Any mums out there who simply chose not to breastfeed??

[YummyorSlummy]

For the reason that they didn't really want to? I bottlefed from the offset as I wanted my dh to do his share and had a bad pregnancy so wanted to give my body a rest after giving birth. Just wondering if any other women simply decided not to bf from the start??

public health issue? I can only assume you have never encountered some of the problems that other mothers have faced whilst trying to breastfeed!

Olive, not talking about people having problems breastfeeding, but people who CHOOSE not to bother from the outset

I read recently that fully breastfed baby from abject poverty is healthier than a fully formula fed 'rich' baby.

It might not be a public health issue but it certainly should be.

I FF one and BF one.

if women 'choose' then what business is it of anyone elses?

A friend did - you have to do what's right for you and your family. No point having a miserable bf'ing mum or a miserable formula feeding mum.

EachToTheirOwnTiggaxx

Starlight - I am also pro breastfeeding if it is in the best interests of the baby, mother and the rest of the family. As a third time mother I also have a wealth of experience and belive that all aspects of bringing up a baby need to be concidered, not just how they are fed. I do not agree that this is a public health issue, happy heathy babies and mums are what is important.

Gosh im sure there is more important things going on in the world than ff mummies. At the end of the day it isnt a drug and it wont harm them.

Happy mummy = happy babies

Its probably my first posting on a ff/bf thread, as I generally do not have any opinion on how mother's choose to feed their babies. I bf'd dd. I found it bloody hard work. DC2 is due in December and whilst I will certainly try to bf again, I am really concerned about not being able to manage it.

What amazes me on these threads is how heated they become. I know/meet lots of mums. Some bf, some ff, some mixed feed. Some bf for a short while and then stop. Some have never tried to bf. No one, as far as I know, ever passes any kind of negative comment/opinion either way in rl.

The only time I have ever been slightly about someone's feeding choice was when one of my close friends told me she wouldn't be trying to bf at all because her dh had told her "her tits were his"

Got to agree with Tillyscoutsmum, how someone chooses to feed their baby is their business. Mothers who ff shouldn't be judged for their choice, just as a mother bfing in public should be able to do so without any disapproving looks, tuts or comments. I am currently bfing DS who is 9 months and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, and I feel happy that I could bf in the first place and that I've been able to carry on this long, but I know bfing doesn't necessarily work out so well for all mums. I think most mothers who ff are fully aware of the health benefits of bf but it's not fair to use this as ammo against them. I don't think a thread like this is going to make any ff mum suddenly change her mind and start bfing.

I chose not to breastfeed. I have my own reasons for this decision, which are probably completely unique to me (nothing to do with difficulties) but I'm not going to say what they are because I cant be bothered to defend myself from the onslaught of insults from anti ff'ers that is highly likely to occur.

However, just because I am dead set against breast feeding my own child, doesnt mean i have anything against other mums choosing to breastfeed theirs, nor would I ever dare to comment on their choice, let alone judge and insult them.

Formula feeding alone doesn't make a child obese! Yes so apparently it slightly increases the risk but theres no way a child is going to become obese if they are fed a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise as kids. Crisps,cakes,chocolate and ice cream combined with sitting in front of the tv all day are more of a factor in obesity than formula milk!

it is thought breastfeeding helps to regulate appetite

I tried with each of mine.

Only succeeded with my middle of three children.

But I know plenty of women who chose not to and, tbh, I don't have a problem with it.

Yes that might be true but formula feeding by itself isn't going to make a child obese it would be from a combination of things