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3rd Trimester
Formula vs. Boob....
Okay so I?ve said all along that I did not want to breastfeed, because the act of breastfeeding made me a little uncomfortable but as Due Date draws near I?m starting to consider more options and think maybe I ought to try it.
I?ve heard all along the benefits for the baby when you breastfeed, but I?ve still had my doubts.
I will be going back to work shortly after giving birth and fear the breast pump. In addition I don?t have any close family or friends that had breastfed. My mom said she tried it for a week, but the pain was so server that she quickly stopped. Basically all I hear is negative things about it.
What are you thoughts on it and are you going to breastfeed? Should I try it for a few weeks just so the baby will get the initial benefit then switch to formula. So many questions?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Formula vs. Boob....
I'm a first timer here and nervous about being able to breastfeed (although I always knew I'd try)
Apparently, the colostrum you produce in the first few days is excellent for infants. So even if you only make it a week, you've given your baby a great head start! And you can't beat the price.
Ask for a lactation consultant to visit you in the hospital after delivery - they should be able to help you out a bunch. Don't feel like you have to figure it all out now.
Well, you can always try it and if breastfeeding does not work for you and your baby, you can stop. According to the information we've received, you cannot breastfeed after day 12 to 14, if you have not been working on it/pumping until then. You will lose your milk production quickly, if you do not try to begin with.
I plan to breastfeed (hoping it works) because of the benefits to the baby...increased immunity, how milk changes to suit your child's needs, etc..
It's a personal decision either way. If it doesn't work for you, don't feel guilty/bad...your baby will receive the nutrients s/he needs from formula.
Of course try it!!! It is what is best for baby! Just get the help you need in the hospital from a lactation consultant (I have heard that makes all the difference in the world). If the baby has a good latch then it should not hurt (though obviously it may be a little sore).
Good luck!!! I for one, and so excited to BF. It is like the best way to bond with your baby!!! And one of the most selfless things you can do for your child.
Bar tab = $156,000, Bus to Foxwoods = $0, Puking in the Stanley Cup = Priceless
It's your choice, and you need to do what's best for your family. If that means trying for a few weeks, then so be it. If it means going straight to formula, then so be it. That is just 1 of 100,000's of decisions you will make as a mother that will be judged by someone else.
With that said, Iam going to try and BF this LO. If it works out then I will mostly pump. If it doesn't work out, iam not going to beat myself up over it because LO will be fed, and happy to.
Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
"><a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/825/1820/8251820.png" /></a><p style="text-align:center;width:420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - Free <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com">Calorie Counter</a></small></p>Well, you don't have anything to lose by trying it for a couple weeks, and if you don't try it initially you won't have the oppoirtunity to give it a go later.
I have a friend who is very private and reserved about bodily functions - she was pretty sure that she didn't want to breastfeed, but thought she'd at least try while she was on maternity leave. She really felt differently as soon as her son was born - she wound up really enjoying it and still breastfeeds her son in the morning and at night 8 months later (he gets formula while she's at work during the day).
It doesn't have to be all or nothing, and if it doesn't work for your family, don't feel bad or let anyone else make you feel bad about it. And if you don't have any people in your life who can help you out, make sure you get to see a lactation consultant before you leave the hospital and get the number for some people to call once you get home!
Also, if you just want to get some more information on how it works, check to see if your hospital offers any breastfeeding classes (ours was only $20) and try to get your husband/significant other to attend with you. I've seen people on the boards here say that their partner's support when they had difficulties at first was really valuable.
Wow, that's awfully long...
Agreed. Good luck in deciding and don't let anyone pressure you into one or the other.
The main benefit of breastfeeding is the antibodies that can't be found in formula, so that is definately a big plus.
As for the pain... everybody I know has been telling me it hurts and there's cracking but you have to work through the first month. The lactation consultant told me it's not supposed to hurt and crack if the baby has a good latch, there's only supposed to be "tenderness".
Hope it helps!
definitely try.
It also doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can partially bf when you return to work, use formula during the day and nurse when you are home for example.
I don't think you should feel pressured by docs or society to BF.
I BF'd #1 for 9mo, I also work FT 9-10hrs a day so I spent alot of time pumping, and not alot of time giving DD the breast. No one in my family had ever BF'd before and looked at me like I was crazy LOL. But o well, I wanted to do it. The breast pump isn't bad; its not painful or uncomfortable so if you choose to, don't be afraid of it.
