Just wondering what everyone prefers. I have three friends that are new moms. All of them said that they tried breastfeeding for a week, and just couldn't handle it anymore whether it be due to the baby having trouble, or just the amount of time it takes, so they moved on to formula feeding. I still don't know what I want to do yet.
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Married DH: 4/7/2012
TTC: 2/3/2016 (Me: 31yrs DH: 35yrs)
BFP: 4/10/2016
EDD: 12/18/16
Kaynen Alexander born 12/6/16 via c-section (bicornate uterus/breech)
Re: Breastfeeding vs formula?
With that said, some aspects of nursing are freaking hard. The first 6 weeks are not easy as your milk is regulating, you're perfecting baby's latch, and you're dealing with sore and bleeding nipples. You'll panic that you're not making enough milk, you probably are, and are worried about people judging you for nursing in public. Clogged ducts and mastitis are also a thing you have to deal with sometimes. Leaky boobs, nursing pads, etc too, but once your milk regulates and you get into a routine, nursing is easy. I still enjoy it and plan on nursing this one too.
However, if I need to supplement or something with formula, then so be it. A fed baby is best.
It was hard, I had to keep to my schedule exactly and always remembering to take all the little parts everywhere was a pain. But L was happy, and he still is. He is right on his growth curve at 10 months.
He still is a mama's boy when he needs comfort, and Dada is for playing.
BF isn't for everyone. Some can't deal with the physical, some with the emotional/mental of being babies only food source. Some just never have a supply that can support baby.
I recommend at least trying for 2 weeks. Then if it isn't working, find what does.
Formerly known as Kate08young
August '18 Siggy April Showers:
Married: 7/22/14
Baby L: 8/4/2015 August 2015 Moms
Baby E: 11/18/2016 December 2016 Moms
TTC #3 08/2017 BFP 11/27/2017.
Twin B lost 11/22/2017, Twin A doing well.
For this second baby, I'm more prepared and plan to start pumping sooner and taking additional supplements, but we are going to be ready with formula from day one.
I think the bottom line is that you should do what is most enjoyable for you and choose not to feel guilty about it. When I made the mindful choice that holding my baby with a bottle and formula was better than pumping for 4-6 hours a day, my life became a lot more joyful.
I also think everyone should give it a go- but you should do your best ahead of time to set yourself up for success.
Obviously life happens, so it's not possible for everyone, but definitely worth a shot. (plus it burns mega calories!!!!!!!! which is always nice)
2.0 bfp 4/23/16....mc 6/24/16 @11w5d
And before someone assumes it, I'm not trying to make an argument against breastfeeding here. I just wanted to talk up the positives of formula feeding a bit since it's still so taboo (I got a ton of flack from many different people in my life for it). Bottom line... do what's best for you and baby. A happy mama and full baby are the most important things to consider
G born 10/25/12 | H born 3/25/14
TTC#3 since 7/2015
Early loss 12/2015 most likely due to low progesterone
Began medicated cycles (Femara/Ovidrel/Endometrin) with TI 1/2016
BFP 3/22, EDD 12/4/16 ~ It's a GIRL!
Edit: I didn't want to do formula because I am cheap and I had supply, so I just kept pumping. I did end up having to supplement towards the end due to my supply going down, but then switched to supplementing with cow's milk pretty quickly.
Baby G born 6/6/14, 37 weeks 1 day due to preeclampsia. 5lb12oz 19"
#2 due Christmas 2016.
Also as a PSA, I experienced dysphoric milk ejection reflex, which can absolutely play a role in your ongoing commitment to nursing. Basically for your milk to drop, your prolactin levels have to increase, and dopamine inhibits prolactin. So about a minute before your milk drops, your dopamine level will drop so the prolactin can increase. The plummet in dopamine doesn't affect every woman; however, it CAN affect some women's mood. For me, I noticed that before my milk dropped, I thought I was going to have a panic attack...every time. My anxiety would shoot through the roof. I had another friend who experienced this anxiety before the milk drop as well. Another friend said that before her milk would drop, she felt, "like the saddest woman in the world." She didn't have any postpartum depression, but this reflex actually led her to quit breastfeeding after one week. Some women note that they feel ragey/angry at the time. Dopamine just has different impacts emotionally on each individual. There is very little research on this, but out of myself and 6 other friends who gave birth around the same time, three of us noticed this issue. My advice for anyone experiencing this is to pay attention when it's happening and know that it is acute. I got to the point where, when I felt a flash of anxiety, I could tell myself to wait it out because it will end when your milk drops. You can push through it, and eventually it just becomes a warning of when your milk is about to drop.
Baby #1
Baby #2
~04/19/16 EDD 12/26/16~
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With that said, my formula fed 2 year old has never had an ear infection or any other type of illness aside from 2 colds when she was about 7 months old that she picked up visiting my great grandma on her death bed, in a hospital. She's incredibly smart and her teachers (daycare) are constantly surprised she knows things that the other kids in her class (ages 2-4) don't know. DH helped a lot with feedings and DD is a total daddy's girl. It helped DH bond with her from day 1.
Yes formula costs money and bottles are a pain to wash, but my daughter is no worse off due to formula feeding. I wish the stigma (one way or the other) would stop. I have had near strangers ask me if I was breastfeeding DD or will be with this one. Why is that even a question people should ask others? I find it ridiculous that either choice has to be defended. Feed your kid. Do what you can/what you want/what your baby is able to do.
