Forum home Babies Baby

Thinking of bottle feeding-but have q's about breastfeeding?

Morning ladies,

Since we found out I was pregnant, I've been pretty set about bottle feeding. My reasons for this are numerous - I think breastfeeding (BF) will be quite tying - unless I express, my fiance can't get in on the act, it will be me getting up during the night, I'm quite a private person and would feel really unconfortable about BF in public, it means that I can't drink/eat certain foods, it's painful, and I hate the idea of having to express - pump milk out! Also, if you are out without the baby, your boobs still fill with milk, so you need to express? Your boobs leak, so constantly having to wear breast pads.....the list goes on!!!

However, recently, I have been thinking more and more about it. I am fully aware that there are supposed to be benefits for mother and baby of BF, but i'm coming round to the idea of being very natural, and what our boobs are there to do! I'm also completly on board with BF helping weightloss!!

I'm just wondering if there are any ladies who felt like I did - not completely convinced, and even though all of the issues I have about breastfeeding, still decided to do it? How did you manage with all the issues I put?

Did any go the other way, and are happy they bottle fed?

This is really just picking your brains.....but you ladies are the experts!!!

Thanks girls

Rucky 27&2

Replies

  • My concerns were the same as yours to be honest, i absolutely didn't want to bf in public and was concerned about leakage lol!

    Basically my lo is breast fed, BUT, for the first few weeks I would only go out for short periods as I didn't want to be caught short and have to breast feed in public. After 4 weeks I introduced a formula feed bottle as a night feed and since then it's been great as if I go out during the day bubba has a bottle and I don't have to worry so much? So she was ebf for 4 weeks and now has 2 bottles a day (both at night) unless we are going out in the day in which case she will have a bottle, in all honesty though I will always take a bottle out with me but if I can bf her when i'm out (not in public) I do, for example in the back of my car in the empty corner of mcdonalds the other day lol! You don't HAVE to do one or the other hun, you can do both?

    As for leaking, I remember my friend telling me how milk used to virtually squirt out of her when she moved :lol: I, on the other hand have never had to use a breast pad other than when i dropped a night feed and replaced it with a bottle and then it was only at night for a few nights that i leaked, i definately have never leaked during the day or anything, I think its an individual thing?

    Don't know if that helps? image
  • No that defo helps...can you pick and choose when you want to BF? Say, if I wanted to do the morning feeds, then bottle in the afternoon, and BF at night? Do you not produce milk in the afternoon, which you will need to express anyway, otherwise your boobs will weigh a tonne? Sorry if it's a daft question!!! xxx
  • I do combined feeding (due to feeding issues and reflux - we started out more bf than bottle but now at 7mo he is only bf in the morning). If it were me, and after the problems I had, I would start out with solely bf the first few weeks so that your milk supply can be properly established, then down the track introduce a bottle for the feeds you choose to (either ebm of formula). it doesnt matter which feeds you choose (even if using ff), your milk supply will adapt.
    As for leaking, it does vary I believe, but I only used breast pads for the first 2 weeks or so as I never leaked after that. And the pain subsides in the first week too, as long as you get a proper latch on established.
    Oh, and if youre uncomfortable with bf in public, my friend was the same and she bought some nursing smocks from Mothercare - they have a few in their range: e.g.

    http://www.mothercare.com/Bebe-Au-Lait-Nursing-Cover/dp/B002BEID7K/sr=1-29/qid=1276689511/ref=sr_1_29/279-4480245-9715411?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=42860041&mcb=core

    HTH. x
  • No that defo helps...can you pick and choose when you want to BF? Say, if I wanted to do the morning feeds, then bottle in the afternoon, and BF at night? Do you not produce milk in the afternoon, which you will need to express anyway, otherwise your boobs will weigh a tonne? Sorry if it's a daft question!!! xxx

    As cornetto said really, i did just breast for 4 weeks to establish my supply, then you choose when to give bottles, i think its best to decide when you want to give bottles and stick to it, so say you want to do a 5pm bottle as cornetto says you will soon stop producing breast milk for that feed. When lo has the odd bottle during the day when i'm out it doesn't seem to affect my breast milk, although i imagine it would if you did it regularly, i don't have huge pammy boobs if she misses a breast feed, i've never needed to express image
  • just a quick note about the night feeds issue. Yes your partner can give a night feed if you bottle feed but when you breastfeed it is easier and quicker. I actually did it in my sleep! I would bring lo into bed and lie down and lie her next to me and let her latch on that way. That way I coulod dose off while feeding her!

  • My reasons for this are numerous - I think breastfeeding (BF) will be quite tying - unless I express, my fiance can't get in on the act, it will be me getting up during the night, I'm quite a private person and would feel really unconfortable about BF in public, it means that I can't drink/eat certain foods, it's painful, and I hate the idea of having to express - pump milk out! Also, if you are out without the baby, your boobs still fill with milk, so you need to express? Your boobs leak, so constantly having to wear breast pads.....the list goes on!!!


