Breastfeeding Poll

SoxFan777 · July 2014

The post on breastfeeding got me thinking about it... How committed are you to breastfeeding your kid? I know what the percentages are in general, but I'm curious what the percentages on our board. I think the other post stayed free of judgment, and I hope this one does, too. I'm really just being nosy. So... How committed are you to breastfeeding your little one when he/she arrives?

goatlady12 · July 2014

I voted SS, I feel like I'm inbetween the two top options. If bfing doesn't come easily I plan on giving it my all for as long as I can. If for some reason I am unable to bf then I will switch to formula. But it would have to be like a medical reason or something. Maybe that is option one, not sure.

kimba1976 · July 2014

LimaBeanMOM said:

Last time around I really wanted to breastfeed. I was overwhelmed and didn't have the support I needed. B also had trouble latching and I gave up fairly quickly because I didn't want him to starve. To this day I regret it and felt like a failure as a mom for months afterwards. This time around, I am getting a pump and going to a breastfeeding class and hopefully reaching out to a local LC who can help me if issues come about again. If need be I will formula feed again.

I am really sorry to hear this. Breastfeeding is really, really f-ing hard and if you don't have A LOT of support it's damn near impossible. I am sure you made the best decision for you and your baby at the time. I hope if it doesn't work out this time that you do not feel like a failure or have regrets.

SoxFan777 · July 2014

LimaBeanMOM said:

Last time around I really wanted to breastfeed. I was overwhelmed and didn't have the support I needed. B also had trouble latching and I gave up fairly quickly because I didn't want him to starve. To this day I regret it and felt like a failure as a mom for months afterwards. This time around, I am getting a pump and going to a breastfeeding class and hopefully reaching out to a local LC who can help me if issues come about again. If need be I will formula feed again.

Wow... That's exactly what happened to me... I only lasted 4 months and then wasn't producing enough milk to feed him even half. I did get a prescription (reglan?) for a little which seemed to help. Fenugreek helped, too... But from day 1, I was not able to keep up with demand.

haleyusf · July 2014

With DS I exclusively pumped for 6 months worth of milk b/c he would not take to breastfeeding. I didn't have the support I needed and didn't seek out additional support. I'm committed to breastfeeding 100% with this one, but if for whatever reason I am unable, I will pump again but longer this time. Plan is to BF till at least 1 year and then see where we get from there.

Sweetsix06 · July 2014

I'm going to commit to breast feeding for the first 6 months. I obviously have to go back to work during that time, but I will pump at work. I also will not do breast feeding exclusively; I plan on mixing formula in. We'll see how it goes.

RayRay007 · July 2014

Luckily I didn't have mastitis or thrush or anything to deal with DD, but I did have to work through a newborn that didn't know how to latch and lost a lot of weight, terrible nipple pain (I self diagnosed myself with vasospasms), hind/foremilk imbalance, etc. I would try to work through mastitis etc. if I got it, so I voted 100%.

Ktrego · July 2014

MissChristineMarie said:

One of my biggest fears is that I'm not strong enough to get past the achy bloody nips or the engorged boobs. :-( I'm such a baby, but I'll try my best and try to be as strong as possible! I'd love to breastfeed for the first year or so!

I am with you - although I am afraid of breastfeeding making me SUPER HUNGRY all the time. I know this sounds trivial, but I am SO DONE with having to eat every hour during this pregnancy, and I really want that feeling to go away. I would like to try to get back to feeling semi "normal" as soon as I can so that I can focus on the baby. Maybe I am just overreacting?

mlee116 · July 2014

kimba1976 said:

LimaBeanMOM said:

Last time around I really wanted to breastfeed. I was overwhelmed and didn't have the support I needed. B also had trouble latching and I gave up fairly quickly because I didn't want him to starve. To this day I regret it and felt like a failure as a mom for months afterwards. This time around, I am getting a pump and going to a breastfeeding class and hopefully reaching out to a local LC who can help me if issues come about again. If need be I will formula feed again.

