Did you breast or formula feed?

[ThatstuffCray]

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

Didn’t realise people would have a go or that I’d have to ‘be careful’ for giving a personal experience! I gave my own answer to the question and didn’t feel the need to caveat it with ‘but bottle feeding mums are brilliant too’ because the brilliant bottle feeding mums are on this thread to do that for themselves. I don’t expect them to say, ‘I love bottle feeding, but that doesn’t mean breastfeeding isn’t great’.

I didn’t say bottle fed babies don’t bond with their mum - I said the bond with my baby is everything (to me), not that it’s different for breast or bottle fed babies. I’ve never bottle fed, so I don’t have experience of this so can only speak for breastfeeding and the OP asked for both sides.

Personally for me I absolutely love breastfeeding. I equally respect mums who chose to bottle feed for whatever reason - it’s hard work. Both have their perks and stresses. It’s personal choice & what works for you and your baby/support network. Celebrating breastfeeding mums and respecting bottle feeding mums can co exist. It’s not a competition, life is hard enough!

@Perpop, don't worry; you haven't done anything wrong. People are just very sensitive on the topic.

FF both from birth. Found it very easy and convenient.

Both. exclusively BF for the first 6/7 months then added 1 bottle of formula at bedtime. He's 14 months now and still BF's once or twice a day

Breast and still going at 16 months.

Breastfeeding currently, 6 weeks in

Formula from day one - wanted an easy life!

People who have responded with formula due to ease... I'm curious, how is it easier? I've pumped a few times and the cleaning, sterilising of bottles is a chore 😅 I find it so much easier just to pop baby to the boob than deal with bottle prep! Especially when i can pop a cushion underneath baby and be hands-free myself - means I can eat dinner whilst he is!

@Trinacham

People who have responded with formula due to ease... I'm curious, how is it easier? I've pumped a few times and the cleaning, sterilising of bottles is a chore 😅 I find it so much easier just to pop baby to the boob than deal with bottle prep! Especially when i can pop a cushion underneath baby and be hands-free myself - means I can eat dinner whilst he is!

I found formula easy as it’s not you who have to do all the feeds and lack of sleep doesn’t become an issue. Also means you can leave the house without worrying about being back in time for a feed. Perfect prep machines are the greatest invention.

@Parker231 ah I see, thank you for answering.
Lack of sleep hasn't been an issue for me. He wakes for a feed every couple of hours but settles straight away after so I feel well rested. My partner works full time (plus lots of overtime) so I don't want him to help with feeding at night anyway. The only reason I've started pumping a few times is so he can feed to bond more. We left the house yesterday and I had my first experience of feeding in public, I wouldn't rush home to feed. Fair to say that not everyone would feel comfortable doing that though.

Breast all 3. Never used bottles. All went onto cups easily.
Cheap and cheerful!

The vast, vast majority of mothers formula feed so I find all this talk of pressure bizarre, in Ireland here the bf rates are prob the lowest in the world. I think that is a bit shocking tbh as it's a human baby and obvs the ideal is human milk for a human baby not highly processed milk from another mammal. I am just stating a fact, it's obvs that loads can't bf or don't want to bf and there are so many difficulties.
I don't think women get enough support post birth, it's extremely difficult for many and I think it's a fact that bf babies sleep so much worse, this is never mentioned before or in anti natal groups. I bf all 3 of my DC's and didn't have any support but my DH was and is an excellent father and dh so loads of help with other things and settling etc . It took at least 3 weeks to establish and I had to push back against HV pushing formula so I found it the opposite, my babies put on weight and were alert etc so that was the key thing.
I found it lonely though as hardly anyone bf where I was when I had babies, every mother on the ward was bottle feeding after two of my births, one baby I lived abroad and there was a healthy , educated attitude to bf thankfully.

Also I think it's so worth investing in decent bf support for mothers as who knows with the way the world is , formula could become scarce at times with supply issues or if ppl were in very difficult circumstances with a newborn/small baby and couldnt access formula. Also it's not good for the environment.

@Owieeee - I was swamped with information about bf but little provided about formula. Everyone else in the family bf but I decided using formula was the best option. Lots of help and support from family but there needs to be more help for both bf and formula

Owieeee, why do you think the Breast feeding rate is so low in Ireland?
I am Irish but living in England. I chose to breast feed as the obvious choice but was surprised at how people reacted to my breast feeding when I was in Ireland....some were bemused and others shocked.

Breast fed

11 months
16 months

@PamelaDoov seconded!

Breastfed all three and so so glad I did. Loved it.

Fed is best, Breast is best, informed is best….. are not helpful.

I’d like to get ‘not your boobs, not your business’ trending

Like a pp, I proudly formula fed. Luckily at the time my dd was born there was no shaming anyone on how they fed their babies.

@UnreasonabIe

Formula, the idea of breast feeding made me feel very uncomfortable to the point of finding it repulsive.

No issues with others doing it - just me.

No idea why, I've been very fortunate to not be abused at all or anything like that, just gives me a real ick feeling.
My midwife said it was more common than you'd have thought- just women who feel this way don't publicise due to others thinking there's something wrong with them

@UnreasonabIe I felt the exact same way and my DM felt that way too. I don’t know what it is and I’ve tried to figure out why I feel that way but have never been able to come up with a reason.

Formula, DS couldn’t latch and I didn’t want to BF enough to go through hell to do it.
I did offer but he wasn’t having any of it!
Some babies can’t do it, it isn’t the mother’s fault though regardless of what midwives and doctors might say to you.

Formula. I think BF is absolutely amazing but I just knew is wasn't for me, considered trying but ended up having a difficult birth/recovery and wouldn't have been feasible.
Bottom line - I would 95% likely formula feed any future babies as it worked really well for me and my partner.

2.5 years exclusively BF, one of my proudest achievements.

@Nillynally

2.5 years exclusively BF, one of my proudest achievements.

Not to be pedantic but you can't really say you exclusively BF for 2.5 years as I presume you weaned at 6 months. You BF for 2.5 years but not exclusively.