3rd Trimester
Hesitant to Breast feed
I had DD#1 when I was 18, I breast fed her for 6 months, but really didn't enjoy it at all. Now with this LO it's getting down to the point that I really need to decide if I'm going to breast feed or formula feed. I'm hesitant to breast feed because of how much I disliked it the first time around, but I know it would be healthier for my little girl if I breast feed, so I feel like I'm being selfish if I don't and that makes me feel really guilty. I'm wondering if perhaps it wasn't enjoyable because I was so young and maybe, almost 8 years later, being older now will have a difference. Do any of you have any experience with enjoying breast feeding more the second time around? I'm pretty sure I will at least give breast feeding my best shot with this LO as well, I guess I just need some prodding and encouragement towards it to help me make up my mind FOR SURE! So please ladies, this is where I need all your facts and knowledge on how good it is to breast feed baby! Thanks in advance 
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Re: Hesitant to Breast feed
Was there something in particular about breast feeding you didn't enjoy back then? There may be things you can do to reduce or eliminate those issues, to make it more enjoyable. Check with your doctor, hospital or local La Leche League chapter to see if there is a lactation consultant available to help you with breastfeeding, as they may be able to help you identify ways of making it better too.
Also, sometimes some babies are easier to breastfeed than others. Perhaps #2 will be easier, and thus more enjoyable. Being older, and even having had some experience, may also make it more enjoyable for you.
Since you don't know how it will be until you try, I'd definitely plan to try. It truly is healthiest for your baby, so set a goal to give it a solid 6 weeks to start, for instance. If it ends up being truly terrible, and you can't find ways of making it better, then it's better to formula feed than not feed at all. Give it a shot though, and keep an open mind -- you never know if you might really enjoy the bonding experience with this child differently than the last unless you try!
Mama's Clone - 07/18/12
The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.
I obviously don't know your exact situation but my first thought is that you were very young the first around and I wonder what your living arrangements were? I ask this because I have a friend who had her first when she was young and still living with her parents and younger sister. She didn't feel comfortable breast feeding in front of them and so was basically stuck in her and baby's bedroom for hours on end each day. Needless to say, the isolation got to her and she quit after maybe a month or two. The second time around she was 6 years older, living with her husband and son and was free to nurse anywhere she liked. She has had a much better experience this time and is still nursing part time at 8 months.
Not sure if this type of scenario applies to you but, if so, I'd say to give it a try as the changed living circumstances made all the difference for my friend. Also, if you try to BF and hate you can always switch but if you start out FF you can't go back and start nursing. GL!
My guess is that, at 18, you didn't really do much research or have a lot of support from a lactation consultant (most hospitals have them on staff nowadays) to help you figure it all out. The first month is the hardest (and unfortunately, the 3-4 week mark is exactly when a lot of women give up -- right before it gets easier). A friend recommended a great book that I found very informative and not at all preachy like some of them are -- it's called, So That's What They're For and is available on Amazon. I highly recommend you do some reading and give it a try before making a final decision.
If you need something to help you decide to try it for at least a little while, just take a look at these statistics on the incredible benefit of breastfeeding from the American Academy of Pediatrics: https://www.everydayhealth.com/pregnancy/0302/breastfeeding-is-health-not-lifestyle-choice.aspx?xid=aol_eh-news_18_20110227_&aolcat=HLT&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing7%7Cdl15%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D140075
I think you should give it a try, if you're at all inclined to want to. I've heard many stories where women enjoy it more the 2nd time around. Probably a lot has changed in who you are, how your life is, etc than when you had #1, and that could all affect how you feel about BFing this time around.
I enjoyed nursing a lot more the 2nd time, but my situation was a bit different. I wanted to nurse #1 but we had a lot of difficulty and for my mental health and DSs physical health ended up switching to formula. I was really nervous about BFing going poorly with #2, but she latched like a champ and we got off to a good start. Unfortunately I ended up having supply issues and didn't notice it until she was seriously underweight at 6 months (she never complained about being hungry!). So again, for her sake and mine, we switched to formula. But for those 6 months it was a great experience for both of us, I just wish I'd clued into my supply issue sooner.
Now with #3 I'm eager to try yet again, and am really hopeful that it'll go even better.
I nursed DS for 3 months and hated it.
...I will still try this time around.
There is no need to need to decide now what to do. I'd try BF'ing, give it your best, if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But I don't see why you need to rule it out yet. Again, I hated BF'ing the first time around, so by no means am I judging or anything
This exactly!
If you are physically capable of breastfeeding I can't imagine there would be any reason not to do it. Nobody likes getting up with a baby in the middle of the night or changing diapers, but to me those things are just part of being a parent. Perhaps I will be flamed for this, but formula really is not equal to breast milk in its benefit to baby.
Having breastfed DS for 25 months and DD for 18 months thus far I can say that there are moments where I really love the closeness, and moments where I feel like I absolutely don't want to be touched and spend the whole feeding hoping DD will just hurry up and find something else to do.
It's certainly worth giving it a try, who knows, you may just grin and bear it for a few months or you may discover that you really actually enjoy it.
Home Birthing-Breastfeeding-Cloth Diapering-Baby Wearing-CoSleeping-Delayed/Selective Vaccination Mama to Charlie (5yrs) and Madeline (21mos)
I agree with pp!
And wanted to add, for perspective, that I am not planning to breastfeed because I think I might enjoy it. I am planning to breastfeed soley for the benefit of my baby's health. And there are MANY benefits.
I think breastfeeding will be a pain in the ass, especially when I go back to work fulltime and need to pump. Formula is definitely the easier way to go. But if we wanted "easy" we wouldn't have chosen to have a baby.
I don't see why at 33 weeks you need to decide anything set in stone about it one way or the other. Try for BFing but don't put so much pressure on yourself.
Why not give yourself a really reasonable breastfeeding goal, like just trying to make it just 2 weeks at a time, rent a pump and see if you have success as a pumper if you have issues with the BFing and know it is perfectly fine to supplement with formula if you have to.
I BFed DD for 8 mos (EBF for 6 mos). My goal is the same with this baby as it was with her. Just to make it to 6 weeks and then reevaluate. I found that when I broke it down into reasonable goals, I actually was able to BF much longer.
Okay there's nothing wrong with how you feel first off. I would strongly recommend you go to a Le Leche League meeting. Bond with other women! Your body is beautiful. Some women have a hard time because breast feeding feels so relaxing and good that they think it shouldn't be that way. That theyre a pervert or something. I always joke that this is the reason we don't eat our babies. your bond with your baby is your gift for all the yuck we endure during pregnancy. Also you can switch to pumping later on and that can give boobs a break.
I think just being older and more experienced will help you overcome those silly insecurities. I don't know your situation but is your bf or husband on board with bf? That helps a lot too. I would do it anyway if mine wasn't but its nice to know I won't have to argue with him.
Oh and did you know breast milk has cancer fighting abilities! So cool I think. Big hug to you!