who is not planning on breastfeeding?

[julybaby1587]

Being a first time mom, I'm trying to get all of the input I can. Every post I see on here about breastfeeding is positive. With everything, there are always 2 sides. My questin is, who planned on breastfeeding but didn't continue and why? Is there anyone who is unsure or doesn't plan on breastfeeding? Please don't give abrasive responses about how breastfeeding is the only way. I just want to see this aspect from all, unbiased points of view.

[jadeb89]

I tried with my first but it wasn't working for me I didn't produce enough milk... And she was always hungry once I bottle fed she was fine and slept well so I kept going... With my son I just bottle fed but breasted while I was in hospital just so he could get all the goodness at the start and with my third I'm going to try and express into bottles coz it hurts hahaha I'm a sook and can't wait it out lol

[rjg3boys]

they usually ask before you deliver but you can let them know at any point..don't know if all hospitals are the same but each time i went they were like stocked up on formula and diapers in the drawer in the hospital room

[Eevee_moon]

I think breastfeeding is one of those things that just has one side it's the best for baby.. but every woman is different and breastfeeding isn't best for everyone. A friend of mine was breastfeeding and her daughter wasn't gaining weight I'm guessing her milk may not have been very good.. In my case I did breastfeed for about a year the first time and a year and three months the second time.  Both my girls haven't latched on so I was forced to pump but still did 100% breastmilk

[lieschenb]

With my first i never produced any milk...which some people will tell you is impossible. I made my dr give me pills to produce milk against his wishes. So my son was bottle fed until my milk came in at day 10. That is when i stopped enjoying him. Nonstop screaming and vomiting. After 2 wks of him wanting to feed nonstop i caved in and made a bottle which he sucked dry and then slept for 5 hrs. I gave up right there and then. My already huge breasts doubled in size and  never got smaller. I got baby blues due to feeling like a failure because i could not breastfeed and because he developed colic. With this pregnancy i have already decided to not even attempt bf. I am not putting myself and my family through that ever again. I will be getting a pill after labour to dry up any milk if i produce. People are however very judgemental and i have already lied to a few about my plans with the new baby. Due to this judgement i feel that was a big part of why i developed depression in the fiest place...you r not a failure if ypu dont breastfeed!

[rjg3boys]

must say though if formula was cheaper or i had money, I'd probably opt not to breastfeed.

[julybaby1587]

If I choose not to breastfeed, do I just tell the nurses after my baby is born? Do they ask what you prefer?

[rjg3boys]

formula fed my first and breastfed my second til 9 months. took a couple weeks for him to latch properly so almost gave up because  it was painfull and frustrating. glad i continued, formula is so expensive..gave him formula at 9months for two months and then bout 10-11months started him on regular milk. i stopped at 9 months because he got teeth and i didn't want to get bit. i plan to breastfeed this one too...my goal is for 9 months. definitely more convenient to breastfeed

[Vicky230182]

Hey. Currently pregnant with no3 baby at 5 weeks. With my first I bottle fed as i was extremely embarrassed about talking about breastfeeding or even trying it. I hated the thought of a baby being latched onto to my boob. I wouldn't discuss it with anyone, if someone asked me I told them point blankly no I will not be breastfeeding even though midwives and my family kept on saying you should do it, it's better for the baby. So I ignored them and bottle fed my 1st. now 6 she's perfectly fine. It's your choice, no matter what you choose it doesn't matter. With my second I looked into it a little bit more. I read a lot about it and asked midwives questions and I told my partner I would try it, even did pros and cons and pros out weighed cons, it did take a lot of convincing me to give it ago even tho I thought I would be embarrassed to do it when baby was born but I tried it and the moment she was put there and fed I knew immediately that I loved it. And so with my 3rd I will breastfeed again. Xxx

[ericatoday]

My first I tried for 2 days but he wouldn't latch right and I had nobhelp and knew nothing about lactation consultants. With this one I was determined it was so painful the first week I dreaded feedings I went and saw a lactation consultant 6 days pp and she helped so much after the soreness went away in a few days its like nothing. After the first month I pumped and bottle fed but that's very time consuming. So I went back to just breastfeeding. Once he can hold his own bottle I'll go back to pumping and breastfeeding occasionally to keep my supply up. Breast feeding isn't for everyone but I think everyone should try. I'm 3 months pp and now all I have to do is pull out my boob and he latches himself its super easy.

[jesshat]

I plan on Breastfeeding as long as I produce but with both my son's it was 4 months and my milk started drying up. I don't know why I ate more and drank plenty but my body just doesn't seem to produce long.

[julybaby1587]

I love all of these comments! Just pure feedback with no negative connotations either for or against breastfeeding. I've got plenty of time to decide and really appreciate your input. Thank you ladies!

[koyama83]

I breastfed both of mine for over a year each. It seems to be the only thing that my reproductive system does well. I have tons of issues like cysts on the ovaries, bleeding out, eclampsia etc but I can produce milk like a pro lol.

[mommaDof3]

I only did for a very short amount of time with my first.  I was under a lot of stress and on meds for post partum so my supply dried up and I couldn't any more. So I really only breast fed for about 4 weeks. It is the healthiest option for your baby if you ate able to but it won't kill him if you dont. I breastfed for about 9 months with my daughter and plan on nursing again with this one.  

