to think nearly all the mums I see are bottle feeding?

[newmumma2015]

Not judging those who can't breastfeed but when taking my new born out the past 3 months I've only seen one other mum breastfeeding. Are you all hiding?

I know quite a few BF mothers but I think that's because I have sought them out via BF groups etc. However the vast majority of babies here are bottle fed. People think I'm pretty mental for BF my twins!

It baffles me why what a baby is drinking is even on anyone other than it's parents' radar. who even notices this shit? And then goes on to ask random strangers on the internet to explain it! How the fuck would anyone here on MN know what the babies in your area are being fed and why? Why do you care?

I never managed to nurse in the moby, ring slings are supposed to be easiest, but never worked for me

Adjustable pouch sling worked, but not easy. Once they could sit upright in a ssc I'd just carry them at nip level and shove them to the side a bit and pop a boob out. Sling libaries/meets are supposed to be good places to learn which slings suit you & baby for feeding but I never managed to get to one.

There's tones of you tube videos on nursing in slings, and general sling use

Most people do bottle feed, so it's not surprising

Although when I was bottle feeding and feeling wretched about it (got over that the second time around) all I seemed to see was breastfeeding, so I would suggest you are selectively noticing what you want to notice.

Also, maybe people are breastfeeding in private or more discreet ways, whereas a bottle is hard to miss

but think mums who ff from birth awful can't get my head round it a baby is such a precious thing more important than anything you have to do your best for it surely

Well perhaps the 'awful' ff mums feel they are doing their best for their babies? I mean given that it appears to make no difference to the tons of very healthy, nourished, happily thriving children who were breastfed?

In the same way all those 'awful' mums with high bmi's during pregnancy, mostly give birth to happy, healthy, thriving babies.

Most mothers are doing what they feel is best for their babies and thankfully they're free to make those choices.

Who weren't breastfed.

Mostly bf where I live, unless all the bottle feeders are hiding for fear of being caught in a storm of voluminous pairs of judgy pants.

but think mums who ff from birth awful can't get my head round it a baby is such a precious thing more important than anything you have to do your best for it surely

Youre an idiot. Dont waste your energy feeling bad about things that dont matter.

but think mums who ff from birth awful can't get my head round it a baby is such a precious thing more important than anything you have to do your best for it surely

This sort of attitude make me really uncomfortable too. Not only am I worried about feeding in public in case I make a dogs dinner of it (boobs out, screaming baby etc…) but that people might think I preach this nonsense too.

think mums who ff from birth awful can't get my head round it a baby is such a precious thing more important than anything you have to do your best for it surely

You do realise it's not possible to spot the difference between those who were ff and those who were bf at any point ever, don't you?

OP - I was in the polar opposite situation to you in that I was the sole bottle feeder in my social group. Nobody commented and nobody cared. Why would they?

I've only ever seen one woman breastfeeding in public. I've also only ever seen a handful of women carrying their babies in slings, so I don't think they're doing it that way either.
I'm not sure what the breastfeeding rates are here. Perhaps they are doing it in private. I only breastfed for a few weeks , so obviously not an expert,but I would have not wanted to do it in public. I would have looked for a baby changing room.

Weird I was going to start the opposite thread on this today. I bottle feed but feel like the only one in my city. Every other mum I see with a baby is breastfeeding and I feel really conspicuous with my bottle and like everyone is judging me and feeling sorry for my poor formula fed baby

but think mums who ff from birth awful can't get my head round it a baby is such a precious thing more important than anything you have to do your best for it surely

I will formula feed because I suffer from severe anxiety and don't want the medication I take to transfer to DS, and it also means someone else can feed him if I'm having a bad day and need support. Every HCP I've spoken to has said its better for me to be well mentally than breastfeed and end up in the grip of severe depression, which I have had in the past.

Don't be a twat about women who bottle feed.

How do you know those babies are with their mums, they could be with childminders, friends or relatives, or nannies. I used to express my milk and take it in a bottle.

lady if anyone is thinking that, they're an idiot. There are scores of posters on here who FF, either by choice or through necessity, with thriving, intelligent, healthy babies and children. And many of us adults who were FF and are thriving, intelligent, healthy adults

You are doing what is best for your baby and your family and that is what's important. The biggest thing to remember, though, is that most of the time people are just engrossed in what they're doing, and don't give a shit whether babies around them are BF or FF. The only ones who do are twats.

Hmm, I have a 6 month old and still breastfeeding inc when it and about but I am a confident experienced mum who has never cared about what others thought as long as baby could be fed safely but SIL although breast feeding is far more circumspect and is unlikely to be visible when feeding her DC1. What I find interesting is a friend (DC1 who is 6 months older than my DC3) joined a breastfeeding support group and after the initial week or two all have switched to bottle feeds. Can't comment why as never went myself but does make me wonder what support they were getting ...

Andcake

I was one of those AWFUL AWFUl mothers who chose to ff after a weeks bf. No medical conditions, no problems with latching or anything, just a desire to be able to have a break and get dh to give me a break at the weekends. This saved my mental health as I could rest, have some me time (I had no family at all other than DH near me) and so IMO I was doing my best for my babies.

Surpisingly my two did not turn out to be juvenile delinquants or overweight monsters or stupid or anything else.

I think that breastfeeding is often less obvious from a casual glance.

If a baby is being bottle fed, then the bottle's pretty hard to miss if you glance over at the mum and baby.

But if a baby's being breastfed, then it could easily look at first glance as if the baby's getting a cuddle. Most women I see breastfeeding in public are pretty discreet about it.

People are being very hard on the OP. It's daunting breastfeeding in public in the beginning and it can help just to see others doing it. FWIW OP I fed my now 14month old every 2 hours in the day until she was about 8 months, and fed everywhere and anywhere! She was a quick feeder, and I doubt anyone much noticed as I either wore a vest top, or a breastfeeding top most of the time. Oddly I feel far more self conscious feeding her in public now she's bigger.

And Cake - I'm one of those awful formula feeding from birth through choice parents - my children are the most important thing in the world to me - how I fed them for the first 2-3 years isn't that important - you sound like you need to grow up a bit - good luck with that.

I bf but I managed not to wave my norks about in public so you probably wouldn't have noticed

YABU. You have no idea what's in that bottle. Could be expressed breast milk. Could be a special medically prescribed formula for its particular needs that you don't know anything about. As long as it's not gin who cares?