Why do you breastfeed? :)

Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
edited December 2011 in Breastfeeding
And what are some health benefits that you know about breastfeeding? :)
For me, its the bonding time with my baby. Im lazy and dont want to get up to make a bottle lol.
The health benefits are proper jaw alignment, antibodies, lowers risk of asthma, allergies
eczema, diabetes (juvenile & adult), some childhood cancers, crohn's disease, colitis, necrotizing enterocolitis (mostly preemies), obesity, cardiac disease, poorer cognitive development, poorer visual development, breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, adult onset diabetes, overweight, osteoporois, iron deficiency just to name a few lol :)
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Comments

  • 1stWoodsBaby1stWoodsBaby
    I chose to BF for the health reasons (for me and baby). Also because its more natural, easier than carrying around/making bottles, and free. My daughter is 8 weeks old and we've been BF the whole time. She came out doing it like a pro.
  • vtmamajujuvtmamajuju
    I do it because its free and for health reasons. Can't say I enjoy it though. I don't like being a human pacifier and milk cow, and I don't like being sore all the time. I am constantly wondering how something so natural can be so difficult.
  • 1stWoodsBaby1stWoodsBaby
    @vtmamajuju I enjoy it, but I'm starting to get the point where I know it'd be easier to use formula in the aspect that someone else could feed her when I'm busy or in the middle of the night.
  • tinka1326tinka1326
    I like to know im giving bubs antibodies and boosting her immune system. There are so many things in bm that just arent in formula. I really badly wanted to feed my son but he just wouldnt latch on no matter what we tried, I have always thought the shape of his pallet was what wouldnt allow him to get good suction. Anyway... My daughter was born a natural, never had an issue on her side, just me being sore for the first couple weeks, but she is 6 weeks now and we are pros. If I need a break I pump, but usually I end up feeding the pumped milk to her cos I enjoy the quiet cuddles lol
  • Mrs4cMrs4c
    It's best and I'm stubborn and won't give up even though it's been difficult and we've had several set backs! 9 weeks and counting!
  • Mrs4cMrs4c
    Plus I hate formula! It's stinky, thicker, makes her spit up more, you have to constantly burp baby, it spoils after an hour!!!!.......
  • kailiasmomma05kailiasmomma05
    I do it because its free. And this is my last baby so I want as much bonding time as possible. Like prev poster said hate the smell of formula. I know its the best for him cuz he's gaining like crazy and doesn't have all the digestion issues that my older formula fed kids had.
  • beccibecci
    I breastfeed because its what's supposed to happen! We were made to do this. I hate the thought that formula is such a regularly used product in this country. That's why I started breastfeeding. Now, I love bonding time with lo and couldn't imagine doing anything else. Sometimes I feel frustrated and think she would sleep longer, or it would be easier to just hand her off to dad to feed without having to worry about pumping or to have a night to do me time and not screw up supply by not pumping, but this is what my body was made for and my health and los health are not worth the choice to formula feed. Breastfeeding isn't a choice for me, formula feeding is the choice if that makes sense. Breastfeeding doesn't make babies healthier or smarter or anything, formula just makes them lsickier than they are supposed to be. Why would I chose to do something that would make my baby not as smart or not as healthy as she was meant to be?