[mrskenny87]

With my first I decided to try breastfeeding but I want putting any pressure on myself and said that if I couldn't then I'd switch. I switched when my son was 17 weeks (he'd been having bottles from dad one day a week from about 4 weeks old) as he was no longer putting weight on and my milk supply just couldn't cope with the amount he needed. Plan on doing the same this time around knowing that the formula milk now is a great alternative so I wouldn't worry about switching and not giving my baby what they need

[bonnieella20]

It may sound bad but I am not going to because I dont want my boobs to ache and change. I dont like how they look pregnant and I know theyll just get worse if I breast feed. Also id like my bf to get up for feedings.

[tink0428]

I tried in the hospital to breastfeed but my son wouldn't latch and I know breastfeeding is completely natural and great for babies but as the nurses would rub my nipple on my son's mouth I got grossed out all I could think was my husband puts his mouth there during sex and I'm putting it in my babies mouth I just couldn't I let my milk dry up and he was formula fed I stood by my decision and even when I got pregnant didn't plan on breastfeeding until I found out there's nipple shields now lol for some reason that barrier makes it seem not so dirty to me and I have a breast pump now also in case that doesn't work out I was very young with my son and couldn't over come that feeling and I wasn't prepared with a pump but either way he's extremely healthy always has been only been sick a couple times in 6 years my brothers and myself where all formula fed my mother also and where very healthy I'm going to give it a try this time but I won't be worried if it doesn't work out

[todayyyyistheday]

I'm bottle feeding even though I wanted my babies to have breast milk. However,  having twins it's very hard to breastfeed!!!!! It's double the feeding time and I need to produce double the milk! Also, if both babies are awake for feeding I can't breastfeed both at the same time :( it's just so hard for me. I tried pumping, but sometimes I don't have time due to taking care of my babies.  It's a 24 hour job and I need some sleep to function. I am sad that I couldn't give them just breast milk :(

[emilyrussell09]

I have a 21 month old that was bottle fed and has had no sickness whatsoever. He is healthy, active, and as close to perfect ands he can be. Pg with baby 2 and plan to bottle feed her as well. Yes breast milk might be better and cheaper, but to each her own. I just didn't for my own personal reasons and I have no problems with that. It's just not for everyone.

[no2comingsoon]

I love all the comments here no bashing bottle feeders or breast feeders.
I tried to breast feed with my 1st... lasted about 3mths then not knowing i had a severe infection and was sick as well as mastitis and my milk dried up.
This time im going straight to formula im not risking my baby not getting what he needs.

[Lindsay_Berger]

I fully support breast feeding but by the same token realize it is not for everyone and can be extremely difficult. With my first child he first had difficulty layching, I developed mastitis but it cleared with an oral antibiotic. I kept going but then found that one breast would make about 3x as much milk as the other so when I went back to work as an RN on a busy floor it was difficult to find time to break for pumping and difficult to stay hydrated enough. I made it about 6 weeks with my first. We'll see how it goes this time. I want to try again but I'm keeping my expectations realistic and won't be crushed if I have to switch to formula.....

[ashleybm07]

I am a ftm and my best friend has breastfed her son exclusively for the last 16 months. So much that whenever he is hungry he just goes and tries to rip off her shirt whenever he is hungry thirsty or just irritated and wants to be soothed. Which you can imagine makes wheen in him off for day care really hard. I will try my best to breast feed but will switch between bottle and breastfeeding since I will be working. If it doesn't work I have looked into organic formula in the event. I am OK if it doesn't work. Not concerned with anyone telling me what is best for my son when they aren't raising him. I will say I think you should try but everything isn't for everyone. I was bottle fed and am just fine. Whatever let's me feed my son on a regular basis is what I will do. I'm not really the type to be swayed by others opinions any way though. Good luck and stand by whatever decision you make.  

[Kryara]

I really wanted to breastfeed with my first and REALLY tried. First of all I went over by two weeks, had a failed induction as baby was lying in a deflexed occipito posterior position. Ie completely wrong way! We also found out during the emergency c-section she was 9lb 3. So there was no way she fitting through my pelvis.
After having her I was exhausted from the failed 25 hr labour, the c section and a hemorrhage. I tried feeding her but she was so big and they NEVER tell you that the colostrum will not fill a large baby so she chewed my nipples off in starvation. I gave her a top up after she spend two days solid screaming for more food and I expressed to try and get my milk in. Because of the issues at the start she refused to latch after and I expressed for 7 weeks after. However my milk supply was low so I was constantly expressing and was exhausted. I had 4 womb infections in the weeks following her birth and developed gastroenteritis at 4 weeks post partum. Eventually the midwives who came to the house (they refused to discharge me until 8 weeks) told me categorically I needed to stop breastfeeding as I was actually not enjoying my baby because I was so desperate to 'give her the best'. This was completely against what I was told in the hospital when I was made to feel I wasn't good enough and it was only after I stopped breastfeeding that I started bonding with my baby.

I am now pregnant with number two and I am going to try BF again but I will not destroy myself like I did the first time.

[Dametrice]

I will breast feed latching until 6 weeks, then breast feed through pumping for as long as i can. I'm a working mom so six weeks off and its back to work.

[Dametrice]

With my 7 year old, that was my plan. Do it for the first few months of life. She didn't latch, my boobs tripled in size and got Rick hard and i couldn't really pump. I gave up. This time around, i will do it and stick to it. The trick i didn't know was to pump every two hours. I bought an electric pump this time. I'm ready lol.