I am really sorry to hear this. Breastfeeding is really, really f-ing hard and if you don't have A LOT of support it's damn near impossible. I am sure you made the best decision for you and your baby at the time. I hope if it doesn't work out this time that you do not feel like a failure or have regrets.

I 100% agree with @kimba1976. Please don't let yourself feel like a failure or beat yourself up about it. There are plenty of ways to fail as a parent, but seriously, this is not one of them.

RayRay007 · July 2014

MissChristineMarie said:

One of my biggest fears is that I'm not strong enough to get past the achy bloody nips or the engorged boobs. :-( I'm such a baby, but I'll try my best and try to be as strong as possible! I'd love to breastfeed for the first year or so!

Set small goals for yourself. As I'm sure you've heard over and over, the first 4-6 weeks are the hardest. When I wanted to punch a hole in the wall because latching was so painful, I told myself I'd get to 3 weeks and re-evaluate. At 3 weeks, I said 4. At 4 I said 6, and by 6 I had forgotten all about it because by then it was easy.

norweigan · July 2014

I picked the first one because I am totally committed, but if I CAN'T I won't think twice about using formula. I had a girlfriend who got really sick when she tried to breastfeed, and her sister literally stopped talking to her once she changed to formula because she thought my friend was basically abusing her child by not breastfeeding. Some people go crazy about it.

Agape. · July 2014

haleyusf said:
With DS I exclusively pumped for 6 months worth of milk b/c he would not take to breastfeeding. I didn't have the support I needed and didn't seek out additional support. I'm committed to breastfeeding 100% with this one, but if for whatever reason I am unable, I will pump again but longer this time. Plan is to BF till at least 1 year and then see where we get from there.

Yep, all of this. Between hormones and lack of support I switched to pumping almost immediately. I am determined to get a handle on nursing this time around. I will see every LC in the city if I have to! Mainly bc I don't think I can EP AND take care of my other child and baby. with all the extra steps it takes to pump, clean, feed, it's a lot of work too but I'll do it if it's the only way...

Jessie333 · July 2014

I nursed dd until she was 13 months old. We had huge latching issues initially and nobody could tell me why. I had dozens of nurses come and try to help, but dd would not latch. I was in tears. They told me they weren't sure I would be able to nurse. I was pumping and supplementing with formula for the first several days of DD's life. It wasn't until I was discharged from the hospital and saw a nurse the next day that was a lactation consultant that I was able to nurse. I ended up using a nipple shield and dd would latch. They told me to pump after using the nipple shield to make sure my supply didn't drop. I ended up having a huge oversupply (I would pump 5+oz after nursing dd). We needed the shield for 2 months, and then had no issues at all.

I don't think people really realize how difficult nursing can be. There is this stigma of it being so easy. Baby latching properly, no pain...

nopegoat · July 2014

I voted SS because I feel like I am between the top 2 as well. I have gotten very lucky and have had 2 easy BF experiences thus far. Each time I went into it knowing I wanted to do it and I would definitely give it my all but at the same time I think the most important thing is that my LO is fed and that we both are happy. If it's just not working, then it's just not working and I will guilt free go to formula.

abcmom12 · July 2014

I chose like to breastfeed but if it doesn't happen will supplement. last time my milk NEVER really came in no matter what I did and it really tore me up. I'm hoping since this is my 2nd round, I'll be more relaxed and not freak out if the same thing happens as before

allonsyalonso · July 2014

I picked the first option because it's the best fit, but I'm truly between the first two. I was committed to breastfeeding my son and did all I could to make it work but it just wasn't working so I switched to formula. It was the best thing I could have done for him. It breaks my heart looking at pictures of him from before switching because he looks so frail and weak. I felt like such a failure for not being able to feed him, but in the end he did very well on formula.

