Breastfeeding V's Bottle Feeding

[lolabanola]

Just being down right nosey now! ....

I have been reading up on the whole breast v's bottle feeding and I personally have decided that I want to bottle feed. Without wanting to turn this into a whole debate on how 'Breast Is Best' I was just wondering what everyone else plans to do when they have their baby? Are you breast or bottle feeding?

KnitterNotTwitter - yes, but very little else thataffects other people attracts such strange responses! Which is odd because even if you accept the health benefits of BFing, it isn't really arguable that FF is siginificantly harmful in the developed world. There are far more 'harmful' choices made for children which don't attract quite the same response!

I breastfed all 5dc, loved the closeness, never thought to bottle feed I think mainly due to the fact my mum always breastfed, I felt bottle would be unnatural, also I just couldn't get my head round getting up in the middle of the night etc, I also co-slept/sleep with all until they were ready and happy to be in a cot/bed.
All were different experiences and alot of the time the first 3 months was down to perseverance but enjoyed after the 'sore' stage passed and fed until they gave me up

At the end of the day this was my decision and I have felt strongly about it, doesn't suit everyone so do what's best for you.

According to pregnancy-calendars.org these are the benefits of making sure your baby gets it's colostrum

Benefits Of Colostrum
?Colostrum has high quantities of proteins including beneficial growth factors (IGFs), long chained fatty acids that are polyunsaturated, carbohydrates, Vitamin A, Vitamin K and antibodies.
?Besides it has low fat content, so that babies can easily digest it. Colostrum supplies nutrients in a low volume as babies have digestive systems that are still forming.
?Colostrum has laxative effect, even though mild, which aids the baby to pass its first stool known as meconium.
?Excess bilirubin is cleared, as these blood cells are dead and useless and found in plenty during birth, as a result of reduction in blood volume. This will help in preventing jaundice.
?Colostrum prevents the intestinal tracts of babies from being permeable, as it shuts the holes. It gives the gastrointestinal tracts a barrier against the entry and sensitizing the baby from foreign substances like the food consumed by the mother.
?Colostrum is good for adults as well. Colostrum can quicken the healing of bruises and injuries, decrease the allergy symptoms, can increase memory power and concentration, revitalize the hair growth and can make your prostate better.
?It has all of the five immunoglobins igA, igD, igE, igG, as well as igM. Colostrum helps to jumpstart the fight against infections. It also helps in immunizing you from chronic diseases due to the presence of molecules known as transfer factors. The presence of antioxidant phytic acid helps in building defenses against cancer. Colostrum has leukocyte, a white cell in huge volume that protects the body from diseases, viruses and bacteria.
?Colostrum is useful as antibiotics with no side effects.
?Colostrums can be considered to be an absolutely safe natural vaccine.

After the first fortnight, colostrum will turn into mature milk. Then the antibodies concentration found in the milk will be reduced, yet the volume of milk is raised. If your baby gets breast milk it can continue to fight against viruses, germs and bacteria, even in the absence of colostrum.

Lola agreed. Maybe it's because everyone with children has had to go through the same decision making process and with something this important you want to feel you've made the right decision. And other people making the same decision as you validates your decision in the first place.

Maybe it has become socially acceptable to be publically opinionated on the subject...? And I think one becomes very sensative to other peoples views on the subject simply because it is so important...

That said I'm vastly more judgypants about smoking/drinking/physical or mental violence to name but a few.

So feeding the colostrum would mean BFing for 2 weeks ish? Or is less OK? By OK I mean is there still a point doing it for, e.g., a few days, as I am definitely not BF long term.

I believe the principal is that the longer you do it the more benefits your baby gets... Two weeks sounds like a great start for your littlun...

I think Knitter has hit the nail on the head. So many mothers feel the need to vindicate their own choice. I, of course, am not judgypants about anything!

Lola thank you

I think that trying to please other people/conform to what a book suggests and knackering yourself out carry far more of a risk to you and your baby than the relative benefits/drawbacks of the way in which you choose to feed.

Me: I am quite lazy in practice, but pretty committed to principles. Breastfeeding suits me because I don't have to bother with the preparation or cleaning of bottles. It's also quite a nice thing to do and I felt very smug that I had managed it. I'm not a natural mother in other ways (zero patience, for instance), so this was a big comfort to me. I like the fact that breastfeeding enabled me to legitimately lie around on a bed reading for half the day. I co-sleep, so that my sleep wasn't disturbed.

