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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

breastfeeding or bottle feeding?

56 replies

Meplusyouequals4 · 09/02/2015 19:43

NO JUDGEMENTS PLEASE!

which are you planning on doing and why?

I'm planning to breastfeed, but have had trouble in the past so I've got everything I need to bottle feed just in case.

OP posts:

Report

Flingmoo · 09/02/2015 21:49

I breastfeed because:

it's the best for baby's health
it's the best for my own health
it's the perfect way to bond with and comfort your baby
it's very convenient
it's free

I would not choose feed my baby artificially unless I had a medical reason to.

fattycow · 09/02/2015 21:53

Breast.

It's free, has the right temperature, I cannot forget to bring it, best for baby, poo smells less yucky, better for me, no faffing around with bottles in the middle of the night.

squizita · 09/02/2015 22:02

I breastfeed as it's simple and free. It also helps with immunity etc.

My baby along with the majority of bf babies will accept a bottle. This means I can express milk for dh to help feed her or if I need a rest. Some don't but most do! So for me bf hasn't meant never having a break.

I have frozen my milk too in case of emergency or if I wanted to go out one evening.

avocadotoast · 09/02/2015 22:19

I'm planning to bf, although it's my first baby so it may not go as planned! As pp have said I'm going to try to not feel too guilty if it doesn't work out. I might also think about mixed feeding if it looks like it'd work better.

coastergirl · 09/02/2015 22:49

I will be formula feeding from the start. I have several reasons. I'm on medication which isn't ideal for breastfeeding, and coming off it is not a good idea. The combination of the stress of having a new baby, trying to breastfeed which I know usually isn't easy for a first-timer, and me not being on medication for anxiety/depression...just doesn't bear thinking about frankly. I agree with those who have said happy mum=happy baby. For our family as a whole, it's the right decision for us.

I also really don't like the idea of breastfeeding in general, it just freaks me out. I know I wouldn't be comfortable doing it in public (or in front of anyone in general), so would probably end up quite isolated. I have absolutely no issues with other people breastfeeding wherever they fancy, I'm just very self conscious like that. Having said all this, if it wasn't for the medication issue I would probably have given it a go. But as it is, I'm going to formula feed and not beat myself up about it.

NancyRaygun · 09/02/2015 22:57

Breast feeding because it's free. Burns calories. Mainly though because it's tailor made for the baby and I barely even have to sit up to feed in the night!

eurochick · 09/02/2015 23:00

Breastfeeding really isn't free. The extra 500 calories or so per day you need to eat costs. particularly if it is really good cake

ChickenMe · 09/02/2015 23:04

Hoping very much to breastfeed. My Mum did with us and so did her Mum with her so it wasn't even a decision to make iyswim-I probably "decided" subconsciously years ago!
Plus I cannot be arsed with sterilising or measuring.
Once its established I'd like to express milk so OH can feed DC.

ChickenMe · 09/02/2015 23:06

Oh yeah and hoping the weight loss thing is true. I've got hideous "extra" fat at the mo around my hips and side boob. I keep telling myself "that is breastfeeding fat"

squizita · 09/02/2015 23:06

Euro I don't notice it as I started scoffing during pregnancy! Many many cakes. That baby stole my bum, my trousers are almost falling down now!

DownstairsMixUp · 09/02/2015 23:19

I didn't lose a pound till I stopped bfing :( I seemed to hang on to them last lbs even tried ww slimming world and not dieting all together it wouldn't shift. I bf for 3 months then mixed fed now his ff with occasional bm from freezer

Sonoma · 09/02/2015 23:27

I'll be breastfeeding this baby like my previous 3 unless something goes seriously wrong.

Plenty of judgment on this thread though ("couldn't stand the thought of a baby hanging off me"; "my boobs look just the same"). Just sayin...

Zsazsabinks · 10/02/2015 00:22

Yes, but there's judgement flying both ways actually so I think we should just ignore what we feel is judging and try not to take other people's decisions personally.

Meplusyouequals4 · 10/02/2015 07:37

thank you all for your comments. I agree there has been a little judgement but it wasn't in a horrible way which is what I was meaning. I don't want people putting down because of their choice. I just wanted to hear some other opinions on the subject.

so thank you all.

happy mum = happy baby

so do what is best for your situation.

OP posts:

Cavort · 10/02/2015 08:11

I will be breastfeeding. It was easy and convenient with DC1. I expressed after the first few weeks so others could do feeds.

Nolim · 10/02/2015 08:18

I prefer to breastfeed but had some trouble so did mixed feeding.

Personaly i preffer bf because it is more practical than boiling and mixing and sterilizing.

kittyvet · 10/02/2015 08:25

EBF my 4mth dd1. Two things have been essential to my success at this. 1) I had a normal(ish) delivery under gas and air, dd1 was suckling within minutes of birth. 2) I joined a fab breast feeding support group and have made lots of friends there. Yes it hurt like hell for first couple of weeks but no looking back now. So used to getting my boobs out now I don't bat an eyelid!

Lunastarfish · 10/02/2015 08:42

This is my first pregnancy. I want to breastfeed as I believe it is better for my child and as PP have said, it's free and send more convenient to my (perhaps naive) eyes. I've resigned myself to the fact that my life will be somewhat on hold for 6 months but that is fine by me. However, as another PP said, I am trying to be chilled it about it as I have a couple of family members who struggled with breast feeding so if it is problematic I don't want to be beating myself up about 'failing'. As long as the child is fed, that is all that matters

icklekid · 10/02/2015 08:43

I breastfed ds until 3/4 months when he started refusing the breast but happily taking a bottle. I still miss it now (he's 7 months). Bottles are a lot of hassle, formula is expensive and I loved the closeness/convenience of bf (especially at 4am). Out of my nct group the only baby that sleeps through the night and reliably has for months is the only one who is exclusively breastfed so don't think formula will equal sleeping through!

Flingmoo · 10/02/2015 09:27

Oh yes, formula is hideously expensive. Did you know that it also smells rank?

squizita · 10/02/2015 09:37

Sonoma yes and my friend who bottle fed is always moaning her boobs look worse (fwiw she looks fine, bikini to fully clothed - but I guess they changed in her eyes). It's pregnancy that does it not breastfeeding.

Flingmoo · 10/02/2015 10:05

squizita Agree with you, it's also genetics I think, my mum and I both had a baby in our mid 20s and both seem to have suffered the same boob effect after pregnancy, going from a nice C/D down to a disappointing and slightly wibbly A/B cup. She was a skinny rake in her 20s. Her bust did grow again once she hit middle age though and plumped up a little, I also think she's generally got prettier with age, so I'm hoping I'll improve with age too, like a good wine

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HazleNutt · 10/02/2015 10:30

Many people say that the first weeks are way easier FF, but then BF gets easier. From my experience, I would agree - the painful nipples and hours and hours of cluster feeds in the beginning was no fun. But if you persevere, the baby will become more efficient and soon all you need is to whip the boob out and you'll be done in a few minutes. No faff with bottles.

ChickenMe · 10/02/2015 10:36

As a first timer I didn't realise this but you can join local breastfeeding groups before your baby is born so you already have the support there in case of difficulties. My LLL one has two meetings a month and a closed group on FB where you can ask questions. Quite impressed with that!

lossie5757 · 10/02/2015 11:05

Hoya mummies hoping to breastfeed again my 3rd bump 26 weeks preg now.. as long as baby is healthy bottle or boob is good..just looking forward to lovely cuddles with little man..take care lovely mummies..

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