Did you breast or formula feed?

[ThatstuffCray]

That’s it really. Really curious as to what most mums did with regards to feeding

Focus on your own tits. Don't ask others about theirs.

Its a very simple principle.

@driftcompatible No worries 😊

You didn't fail.. you've just done what a huge amount of us have done and mixed it up to suit you.

Mine were mixed, and then 100% formula as I bloody hated breastfeeding, I hated the feeling, the getting them out, the lonely sitting in a room rubbish. Just couldn't stand feeling like a milking machine and I wanted my DH a to be involved.

Bf my first 5 months but mostly expressed milk switch to formula after then. Second Ebf until around 2.5

I didn't get alot of support the first time round when I ran into trouble and I really wanted to bf. Second time I seek out support earlier and wherever I could and was much more successful. Think you have to really want do it and not only that, if you run in to trouble also get all the support and good advice you can in the early days which isn't always easy.

BF DD to 14 months and DS to 23 months.

Had a shit-ton of family support, my mum BF me and my brother and was a mine of knowledge and help. Not many women have that level of support in the UK, so I feel very lucky to have had it and if it weren't for her support I would have switched to Formula within the first 2 weeks with my first as was struggling.

I firmly believe there is no such thing as "failing" where BF is concerned. If you tried and it didn't work for whatever reason you didn't fail, it isn't your fault.

Your boobs, your life, your baby, your choice. I hate the way mothers are pitted against each other - fed is best.

DD - EBF until 3 months then she dropped in weight. Combi fed until 6 months. Then when weaned just formula.

DS - EBF for 8 weeks. Then switched to formula.

For me the easiest was formula feeding.

Proud to have fed my babies either way.

Breastfed DS1 for three weeks then formula due to multitude of reasons.

Breastfed DS2 from birth until 2.5yrs

1st - Breast for 3 Months & then Formula.
2nd - Breast for 19mths straight now!

Breast exclusively, both DC. Both refused at 9m when fully weaned.

Bf both exclusively til 6 months. DD1 bf til about 14 months. DD2 is 8mo and has mostly formula now with maybe one or two comfort feeds from me in the night. I had to go back to work earlier with DD2 which forced me to get her taking formula and I find that I really value the freedom it gives me, especially to sometimes take DD1 out alone without having to worry about when DD2 will need me for a feed

First child was physically unable to breast feed so formula. Second bf for a year.

Breastfed/feeding. 2DC and they're wildly different, at the same age one fed 18 times a day and the other 8, one sleeps like a dream and the other is a horror story. Neither have taken ages for a feed though.

Breastfed both of mine without too much trouble. Very glad I was able to do so. Feel bad for those who really want to and aren't able, for whatever reason.

Breast both I am far too lazy for formula!

Some tweaks in the first few days but then all good

Breast for the first 3 months which was a struggle as my baby never latched, even with help from midwives and LCs, so I pumped for all feeds until I realised how much time and energy I was using doing it - time & energy that I didn't really have especially in the middle of the night! So around 3 months we gradually replaced all EBM feeds with formula and never looked back! I feel like we gave breastfeeding our best shot even though it didn't quite work out how I'd hoped it would. I don't regret the pumping though and would do it again with the next one if I have to, for as long as I can handle it!

I got to one year exclusively pumping for dc2, so with another child to care for at the same time. Although I don't necessarily regret it, I wouldn't do it again I don't think.

Exclusively pumping milk I mean...I did also give the child solid food!

@driftcompatible

Focus on your own tits. Don't ask others about theirs.

Its a very simple principle.

This is the infant feeding forum. I think she's allowed to ask the question here

@deathofastrawberry

Breast for the first 3 months which was a struggle as my baby never latched, even with help from midwives and LCs, so I pumped for all feeds until I realised how much time and energy I was using doing it - time & energy that I didn't really have especially in the middle of the night! So around 3 months we gradually replaced all EBM feeds with formula and never looked back! I feel like we gave breastfeeding our best shot even though it didn't quite work out how I'd hoped it would. I don't regret the pumping though and would do it again with the next one if I have to, for as long as I can handle it!

This is exactly what happened to me.

FF from birth for both DS1 and DS2.

I know all about the health benefits of BF etc. But, nope, not for my family. Nothing about it appealed to me at all. I found FF so easy - it's not necessarily the massive time consuming 'prep' that I was told repeatedly it would be (e.g. at antenatal apps, NCT FF was presented as being so time consuming what with all the bottle washing and preparing the feeds). The reality is I wash bottles once a day along with my usual kitchen clean up, bottles sterilised altogether and then use the Perfect Prep to make the bottle each time. I can go from crying hungry baby to bottle in mouth in about 2.5mins.

Out and about is simple too. Just used pre-made formula. Was even quicker from hungry to bottle in mouth than being at home!

breastfed both.

DS occasionally has a bottle of expressed milk if I need to go out.

Formula fed first from birth.

Breastfed second until 16m.

Just did what I fancied trying both times. I won't be having a third but if I did I would try to mix feed. I found formula feeding much easier tbh - I see lots of posts on here about how difficult and time consuming bottles are but that took all of about 30 minutes out of my day 🤷‍♀️

I'm very proud of DS because he is an ex 27 weeker and I thought he would have to be formula fed. I was fine with this - all that matters is they thrive.

Bf. Loved it. Miss it desperately!

I can only talk from my own experience, but for me, the drawdown of bf put me in a dreamy mellow state that felt exactly like the aftermath of an excellent orgasm, and the sensation lasted for hours. I was constantly mellow - for years - while I was breastfeeding. If you could bottle that sensation you could make a fortune.

Obvs it was also very convenient (and cheap!) but it’s the mellow high that I miss 😭

Combi-fed breast and formula for the first two weeks, then EBF until she started solids. Still BFing her now at night, at 17 months.