Breast or bottle fed??

[bearface1983]

Hi everyone. I am interested in what you're planning to do about feeding. I am due in September. Who's breastfeeding and who's formula feeding? I'd love to know xxx

DD2 due in August and really hoping to BF this one.

DD1 was bottle fed, I was easy either way during pregnancy, didn't feel like I HAD to BF and felt fed is best, but also didn't want to end up regretting not doing either or. Anyway, awful delivery and recovery plus DD was not remotely interested coupled with no help from MWs. Struggled with PND and forever regretted not BF. Plus remember a rather unhelpful comment from a member of my MN group who was smug that she was managing to feed her baby milk that was intended for its species...

So desperately want to BF this time and terrified of the consequences to my mental health if I don't succeed!!

I can't tell you how wonderful breastfeeding is. The bond you get is amazing. It's like liquid gold. Especially the fact breastmilk is a living and breathing organism and always changing to meet the baby's needs.
Honestly if you can do it no matter how short the length of time is you'll know you gave your baby the best start in life.
Worth a try at least

For those thinking of giving colostrum, it's a lot easier to directly breastfeed. To express colostrum you have to hand express into tiny syringes because the quantities are tiny. It's a tricky technique to learn and can be quite dispiriting as you don't get much out! I've had to do it twice due to babies being in SCBU, and I would much rather have been able to do it direct.

Due No. 2 early next year and plan to breastfeed, all being well. I'm currently still nursing my toddler DC1. Our breastfeeding journey was not straightforward at all (DC had a high palate, making it very painful, struggled to latch in the beginning, fed non-stop for months) and I found it very hard, however I felt passionately about the importance of breastfeeding and I'm very stubborn so I persevered - we supplemented a little during the first four weeks and it got us through and onto EBF. Glad we cracked it as it is an amazing thing to be able to do and knowing you are nourishing your child yourself is rather wonderful.
I am really hoping that this time might be easier - in expectation if not in the physical aspects. I went into it rather naively the first time and didn't realise how hard it could/would be, so it was a huge shock and I felt like I was failing.
I always think the "knowing baby has had enough" thing is weird and comes from bottle feeding be, where it is all about measuring the milk and counting bottles. Breastfeeding doesn't work that way, it's about output not input.