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bottle v breast

This is in no way meant to start a debate but I was wondering what everyone was thinking re feeding?



I made the choice to bottle-feed my 2, no medical reasons etc just what I wanted and they were brilliant very content babies and very happy and healthy now.



I have been thinking about bfing this one simply because this will be out last so I would like to have experienced it. My issue is I don't want the first few weeks to be unhappy with me being sore, baby being unsettled, feelings of guilt if it doesn't work out. The idea would be to bf for a few weeks and move onto combi-feeding. Just wondered what you ladies were thinking and those with more than one what your experiences were. I'm very much in 2 minds. x

Replies

  • Hello mummy2liam,I know how you feel, I tried to bf my dd, even stayed in the MLU for a few days after the birth to get the hang of it but she just cried and wouldn't latch on, the mw's expressed manually and they manhandled me that much i was cracked and bleeding. All through my pregnancy I was so happy and the birth was great but the worst part for me was trying to bf. It turns out that all the nurses who dealt with me no-one picked up she has a small tongue tie and that's why she wouldn't latch on, but not before I felt like a failure and shed a lot of tears over it. We bottle fed her the rest of the time and there were no problems, we were both happy and she is so very healthy. This time we will try again but I am not going to beat myself up over it.x
  • I breastfed my firstborn exclusively for six months and I really enjoyed it! I was very fortunate that she latched on within a few minutes of me holding her all by herself with my second born I mix fed him as he was a big hungry baby and my breast milk just wasn't enough so he had one bottle of formula before he went to bed each night, again I stopped breast feeding at 6months.

    This time I will try to breast feed again but will buy things in for bottle feeding too xxx
  • I breastfed my dd until she was 1, and I loved it. She was in scbu for 8 weeks as she was born 10 weeks early, so I had to express a lot. She was tube fed for the first month, then went on to having expressed milk from a bottle, then onto the breast. It was really hard getting her going, lots of frustration and tears, but we got there. Even after she came home I still had to top her up with a bottle after every feed, but it was all my milk. She only went onto formula top ups when I started drying up a bit. I guess what I'm saying here is that it can be really hard work, but is soooo worth it and rewarding, and so much more convenient once you've cracked it.



    I TOTALLY understand that some ladies just can't bf for various reasons, but if you are able I would say a million times over, do it, at least give it a try. It's the natural way and it's FREE!! :lol:



    This time round I definitely aim to bf, but I think I will also bottle feed when baby is still quite young (expressed or formula, we shall wait and see), as I've heard many stories about bf babies refusing the bottle because they are so used to breast. My dd would take a bottle from anyone as she was so used to being fed by different nurses on scbu, it was great!!



    I really hope this hasn't come across as preaching, as I don't mean it to in any way. Even though I am very pro breast feeding as it is natures intended way, I am also pro choice, but I would say give it a go, but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out. xx
  • Hey mummy2liam



    I tried bf both mine and both couldn't latch on they were both nil by mouth for the first 24 hours which i think this is we're the problem lies, although I have to say unjust didn't like the feeling first time round I felt such a failure I bf for 2 weeks every 20 minutes and ended up with pnd when I couldn't do it felt the worst mum in the world, second time I tried my nipples cracked so bad the the mw at the hospital told me to stop using the left side because it was so bad so I stopped its not worth feeling bad about it, ad I had a peadiatrician come and tell my that formula is soo good nowadays to not worry about it (obv breast is best) but give it a go just make sure you have formula aswell incase it doesn't work out!



    If I was totally honest with myself I would say I just do not like the sensation of breast feeding the most natural thing in the world doesn't feel natural to me image
  • Hi, I also tried to bf my 2 children. I desperately wanted to do it but both of them didn't take to it at all. I had awful problems with latching on and felt like I had starved them for ages until in the end I gave up. I didn't enjoy it either time, obviously it was quite stressful for me and felt such a failure. I ended up bottle feeding them both after the first few weeks.

