Do you enjoy bottlefeeding? Am I alone?

[peaches27]

I have always felt a little put off by people who are so overenthusiastic about breastfeeding that I just cannot fathom them out. All I can remember are the cracked, sore nips, feeding for hours on end, leaking milk and generally feeling that my life was not my own. Where was the "almost orgasmic sensation at let down"? I dont think I even remember feeling a sensation, apart from dread at approaching the carrycot. When I tearfully gave up the struggle and gave DS a bottle it was love at first sight for both of us. Finally he was satisfied and full. Finally I was comfortable and got my life back. As I am typing this I can almost feel the righteous indignation of the breastfeeders.

Can you please accept that it is not the same wonderful experience for everyone and if we want to give up because we hate it we shouldnt be made to feel guilty as several generations have grown up perfectly healthily on formula. (Breastfeeders now search for statistics which prove that breastfed people are healthier).

I am writing this and viewing the subject with a very long perspective. I last breastfed in 1982. It was very fashionable then and I felt a failure when it didnt work and I didnt feel the same as the people in the pregnancy books or the NCT/LLL leaflet. (BTW in those days I didnt live in a posh enough part of the city to access NCT/LLL). This feeling of failure was compensated by the happy healthy infant who thrived on formula and also the extra free time I had even after preparing feeds!

I am raising my grandkids and obviously my DGD has formula just like her mummy did. I love giving her those bottles, especially the night ones when its just the two of us. She is happy too.

Anyone else share this experience?

I felt a little guilty with every bottle I did try to breastfeed but bleeding nipples and a baby who was swallowing so much blood he threw up everything he drank was difficult.

orgasmic sensation

wtf???

excellent post Bugsy

hunker - well tbh - I only really glanced at the 100% bf thread, I can make no contribution that would be useful. I could post that actually I was 100% avid bottlefeeder and how much I enjoyed it but that's not what the thread is about and would probably detract from it because folk would think I was being contentious and the thread would turn like this one has.

Great thread peaches !!

Enjoyed Breast and bottlefeeding both Dd's.
Only managed a few days of breastfeeding with Dd1 and 7 weeks with Dd2 but felt i gave both my girls a good start and never once had any guilt when changing to formula milk.

I agree with you jools the thread "Who out there is an avid 100% breast feeder?" is similar to this one but just imagine if someone posted the comment 'bloody stupid thread' on there?

I loved bf and bottle feeding mine when they were little.

I just loved the feeling of cuddling up to them

fgs bitsamoney, there's been swipes at both formula and breastfeeders. All extremely dull and childish.

I happened to mention swipes at bottlefeeders here, because someone else intimated that people who breastfeed would be jumped on for making negative comments about formula feeding. I responded in the context of the thread.

Was only drawn in because it was a post from peaches who I think deserves a fucking medal, sod whether she's got a few peoples backs up.

PARP

i always said i wanted to bf my babies and assumed it would be the easiest thing in the world to do- its nature fgs!! i did however find that it has been the hardest thing i have ever had to do!! i exclusively bfed my dd til she was 11wks but then i decided to introduce a bottle of formula once a day- its been upped to 2 bottles a day now!!- i have rediscovered the feeling of sleep as dp can do her last feed at night while i sleep instead of it being all boob all the time!! i was advised by my health visitor to carry on bf til 6 mths as if i introduced formula my dd would be sick!!- stupid cow i thought so i just did what i wanted anyway as shes my dd not hers!now my dd is almost sleeping through and is so much more content as shes getting what she needs in bulkiness and still being bf during the day!! i am an advocate for anyone who wants to bf but at the same time i think that for those who want to bottle feed their babies that they should do as they feel is fit and not feel pushed into feeling guilty that they are not b/feeding! its nobody elses choice but the mothers so dont be judgemental on other peoples choices!!
sorry it so long winded!!

o for gods sake.

glad you found a method that worked for you and help you have a better relationship with your children peaches.

To be honest I found both bf and bottle feeding a pita my dd had colic and my ds had reflux so feeding for me is linked to screaming and puke roll on solids is what I say ....

Bugsy2 you are a star...clear and concise and unclouded by emotion/guilt/pride etc etc (none of which are a swipe at anybody, anywhere, at all.

