough start we had.
  • I BFed for two weeks.  Hated it......my life was hell.  Quitting was the best decision of my life.

    That said, if you aren't sure, try it!  It works well for lots of people.  Just didn't work for me.  You can always stop anytime you want!

    GL!

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  • I BF and will be the first to say it was H.A.R.D. in the beginning.  Really hard.  But after about 10 weeks it was great.  Believe me there were days and nights when I really just kept telling myself to get to the next feeding. 

    And I did not look forward to pumping at work, but it's not bad at all.  Ultimately you need to be committed to BFing, if you choose to do it b/c it's not always as easy as they make it seem on TV and in the movies.

    GL with whatever you choose!

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  • I think you will find that people have strong feelings about one or the other either way.  Ultimately, you will find your own way on the subject I am sure and make the best decision for yourself.

    Personally, I would just say to keep an open mind.  I didn't think I would be "into" BF, only did it for a few days because of my doubts about it, jaundice issues and a ridiculously hungry baby, then stopped.  To be honest, there are days when I regret the decision to stop without having given it more effort, like when he nuzzles near my boob for comfort even though we don't BF.   But I also know that there is nothing wrong with FF.  I think for many women this is an incredibly personal and charged issue -- do what is best for you.

  • JARbabyJARbaby member

    I BF both kids, always knew I wanted to.

    For the majority the first 4-6 weeks is VERY hard and if you waffle you will not stick with it. 

    BFing is wonderful, easy, great for baby and for you, the health benefits are second to none. SO great to just pop baby on the boob in the middle of the night as well. It is just easy.

     

  • why dont you try bfing out. If you decide it isnt for you, you can always switch to FF.
  • i would say give it a try because it is best for your baby.

    and then if you try and you really feel it isnt for you, then you can at least say you tried your hardest.

    good luck!

  • DNK777DNK777 member
    I wasn't even sure what I wanted to do when I was in the hospital.  I decided to give bfing a try and said that I would stick with it for 6 weeks and then I could give up if I wanted.  It was pretty frustrating in the beginning, but it's gotten a lot easier.  I would recommend trying it because even if you bf for a couple of days there are benefits to the baby.  I enjoy bfing and am still bfing.  I pump occasionally as well.
  • I never thought I was 'that girl' either. My sister BF both her children for 18 months each, and I never understood (at the time - 6 years ago). Now that I am in the situation, I can honestly say that I feel different about now than I did before.

    That being said, it was an incredibly hard start for me (emotionally, and physically - cause for me, it has hurt so bad). I wasn't prepared for all the pp healing, and then sore, engorged boobs with cracked, bleeding and scabbed nipples. BF babies can be very demanding, like for the past two days my DS has been attached to my breast every 45mins-1.5 hours. It's exhausting. I have already started supplementing with formula, and some feedings with BM in a bottle. To tell you the truth, he is A LOT less gassy (almost no gas with the Playtex Ventaire bottles) and no spit up with bottle feeding, but is in pain from gas and has copious amounts of spit up when feeding on the breast.

    Everyone has a different experience. I would say try it out, and then go from there :)

  • vlahopvlahop member
    You never know until you try it.  I strongly recommend giving it a shot.  It did not work out for me so I exclusively pump and I will be very sad when DD stops drinking BM.  I am already dreading the day I go back to work because I can not pump there. 
  • imagepeanutontheway:
    I've always wanted to BF my DD for numerous reasons.? I don't regret my decision for a minute, even considering the rough start we had.

    This. I wanted to quit so bad at first, but stuck it out. I told myself to give it the full 6 weeks since everyone said it gets better then and it did. I'm glad I was strong and stuck it out. I'm giving her the best start and the best food for her. ?

  • You really owe it to yourself and your baby to give it the college try. There is so much evidence that it's the best thing to feed your baby, and it can be a very gratifying experience. It was such an amazing way to bond with DS when he was a tiny newborn, I would not have traded it for the world - sore nipples and all! And now, as pp mentioned, it is simple, portable, and painless. Once you get the hang of it, it's muuuch easier than fixing bottles of milk OR formula.

  • My feeling is, if you think you might want to, it's worth a try.   For me, it was VERY easy from the first moment, we had no issues at all - I'm very fortunate.   But even still, it is incredibly demanding, exhausting, draining and emotional.  I am working on weaning now, because it's starting to wear me down (pumping at work is SO time consuming), but I'm glad I did it for as long as I did.  I have a decent freezer stash too, so I will be using that with formula for as long as I can.


    Bottom line, do whatever feels right for you.   Happy Mommy = Happy Baby.

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  • imageLittleEgypt:

    You really owe it to yourself and your baby to give it the college try. There is so much evidence that it's the best thing to feed your baby, and it can be a very gratifying experience. It was such an amazing way to bond with DS when he was a tiny newborn, I would not have traded it for the world - sore nipples and all! And now, as pp mentioned, it is simple, portable, and painless. Once you get the hang of it, it's muuuch easier than fixing bottles of milk OR formula.

