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?

You're welcome Vallhala, it's people like that that give breastfeeding advocates a bad name.x

IIRC a correlation between BF and lower likelihood of Breast Cancer over lifetime has been established by numerous studies. A cause or mechanism has not yet been established though there are theories.

The correlation is not the strongest factor in BC - after gender and age (obviously), age of first child and alcohol consumption are stronger factors.

And in the case of pre-menopausal cancer - genetics is the strongest factor there.

Agreed hobnobs

Incidentally, they're my favourite, too.

I breast fed for as long as possible but it was painful and incredibly stressful. Once i made the decision to stop i felt completely different about my son and actually dare i say it liberated!

Actually backward I actually feel a bit of a fraud as my real favourites are bourbons but i thought that bourbonsaremyfave didn't quite scan right IYSWIM.

How very dare you?

I know I know I am soooo ashamed.

myboobsrock - if you were making up the bottles like that in one go then you were putting your baby's health at risk - you have to kill the bacteria in the powder with boiling water and then allow to cool. I'm not sure how old your children are so perhaps guidelines have changed - but that is definitely no longer recommended. I'm sure there are plenty who will now jump up and say "i did it that way and my children are fine" so therefore all the research and publications by the WHO mean nothing

Also, you're wrong about ff babies sleeping longer -plenty of studies that show otherwise including some that show that breastfeeding women overall get more sleep - probably for the very reason that Leonie and Dancer mentioned - you can feed without even getting out of bed! :)

It really is very sad that so many women have such a poor body image and don't appreciate what breasts are actually there for. We are mammals you know! I would love to see breast feeding being talked about in schools as part of biology/child development or whatever. I think it would help to normalise it more before children get caught up in the whole breasts = sex mentality.

I'm not really sure we can resort to anecdotes for things like this Leonie. FWIW my MIL bf all 5 of her children and still got breastcancer. I know it does reduce the risk but it doesn't eliminate it so there are no guarantees at all unfortunately.

Agree with Leonie wholeheartedly.

You can bitch and moan about insensitivity all you like but the simple fact of the matter is that breasts are there to produce milk. That is why we have them. Evolution has ensured that this breastmilk production has multiple benefits for all concerned.

Breastfeeding improves your health and reduces the rish of breastcancer. Fact.

But regardless, I will always be of the opinion that choosing not to breastfeed is irresponsible, ignorant and selfish. Period.

Oh shit it's a full house tonight.

I think it only passes from the maternal side Leonie - I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure that's what the doctor said when we were discussing family history at one of my antenatal appts.

How many wankers trolls idiots can you actually squeeze on to one thread?

It is completely reasonable and perfectly fine for you and your baby - I couldn't breastfeed my twins - I was made to feel like a fraud and a bad mother by staff at Maternity hosp. and by our health visitor.
A truly horrible guilt ridden time...

Later with DD I told staff during my labour that I would do the breast thing for first 24 hours only then I was going straight onto bottles! I looked them in the face with a steely eye daring them to say anything ... No one did! Much better!

Happy me - happy baby - happy family!

Do what you feel is right for you!

Leonie, this then 37 year old vegetarian, size 8 with no history of breast cancer, no tendency to drink to excess, who admittedly didn't breast feed her 2 children got breast cancer.

I can compare my lifestyle, size, age, family history and eating and drinking habits favourably to quite a few female friends, who also had children and didn't BF or to those who have remained childless. Those women and I differ.

We differ on another score too... they haven't had breast cancer.

Now work that one out!

And I'm still riled that someone should make the scummy inference that my children should have ended up in a children's home and me in a coffin because I didn't breastfeed.

I amke no apology for using the word cunt about that person.

P.S. Some proper mares on hear tonight! What happened to women supporting women ... ?

here

Vallhalla - I agree that it is totally insensitive to suggest that medical treatment should be withheld becauase you didn't bf - as I said before - it's not guaranteed anyway.

oh I do love a BF thread that blames a non BF'der for her own breast cancer. I have never heard Vallhala say anything nasty on all my years on MN, but she is truly justified tonight. I will join in Val What a bunch of cunts.

Agree with mummynutter

It's funny how if you are a passionate about bf and it's benefits you get called all kinds of names but people who are opinionated about ff never get called names - not that they should at all but it seems like passionate bf women are fair game

Hmmmmmm!