I fully intend to try to breastfed again and will do my best to make it work. But if it doesn't, formula was a lifesaver and I won't hesitate to use it again if I have to.

vintagejjane · July 2014

We are still breastfeeding 2 years later with DD, and it's been a really hard journey. There was thrush, mastitis, constant nursing, pain, nursing all night long for months and I've cried and wanted to stop several times, but I stayed with it. I'm happy we did. So far it looks like we will tandum nurse and I plan to nurse as long as I can with DS.

AllTheTeaInChina · July 2014

I agree with small goals. With DD I was planning on BFing and wanted to make it work. The first couple days I was switching sides every few minutes, it hurt so bad. I kept telling myself it will get better, I can do this for 3 months. When 3 months hit, I can do this for 6 months. After the first few weeks it gets so much easier. At 12 months, I stopped pumping but continued to BF on demand in the evenings and weekends. By 18 months she was down to bedtime and naps. She finally self weaned just before her 2nd bday. I never thought I would BF that long but I enjoyed the snuggle time.

iloveac · July 2014

I'm 100% committed to breastfeeding DD. My DS still nurses, although I plan to wean him in a couple weeks after he turns 1. I will nurse DD the first year too. I plan to wean her after she turns 1 as well.

marriedinaugust · July 2014

Last time I had no desire to BF but DH really wanted me to so I did. I made small goals for myself - a week, a month, 6 weeks... It got easier even though I had mastitis during the first week and felt like dying. DS never thrived on breastmilk. I tried everything, upping my supply even though I had plenty, eating fatty foods, feeding from only one side. We started supplementing at 4 months with just a couple of ounces of formula. He gained a couple pounds so at 6 months we transitioned from breast feeding to formula. This time I would like to exclusively breastfeed for at least a year if baby is thriving. Funny how views can completely change over time.

nesenotes · July 2014

I'm going to give it another try but realistically I plan on BF for colostrum in hospital then pumping as soon as I get home (maybe even in hospital). I'm not a fan of Breastfeeding in particular. Hurt like a bitch and stressed me out. I would rather pump. And I only plan on pumping for about a month and then I'm probably going to switch to formula. Knowing myself I'll probably want my body back and not want to deal with it anymore and just get on with life.

chicorojo · July 2014

With my first I really wanted too, but do to complications after birth my milk never came in, and we switched really quickly to formula. With my second I didn't even try to bf and went straight to formula. I really really want to bf this one. I am so clueless though and living in a small town I can't find any bf support like an lc. If anyone has any books/websites/learning material they would reccomend I would be grateful

.

frenchy816 · July 2014

I don't have much of a choice; my mom is one of the lactation consultants at the hospital where I'm giving birth. (if there was a problem she would understand and not give me too much grief...I hope). I have always planned on it as well. I feel lucky that I work from home now and can breastfeed on a regular basis.

Ktrego · July 2014

nesenotes said:

I'm going to give it another try but realistically I plan on BF for colostrum in hospital then pumping as soon as I get home (maybe even in hospital). I'm not a fan of Breastfeeding in particular. Hurt like a bitch and stressed me out. I would rather pump. And I only plan on pumping for about a month and then I'm probably going to switch to formula. Knowing myself I'll probably want my body back and not want to deal with it anymore and just get on with life.

I like your plan! I have had similar thoughts about pumping for only a month, but who knows. Is it hard to wean yourself off of pumping after a month? Does it take a while to wean?

I really appreciate everyone's comments. Every little bit of information is helping me not to stress so much and to get a little closer to making a decision. I'm glad to know that there are a lot of ladies out there who agree with me in that this is a personal decision everyone has to make for themselves. No judgements here!

nickicl · July 2014

I am between the first two options as well. Maybe 90% committed. If I have a lot of struggles it probably won't last but last time, I was fortunate to be able to work out any soreness and discomfort on my own with baby, pump and lanolin gel.

I'm hoping this time goes similarly because I found it nice not to have to plan ahead for bottles when hanging out with my DS on the weekends, evenings, etc.

chicorojo · July 2014

gradschoolmom1234 said:

chicorojo said:

With my first I really wanted too, but do to complications after birth my milk never came in, and we switched really quickly to formula. With my second I didn't even try to bf and went straight to formula. I really really want to bf this one. I am so clueless though and living in a small town I can't find any bf support like an lc. If anyone has any books/websites/learning material they would reccomend I would be grateful .

@chicorojo is there a La Leche League group anywhere near you? I know they offer a lot of support for women who want to breast feed. The book that they recommend is called The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

The closest La Leche League is 4 hours away, I will check out the book though, Thanks!

colliebabe · July 2014

I am committed to it but won't hesitate to supplement with formula around 6-7 months if needed. I had to give DD one bottle of formula a day starting around 8.5 months because my supply dropped and I could not keep up with pumping at work (I still did it but did not produce enough to feed DD while I was at work.) I still BFed her until a year when she self-weaned though.

mlee116 · July 2014

norweigan said:

I picked the first one because I am totally committed, but if I CAN'T I won't think twice about using formula. I had a girlfriend who got really sick when she tried to breastfeed, and her sister literally stopped talking to her once she changed to formula because she thought my friend was basically abusing her child by not breastfeeding. Some people go crazy about it.

See, it just makes me really mad when people act this way. I think the reason why so women have fears/worries about BFing is because they feel like a failure going into it and that they will be judged if it doesn't work out. Having a successful BFing relationship is a great thing, but it should never be used as a reason to look down or judge other moms IMO.

norweigan · July 2014

mlee116 said:

norweigan said:

I picked the first one because I am totally committed, but if I CAN'T I won't think twice about using formula. I had a girlfriend who got really sick when she tried to breastfeed, and her sister literally stopped talking to her once she changed to formula because she thought my friend was basically abusing her child by not breastfeeding. Some people go crazy about it.

See, it just makes me really mad when people act this way. I think the reason why so women have fears/worries about BFing is because they feel like a failure going into it and that they will be judged if it doesn't work out. Having a successful BFing relationship is a great thing, but it should never be used as a reason to look down or judge other moms IMO.

Totally agree. I mean, my friend wanted to and couldn't. I don't really know what her sister was expecting her to do (except maybe remain really sick for however long). Her sister is one of those crunch types that breastfed her child (who she had around the same time) for a very long time, and was very self righteous about it. The whole situation was ridiculous.

mlee116 · July 2014

chicorojo said:

With my first I really wanted too, but do to complications after birth my milk never came in, and we switched really quickly to formula. With my second I didn't even try to bf and went straight to formula. I really really want to bf this one. I am so clueless though and living in a small town I can't find any bf support like an lc. If anyone has any books/websites/learning material they would reccomend I would be grateful .

I hear ya...I live in a small town too and had no one close friends/family that had ever BFed. I second getting a copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." I also found kellymom.com extremely helpful. Also, the lactation consultants in the hospital were awesome and I kept their contact info on the fridge for the whole first year

I also found the BFing board here on TB to be a great resource!

Meether · July 2014

I plan to breastfeed again, it was painful in the beginning but so worth it after the first couple weeks. I never took classes or saw an LC but just stuck with the fact that I only wanted to breastfeed. It was really really easy afterwards.

BdblZ · July 2014

I'm pretty committed to BFing, but if it doesn't work out, I would try to exclusively pump before switching to formula. I will likely not be returning to work full-time, so having mama make free food (or as much free-food as I can) is an important cost-saving measure for us.

BabyRN2009 · July 2014

100%! I've done it twice before, and will do it again! Neither of my girls ever had formula. It's not always easy (especially working full time!!) but SO worth it in the long run!

Mastitis is miserable, but short lived (had it 3 times). Definitely still worth it.