    This.  I had always hoped to BF, but knew it might be difficult at first.  It was painful for the first 2 weeks and I developed mastitis, but stuck with it.  Now at almost 6 weeks, it's enjoyable, and I am so glad to still be exclusively BFing.  Good luck. 

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  • I love bfing and have always wanted to do it but was a little afraid of it hurting or having complications. I must say that I haven't had any problems or pain from bfing and I have a huge supply. So you never know until you try however I would do some research before hand and prepare so that you will have the best possible experience.
  • I always knew I wanted to atleast TRY BF.. I did it for the 1st week and I will tell you the truth.. the first 10x is terrifying.. the first time I BF in the delivery room was awesome, she latched right on and fed for about 15 min.. after that.. WOW total 360.. I was having serious latching issues and I was getting myself so upset..she was screaming her head off and I was a nervous wreck new mother holding a wailing teeny mushy baby.. I met with the LC a few times and while she really did help I still wasnt sure it was for me.. I starting EP'ing after 1st week and giving DD the bottle with the BM.. This works out so much better for us.. we are both getting the health benefits of her BF'ing but without me being 100% tied into feeding her ALL the time.. I have given DD formula if we were gone for an unexpected long period of time and I am without BM with me.. She isnt too fond of BF now since it is MUCh more work.. but she does fine taking the formula when I give it to her..

    I highly recommend trying BF and if you dont like it figure something else out but atleast give it a shot.. Part of me wishes I stuck it out longer bc now my day is consumed with pumping then bottle feeding, sterilizing bottles and repeat. It's alot of extra work that I couldve easily avoided but it is what it is..

    GL!

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  • imageCosmogrrl:

    I never thought I was 'that girl' either. My sister BF both her children for 18 months each, and I never understood (at the time - 6 years ago). Now that I am in the situation, I can honestly say that I feel different about now than I did before.

    That being said, it was an incredibly hard start for me (emotionally, and physically - cause for me, it has hurt so bad). I wasn't prepared for all the pp healing, and then sore, engorged boobs with cracked, bleeding and scabbed nipples. BF babies can be very demanding, like for the past two days my DS has been attached to my breast every 45mins-1.5 hours. It's exhausting. I have already started supplementing with formula, and some feedings with BM in a bottle. To tell you the truth, he is A LOT less gassy (almost no gas with the Playtex Ventaire bottles) and no spit up with bottle feeding, but is in pain from gas and has copious amounts of spit up when feeding on the breast.

    Everyone has a different experience. I would say try it out, and then go from there :)

    This. I've never experienced cracked, bleeding, or scabbed nipples with either LO. It may or may not happen. Also, my DD has never been gassy nor does she spit up a lot (same goes for DS). Everybody's experience truly is different. The beginning will always be challenging though because it is such a huge commitment. I love BFing, and if I never had to pump at work, there would be nothing to stop me. Either way, GL with your decision!

  • imagemm&cc:
    imageCosmogrrl:

    I never thought I was 'that girl' either. My sister BF both her children for 18 months each, and I never understood (at the time - 6 years ago). Now that I am in the situation, I can honestly say that I feel different about now than I did before.

    That being said, it was an incredibly hard start for me (emotionally, and physically - cause for me, it has hurt so bad). I wasn't prepared for all the pp healing, and then sore, engorged boobs with cracked, bleeding and scabbed nipples. BF babies can be very demanding, like for the past two days my DS has been attached to my breast every 45mins-1.5 hours. It's exhausting. I have already started supplementing with formula, and some feedings with BM in a bottle. To tell you the truth, he is A LOT less gassy (almost no gas with the Playtex Ventaire bottles) and no spit up with bottle feeding, but is in pain from gas and has copious amounts of spit up when feeding on the breast.

    Everyone has a different experience. I would say try it out, and then go from there :)

    This. I've never experienced cracked, bleeding, or scabbed nipples with either LO. It may or may not happen. Also, my DD has never been gassy nor does she spit up a lot (same goes for DS). Everybody's experience truly is different. The beginning will always be challenging though because it is such a huge commitment. I love BFing, and if I never had to pump at work, there would be nothing to stop me. Either way, GL with your decision!

    You are so lucky! I have seen a couple of LC's, but I believe it stems from DS' tongue-tie. He has had it corrected, but there is still pain.

    I totally agree! Everyone does have a different experience. I have a large supply of milk, and I literally drown DS with it (whether I express a bit first, break the latch and burp him mid-breast). He takes in way too much from my breast, spits up loads and gets terrible gas. I feel so bad for him. With a bottle, he is hardly gassy = so much happier. I will try and pump his feedings now, with the occasional formula if we need it.