    Hi, i cant really comment on mix feeding as i havent tried it but just thought i'd answer someo f your initial concerns.
    *It isn't painful, in fact its painless. The only time i've been sore is when my milk first came in and when i've had masititus.
    *Eating should be no different to your normal diet, its not like your pregnant still and are restricted to eating foods such as soft cheese etc. Apparently the milk tastes different with certain foods but my milk never smells of curry! :lol:
    *You are limited to 2 units of alcohol per day, but if theres any new mums that can physically find the time to drink more than 2 glasses of wine on an evening i salute you! Binge nights need to planned carefully so you can build up a stock of EBM and nannie can look after baby while you let your hair down!
    *As for leaking, i do leak, especially when baby cries or when i'm thinking about feeding or when they're full and he hasn't wanted to feed. Breastpads are cheap (Asda ??1.50 for 50ish?) and i wouldnt go out without wearing them just in case.
    *I dont bf in public, i take a bottle of expressed out with me if i knoww there arent any feeding rooms. You can always do it in the car when your parked up and just put a muslin over you.
    *I hated the idea of expressing, i thought i'd feel like a cow on a dairy farm! But to be honest, it takes 10 minutes and you just read a magazine and put your feet up. Its not that bad, you get used to it.

    I'm very pro-breastfeeding and would say to do it for as long as you can before you start introducing formula. That said, i understand its not everyones cup of tea and babies that are formula fed are no different from bf babies. You never know, once your doing it, you might really enjoy it and it really helps you and baby to bond along with all the immunity/health benefits that are an added bonus. Its great too when you want to hide from the MIL and you dont have to feel obliged to let everyone feed baby a bottle! ;\)

    Good luck xxx
  • Like Haydensmummy, I am also v pro-bf'g. I have breastfed my ds for 17 weeks now and its the easiest thing! Yes the first few weeks are hard (nipple pain, exhaustion etc), but I wouldn't have thought of doing anything but bf'g. Its medically proven that its the best thing for your baby and protects against all sorts of diseases. Maybe i'm lucky with my ds, but he's strong, healthy, NEVER has wind or colic, and we don't have to worry about sterilising bottles or packing powders. I don't bf in public (apart from at mum and baby groups) and express if I need to (especially so my hubby can feed). However my mum breastfed me so I had support there and it really can depend on how much support you have access to. A lot of people bottlefeed because all their friends/family have done so as bf can be tough.
    Good luck x
  • I know I'm going to be shot down in flames for this but I just can't believe that anyone would be so concerned about the inconvenience of feeding their baby what is best for them. Sorry.
  • I know I'm going to be shot down in flames for this but I just can't believe that anyone would be so concerned about the inconvenience of feeding their baby what is best for them. Sorry.


    I am as pro breastfeeding as anyone, and wonder how this comment will convince Rucky to breastfeed? If anything it will put her off! Why not give some helpful, positive advice instead of being provocative?

    For me, breastfeeding was easy and painless. It really doesn't have to be difficult, for some it's not. Hope you give it a go at least then see how you feel. You might like it! Also, I've never had to be careful with food - LO didn't seem affected.

  • Point taken coco25. Rucky just give it a go when LO arrives, you will love him/her so much that you won't give a monkeys about breastpads or any of the 'problems' you mentioned. It doesn't hurt ever, leaks are funny, and it's the most beautiful thing in the world to see your baby so comforted as they are on the boob. Plus you will be tied to your baby whether you breastfeed or bottle feed. Consider trying it before you dismiss it.
  • Thanks ladies, this has been really helpful. I quite like the idea of mixing bottle and breast, but understand that I should start solely with breat to get used to it.

    The midwifes have given me a DVD to watch, which I think I will. It's a bit of a turn around for me - I've gone from compeltly just wanting to bottle feed, to now thinking about breast feeding.

    It's so fantastic to have all you lovely ladies on here, passing on your wisdom!! It's really a god send! xxx
  • I was a bit like you, Rucky, I was dead set against BFing until I actually got pregnant, then I just really really wanted to do it! I've recently gone back to work and have had to put ds onto follow on milk (he's 7 months) I can safely say it is so so so much easier to breastfeed than it is to bottlefeed. SO MUCH!!! It's hard work from the point of view that you can't give the baby to someone else to feed, but it's pretty much the only disadvantage. I agree that it doesn't hurt, at first it may do as your nipples get used to it, but Lansinoh is worth its weight in gold - it sorted me right out! As for the oh doing feeds, expressing isn't as bad as I thought it'd be, I try not to think about it tbh. It's kind of fascinating the first time you do it because it's a bit like, "Woah, I made milk!!! And there it is!!!!!" Possibly the best argument is that it's free - more money for the baby, and more money for you to treat yourself as a reward for bfing!image

    Not wishing to make anyone feel bad or anything, but even when it is hard, the feeling that you're powering through and feeding your baby yourself is just so overwhelming. I am amazed that my son grew to be 26 weeks old with just me feeding him and my body sustaining him. It's amazing, really really amazing. Please try it, you'll love it, and determination goes a long, long way.
  • Thanks ladies, this has been really helpful. I quite like the idea of mixing bottle and breast, but understand that I should start solely with breat to get used to it.