    Plus, I love doing it.
  • mszcastillomszcastillo
    In all honesty, a poster in the wic office that said "babies are born to breastfeed"
    Plus I love the health benifits for both my son & I, and the bond it makes between us.
  • lilbit01_209lilbit01_209
    Mainly the health benefits and the cost. I was young when I had my daughter and was living with my parents so I let my insecurities deture me from bf her. With my son its my hubby, daughter and I so its easier. And my 2- best friends (hubby and wife) help me get through it too. (Though my mom was very supportive with my daughter, I just wasnt) I still am wigged out about it but its getting better. I bonded with my son right away though while I didnt bond with my daughter till she was 3 or 4ish. I do pump so my hubby can feed, I can go volunteer and go back to school and then eventually work but I know I will have snuggle time at home too.
  • ZolaBeanZolaBean
    I breastfeed because its healthy and free!
  • mrswrightmrswright
    I breastfeed because its easy free an healthy but mostly because I love the bond. When I get ready to feed my son he gets this big ol'smile an kicks his feet cuz hes excited I just love it. Hes 3 months an were going strong.
  • tashaloutashalou
    I wanted to do it because its best and the protection of some cancers. My first had cancer and I didnt breastfed even though I really wanted to, I never got shown properly or had support but I with alot of help I wanted to try and give the best to my baby so I know Im doing something even though I know formula did not cause the cancer he had
  • TheTrondsons1stTheTrondsons1st
    Its free!!! And the bonding means a lot to me. Not to mention its the best for her and i only want the best. :)
  • dra765dra765
    All of the above! Free, bonding, n ohhhh man he looks cute as hell during
  • beccibecci
    @amab13 how old is your lo? It took a while for me to get the whole. Bonding aspect of it too. I had ppd issues and now that its under control and she's 4 months, I see how much bonding is haPening and has happened. Plus I have a close friend who formula feeds. And I can see the difference in our bonding experience. I'm not saying she didn't bond with her son, or that she's not a good mom, but there is a difference. Its awesome to see my lo get excited about feeding time, I know its not the food she loves, but the being close to me, and that feeling rocks!
  • tashaloutashalou
    @amab13 no he died age 18 months from it. It was one of the rarest cancers a child can have also the most aggressive, it was called Rhabdoid and we found it when he was nine months in his kidney, and nine months later he left me.
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    aww @tashalou im sorry to hear that :(
    our wic office says babies are born to breastfeed too! :)
    you guys have some great answers! i wish more mamas had more support :)
  • brodysmammabrodysmamma
    I do it because : the many great health benefits for baby and I. Also I LOVE to bond with him. I am selfish and it gives me pleasure knowing that when he cries whoever is holding has to give him back to me unless I give them a bottle to feed him. Which is rare. (So I am sad to say I go back to work in 3 days and his grandmother will be watching him, I have to pump). The thought of going back and him only being 6 weeks is killing me. :( I like the calories it burns. I like all the uses of breast milk like it clearing his baby acne. Goes to show how awesome bm is. :) he does get formula every now and again but I try to limit that.
  • brodysmammabrodysmamma
    I would also like to thank all the mammas for their support in breast-feeding here. If it wasn't for my ladies of pregly I prolly would have given up. I didn't have a ton of support. My bf thought he wasn't getting fed enough for a long time and I just kept hearing from everyone no shame in giving up! I prolly would have if it wasn't for the awesome advice here, support, and ladies listening to me vent! So thank you ladies.
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    @Samantha the support on here is great no matter the subject or questions asked :) I feel for ya on the work thing, Im not going back to work yet but eventually I will and I know I am going to be sad about that. I have 3 kids and I have hardly been away from them for long periods of time in the last 9 yrs. If only our country was like other countries where mamas get paid maternity leave and some get maternity leave for 9 months or more! :(
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    and as an LC, its hard not to sit there and give my advice on this subject lol but this forum is to support parents, no matter the questions asked because outside of this forum, not everyone gets the support they need
  • M_STAR925M_STAR925
    just because you formula feed doesnt mean you dont bond with baby..some of us arent that lucky to breastfeed..
  • JuliansMommyJuliansMommy
    @m_star925- I agree:)
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    very true...but i meant the hormones that are released during nursing is a type of bonding :)
    @kristaf22 seriously, mine is always attached to me too LOL..all those dang growth spurts..i miss sleep haha
  • kcike812kcike812
    @m_star925 AGREED!!!!! Oh and formula fed babies are just as smart. Oh and I'm a formula fed baby that was never sick as a child or adult. I'm proud of all you mommas that are able to breastfeed your children. Some of us aren't that lucky.
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    I agree too, i was formula fed too but my siblings were not and i am never sick either :) but i dont mean to sound rude or judgemental, i like to support moms no matter what they decide, but if some people are offended by this breastfeeding category with all the questions and posts, why read them? just a question. my first was formula fed so i understand where you are coming from. (this was not by choice though). it takes work to get up at all hours of the night to make a bottle for those of you who dont have babies who sleep through the night and i congratulate you :)
    I like this category and tend to hang out here the most because i see a lot of same questions being asked over and over about pumping or breastfeeding so a lot of us like to post discussions with answers so a lot of us moms who want to know can read instead of searching through comments. :)
    there have been many times i wanted to give up, my 2 yr old was very preemie so i had to pump while he spent 53 days in the nicu, i continued to pump and teach him to latch and it took work so i understand how you pumpers feel :(
    this time around my baby was not preemie so i got to nurse her right after birth and am glad i dont have to spend all that time hooked up to a pump. :)
  • Proudmommy8789Proudmommy8789
    I do it cause its esay after the first couple of weeks. Its what we are ment to do. Its free! And lots of health benafits(sp) for both of us. And the bonding is great! Its like a natural high! I can have a crappy day and nursing her nakes me happy and it relaxes me.
  • vtmamajujuvtmamajuju
    Reading proudmommys post just now about it being a natural high brings up a question if y'all don't mind. I definitely don't feel a natural high. I've been bfing for a month now and it makes me tend to feel nauseas. I figured it just had something to do with when you've just given birth and bfing makes your uterus contract. I just have nausea now instead of the contracting. Is this normal after a month??
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    does it sound like this? @vtmamajuju
    http://d-mer.org/
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