Did you breast of formula feed?

[isitThursday]

I'm not looking for a debate just wondering. Did you breast, formula or mix feed?

Exclusively bf DS1. Exclusively FF DS2. I much preferred formula feeding, and no discernable difference for my boys.

Try not to give yourself a hard time. It's natural to be disappointed, but it's just one very small part of a long life of parenting. I'm sure you'll be brilliant x

Ebf all 3 of my children because I'm lazy

Formula. Tried breastfeeding for all 3 but it hurt too much.

No regrets because as I said before I'm lazy loved breastfeeding and I produced so much gold top milk that I could have fed all my friends babies too

Mixed feeds. When I could breastfeed, I did. When I couldn't, I used formula.

Breastfed and hopefully will again

EBF one of the best things I've ever done- hard work at time but I loved it as did DD and I cherish those memories now

My first I pumped for a few weeks but then have up and formula fed.

My second I’m mixed feeding. I don’t pump at all but we breast feeding mostly but my husband will give a bottle in the evenings or if I just don’t feel like breastfeeding then I’m make a
Bottle up.

I breastfed for 4 weeks with each of my children then they where bottle fed has I had to go back onto my medication that's not safe to breastfeed while taking.
I wanted to breastfeed for longer but had to weigh up the pros and cons and consider my own health and bottle is what is best for us.

Formula fed first, breastfed my second, now pregnant with third and would love to breastfeed again if possible

Breastfed my first until about 4/5 months and my youngest until he was 3years. I regret stopping so soon with my first buy he was premmie and although he was gaining weight it was very slow and I didn't get the reassurance from health visitors/ professionals to give me the confidence to continue. Bottle-feeding was fine but much more hassle.

Breast for four years but from four to twelve weeks gave soya milk, which was fashionable at the time, to boost weight gain. I was fortunate in having a good breastfeeding counsellor so didn't give up.

Breastfed first for 3.5 years

Currently (as we speak) breastfeeding my 6 month old... heaven

Breast - still BF 16 m old

I breastfed but did not find it easy and did not really enjoy it at all. It felt like a chore and I felt like a cow expressing milk (had to do this to increase my weak supply). Then mix fed from about 10 months old till 14 months. I don’t see any difference between breastfed and formula. Now my children are older I realise the stress of breastfeeding was unnecessary. Who can tell which child is breastfed or not as they get older. Don’t worry about it! Loved and fed is best!

I did for the first 3 weeks, but it really took its toll on me, and I sobbed and sobbed but I decided to start introducing formula combifeed.

After a formula I noticed my babe was settling much better and seemed much happier, so although it broke my heart, I decided to move over to formula.

He's thriving now. There's no right or wrong way, it's whatever works for you and your baby.

No regrets as I set out to breastfeed and feel fortunate I could. It was bloody hard though and the only thing I regret is thinking I'd lose weight easily!!!! I've only just started losing it now I'm bf much less!!!!

Ds tried so so hard to bf but couldn't get it established. Felt some guilt and disappointment to begin with but got over it and im happy it was the right thing for him.

Dd tried again to bf, did slightly better but couldn't get to the point of exclusively feeding so had to combi feeding with breast, expressed and formula top ups. Really enjoyed this approach, felt i had the best of both worlds

@GalacticGoddess

No regrets as I set out to breastfeed and feel fortunate I could. It was bloody hard though and the only thing I regret is thinking I'd lose weight easily!!!! I've only just started losing it now I'm bf much less!!!!

Contradicted myself 🤦🏾‍♀️ I meant the only thing I wished I'd known rather than regret. When will Mumsnet get an edit button!

Formula my 2 - no regrets

EBF both kids, neither would take a bottle or a dummy though we did try.

Ex husband claimed that me being tied to the baby was the main reason he had an affair, so for that reason alone I'm glad I did as it meant I'm now divorced from the selfish bastard.

EBF my only. She's just turned three and we're still going. I definitely don't regret it although the first year would have been easier if she'd taken a bottle. We tried a couple of times and she was having none of it so she kinda decided for me that she'd be EBF!

I'm proud of where we've got to but I'm also conscious I was lucky - I got a lot of support from my health visitor and a referral to a breastfeeding support group when we were struggling and my DH has been incredibly supportive.

@ilovemyminicooper

No regrets because as I said before I'm lazy loved breastfeeding and I produced so much gold top milk that I could have fed all my friends babies too

I’m the opposite regarding being lazy - I used formula so it didn’t have to be me who did every feed. Thank goodness for Prefect Prep machines! It’s only on Mn I’ve read of mothers being proud for breast feeding or for feeling guilty if they couldn’t. I’m in the fed is best camp - you can’t tell the difference.

Each time, I started breastfeeding exclusively and did this for between 1.5 and 6+ months. Depending which child, I spent more or less time doing that before moving to mixed and then formula/follow-on milk or just straight to formula or follow-on (6m+) milk. I weaned onto solids earlier than one might do now as this was some considerable time ago.

I personally had no pain from breastfeeding and stopped or changed to mixed for other reasons each time. Just saying this as I don't want anyone to think it always is painful. Sometimes is, sometimes isn't.

Was desperate to breast feed dd my first she screamed constantly and lost loads of weight ended up in hospital for a week when she was a week old and they recommended supplementing with formula mixed fed for 6 weeks then formula fed after that and was so content.
Ds ended up in neonatal icu for 10 days was so poorly didn't expect to breast feed and wanted to formula feed for ease but he was a natural and took to it straight away couldn't tolerate formula of any kind until nearly a year old. Very different for both.