Proud to have breast fed

[Keepdlingwhatyourgutsays]

I will start off by saying I don't care if you bf or ff. I see so many posts where women say they ff but none on bf. they get taken down or people straight away think it's a dig. Honestly what ever you chose to do you do.

However after so many negative and nasty comments when I was breastfeeding I can say I did it. I didn't give in to the people who were nasty I didn't let them bully me into stopping. I was a younger mum not young young but I was young and I was still very insecure about a lot of things and I did not feel supportive.
I do remember once the first time I breastfed on the bus I did that thing where I assumed everyone would be staring and one elder gentlemen was and he just grinned a very kind grin and that kept me going through some of the nasty comments.
If you are breast feeding and getting comments from family or friends please ignore it because looking back they were just insecure (not everyone but the ones I New) or they are just plain nasty. Anyone who makes a nasty comment about that isn't nice nor needed.
But remember wether you breastfeed or bottle it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Online people get so angry about it but it really doesn't matter guys

Queenofmyprinces that’s really hard. How rude of your colleagues to even comment, it’s really no ones business. Its interesting you mentioned that they were meant to be supportive when infact they are anti. My HV actually described breastfeeding as ‘smug and unnecessary’ my jaw dropped. There was no way I was getting support from her if I’d asked! I’m sure many hpcs simply can’t help their own feelings about it slip through into their professional lives but I’ve honestly never met one that seemed bothered in ‘pushing’ it so I’m always surprised to read others experiences of that happening so much on MN.

grandmas - thank you. There have been a few times where I have risen to the bait but more often I tend to rise above. I just get so so tired of breast feeding being belittled and formula being seen as just as good.

Research has proven that breast milk is what’s best for babies and has numerous benefits but people seem to not want to believe it. You never see other medical research, studies, statistics etc rubbished but when it comes to breast feeding apparently the research is flawed or wrong. I just don’t understand it, it’s as though society doesn’t want to accept that breast milk is the best thing for babies.

When I was breast feeding my first son my husband and my friends (who all breast fed) were incredibly supportive but otherwise both my family and my DH’s family were very anti-breast feeding and made stupid comments to me all the time to try and make me feel I was doing the wrong thing. I was told that I’m selfish, that I was depriving my baby if needed nutrients, that it was my milk’s fault that my baby had reflux, that it was my milk’s fault that he didn’t sleep well, that I wasn’t making enough milk because he fed so often and I was even told that I wasn’t doing the best thing for my baby by breast feeding because it’s irresponsible as a parent to not know how much milk my baby is getting. I was faced with these comments and negativity on a daily basis and it used to grind me down but I carried on to prove to them that breast feeding is best and that their opinions weren’t going to make me change my mind.

I breast fed my first son until he was 2.5 years old and I’m proud of it. I only stopped breast feeding him in order to conceive again (which I did straight away) and so for the last 4.5 years I’ve only had 8 months where I haven’t been breast feeding.

It’s been a huge sacrifice but one I absolutely wouldn’t change.

I love breast feeding for many reasons and I think it’s a very special thing to do.

I'd highly recommend the book "Breastfeeding Uncovered" by Dr Amy Brown, if anyone is interested. She cites some surprising research that suggests that not breastfeeding may be linked to the increased prevalence of autoimmune conditions and others. It's worrying stuff.

The food of love is a fantastic book to. It really encourages me

There is another thread now to all who don't think breast feeders should be able to talk to one another online or even be proud. It may be nice to leave this one to the people who want to support each other and share their story.

I think it's very unfair to accuse the OP of being unkind by starting this thread. Breastfeeding mums get hassle no matter what they do. If they talk about positive experiences of breastfeeding, they get called smug and compared to Nazis. (I've met plenty of mums who are aggressively pro-formula, but I've never heard them get called formula Nazis.) If they talk about struggling with breastfeeding, people call them martyrs and pressure them into formula feeding. It's just another example of minority groups being fair game for bullying.

Op, ignore the posters who are anti breastfeeding. They will just make you angry, you don't need to explain yourself to them.

Instead who was your biggest influence in either choosing to breastfeed or continuing it?

I'm proud I was able to do it. It was something I wanted to do for my baby from the start. I really struggled for the first 2 weeks with pain and really do understand why people stop, and so I'm proud that I didn't.
7 months in its lovely and I adore watching and hearing my baby nurse.

I'm a young mum of 2. Never tried to bf just went straight to formula.
Chose to do this for various reasons. Mainly because the thought of being responsible for keeping a tiny human being alive felt like a big enough responsibility as it is. Let alone my body being responsible for keeping them alive (already done 9 months of that and found it very hard).

