why do people breast feed?

[misdee]

maybe i shouldnt post this.

but i'm just to lazy to make up bottles

[HunkerMunker]

I have an aversion to powdered milk and figured that since breastmilk was free I'd use it.

I didn't know how to make up a bottle and didn't know anyone to ask who wouldn't think I was really stupid.

I wanted to breastfeed for health reasons for both DS and myself.

I am far too lazy and disorganised to do anything other than breastfeed - I'd have forgotten to make up the bottles and DH would've mucked it up somehow too

It made going out easier - especially since DS was quite sicky and needed many changes of clothes - bottles would've taken up much-needed clothes/muslins/wipes space on my pram (don't have a car)!

It meant DH made my dinner while I fed DS.

I enjoy it and DS enjoys it (he crawls up to me making smacking sounds with his mouth when he wants to nurse now).

DH had all kinds of orthodontic work when he was little and breastfeeding is meant to make this less likely because of the different sucking action making mouth development different.

I liked seeing DS grow and knowing it was all my own work, just like when I was pregnant with him.

These are all reasons that won't apply to everyone. They're my personal reasons for breastfeeding.

[Caligula]

Oh yeah, and I thought it would make my tummy go back quicker but I put on weight while I was doing it.

[dinny]

It's the best feeling in the world and you know you are giving your baby the perfect nutrition.

[Caligula]

Because not to seemed to me to be like buying Evian all the time instead of using tap water. It was free!

[piffle]

because I love it, both my kids have loved it and yes not having to make bottles, sterilise and all that is a bonus.
It suits us

[hercules]

Lots of allergies in my family and I wanted to know I'd given my kids the best chances against them.

If breastmilk came in bottles, I'd probably have bottlefed though.

[zebra]

Sharks (some species) do live birth, too.

I'd be terrified to try to bottlefeed. There are lots of threads on MN telling me how hard it is, how bottlefeeding mums don't get enough support, how difficult it is to find a formula which agrees with your baby...

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, the definition of mammals are:

• live births
  
• hairy
  
• nursing
  
  You've got to do all three to be a mammal - although I think the only one of the three that other critters do is live births - some fish do them.

[Niddlynono]

I started to breastfeed DS because I believed that it was the best thing for him and continued until he was around 18 months because it was convenient and I was determined not to give up but mainly because it was a special and personal time between me and my little boy.

Something else that really inspired me to persevere with breast feeding him was visiting a friend when DS was 1 week old. She breastfed her 1 year old so effortlessly and naturally on her lap without the use of a dozen pillows which is what I'd been doing previously. They all tell you that it'll become less painful but to watch her do it with such ease really helped.

Sadly it didn't help my figure bounce back though.

[hermykne]

i love the closeness that i have had with my two babies, the quiet still noise at night and them feeding off me and me nodding off to sleeeeeeppppp,

not the awful bras or wearing a bloody t-shirt .every day

[misdee]

think we are all too lazy

[serenity]

Why did I BF?

They were there, so seemed logical to use them.

I am hideously disorganised, and sorting out bottles was a pita (it annoyed me even when I started bottle feeding DSs at 10 and 8 mths respectively so was hardly making up any feeds!)

After the intial painful week, I really enjoyed it - especially not having to get up to do night feeds.

I am far far too lazy to bottle feed.

[sweetkitty]

My honest reasons for breastfeeding:

I hate the thought of that powdered milk and all the ingredients on the back of the pack (I know it's all there for a reason I know)

Laziness much easier to pop out booby than sterilise bottles

It just makes sense

and a little bit of sheer determination as my mother never BF any of her kids and said it would be too much hassle for me.

Sorry thats my honest reasons I did buy a steriliser bottles and cartons because I wasn't going to beat myself up over it if I couldn't though it's no ones business but the mothers how she feeds her child.

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Moondog, where are you when your pearls of wisdom are needed ?

[beansprout]

I've always had a difficult relationship with my body, but when I look at ds, who is healthy and growing well, it just blows me away to think that my body did all of that.

[stitch]

best for baby was my reason for startign, and once over the horrible initial two weeks period, coz its so easy.
no, im in too lighthearted a mood to get itno a serious conversation right now
must get off thiss computer and go pretend to me a mom!

[misdee]

wonderfully. she has been 'sunbathing' by the window today to help clear her jaundice.

[misdee]

i love the milky contented look dd3 gives as she stops breastfeeding.

[JoolsToo]

MTMML - 'because I love it' best reason I've heard yet!

[JoolsToo]

Ah! a voice of reason - nothing needs fixing there

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

Coz I'm tight and lazy. I can't be ar*ed to do the whole making up a bottle thing, I'm too lazy to carry the whole kit and caboodle and I don't like spending the money.

Actually, just coz I love it!

[Amanda3266]

Can relate to the making up bottles reason. I absolutely hated it. I breastfed for 8 weeks but could only do so by expressing milk. Just the sterilisation was a pain. Once I had gone on to formula it was even worse. Trying to remember how many scoops I'd put into each bottle etc. Nightmare.