This time around I'm going to do whatever is right at the time for my baby and my family. And not feel guilty. So should everyone else here.
With that said, my formula fed 2 year old has never had an ear infection or any other type of illness aside from 2 colds when she was about 7 months old that she picked up visiting my great grandma on her death bed, in a hospital. She's incredibly smart and her teachers (daycare) are constantly surprised she knows things that the other kids in her class (ages 2-4) don't know. DH helped a lot with feedings and DD is a total daddy's girl. It helped DH bond with her from day 1.
Yes formula costs money and bottles are a pain to wash, but my daughter is no worse off due to formula feeding. I wish the stigma (one way or the other) would stop. I have had near strangers ask me if I was breastfeeding DD or will be with this one. Why is that even a question people should ask others? I find it ridiculous that either choice has to be defended. Feed your kid. Do what you can/what you want/what your baby is able to do.
This time around I'm going to do whatever is right at the time for my baby and my family. And not feel guilty. So should everyone else here.
Baby #1
Baby #2
~04/19/16 EDD 12/26/16~
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Setting small goals helped me tremendously. Thinking "I have to breastfeed for a year" wasn't encouraging to me, so I pretty much went month by month and had a "yay me" party every time I made it to the next month.
Breastmilk is great for the reasons others listed and formula is also great! I was a solely formula-fed baby and I like to think that I turned out pretty awesome But really, you'll find what's best for you. Whether it's BFing or FFing, as long as your LO has a full belly, you're doing it right!
DD born 7.27.2014
BFP 09.2015 - m/c 10.21.2015
Let me EDIT I mentioned BFing was very natural for me and DS, but I forgot to mention he had low blood sugar so they gave him formula along with breast feeding in the hospital. We stopped formula once I got home ( because my milk came in full force). The goal is to feed your baby so they are healthy! How ever way works for you
with all of that support and education you'll have a far higher chance at success and overcoming or avoiding obstacles. You don't have to pick today, but it would be to your advantage to start educating yourself if you are considering breastfeeding. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is a good place to start.
The study I was discussing used several measures to examine academic achievement: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Peabody Individual Achievement Test - Reading Recognition, and Peabody Individual Achievement Test – Math Ability, Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC), and scholastic competence. While there certainly were still differences between many pairs of siblings (there certainly are within my own family), the data did not show a statistical trend supporting greater intelligence based on either feeding category. You can read the full study here for more information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4077166/
Baby #1
Baby #2
~04/19/16 EDD 12/26/16~
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Me: 33 H: 36
Married: 12/14/13 DS: 1/29/09
BFP2: 10/9/15 MMC: 11/12/15
BFP3: 4/6/16 DD: 12/12/16
this is for direct BF though, pumping is a whole different story.
DD1 got a couple bottles of formula in the early days. it smelled bad and gave her reflux.
DD2 never tasted formula.
if you are willing to try BF, there really is nothing to lose. but give it a decent try, around a month, and get yourself prepared for some possible early struggles. a myriad of issues can arise during BF a newborn but many of them can be fixed with a little effort.
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Do whatever is best for you and LO. Don't let anyone shame you into making one choice over the other. Even though breastfeeding was such a personal thing for me and I struggled so hard to try to make it work, that breast is best crap makes me ragey. I'm so sick of the mommy shaming. I've totally been judged by strangers who know absolutely nothing about me or DD for bottle feeding. I'm just waiting for it to happen again so I can say something smart and make them feel like an idiot.
So, onto my question. I fully intend to try to BF with the knowledge that things don't always turn out the way you want them to. I will be staying home once the baby is born so there isn't an issue with feeding times during the day but I would like to be able to pump some as well so that my H can take his turns in the night or take an evening feeding session. How does that fit in with a typical BFing schedule? Am I going to have to be pumping in the middle of the night while he's feeding the baby or, assuming good supply, would I be trying to accumulate enough extra milk during the day so that I could *sleep* through those feedings? Just a bit of FTM ignorance that hopefully some of you can help me out with...
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But seriously.. You will do what's best for you and your family. I never wanted to BF until I got pregnant with DD. It was really important to H and became important to me. My birthing/hospital experience ended up not being at all as I had envisioned. There was lots of trauma and exhaustion and medication on top of my baby who was dropping weight and growing increasingly jaundice. I tried for a while to keep the breast milk torch burning by pumping and supplementing and trying to perfect her latch.. It all became too much for me and it was even affecting my marriage. I put a lot of mommy guilt on myself for choosing to formula feed exclusively around 3 months, but looking back I have no regrets. None.
This time I will not put crazy expectations on myself, but I will also probably try harder to BF now that I know what to anticipate. But, if we have to switch to formula, that will be ok too
That being said, DS is happy and healthy and wonderful and formula has worked out great for us so if I have to go that route I'm fine with it!
Formerly known as Kate08young
August '18 Siggy April Showers:
Married: 7/22/14
Baby L: 8/4/2015 August 2015 Moms
Baby E: 11/18/2016 December 2016 Moms
TTC #3 08/2017 BFP 11/27/2017.
Twin B lost 11/22/2017, Twin A doing well.
My baby took 2.5 weeks to get back to birth weight and she was formula fed. That caused concern but she was gaining so I had more time before interventions.