    The midwifes have given me a DVD to watch, which I think I will. It's a bit of a turn around for me - I've gone from compeltly just wanting to bottle feed, to now thinking about breast feeding.

    It's so fantastic to have all you lovely ladies on here, passing on your wisdom!! It's really a god send! xxx

    :\) Excellent news! Good luck whatever you end up doing.
  • rucky, not everyone leaks chickk- i have NEVER had to use a breastpad and i have been breastfeeding for 8months now! we are just getting lo to take a bottle now as im back at work but seriously, im already fed up with the sterilising, spending ??20 a week on powder, making up bottles when she is crying and hungry. back in the day it was so much easier just to get boob out!

    then you think of the health benefits. when you meet your little one for the first time you will do ANYTHING to keep it healthy and happy. your fiance should understand that you want to give your baby the best start in life. my husband understood and was always there to make me tea, buy me magazines, tidy etc so i could relax with my baby and feed her whenever she wanted at the drop of a bra! image
  • Hi when I had my son 2 years ago I thought I would never bottle feed! I started breast feeding him and had lots of problems. I ended up not asking for help and gave up in tears after 7 days. I felt so guilty when we started bottle feeding - that made me cry too - I couldn't win but my baby was much happier when we started bottles we carried on.
    I must say though I found making bottles up a real faff!
    Because of the problems I had, not seeking help and stopping bf suddenly without advice from any hv etc I ended up with an abcess in my breast that had to to be treated at hosital . So please discuss feeding after baby is born whatever you decide to do.
    I have just had my second baby (2 weeks ago) and really wanted to try and breastfeed again but was really really nervous. I made my mw know this and she gave me extra visits to support my feeding. My dd feeds better than ds did and I'm more relaxed. It is going really well. Now it's easier I realise how much easier it is than bottle feeding!! As someone else said night feeds are much quicker and easier when bf. It's a real faff at night to make up a bottle!
    I think my dh has found it harder to bond this time cos at this point he was helping to feed ds but he wants me to bf and knows it is important to me.
    Whatever you decide I think plan to breastfeed for first day or two cos that's the really important stuff and you will have lots of support. Whatever you do, your milk will still come in - so you might as well give bf'ing a go?
    If you do find bf'ing hard ask for help - it really does feel good once you get use to it! And I thought I would hate breast feeding in public but I have done it three times this week! If you think about what you wear and get them latched on quick you just look like you are cuddling your baby.
    Good luck. X
  • Rucky - my one piece of advice to you may sound counter-productive but trust me it's not.

    Everyone told me how fantastic breast feeding was, how easy it was, how it helped them to bond with lo and it wasn't painful so I fully expected it to be easy. Give it a go but remember that it won't necessarily be easy. I wish someone had told me beforehand that the first few weeks can be hard going and painful. Once I had given up everyone turned around and said 'oh yeah, the first few weeks are really hard'. I think if they had told me this beforehand I wouldn't have not done it, but I would have been prepared and may even have carried on until I got to the good part. Because I didn't know that others had found it difficult I think I felt like I was doing it wrong and there was something wrong with me because I didn't love it. I sort of wish now that I'd stuck it out for a few more weeks, however bottle feeding is working out as well. Whatever you end up doing will be the right decision.... I would suggest trying breastfeeding, even if just for a few days as you are then able to switch to bottle feeding if it is not right for you.

    And remember that happy mummy = happy baby - don't let anyone make you feel selfish for making a decision based on how you feel... your baby will be happy if you are, not because of how you feed him/her
  • I agree, breastfeeding is really hard for the first few weeks, especially when you're unsure and feeling weepy. I really relied on my mum and advice from a HV, as well as talking to the girls on breastfeeding chat. But after those initial weeks (it took me 4 weeks), it becomes like second nature.
  • i agree too and hav told the mws this! if people were prepared for how difficult it can be more peope might continue as it wouldnt be such a shock. i found the first 2 weeks really hard but i was determined to do the best for my baby. i used shields, cool/heat pads, lanolin crem, bf support workers, and pads as i have loads of milk. ive acually just expressed 10oz this am AFTER a feed! it can be easy, it can be difficult but the products and support are out there. i have ever been bothered about drinking alcohol, and have not changed my diet. it is the best thing in the world.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions