I do not like breastfeeding. There. I said it. I realize this is an unpopular statement to make, but I really liked nothing about it. Prior to ever being pregnant I said very often that I wasn't going to breastfeed. When I got pregnant I decided I should at least give it a try. Selfishly, it was the thought of burning extra calories that motivated me. I breastfed exclusively for 1 whole day, maybe 2?? We gave Isla formula in the hospital to help with her jaundice. We fed her with an eye dropper though as not to cause any nipple confusion. The first week home from the hospital we had many visitors. I found it easier to give Isla some formula (still with an eyedropper) when we had company over. I didn't want to run upstairs to feed her or whip out my boob in front of people. I'm not cool like that. When we noticed our child was not dying or growing an extra limb from formula, we decided it wouldn't be a bad thing to slowly start incorporating bottles. For 4 weeks we alternated between breast feeding and formula. I also did a lot of pumping to keep my supply up. I preferred feeding Isla this way. It allowed Andy to help with the night feedings and it gave my nipples a break from the shear pain I felt each time Isla latched on.
Whipping out my boob in the middle of the night was far easier than making a bottle. But I had absolutely no intentions of pumping at work. None. So as my maternity leave started to get closer we switched to formula full time and never looked back.
I know many moms who think breastfeeding is incredible and a great bonding experience. I wish I could say the same, but I didn't like having my child on my boob. I didn't like the thought of pumping so I could go away for a night, pumping after I drank alcohol, pumping to store a gabillion tiny bags in the freezer for back up, worrying about when my milk would dry up....it all seemed like too much stress! I very much admire mothers who do these things though. Clearly, I am a convenience over commitment type of mama.
Now, 7 months later the thought of having another baby is always on my mind. I want one soon. Now. And I'm wondering if I'll give breastfeeding another shot?? Probably not. But maybe.
7 years ago
3 comments:
Obviously I'm totally on the other side of the issue, because I think all of the stress and all of the hard work that comes with breastfeeding is totally and completely worth it, for me and for my son. But I appreciate your honesty about your feelings on the subject. And the great thing about it is, whether we breastfeed or not, or whether we do cry-it-out or not, or whether we start solids at 4 months or 6 months, we're both good moms, following our instincts and doing what works best for our families! That's all you can do right?
Agreed! Both of our kids will turn out fabulously, regardless of how different our parenting styles are.
I couldn't agree more with you both of you! I really wanted to breastfeed but with Colton being so early he had a really hard time latching on and my milk supply didn't come in and after 4 weeks of struggling and feeling like I couldn't provide for own child we swtiched to formula and needless to say he developed just fine! Everyone parent is different in the decisions they make about their own child and I don't think that there are right and wrong decisions. I say with the next child give it a shot again and if it just doesn't work at least you won't say later that you should have tried.
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