I breastfeed because that's what these honking great big bags on the front of my chest are for :P Well, that and breastmilk supposedly being the most healthy food for babies. The early days were hard going because I was still in hospital and struggling with getting fifty different sorts of advice from fifty different nurses, but once we arrived home and had the kraamzorg (after birth care in NL) helping us, things went much better. I think it took about four weeks or so before I could really say that I was adept at breast feeding. I'd always assumed it would be instinctive and easy, but it wasn't! It's like everything else, a skill to be learned. On top of that, the pain in the first few weeks doesn't help much, but that's disappeared with time thankfully.

The downside for me has been always having to be the one getting up at night (partly my own fault though - I could have expressed milk so my husband could feed the baby, but I've been too slack ), and also feeding in public - what happens so easily and naturally at home for some reason in public becomes a case of utterly uncoordinated and self-conscious fumblings involving blankets and a small cushion with a kitten on it (oh yeah, and the baby). I've just never got the hang of it, so on these occasions will sometimes use formula one-shots instead, or just avoid having to be out of the house at feeding time (bye bye social life...).

On the whole, I've really enjoyed breastfeeding though. I love the closeness with my son, and I feel ridiculously proud about being able to nourish him in his early months. I feel a bit sad that breastfeeding must eventually come to an end, as he turns to more grown-up foods.

This is so funny - and true!!

Do you have a breastfeeding cafe at your local hospital or community center? I go and it's a good way of eliminating the embarrassment of feeding in public - trust me, when you're in a room full of fellow breastfeeders, all sitting there with their tits out, pretty soon you won't care about feeding your baby there, too - it feels just as natural as it does at home.

You don't just go there and feed your baby, either. I've found that all the women who go are really genuine and lovely people; it's a great way to meet other mummies in your area and expand your social life, too - 2 birds, one stone!

I haven't heard of anything like that around here, but there is a mums and babies group which I've just found out about. Don't know whether anyone will be feeding then, but meeting up with other mums will be great! And of course it will be nice for my lad to meet other babies (he usually only sees adults).

I breastfed for a while but the constant feeds were draining me, so I switched to bottle, plus the days my pelvis started and I needed rest, Rich would do it.

Could not cast a vote, as I did both and that was not a voting option. He is 3 now and does not do either one anymore. I am pregnant again and will do both with this baby as well.

Lady Sicily

I breast fed for the first 3.5 months and kept it going as long as humanly possible. My baby was so sleepy (I went to a B/F group from a week after he was born), hospital visits etc. Eventually had to give up because we unexpectedly had to travel twice a week from when he was 8 weeks old and keeping the supply up with the exhaustion was just impossible.

Well, when no.2 comes, will try again!

But at the end of the day it's whatever works for everyone!

Munchy x

I wanted to breast feed so badly and I did right after Charlotte was born. She was about 90 mins old and had a good latch and nursed for 10 minutes. Then the awful eclampsic headache set in and I couldn't even hold her...then the seizures and the BP meds...now the PND meds, so I'm not allowed to breast feed her.

I breastfeed..constantly, I might add.

I'm a 24/7 milk machine..and boy, do my nipples hate me.

I breastfeed but fantasise going over to bottle as my body is so exhausted and my nipples are numb.I do enjoy it though....

Hiya,

I wasn't brought up around breastfeeding, i didn't even know anyone who had done it, but i always said i would give it ago. It was the best discision i had made. Yes i had problems in the begining and sometimes still have the odd problem, he's 15 weeks old now and i plan on going for as long as i can. I myself DO NOT judge anyone for bottle feeding their child but i agree with the comment above...... i don't understand mothers not wanting to at least try. Im lucky in my problems didn't last and i was able to carry on, i now know some women aren't that lucky.


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