Cheekers2010 · July 2014

I am very committed to bf'ing. I really enjoyed it with my son and wish I could have done it longer. Unfortunately I developed an autoimmune issue that required medication contraindicated during bf'ing. There is a possibility that my disease will flare up after delivery and I will have to stop bf'ing again. I am scared of that happening. But, I know that it is more important that I never again become as ill as I was for more than a year or my son's young life. I will make whatever choice I have to to stay healthy.

LadyRoarsome · July 2014

I'd love to breast feed, and will do what I have to. With E though, I just didn't have a supply. If I'm not able to do so Ill be upset, but will deal, just like last time.

Cheekers2010 · July 2014

I just want to add that we had a incredibly rough go of it at the beginning. DS was a little early and had breathing trouble and jaundice at the beginning. He was unable to room in with me, had to stay in the special care nursery and was sick enough so that he couldn't latch. I pumped and syringe fed him for the first week. Then I had to use shields in order to get him to latch because he was still little and weak. We were able to wean off the shields after a month or so. I also developed an oversupply and hind milk/fore milk imbalance. That doesn't sound like much but it was dreadful and caused so much stress and discomfort to my DS. And then he failed to thrive even though I had a generous supply to start out with. I don't say all this to be wah or anything but just so you all know that it is possible to have a really rough go and still come out of it thinking that bf'ing was a great experience. Just make the best decisions you can at the time. That's all any of us can do,

Prinycesa07 · July 2014

With my first 2 I formula fed by choice. Yes, by choice. I had no interest in breast feeding. This time I want to try my hardest but I also wont feel like a failure if i decide to do formula. My kids are both happy, healthy, smart kids so i have nothing against formula. I just really want to give it a good shot.

OhBaby+2013 · July 2014

Jessie333 said:

I nursed dd until she was 13 months old. We had huge latching issues initially and nobody could tell me why. I had dozens of nurses come and try to help, but dd would not latch. I was in tears. They told me they weren't sure I would be able to nurse. I was pumping and supplementing with formula for the first several days of DD's life. It wasn't until I was discharged from the hospital and saw a nurse the next day that was a lactation consultant that I was able to nurse. I ended up using a nipple shield and dd would latch. They told me to pump after using the nipple shield to make sure my supply didn't drop. I ended up having a huge oversupply (I would pump 5+oz after nursing dd). We needed the shield for 2 months, and then had no issues at all. I don't think people really realize how difficult nursing can be. There is this stigma of it being so easy. Baby latching properly, no pain...

My story is almost identical. The only difference is that the nipple shield had no affect on my supply. I didn't need to do any additional pumping. The shield definitely helped with latch and the sore nipples. They were a life saver.

brittandjp · July 2014

I was really worried with my first baby that I wouldn't make it, but I was 110% committed. I'll be honest, the first two weeks were absolute hell. Brutal, brutal, brutal. Lots of tears (and skin!) were shed. But it slowly got better and better. By the third week, I was feeling more confident and really enjoying it and by the fourth I was in love.

I ended up nursing DD for an entire year before my supply dried up when I got KU (and then miscarried). Had it not dried up, I would have continued for sure. I'm not an extended bfing mama by any means, but I would have loved to make it to 18 months, MAYBE two years with bedtime nursing.

I hope to have just as a successful journey with this babe. Though I will say, I know some women really struggle. And I think a happy mom is SO important, so while I'm a huge breastfeeding advocate, I also understand that it's not for everyone.

kgoodnow · July 2014

I have breastfed all 3 of my children well past 1 yr and plan to with this one as well.

bowlwoman · July 2014

kdm06c said:
I voted SS because I feel like I am between the top 2 as well. I have gotten very lucky and have had 2 easy BF experiences thus far. Each time I went into it knowing I wanted to do it and I would definitely give it my all but at the same time I think the most important thing is that my LO is fed and that we both are happy. If it's just not working, then it's just not working and I will guilt free go to formula.

This.

It's been six years, but it's like riding a bike. Right??? PLEASE tell me it's like riding a bike!

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