Did you ever regret formula feeding from birth?

I combi fed from day 3 with both, then dropped breastfeeding at 5 or 6 months. Looking back I feel like I would have enjoyed the newborn phase more had I just bottle fed. I suppose I’m glad I did a bit of breastfeeding as well, but on the whole I just don’t think it’s as important as it seemed at the time.

I combi fed from day 3 with both, then dropped breastfeeding at 5 or 6 months. Looking back I feel like I would have enjoyed the newborn phase more had I just bottle fed. I suppose I’m glad I did a bit of breastfeeding as well, but on the whole I just don’t think it’s as important as it seemed at the time.

I absolutely hated breastfeeding dc1 but I powered through. It was a very miserable time for me. I decided to formula feed DC2 from the very start and had a lovely experience in the first few months. It was the opposite of regret, it was relief.

this was my gran! (although 4 not 5)
She had a full time job and helped my vicar grandfather with a very busy parish so it was often a case of hand baby over to the nearest obliging old lady and say your turn hahahaha
4 very healthy strong kids with no issues.

I was the same. My mum gave the first bottle as my gran did to me and MIL pushed the pram out of the hospital.

Cuntea

Not related to the post but I’ve seen your username a few times and often wondered what your username would be if you were a tea drinker.
I thought about “in the sea before my tea” but it’s just not that catchy.

I come from a family who think 'breast or your giving your baby poison'

I tried,I really tried but I fucking hated every second

I hated the feel of it,hated not being able to move from under a feeding baby 24/7,hated the let down feeling,hated trying to feed in the night-i hated all of it

I put them on the bottle and was a better mother for it

My only regret is not telling them to either whip their own tits out or shut the fuck up

Oddly,the men where the most vocal about 'how I was giving my baby poison'

They all grew up to be strapping adults so no harm done and nobody can tell that I tried and failed to feed them

No, no regrets at all.

He is 12 now and has grown into a strapping lad - 5ft 10 already, very slim, has never struggled with illness during primary and now secondary, eats anything and everything and is very bright academically.

People told me he would be more ill etc. If formula fed but it hasn't been that way at all.

He was a big baby at 9lb 6oz and I wasn't well after an emergency c-section and blood transfusion, so formula was the best option all round.

No, no regrets at all.

He is 12 now and has grown into a strapping lad - 5ft 10 already, very slim, has never struggled with illness during primary and now secondary, eats anything and everything and is very bright academically.

People told me he would be more ill etc. If formula fed but it hasn't been that way at all.

He was a big baby at 9lb 6oz and I wasn't well after an emergency c-section and blood transfusion, so formula was the best option all round.

Most of my friends who struggled first time round had a much easier time second time around. So I'd say at least give it a go. You'll know if/when you want to switch. If it does work out it can be very easy and convenient. If it doesn't then you are already experienced at formula feeding.

No, I don’t regret it at all. My son is healthy and rarely ill, met all his milestones on time and is doing well academically. It held no appeal to me at all so wouldn’t have added anything to either of our lives.

But I never intended to breast feed at all, so I don’t have any negative emotions or experiences attached to it that would make me prone to regret.

Nope. I did try and I pumped and pumped some more until I almost went crazy. Then I just stopped. Toddler is almost 2 - he did everything early, speaks, and has never been ill. Not even fever - except vaccines related.

I regret not trying to breastfeed. I didn’t even attempt it with either of mine, I regretted it afew months after my eldest was born.

With my 2nd child, I didn’t feel I could attempt it with him if I hadn’t done it with dd. It felt like it wasn’t fair to breastfeed one child but not the other.

Nope.

I didn’t want to breastfeed, so I didn’t.

Nope, not for a single second. I never even tried to bf. I saw my SIL crying in agony and despair with my niece instead of enjoying her baby. That was enough for me. My experience as a result was totally different. I know breastfeeding is slightly better health wise for the baby, but at what cost for god sake? Formula fed children haven't been dying in their droves or riddled with mental or physical health problems.

I would also probably try and express for a few weeks if I didn’t want to BF.

In all honesty I am very glad that I initially BF but I wish I FF much sooner.

If I had my time again I would BF for the first couple of weeks/months but then change to FF.

I found the physical act of BF easy but found a baby constantly latched to me really emotionally draining.
I spent too long BF and feel it had a big part in me developing PND.
(I can’t remember when I had to stop but it was before 6 months old and had to stop for medical reasons).

I always think women should be encouraged to try and BF even just for the first couple of days as we know colostrum and BM is better for babies but I would never feel guilty for not being able to do it or only doing it temporarily.

No never, I decided not to breastfeed when pregnant and never even tried it. I’ve never regretted it.

No

I BF DS without any issues but we’ll
probably combi feed number 2. I don’t want to pump (hassle) and it’ll be helpful to have the extra freedom. I did enjoy BF though, so won’t FF exclusively.

I did bf with my children but did less amount of time with each kid as they both had cow milk allergy and it made it all hard as I couldn't have dairy or soy and had to express and bf and honestly I was so drained from the stress of it all.

No. I despised breastfeeding! Endured it for a week with no.1 and maybe 4/6 weeks with no.2.

Both strong, healthy, over 6ft tall handsome young adults now!

No, cos I needed to be back at work 3 days after giving birth and I was rubbish at breastfeeding with my other two! To be honest, it was such a relief to be formula feeding - I think baby's dad bonded more with her as he could share the feeding right from birth, and I got more sleep as we could share the nights! You've just got to do what is right for you.

No. Never tried to BF either of mine. And they were always super healthy, rarely had days off school. No hayfever, eczema, asthma or anything else I was scared into believing they’d suffer with.

The best start you can give your baby in life isn’t breastmilk despite what they say, it’s a happy, stable mum. Maternal mental health is a far stronger determinant of outcome than whether they have formula or breast milk for what is really such a short period of their life.
With my last baby I took the low pressure approach of I’d give it a go and if the baby latched really well and supply came, no tongue tie, allergies etc. Then great, but if not I had formula in preparation. As it was, baby latched like a champ and it was a really effortless experience, but if it hadn’t been in anyway then I’d have used formula straight off rather than getting myself into the mental state I did with my first.
Also having children already you don’t have the time, energy, or mental, emotional or financial resources to throw at something you already know won’t matter in ten years as your existing children are relying on you. I always say if you really want to redirect any misplaced guilt about not breastfeeding then focus your energy on weaning them with a diverse range of foods. The eating habits they develop as children will set them up better in life than breastmilk or formula, so if you still feel any guilt (you shouldn’t!) then focus on that.