I really don't see why this thread is controversial...

However, I think I may be with Puff from now on and resolutely ignore all threads about breast and bottle feeding because it all seems to get a bit daft with people taking "sides" even when there are no bloody "sides"!!!!

I have to agree with this thread. I am about to have my second baby and hope to do better at breast feeding then I did the first time around.

I know a lot women feel that socially breastfeeding women are not supported or encouraged. But I certainly remember the guilt and frustration i felt when i finally switched permanently to bottles. I didn't even admit to my HV that I had because I was frightened of a lecture. I also remember the utter relief when DS finally started to gain weight and I realised that although breast is best, formula certainly not the poison it was being made out to be ( i exagerate but that's how it felt at the time)

Its great so many of you agree with me and interesting to note that the breastfeeder had to use the f word to express herself.

Its not a stupid thread either, so many people agree with me.

Research shows breast is best for baby and I dont argue with that, but if it spoils the way you feel about feeding your child why put yourself through it when there is a perfectly acceptable alternative.

I DID want to say this 24 years ago, but there was no mumsnet, indeed no net at all!

I was grumpy yesterday but I am so glad I got it off my chest!

P.S. the "almost orgasmic" was a quote from a baby book which I no longer have, but was likely someone like Miriam Stoppard!

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, rap my knuckles.

Patronising baggage.

why is it interesting that "the breastfeeder" says fuck peaches?
does breastfeeding make you swear do you think?
I am sorry you didn't have access to NCT/LLL at the time peaches, maybe you would have had a better experience of breastfeeding and would feel it necessary to take a swipe at "overenthuiastic breastfeeders" and to try and arouse their indignation 24 years later.
It isn't "us" and "them" - there are not two camps for all your attempts to make it so. I am not "the breastfeeder" - you are not "the bottlefeeder" - we are both mothers. So calm down a bit.

lol at "the breastfeeder had to use the f word to express herself"

Must be all her intellect and vital life force draining out through her norks... is there a deeper paranoia at work here?

(That's what I should've said... )

actually I am quite liking the theory that breastfeeding makes you swear: viz me, hunker, suzywong....
hmmmmm it all starts to come together

oh and by the way I think that organsmic quote is from Sheila Kitzinger but I can't be arsed to go and check right this minute
lazy bf feck that I am

am a bit bemused at the idea of separate areas for breast/bottle feeding

what about people who do both? what about people who aren't sure which one

and what about people who want a good scrap, eh, eh?

peaches27 on Wednesday, 19 April, 2006 1:39:03 PM:

"Its great so many of you agree with me"

Nuff said

Peaches, you are being deliberately inflammatory, to the extent of trolling.

You choose a daft quote about orgasm.

You accuse people (in the original post, before any responses) of expressing righteous indignation.

You imagine people going off to find statistics which makes it clear you think this is boring and predicatable.

You imply that in 1982 (and possibly today) you have to live somewhere 'posh' to get volunteer breastfeeding help (which has never been true).

You also accuse people of 'making' others feel guilty.

In addition, you posit a link between breastfeeding and swearing which has to be pure trollism. Why is it 'interesting' the breastfeeder (and why 'the breastfeeder' - plenty of breastfeeders on this thread! ) 'had to use the 'f' word'? Why is the method of feeding linked with 4-letter words?? I really don't get it. Would it not have been better to say 'I note that someone who disagreed with my stance used a four-letter word' rather than that?

You are a troll - and old enough, I would have thought, to get your jollies in a more sensible way.

FWIW, I am happy when mothers and babies get satisfaction, delight and contentment through whatever method of feeding, though I regard individual experience as none of my business unless I am asked to comment/give info.

Harpsi - isn't it birth that's orgasmic, according to Sheila K? :)

peaches with the greatest respect you sound like you have a big chip on your shoulder. hunker wasn't the only breastfeeder to post on this thread. Don't make such silly generalisations.

Hurray, tiktok's here.

"Its great so many of you agree with me and interesting to note that the breastfeeder had to use the f word to express herself."

Interesting to note that the bottlefeeder doesn't know how to use apostrophes.