Any other women grossed out by breastfeeding?

[Nonameslefttochose]

As in subject, I’m wondering if any other women are absolutely grossed out by breastfeeding? I’m very maternal, I love children (mine and everyone else’s!) I value children and family as the most important “things” in life. Yet the idea of breastfeeding makes me cringe. A baby sucking on a breast like some kind of animal :) despite of this I did try with my first son and lasted 4 days. My second baby is due next week and I’m going to try again even for the first few days as of course I know it’s so beneficial etc. I’m just wondering if anyone else out there have similar feelings with regards to BF?

A baby sucking on a breast like some kind of animal

But we are animals

I worked with a woman once who 'didn't agree with it'. She never really expanded on her reasoning though.

A baby sucking on a breast like some kind of animal

Er, yeah. That's the point.

You're entitled to feel your own feelings but your baby is, in fact, some kind of animal...

No. And we are animals.

I didn’t love it. I did it for 3 months and decided that was plenty.

My cousin was the same OP. She didn’t breastfeed at all, just couldn’t bring herself to do it as it grossed her out so much. It didn’t feel natural to me either although I did give it a go but I know what you mean, it felt really primitive and weird!

Well, you are an animal.
There's no difference between a human feeding her baby, a cat feeding her kittens, a dog feeding her puppies, q cow feeding her calf (or more likely supplying her breastmilk for you to pour on your cornflakes and tip into your coffee) etc etc.

It's not gross.
Its nature. 🤷‍♀️

Gross human mammals feeding human mammal offspring human mammal milk, how repulsive

You don't have to breastfeed. If you don't want to, just don't! The early days can be stressful enough, no need to add an extra reason

But personally, no your baby is 'some kind of animal!'

Isn’t birth the same though?

Ha it made sense to me actually as we ARE animals so of course would breastfeed. That being said, I found it very difficult when it came to it and didn’t enjoy it. I only had to do it a few weeks as then I had to stop to go back on my medication. And actually ds2 couldn’t get enough from me and had to be topped up on the second night

Yes. I didn’t do it. Gave me the utter heebie jeebies.

The first week is unpleasant, you feel like you've been hit by a bus, youre leaking and sweaty losing retained water and it hurts to bf. It's alot more pleasant once you get over the first bit and recover from birth.

As for viewing it as unpleasant, absolutely not, I find it amazing. Its one act that links you and other (mammal) females regardless of when in history you are born, where in the world you are, or how rich or poor you are. When you are up doing the 2am feed there are women rich and in severe poverty doing the exact same thing all over the world.

If its something you want to attempt again though I think you are going to have to reframe the way you think of it as I can't imagine doing something I find that gross.

I felt like that about breastfeeding. It gave me a very uncomfortable feeling to think about it and with my first DC I found it really difficult. I had to battle through a lot of feelings of disgust but I lasted about 6 weeks with it. With my second DC I felt less weirded out by it all and fought through my own discomfort and lasted 13 months. I actually have happy memories of breastfeeding her.

Were you raised with a lot of discomfort around sex / women’s bodies, OP? I was raised by religious parents and I think that’s what put me off breastfeeding first time around. We’re raised in such a misogynist culture that sees breasts as shameful sexual objects for men but they’re not! They’re for feeding our babies (if we choose to have babies). It’s sad that we’re made to feel that way about our own bodies.

@SnapCackleFlop

Isn’t birth the same though?

And sex.

Oh I know we are mammals and I know it’s completely natural of course and extremely beneficial! And that’s why I realise what I’m feeling is really weird! Especially that I love children more than anything in the world. @SnapCackleFlop - you are totally right birth is exactly the same that’s why I’m having elective c- sections.
Anyway I’m defo not gonna do it for more than few days anyway and I have absolutely zero guilt about it. I was more just curious if any other ladies feel the same, that’s all

I suspect this is a bit goady but I’ll bite. We are animals, it’s natural and I find this a very immature way of looking at breastfeeding. I breastfed my twins and one of my friends couldn’t stop making comments about it as she had similar views to yours and just HAD to make her feelings known. Very tiring. Keep your views to yourself and just do you maybe?

Lmao

Just need to find an non-animalistic way of feeling with faeces and vomit then, OP. Looks like you’ve cracked it. You’re a genius.

I didn’t feel like this no, actually I found it beautiful and a source of great pleasure that my body could continue to grow my babies, the way it had when they were inside. The sense of it being natural, even animalistic, yes, appeals to me.

However you feel the way that you feel and that is ok. Shaming you for your honest thoughts won’t help.

I wonder if you’ve seen many examples of women breastfeeding among your family and friends? Sounds like it doesn’t feel ‘normal’ to you so I imagine maybe you haven’t. You could go along to a bf group meeting like la Leche, and see the way that bf is about so much more than feeding babies, it’s a way of soothing and making your baby feel safe and close. Expressing is also a short term option (although not that fun) if you really feel having baby attached is not for you but you want the health benefits.

You do realise that if your earliest ancestors did not do that , you would not exist ?

@Amirite LOL, then I wouldn’t call her your “friend”, what poor friends you have. I wouldn’t make a comment like that to anyone. This is a forum so it’s a bit different and you don’t have to answer either! You can BF your twins until they are 8 years old for all I care

I had this view when I was pregnant with my first but decided to breastfeed anyway when she was born
I’ve since breastfed all 3 of my kids

If it’s not for you then don’t do it! You’ve tried it and didn’t like it, either you can do that again or just don’t bother!

You don’t get a medal for trying to breastfeed so don’t force yourself to try

I agree with the heeby jeeby comment. I really wanted to breastfeed for as long as possible but it made me feel so weird. Like I'm wearing someone else's knickers. It was a completely involuntary feeling and I tried to fight through it but it was just ughhhh. I lasted two weeks and then expressed for another two weeks