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Babies: 3 - 6 Months
I have an honest question re: choosing formula feeding
I know a lot of people put up FFFC re: formula vs. breastmilk, but I have an honest question. If you chose not to breastfeed your child from the very beginning, may I ask why? I understand people who had supply issues, or people who had to go back to work 6 weeks pp, and why they stop...but why not ever try?
I guess my question comes from this post https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/27392755.aspx , which I do not agree with, but did raise my curiosity...
This discussion has been closed.
Re: I have an honest question re: choosing formula feeding
I was just about to give the same advice.
LMAO, I'm so sick of this "discussion".
This. ::::Bangs heads into the wall::::
I FF from day one because I FELT LIKE IT! My baby, my decision....end of story. My DS is happy, healthy (95th percentile) and is beyond attached to me.
Gosh, I'm so sick of this discussion.
I know of some people who said they just didn't like the idea of BF and said they would feel weird. Also, some didn't want to have the dietary restrictions and such.
I had the issue of keeping up with supply and demand with my LOs. So after a month they were 100% FF. And they are BIG babies ... in the 90th % for most things
omfg
your siggy is so cute and sums up how i feel about this thread.
Guess what. My first two children were 100% FF. They are now 11 and 14. They are healthy and happy. The did not suffer from many colds during infancy. In fact, #2 didn't get sick AT ALL until she was almost two years old. They are not overweight. They are super smart. #1 is an honor's student. They are very well adjusted kids that love me and I love them. All without breastfeeding.
I tried with #3. But she does this weird thing with her mouth that made it hard to latch. So I EP'd for 5 months, and now she is 100% FF.
I am proud of my decisions in each situation. I did what was good for my family each time.
I just asked out of curiousity that's all. I'm not judging saying one way is better than another. In no way did I say that one way makes your kids smarter.
I was just asking. No one would do something that isn't the best for their child. My goodness everyone is so sensitive to this. It was just a question.
wow, such an uproar over what I thought was a seemingly innocent question!
I FF because of supply issues, but to answer your actual question, I have a friend who FF right from the start as she said BF just wasn't convenient for her schedule. She is out of the house a lot and they have their own business and she didn't get any real maternity leave, a week after she was back in the office. She knew from the beginning it took a lot of time and dedication to make BF work and that was just something she didn't have.
My apologies. I am more reacting to the link in your post than to you.,
FWIW, for my first two children: With #1 I was 17, and heading off to college as a ballet dancer. Breastfeeding was not an option. With #2 is was simply a matter of not having any support. I tried once in the hospital and my now ex-husband said to me: "Wow, you're not very good at that are you?" I immediately asked for a bottle of formula when he said that.
no flames here
i understand what you are asking. cause i have wondered that too. i dont ask on the boards cause of all the reactions you are getting but i have asked people in my family and besides a few that had supply issues i got some interesting answers
I can see why he's your ex! Wow. I actually tried it the first time by myself, with only the nurse in the room. I felt less pressure that way. But I can't imagine if someone had judged me right after I had my baby, especially the person who is supposed to support you!
I formula feed because I choose too. simple. My SO and I talked and realized its what was best for us and our situation. This is 100% selfish, but i just overall didnt like it. I didnt like the idea of having to pump a ton if i was going to be gone, and worrying if there was enough, or worrying about if something I ate was going to irritate him. I can have other people feed him if they want too. Formula is easy. I like easy.
I think this will always be a sensitive topic. I know a fair number of women in real life who say that "breastfeeding didn't work out for them" and I think they say that because they don't want to feel judged. Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I've ever done, ever. And I am blessed with a good supply.
I have asked this question honestly of some IRL friends, just because I was curious. I don't really think it's that flameworthy - I have had people ask why I choose to BF and pump at work (apparently this is a bit of an anomaly around here, where we live) and I don't get upset. But I know it's a hot-button issue.
One of my friends that chose to FF from the get-go was because she had a terrible pregnancy (hyperemesis, high blood pressure, felt horrible) and said she just couldn't bear putting herself through something else like that and was worried about bonding. The other had a job that she knew would make it very difficult to ever pump, so she just decided to FF from the begining.
Yeah, he was a jerk.
Wow - some people are pretty touchy about this one. I think the OP wasn't being judgemental - just curious.
Yes, it it your baby thus your decision, but the same could be said for many of the questions on here (Huggies versus Pampers, solids at 4 months versus 6, etc etc). People are just touchy about specific topics (like working outside home versus SAH).
With that being said, I've had a few friends who didn't even try to nurse b/c they were freaked out about the sexual aspect of it. Another one travels A LOT for work and knew it would be really hard to keep up. I've EBF both of mine and there is no hard feelings between any of us on the topic (we've discussed it extensively). You gotta do what's right for your family.
Curious about something that is non of her business and puts many many women on the defensive. Trying to satisfy curiosity at the expense of others is selfish. She should concentrate on feeding her own LO and not care about what others do.
Notice too, that its always the BFers who bring this up. I've yet to read a post from an EFFer asking why would you BF.
Because I FELT like it! End of story.
and the whole I dont agree with it thing. That kindof makes me get up in arms about it.
I don't really get the flames either. Its a personal decision, and OP was just wondering what made ppl come to that decision. If you don't want to answer b/c its too personal, then don't. End of story. But this sort of an anonymous chat board, where we share lots of personal information so .. uhh ... yeah. I don't get why its flame worthy.
I am a proud supplementer. I supplement because FF is easier. Thats it. Its easier. My guess as to why ppl chose to FF, if not for supply/latch issues or something else like that, is because it is easy.