To not even consider breastfeeding

[Ilovemybreasts]

Currently pregnant with no 2, breastfed no 1 to around six months and HATED the experience so not keen to repeat it for several reasons.

1)Felt like a big, leaky, highly uncomfortable cow for the whole time and could not wait to have my body back.

2. Have seen the physical effects of breast feeding two children on several of my friends and it ain't pretty. My breasts are large and have only just recovered from the first feeding frenzy. Two shirt-spaced cycles of constant swelling and shrinking would not be good for their wellbeing! Although my body has borne children I still like to look and feel attractive; being a mother is not my whole identity and not an excuse to let my health and image fall by the wayside.

3. Hours spent pumping and clusterfeeding and mucking about led to a very tired and stressed out me and this time I will have a toddler also needing my time and attention.

4. The many benefits of breastfeeding are not entirely obvious to me. Dc1 still gets ill and picks up bugs as much as several other children we know who were exclusively ff.

5. I became a complete bf bore, bleating on to everyone about it and it's benefits. I swear it took over my life when I should have just been enjoying my baby.

Flame away. Convince me otherwise. Am I likely to be judged for this in real life?

The best advice I ever got (I've seen it on here, but got it in real life) is never make a fuss about what the children are eating. Don't discuss it, don't praise and don't criticise. If we could only apply the same to their mothers before 6 months... Couldn't care less what anyone else does, as long as it's an informed choice and they get the support if they need it.

She asked opinions yes- but implying someone loves their kids less because they dont want to breastfeed is slightly more than offering an opinion and giving an insult would you not think?

Heh? I didn't post that did I? I tried with dd will try with second if I am lucky enough to conceive.
However OP doesn't have to try if she doesn't want to. no sodding bf law yet whatever Gisele thinks.

I was talking about the op pomme.

Leonie is entitled to her opinion without Being called names - if you dont like her opinion don't let it bother you just ignore!

I wouldn?t be keen to bottlefeed for the following reasons:
1)Would feel like a chemist perpetually in the kitchen boiling kettles, measuring powder and mixing. Would become impoverished due to spending money intended for shoes and handbags on tins of milk at £20 a pop, bottles and sterilisers.
2) Have seen the physical effects of bottle feeding children on several of my friends and it ain't pretty. My breasts are like they were before and I lost all the baby weight within 3 months of giving birth. I wear nursing bras from Agent Provocateur. I am no more or less attractive than I was before. I am aware that having and feeding a baby is the most feminine thing one can possibly do. Nobody can be in any doubt that I am a Lady and indeed a Lady that someone has found attractive enough to do the sex with.
3) Hours spent clusterfeeding and not pumping led to a very relaxed me, watching DVD box sets, eating cake and reading the Economist.
4) The many benefits of breastfeeding are entirely obvious to me. I understand statistics and know that the plural of anecdote is not data. My uncle smoked 40 a day and lived to 85, but I am not taking up cigs any time soon. The drawbacks of formula milk are so blindingly obvious to me that for anyone to choose it as a lifestyle option is beyond my ken.
5) I became a bf helper, helping friends and acquaintances however I can. I am, hopefully, not an evangelist, just an informed enthusiast.

Excellent post mrsgordon :)

Op it is not compulsory.

I image the only reason you may encounter raised eye brows in RL is because you state in your post that you became a BF bore.

Well said MrsGordon.

I think anyone going as far as to suggest that ff your baby is an indication of not loving them enough needs pulling up anonymous forum or not. I also think it indicates an imbalance of perspective.

1. What's wrong with feeling like a chemist? What if you have enough money to afford milk, bottles, sterilisers and shoes and handbags?
2. I was ff and some, indeed if I am to be so bold, many have described me as pretty. Heh. Also it cannot be said that people with the afflictions associated with ff would not have suffered them if they had been bf. The chances are lessened but it is not some kind of automatic protection. I also lost baby weight, quicker than you actually Mrsgordon and I mixed fed from 3 weeks and eff from 8 weeks.
3. Hours spent feeding a baby on the sofa whilst I had to move house and dh put in 15 hour days led to a me as stressed out as I had ever been in my life before.
4. Genetics - massive.

attachment comes from variety of sources, maternal rapport,cuddles,soft words - it isnt solely derived from feeding mode.at all.if you genuinely feel ff will make you feel relaxed and capable then fair enough.what matters is optimising you feeling relaxed,and able to balance demands of newborn and a toddler.you know your own situation,so your call

do go to hosp prepared with cartons, bottles and let the mw know your preference.ask to be recorded in your notes too

but most of all congratulations and best wishes hope all goes well

formula is not '£20 a pop' its about £9 a tin

Blimey, this topic really exposes a lot of posters for the insane nutbags they are

I think your reasons are rubbish, but I wouldn't say so to your face.

Mrsgordon my heroine!

I don't get why people think bottles are such a faff.

1. Open bottle. Pour in formula from carton. Close bottle. Feed baby. Once a day when doing the washing up, wash bottles and stick them in the steriliser.

I breastfed my first for about a week and really didn't like it so didn't bother at all with my second. Enjoyed being able to see exactly how much milk they were taking from the bottle and being able to delegate feeds. Also, wanted to regain my body quicker if I'm honest.

My kids thrived on the bottle and I've no regrets but it's a very personal decision.

I had a really difficult time at the beginning bf'ing DS and I have no doubt that the struggle I had was partly to blame for the pnd that I suffered. I was however determined to succeed and DS then completely refused a bottle so we continued till 17 months (it did get easier). I am now pg with number 2. I am still going to give bf'ing a try as I would like to think that it might be easier this time but if it isn't then I won't kill myself trying and trying again.

OP - why not give it a try then if it works you can save the money you would have spent on formula on a boob job should you need it

Have just come back from the docs with dd,10 months who has had a bad cough for 6 weeks. Finally diagnosed as bronchiolitus. The print out said breastfeeding may lessen the severity of it and help children recover quicker. I though it was really bad but imagine if it had been worse! So glad to be breastfeeding.

The point I'm trying to make is you might be making life easier for yourself in the long run if you bf. I am not trying to convince you either way, just suggesting you make an informed choice.

Haha, what MrsGordon said.

I think that you would need to ff a lot of children to save up enough for a boob job.

I agree with panzee and I didn't even use cartons. It literally took a few minutes to wash bottles, them make them up for the day.The only time consuming bit was waiting for the electric steriliser to go through it's cycle.

fatlazy, did you make them up correctly though? I'm really surprised by how many people who do it incorrectly because it's easier and are putting their babies at risk.

Regardless of how easy you found it to scrub/sterilise and make up bottles every day nothing is faster than getting out a breast! :)

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's faster (although I was so bad at it bottles were faster ) but it's far from the huge palaver some seem to think.