    This time I am undecided as to whether I will give it another go, I think if I did and everything goes well then fab but if not and end up bottle feeding I will not beat myself up about it like I did before. x
  • This can be such a touchy subject for a lot of people. I breastfed my first but he was premature and I really struggled once we got home. He would scream and scream shaking his head from side to side. It became so stressful for both of us and he ended up not being able to get anything from me and I wasn't expressing much so we moved to formula. This still caused problems as he ended up with reflux and I ended up with pnd. I was adamant that this time I wasn't going to breastfeed so that everything would be less stressful. I am so nervous about those first few weeks being ruined again. But I've decided I'm going to try. I'm really keeping everything crossed this baby won't be premature which will reduce the stress anyway. But if it doesn't work out then I'm not going to feel guilty over it. Not everyone can breast feed. Not everyone wants to. And while the statistics may say breast is best nothing is better than a happy baby and a happy mother xx
  • Angiebaby, who blamed you for the asthma and eczema? Was it health professionals? That's really shocking, talk about kicking a girl while she's down!! Surely if both you and your your other half have both asthma and eczema it's got to be in the genes. And even if it was something to do with not bf (which can never be proved), how is saying that helpful?

    I really feel for you being blamed, that's horrible!!



    Can I recommend a breast pump? I used the Medela swing when feeding my dd, it's really good, easy & portable, though ??100 is a lot of money!!



    As for babies & teeth, yes, ouch!! I was bitten once and it HURT!!! :lol:
  • I breastfed my daughter until she was 16 months old, purely because I'm REALLY lazy and could not be bothered with the whole steralising/bottle making etc. I only ever planned to feed her until she was either 6 months or got her first tooth (whichever came first) but I ended up carrying on for the ease!!



    My advice to you would be to start using Lasinoh on your nipples BEFORE even starting to feed, nurses at the hospital told me prevention was better than cure and this advice was gold dust as my nipples never cracked. It did hurt (draining wise) for the first two weeks but after that was absolutely fine and worked for us.



    Angiebaby...whoever told you it was your fault for not breastfeeding is well out of order!!
  • Also used the Medela swing pump and it is AMAZING!! x x x
  • hello



    im bf my ds who is now six months, he hasnt had anything else, im very proud ive managed it as i know how hard it can be and never dared hope we'd make it.



    In the beginning i was soooo sore, we have done it the whole time with a nipple shield and this has worked for us. I was made to feel guilty for this as they can reduce supply, and lead to a demanding baby which could lead to giving up. At times my LO has fed hourly, but then most bf babies do at some point, so i wouldnt put it down to the shield. I was so happy and peaceful bf with it and felt depressed and anxious and in pain without it! And we've managed! In the first few weeks i couldnt imagine why people went on about it being a lovely, serene experience that bonded you to your baby - i was knackered, sore and doing it all the time. Then it clicked, and it has been so special. Id never say someone who bottle fed was not bonded to their child - but the rush of hormones every time he latches on feel amazing now. I wouldnt have missed it for the world and now dont want to give up!



    Whatever breast milk you give your LO is a bonus, my advice would be go in with an open mind, accept all help on offer (we stayed at a MLU too - fab hands on help and advice really got us off the ground) lots of lansinoh and nipple shields if needed! Your bubba will behave differently to your other two being bf - you probably will find its more little and often in the beginning than it has been with your others - but as others have said, once off the ground its wonderful. good luck x
  • Hi everyone. Thanks for all your stories.



    Firstly angiebaby...what a load of tosh!!!! My sister bf her 2 boys exclusively until 9 and 10 months and both children are always ill, always coming down with infections and never away from the dr. Her daughter (who was ff) is the healthiest of the 3. My children are rarely ill and they were both ff. Please don't listen to anyone who says your children ending up with allergies is your fault. I would have put a complaint in!!!!



    Lots of different stories and mummies with the same fear as me...there first few weeks being miserable. Getting the cream beforehand sound like a good idea. I think I will put in my notes that I would like to try but I would also like to have bottles on hand just in case I change my mind. xx
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