After I have this baby I'll be moving to a different duty section where my hours will be longer, I'll be away from home 2wks at a time sometimes and will be deployed for 4-5months come Jan; It will also be an even more male dominated work center than where I currently am and I won't have a private place to pump ( even though our regs mandate that BF'ing women are given ample time and a private palce to pump that NOT the bathroom, that rarely ever happens.) SO I have concluded that BF'ing this baby is just about impossible with everything going on at work so I have decided to FF for that reason. Plus, I got so damn tired of puming all the time with #1.
I don't think trying BF'ing for a few weeks would hurt at all, but again, don't feel pressured to do it. But it def won't hurt if you truly want to try that.
If you would like to try it I would ask for the help of a lactation consultant while at the hospital. Many women experience pain with breastfeeding because of an improper latch, not holding the baby correctly, etc, and a LC can help you with that. Le Leche league is also a great resource for support.
Any amount of breastmilk you can give your child would be beneficial, whether it's 1 - 2 days or 1 - 2 years. There is nothing wrong with trying it a couple of times, not liking it, and then switching to formula.
Good for you for planning on trying. Like others have said, even if you only do it for a week or so, it's a great start for your baby. With DS, I was kind of weirded out about the whole thing. We had some issues in the hospital and had to supplement for 2 days. Some of the LCs were really great and others were nipple nazis. DS would cry and cry and one LC actually yelled at me when I said something about giving him a pacifier. I was really upset. Finally, another LC just told me that she thought DS just wanted to suck on something. Sure enough, I gave him the pacifier and he was fine. We didn't have any other feeding problems after that. It was amazing. So, after that long winded post, I guess I'm just saying that everyone will have their OWN idea on how you should do things. Do what YOU think it best and it will work out. Good luck
I always knew I wanted to do it for the full year, but that's just me.
There's nothing that says you can try it and if it's not for you, just stop!
I breastfed DD and plan to breastfeed again.
If you have any inkling that you might want to breastfeed, I definitely suggest trying it in the beginning. You can always stop and switch to formula, but you can't just decide to start breastfeeding if you don't stimulate your milk production from the beginning.
If you decide you are serious about it, I strongly suggest sticking it out beyond the first couple of weeks. Between the nipple soreness and engorgement, it can be incredibly painful in the beginning, but once you make it through that, you might find it worth the effort.
yes, i will DEFINITELY be bf-ing/pumping. the overall best reason, IMO, is that BF is sooooo much better for baby. my other personal reasons include: baby weight will just fall off you, it's free, etc...
granted, it takes some time for you and baby to figure out how to BF together, but personally, i didn't have that much pain. i eventually switched to exclusively pumping so other people could feed DS (and so DH had to get up at night and feed DS), and b/c it was more convenient for me.
it's definitely a personal choice, but your LO will benefit from BF-ing even if you just try it for one day.
DS was on formula from 7 mos to 1 year...and it was sooooo expensive!
It's all up to you.
If you want to try it, then do that but if you don't, you are not wrong. I had no desire to BF and I am not.
Don't let anyone make you feel guilty or wrong about the decision you make.
Carter Robert 7.18.08 | Brynn Sophia 5.24.10 | Reid Joseph 9.10.12 | Emerson Mae 1.27.14
If you think you might want to try then I would.
Personally this baby as my last will be FF. DD is doing great and was a forumla baby. As for the weight it just came off even without breast feeding for me. I also loved the rest I got because DH and I both handled night feedings.
Now I will say yes you do get judged. I found I was by many. The thing is I am also on blood pressure meds that I have to take. While the baby was exposed to them for 9 months almost now, I don't want to pass the meds through to the baby in breast milk. I know I don't have to justify why I don't breast feed but having the medical reason keeps many family members quiet.
Even if I could breast feed I still would pick formula.
Do whatever you feel most comfortable with.
Here's a good article that I came across: "The Case Against Breast-Feeding" by Hanna Rosin. The title is rather misleading, however, as it's not at all a slam against breastfeeding; it just reveals how much more level the playing field really is when one considers how researchers actually go about comparing one completely different child to another. Factors such as heredity, genetics, socioeconomic realities, education, family make-up, SAHM care vs. daycare, etc. should really have more to do with the results than just comparing one child who was breastfed to another who was bottlefed.