I didn't like the way it restricted my movements (social life: ta-ta), but I am prepared to sacrifice that in the short term.

I also like the way I can eat more cake than I should do, because my greedy baby uses up the extra calories.

I don't like the fact that my nipples have been stretched and are more like gherkins than rosebuds these days.

I don't think anyone else feels EXACTLY the same way I do about the whole business, so I don't think I can advise you ... but please, pplease don't try to please others. Except me, in this small thing

I always found that lifting the enormous weight of a bottle required me to eat copious quantities of cake

op not to be offensive but it sounds like you are a little judgeypants about breastfeeding when you claim that you plan to 'ignore the pro breastfeeding army' etc

Whoops, wrong lola please ignore.

I bottle fed twins last time, because it seemed easier and i was a bit overwhelmed. This time i will try breast and see how it goes, but i wont worry if i end up with formula, as my boys were fine on it.

Its the same with nappies - disposable last time for ease, i will try washable this time and see how it goes.

No Queenofdreams - I just knew that people would be rude to me if i asked this question, I choose to ignore the rudeness that's all, I was interested in genuine answers, which some people have given me on here. Whether they have been breastfeeding or bottlefeeding they have still given me 'food for thought' and valid points.

lolaknickers: reminds me of my SIL. My MIL bought her a 6 pack of Mars Bars "for her milk". She declined to breastfeed, but took the Mars Bars to make herself feel better about it.

It doesn't really matter to anyone but you, in the long run. I was fed formula and am EXTREMELY marvellous. I wonder at the wisdom of breastfeeding, really; I've adjusted too many factors ... the cloning operation may not work ...

lucybrad: I like your sane appraoch to the whole business

Queenofdreams - not to worry. And I am actually absolutely judgypants about lots of things

BFding is very hard work, however in my experience it does help a little bit with reducing illness once they go to nursery. I found that FF did help when at times I was completely empty and utterly exhausted. I also expressed and froze it, for help in those times.
My advice would be, try both if you can and if you can keep your baby on both (you need to try both within the 1st couple of days) and continue, you'll find you can have the best of both worlds. Good luck - you wont believe how much they eat, and how often!!

Druzhok perhaps you'd be more modest if you were breastfed....

But i'm sure you are genuinely thouroughly lovely...

There are so many things where the advice and fashions change. I was put to sleep on my stomach and am still here....

And i suspect Druzhok can spell thoroughly too

i think so much of the success of b/f is down to luck - luck that the baby latches on well / feeds well / luck that your nipples can take it / luck that you have someone else to help out while you spend a huge amount of time feeding etc...

yet some of the lucky ones seem to strive to make the unlucky feel bad.

Can't spell 'approach', though ... look at 15:47 post.

Vital oa/ao amino acid is missing

Lolabanola - first of all I would say have an open mind and that you don't have to decide yet. You may feel totally different when baby is born.
Re the debate - this post of yours might have been a bit contentious "if bottle feeding was that bad then they wouldn't make the formula - It would come with a health warning at least!" It does!! Look in your pregnancy notes and you will see the statistics for certain health elements in formla vs bf

Onto the logistics - how old will baby be when you go back to work?
dd was only 7 wks but I did a combo of breast at home/formula at nursery. (Expressed too but not enough for all day)With ds I was lucky enough to have some donated milk from a friend so did a combo of breast & expressed. To be honest your boobs just adjust to the different timetable after a few days. Have you considered mix feeding like that at all as another option?
It was really lovely to have that special connection bfing when I finished work & my dc both always seemed to look forward to it. (manic grins on their little faces!)

For me personally, I really wanted to try and bf, so just took a day at a time. I frankly could not be arsed with sterilising, having to go into a different room in the night, taking a load of crap out with me etc. I honestly found it a bit hard for the first few days then it just seemed a much, much easier option. Been bfing for about 4 years now over 2 dc and never regretted my decision.

Mostly BF for me and DD.

Controversially, and splinter up the bum fence-sitting, sustainable mix feeding (once BF is established) is possible, too (just saw that jackstini suggested it, too, so I can't be making it up). Best of both worlds (the dodgy virgin gut theory, notwithstanding) - share the load with daddy, but not having to deal with effin' bottles (lazy mummy). And, i've been lucky enough to lose weight while eating like a piglet...