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Poll:How many people plan on breastfeeding?
Just curious to see how many moms plan on breastfeeding? I will do a poll to make it easy. If you have already had children and have breastfed, what are some pros and cons or your honest opinons?
My main concern is that I will be working from home for the 6-8 weeks after baby is born and then go to work part time 3 days a week. I don't want to say that I don't have time, because I would feel terrible about that, but I am worried about not getting enough sleep and being stressed out and not taking good care of my body(health) which would affect baby.
[Poll]https://mroelofs.blogspot.com
Missed M/C on 3/3/2010
(My husbands birthday)
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Poll:How many people plan on breastfeeding?
1st daughter.. had a terrible time..
2nd daughter.had professional help went much much better, good experience.. did it for 6 months..
this baby. .def yes, for as long as I can..
I BF my first and I will BF this one.
Pros: It's more convenient whipping out a boobie than it is to make up (and wash) bottles all the time. It was great for bonding. Your baby will get your antibodies. I lost all my baby weight (and another 17 lbs.) really quickly.
Cons: It hurt like hell at first, but once you get it worked out, I think it's the best thing ever.
I will be off work for 12 weeks, so if it goes well I want to contine until at least 6 months and start weaning when we start introducing solids. If it is a real struggle and causing stress I will not continue once I go back to work.
Pros - Huge $$$ savings, and burning lots of calories!
Cons - A big commitment, but well worth it.
I think I am going to at least try it while I'm on maternity leave. I have never been a big pro-breastfeeding person, but have been convinced by friends b/c of the benefit to the baby.
I don't know if I'll continue once I go back to work, we'll just take it as it comes!
Breastfeeding is a lot of work and for most gets easier as the time goes on. However, BF does not work for everyone so just keep that in mind. Sometimes you can have a baby that will latch perfect but the mother does not have the supply needed. Or the mom has all the supply she needs plus some but the baby for what ever reason (and there can be many) can not BF.
I think that if you want to BF then give it a try. Have a support system with you. If things do not work out maybe go to pumping so baby can have the milk. If all fails its ok. The important thing is that your baby is getting food wither that be BM or formula.
Sure will. I BF'd DD for 18 months.
Pros: It's great bonding, it's convinient, it's free, it helps you lose PG weight, it's awesome for baby, it's awesome for YOU healthwise too.
Cons: Pumping at work blows. But it's do-able.
You're absolutely right, but you would need bottles if you formula feed too. And you'll make up the cost of the pump over time. And you can use the pump with more than one kid, so while you're right, it's not free, I do think it is more cost effective than formula feeding.
I didn't pay for any of those things with DD. I got washable pads, nursing tanks & bottles at my shower. The hospital gave me Soothies pads. My boss bought me my pump. For me, it was free. Sure it's not the case for everyone, but I wanted to clarify that when I say free, I mean free.
I tried with both of my DDs. With DD #1 she would not latch on, I tried and tried and we just couldn't get it. So I did switch to formula. DD #2 we did great for the first month but she wasn't gaining the weight so they wanted me to supplement with formula and once I did that she slowly didn't was to BF anymore. It is painful in the beginning but its good for them and its cheap for you!
Agreed. You definitely save money in the long-run; however BFing does come with its fair share of expenses. I know a lot of woman that have paid $300+ for a pump and not even a month because BFing did not work for them.
LOL. You forgot the costs of the doctor visits/medicine for mastitis. Uggggh. That was horrible. I do not wish that upon any of you!!
I'm planning on breastfeeding. It's great for the baby and great for bonding.
I have four months of maternity leave so that's awesome, and I plan on pumping at work. I'm going to talk to my boss about a lactation room since I don't believe there is one in the office and I do not believe the is a law requiring this in Michigan, but my company is supposed to be one of the best for working moms so we shall see. If there's no room, I'll be forced to whip out my bewbs at my desk (kidding!) or do it in the bathroom stall.
Yes, you would need bottles for FF anyways, but that was not the point of my post. The point was that for most people unless you are given everything such as the pump,pads etc..like the other poster stated. BF is not just free. And yes in the end BF if more cost effective.
Even if you did have someone give you a pump for free, you will still have cost if you are freezing your milk. You will have the cost of freezer bags. Yes they are freakin cheap but its still a cost and three for does not = free.
When I BF I also had to add the cost of a LC because I need help and my insurance did not cover 100% of the LC cost.