  • Jules GJules G member
    Thank you all so much for your input, you've really helped a great deal! I will most likely give BFing a try. I figure that I can always change my mind down the road if I find that it's really not for me. I still have a little while yet to get used to the idea too. Thanks!?
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  • cfitz16cfitz16 member
    I always wanted to breast feed my baby...my mom breast fed both my brother and I....and it's really the best thing for both the baby and for the mom.  So, for those reasons, I pushed through the tough time.  Our tough time involved being in the NICU for a month and having a constant audience everytime he ate and how it affected his condition, etc.  But, it is a very personal decision and something that only you can really answer.   Even my husband just wanted the baby to stop crying faster...and usually that involves giving them a bottle and not the breast, since they (and you) don't know what you are doing at first.  Thank goodness, though, I also had nurses in the hospital for me and the NICU that were great advocates to help with nursing.
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  • Mrs.VMrs.V member

    I wanted to BF and it was a big struggle at first, I stuck with it b/c I strongly believed in it but I may have given up if I hadn't made a promise to myself to make it work.  I'm so glad that I did though. 

    Here are the parts I like about BFing: amazing bonding time, best food for my DS, always milk available, convenient, can feed on demand (sometimes DS needs a bit, sometimes he needs alot....I think I'd waste alot of formula this way), cheaper...well free!, no washing/sterilizing bottles (esp. in beginning when you're so tired and busy), can nurse in bed at night if I'm really tired without having to really wake up, never have to plan ahead (i.e. packing bottles, keeping them cool, etc) for travel. 

    There are parts that I sometimes don't like as well such as: dealing with BFing in places that are inconvenient (busy public places, in the car), being the only one that can feed DS...no breaks!, BFing DS to sleep at night...goes to sleep so easily but now I have to break the habit and get him to fall asleep on his own, wearing clothes that allow me to BF...I miss alot of my clothes!, BFing takes longer than a bottle (for me).

  • I was VERY nervous about BFing but I went ahead a gave it a shot I LOVE it! I love the way she looks at me and that bond we have. With that being said If you try it and hate it I say FF and don't let anyone make you feel guilty its not for everyone but you should really give it a shot! Hope that helped GL 
  • BF is a learning process like anything else.  You and  LO will just need to get used to it and it will take some time.  That said, it is what is best for the baby.  There are many benefits to it including bonding time with your baby, immunities transferred to your baby, less risk of obesity, less risk of diabetes, weight loss for the mom, etc.  My advice is to set goals for yourself.  For example, I said when I was pregnant with dd that my goal was to make it to 3 mos.  because that is how long it takes to transfer all the immunities to the baby.  Once I got to 3 mos, I decided that my next goal would be to get to 6 mos.  Once I got to six mos. I set my next goal at one year.  It ended up that dd weaned herself when she was 10 mos. old.

    Anyway, BF was one of the best decisions I made and I'm glad I stuck with it.  Yes, it does involve some sacrifice, but I know that I'm doing what's best for my child and that makes me happy. There are lots of sacrifices that we will have to make as parents.  But once you get used to it, BF is like second nature.  Don't be afraid to make use out of the lactation consultants in the hospital. They helped me immensely.

  • piveypivey member
    BFing is hard at first even with the best latch and situation. That said I am glad we did it and love it now. If you decide to go this route and have questions or need support feel free to PM me anytime.
  • I wanted SO much to EBF my DD, but couldn't manage it.  We got horribly wrong advice at the hospital, where there wasn't an LC on staff; it took me another week after we got home to find an LC on my own, by which time I was terribly cracked and infected on both sides.  Thanks to the LC and my pump, we made it to 3 1/2 weeks EBF, but that was it.  DD hadn't regained her birth weight by then and was constantly, constantly hungry.  When we started supplementing, she became a new baby: happy, alert, engaging with her daddy and me.  I really, really wish we could start it over, but what's done is done.  She still nurses a few times a day and gets at least most of her breakfast from me, but we're about done - makes me sad, but it will make things easier next week when I go back to work, where it'll be hard to pump.  I had a low supply when I came home from the hospital (not at first, but after the infection got worse), and it's drying up despite our multiple daily sessions.

    Now I know what to expect - the first 4 weeks are hell.  Make sure you talk to some women who've done it, and go to an LLL or other group meeting before baby comes if you can.  I'll try again with our next one, but for now, I don't regret our decision with this LO.  She's doing much better on formula than she was on breastmilk only, and as much as I miss the bonding aspect of nursing, her health has to come first.

    I do have to say, the fact that DH could take over the middle-of-the-night feedings once we started weaning helped SO much with my awful baby blues.  DD's failure to thrive was the main reason we went to formula, but my mental state and exhaustion were secondary reasons... and we're all doing better since we made the switch.

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