Does personality type affect breastfeeding experience? Anyone got any info? Lets do a mumsnet bit of research!

[mears]

I have had a google briefly but can't find anything at the moment.

I have had a lot of discussion about personality type recently and just completed an online test

It got me to wondering whether personality type has a bearing on the experience duration of breastfeeding.

My test result was ESFJ and I had a great experience.

My sister is ISTJ and had a completely opposite experience to me.

I thought it might be interesting to see what personality types and experiences were in the vastness of mumsnet.

The test doesn't take long if you are up for it

ESFP - The Entertainer ESFPs are cooperative, "here and now" people-persons that enjoy excitement and love new adventures. Because of their highly social nature, they are especially lively when they are the center of attention and hate being alone. ESFPs have a practical side that allows them to finish work efficiently and are often good problem solvers.

Not sure how true it is because whilst I am very social I don't like being the centre of attention.

Anyway, really, really wanted to bf. Had problems in hospital, just couldn't seem to get the latch right. Started doing OKish by about day 6 until MW told me I must be doing it wrong because DD had green poo (even though she said she was fine because she was gaining a lot of weight). Then went into panic and over-analysed it all. By the time I phoned the bf counsellor a week later my right nipple was half off and the whole thought of bf just frightened me - hated every feed and was in much discomfort. Made it to 5 weeks when food poisioning finished me off - was no way I could have fed her much anyway because spent best part of 48 hours in the loo but it completely polished off my supply because by then I was mix feeding. Was very, very sad but in hindsight, needed to throw in the towel when I did for my own sanity.

Not sure how much that helps you mears but happy to take part (and so glad I have got MN for next time around!)

ISFJ Defender

Bfed ds1 til 13 months (sort of mutual stoppage - we just tailed off)
Bfed ds2 til 8 months (I stopped - I had had enough).

INTP "Engineer" here. Found BF very easy, and fed DD til over 2, intend to do the same with DS.

ESFB - entertainer - struggled with ds1 but persevered and conquered (fed until 14 months approx)
ds2 no problem at all.
But see, I was busy singing songs and tap dancing while I fed them...

ISTP - the crafts(wo)man - but it almost with INTP - the engineer- as they were nearly dead equal between Sensing and Intuition.

Found the early days very difficult due to poor postnatal care. A lot of mama bear obstinacy kept me from throwing in the towel.

I'm ISTJ on that test.

As somebody has said, it would probably be impossible to ever assess the impact of personality on more than an anecdotal basis because it can depend on the baby, the environment, the support, the mother's health etc.

Having said that, I have noticed that the different personalities of the girls in my NCT group do tie in quite well with their experiences of breastfeeding.

I am a very analytical, high-achieving, logical, control freak and have only ever 'failed' once (my first driving test!). Consequently I have found going with the flow, and letting my baby lead very difficult indeed, and I feel a failure because bf hasn't come easily to me and I still really dislike it sometimes. Plus DS's weight gain has been slower than average which I've found very difficult to accept (again I feel like I've failed him) even though he is a very happy, healthy child.

Because I like to follow 'the rules' I find it hard not to think of myself as a failure because he isn't excl bf (one bottle of formula a day since 2 weeks old, now 20 weeks), but perversely my hatred of failure means I have persisted and persisted when I wanted to give up many times so I feel like a success for that!

I do think it will be completely different with a second DC - I am a fundamentally different person now having had this experience.

ESFJ, 'the supporter'
My bfing experience was awful.

INFP - The Dreamer
bf ds for 2 1/2 years (until I forgot one night) and mostly enjoyed it, had no problems anyway.

ENFP - The Advocate.
Loved bfing DD, and managed it for a year.
(didn't work well with DS though)

ESFP and I loved breastfeeding. DD and I took to it very easily and I BF her until was she 14 months. I was lucky that I had no problems with her latch, supply or pain and I think my hatred of routine really helped!

oops Mears - I've just re-done the test (originally did it at school!) and apparently I've changed from being an INTJ to ISTJ.

HolidaysQueen - my sis is ISTJ and you are describing her experience to a tee!

SilkCutMama - what I was trying to elicit from this thread was similar responses to HolidaysQueen.

I know that it is not simplistic but I just wondered whether those 'control' typer personalities would have problems with demand feeding.

Since you are trained, can you see any linkage at all?

ISTP - The Crafts(wo)man

Found BF hard to start but am bloodyminded when I decide to do something..

DD sort of self weaned at 20 months

I'm an INTP. Total bf failure (maybe it wasn't 'logical' enough ) I come out as practically a robot!!!

INTJ

I have found BFing really quite easy both times I've done it. And that is even with having had mastitis/blocked ducts/thrush.

mears, I am someone who you would have perhaps thought bf would have come easily (easier) - not overly analytical but likes to problem solve, intutive, outgoing, likes to go with the flow, pretty tenacious.

Not sure what my point is really but whilst I think personality type can come into it is all part of a bigger picture of your own expectations and knowledge, the support you get, your family and friend's experiences etc, etc

Its very interesting though.

ENFP - no problems BF.

ENFP - very easy experience with ds (first), took a couple of weeks for things to settle with dd, but then positive.

ISTJ - Examiner. BF hellish for me.

Struggled on with it for 12 weeks with ds1. Only managed 3 days with ds2.

EIFP, The Advocate

DS: Found BFing very difficult and gave up after 6 weeks.

DD: Had better success and fed her until 10 months, only giving up due to pregnancy, but it was full of problems until she was past 6mo.

I am finding it personally very interesting that the other ISTPs on this post have been bloody-minded about continuing with bf'ing despite a difficult or painful start, which is exactly what I had too. Perhaps there is something in it after all!

If you plan on correlating any of this info Mears, it will be interesting to see the outcome - or perhaps SilkCutMama will do it for you [sneaks off to look at SCM's childbirth thread now]

I won't have time to correlate anything and to be honest I started this thread 'tongue in cheek@. After a slight worry that it may cause offence it has broadened and people are seeing where I was coming from.

For me breastfeeding was relavely easy. I got through the painful nipples and was not phased by sitting feeding a lot. In fact I enjoyed it because I could let everything else go to pou. House was a mess but I didn't care.

My sister cannot sit and 'do nothing'. Breastfeeding is boring. She doesn't enjoy it much but she is determined to keep giving at least one breastfeed a day for now (feeding twins).

I cannot understand why she doesn't just breastfeed. She prefers to express rather than feed - I think because she has control over it.