As a certified breastfeeding educator, I have to say how happy it makes me to see such a high percentage of Moms who plan to at least give it a shot!
I will definitely be BFing.
Yes, I was about to add that. I had a friend who was always in the office for mastities, talk about painful. I had another friend who had to cut everything out of her diet and slowly add thing in until she found what it was her LO was not liking in her diet. BF is not always a walk in the park.
Compared to spending almost $100 in formula a month, breastfeeding is way cheaper! You can use reusable pads that last forever and I survived with 2 nursing tanks and 3 nursing bras all purchased for under $100. They are still usable now for my second baby.
Some insurance companies cover the cost of a pump and compared to formula, you get your money's worth by the 2nd-3rd month of breastfeeding anyway.
I breastfed my DD for 17 months and will definitely be breastfeeding this baby as well. It was the best part of having a baby, for me. I will mention that it was not just a "breeze" for me...DD had reflux forever which caused a lot of trouble, I had to work hard to increase my supply during a couple growth spurts, and I got mastitis at around 15 months and still pressured on. Sure, it can be tough at times, but in the end it was well worth it for me.
Not only is it so healthy for the baby (DD was sick FAR less than her formula-fed friends), but I lost the baby weight with no trouble whatsoever. It's also cheaper and much more convenient than having to mix/heat/carry bottles.
I would encourage anyone to try. There are typically resources at the hospital who can help you get started (our hospital offered lactation consultants and meet-ups after you went home from the hospital). I also found a lot of support and tips online. You don't have to be "alone" even if you don't have the support or help of family/friends.
You can freeze the milk in your ice cube trays and then transfer those into your tupperware. What can I say? I'm insanely cheap. lol
I will for a time. I BF DS for 12 months.
This time I plan to do it exclusively for a while, but then introduce some bottles of a DHA fortified formula.
I'm going to try!
I guess I'm the odd one out. i did not BF DD and I don't plan to BF this one either. You really have to want to do it.
To the PP who said that BF kids get sick less often, I disagree, I think it's genetic. My FF DD never ever gets sick and a lot of her friends who were BF get sick all the time. Plus, DD and I are extremely bonded, even though I did not BF.
I think BF is a wonderful thing for those that are committed and want to do it. But for those that don't, it's ok too
Born 7lb, 15oz, 21-1/4, 2 mo - 12lbs, 14oz. 25", 3mo - 14lb, 4oz 26in , 4 mo - 16lb, 1oz, 26 3/4 in, 5 mo 18 lb, 4oz 27-3/4 in, 6 mo 28 3/4 in 19lb, 14oz
I have to say you are super crafty, lol. I am pretty sure that with what ever I come up with you are going to have a crafty answer. I am some what tempted just to learn more, lol.
LOL - EFF is my home board. I have to give those girls credit for any & all reusable & thrifty tips.
DS still nurses at naps and bedtime. I soooo didn't think I'd be nursing while pregnant, but I'm now thinking I may end up tandem nursing when this baby comes - yikes!
Breastfeeding can be hard in the beginning, but doing it long-term makes getting through the first month or two worth it. Having a support system is key, and it may be worth it to see if your hospital has lactation consultants on staff, or finding someone ahead of time just in case.
If you're working part-time after you go back to work, that'll make it even easier to breastfeed, as you won't have to pump full-time to keep up your supply. I worked full-time for a few months when DS was 4 months, and luckily it was flexible enough (and close enough to home) that DH would bring him to work to breastfeed a few times a day. Definitely not the norm, though!
And for people who are talking about the "hidden" costs - you don't have to buy a pump the second you give birth, especially if you're not sure you'll use it. Most hospitals rent them by the month. And considering formula can run up to the thousands of dollars in one year, I'd guess breastfeeding isn't nearly as expenisve, however you add it up...
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
As a mother to a 2 year old who was FF, all i can say is that someone will always criticize your choices as a parent but we still do what's right for our family. Whether its bfing, cosleeping, discipline, potty training, etc. Its a shame when the criticism and judgment comes from another mom, but you'll see, something is always going to be judged. And i remember from the first time I was pregnant what a big deal BFing was on the trimester boards, not so much later on though. Trust me, my daughter is extremely intelligent, healthy, and close to me. So, if I'm selfish for doing what was best for our family, I can live with that.