But another big reason for choosing to ff was because of all the horror stories. From what I'd seen and heard it sounded like it would be something incredibly difficult, painful and the probability was that I wouldn't be able to do it anyway.

Whenever someone tries to share a positive story of bf they get shut down with comments from or about women that couldn't do it. Which makes it seem (to someone with no personal experience of bf) that the vast majority of women struggle with it and aren't able to do it so it just makes it sound impossible.

I am ultimately happy with my decision on how I fed my kids, they are both happy and healthy and I certainly never felt any guilt about ff. But I think I will always feel like I missed out on something because I didn't try to bf. I think there are so many benefits to it but fear stopped me and I think that's a shame.

I think that there should be more positive bf stories out there!

Forgot to say that people tend to find it odd that I ff but am so pro breastfeeding. It's almost like if you choose to ff then you must be anti bf and have the right to bash it at every opertunity. But god forbid a bfing mum shows anything other than absolute positivity towards ff.

@Nopointinnamechanging2018
I never heard the horror stories, just always wanted to breastfeed. As a result it was more difficult than I realised. No one warned me about cluster feeding, or about the initial struggles getting him to latch (only 48 hours- but seemed like a life time)
But i love it and wouldn't swap it for the world- and I'm sorry you missed out on it, but as you say you have 2 healthy babes and thats the main thing.

There are all sorts of different posters on MN.

there are posters who come from pro-breastfeeding circles where anything that isn't breast-feeding is frowned upon. (yes, such circles exist)

there are posters who gave birth in hospitals where all the pressure was on formula feeders

there are posters who persevered with breastfeeding but don't feel they should be proud because it turned out not to be the medically best thing for their individual baby

there are posters who found breastfeeding was the right thing for one baby but not for another

to me, going online to say "I am so proud that breastfeeding one child worked well" is a bit similar to going online to say "I am so proud that one of my children was able to walk without pain"

glad- yes
thankful-yes
proud- just see the above, they will do

to me, going online to say "I am so proud that breastfeeding one child worked well" is a bit similar to going online to say "I am so proud that one of my children was able to walk without pain"

What on earth? That makes no sense

I didn’t have to put time, effort, blood sweat and tears into my children being able to walk (although presumably some parents do). Hence it’s not a subject of pride. I did have to put it into breastfeeding which is why it is a subject of pride.

I had a really tough time with my DC1, none of my family or extended family had ever breastfed any of there children. Found it disgusting, unnecessary and were truly horrified that I had chosen to do it. I have 4 DC now and have BF them all and my family remain disinterested in even trying it as an option. In truth I was a little surprised at the lack of shift in the attitude given the benefits to the child. Anyway bottle feeding hasn't done there kids any harm or me for that matter however I didn't appreciate the judgements about my choice...I think they thought I was being 'snobby'...which is strange in itself

event - exactly.

Achieving something that puts such a physical, mental and emotional strain on your body and your emotions is definitely something to be proud of.

Some women find BF but there are others who have had a really, really difficult and awful experience and they should be proud of themselves for carrying on regardless when there is so much pressure out there to stop.

Some women find BF but there are others who have had a really, really difficult and awful experience and they should be proud of themselves for carrying on regardless when there is so much pressure out there to stop

Exactly this. There may be women who find BF easy but the majority (that I know atleast) have had to overcome a lot of hurdles and at times it is so hard not to give in to pressure from yourself/other mums/family to give in. Its really tough to persevere, and thats something to be proud of.

It shouldn't be offensive or "snobby" to any that didn't continue or even start BF its just a personal achievement.

I have bf three babies. My eldest is twelve - I received no support - but very fortunately we muddled through and because I firmly and absolutely believed in the health and welfare benefits I persevered with the next two babes... But I loathe the breastfeeding shaming that goes on... If you DARE to suggest that there is solid scientific reasoning for breast being optimal... Wow - the vitriol is Unreal! I'm all for personal choice but surely an informed decision is best?!
So yes, I am very proud of my babes and me for our accomplishment because ebf is chuffing hard.

I was lucky in that once latched (after 4 hours of trying- think it was the drugs =sleepy baby) I have had no issues. Apart from the cluster feeding etc and not being able to leave baby as baby refusing bottle etc.

BUT, I do admit to feeling proud. I feel I chose the harder option, though I didn't realise it at the time. And it feels like it is me that is growing the baby- that feels special. Baby is getting bigger through my milk- that is a good feeling

Not 4 hours 46 hours