i breatsfed until lexi was 4 weeks, i had to stop because i wasn't filling her and my back was really aching, i wanted to breastfeed until 3 months but it just didnt happen for me, everyones different! and don't worry about them thinking its weird, its not, they'll probably feel the same when its there own.

I'm not a teen mom, but I will be breastfeeding for about 6 months its very healthy for the baby, for the ones that choose not to I think you should reaserch it, even for a month of breast milk will benefit the baby, it helps build the immune system. heres some info on the benefits:

The primary benefit of breast milk is nutritional. Human milk contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids for human digestion, brain development, and growth.

Cow's milk contains a different type of protein than breast milk. This is good for calves, but human infants can have difficulty digesting it. Bottle-fed infants tend to be fatter than breast-fed infants, but not necessarily healthier.

Breast-fed babies have fewer illnesses because human milk transfers to the infant a mother's antibodies to disease. About 80 percent of the cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Breast-fed babies are protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and German measles. Furthermore, mothers produce antibodies to whatever disease is present in their environment, making their milk custom-designed to fight the diseases their babies are exposed to as well.

A breast-fed baby's digestive tract contains large amounts of Lactobacillus bifidus, beneficial bacteria that prevent the growth of harmful organisms. Human milk straight from the breast is always sterile, never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles, which can also lead to diarrhea in the infant.

Human milk contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula. No babies are allergic to their mother's milk, although they may have a reaction to something the mother eats. If she eliminates it from her diet, the problem resolves itself.

Sucking at the breast promotes good jaw development as well. It's harder work to get milk out of a breast than a bottle, and the exercise strengthens the jaws and encourages the growth of straight, healthy teeth. The baby at the breast also can control the flow of milk by sucking and stopping. With a bottle, the baby must constantly suck or react to the pressure of the nipple placed in the mouth.

formula is being pushed in everyone's face lately, and breastfeeding isnt as popular as it should be.

good for you on breastfeeding, its definitely best for the baby!
a lot of teens decide not to because its "inconvenient" or something dumb like that.

when i was pregnant my plan was to breastfeed and if i get pregnant again i will be breast feeding

well I'm a teen mom(sorta, I'm 19) and I chose to breastfeed, it was really hard at first, but it starts to get easier. It takes a lot of patience though, and commitment

i am an old fart my opinion is this: this is what your boobs are for the milk is free, sterile and best for your baby, completely natural and helps with bonding with the skin to skin contact.

Yes,I can be bothered with feeding my child.This is the way I chose to and it's not the least bit hard.
Breastfeeding isn't a walk in the park either,it takes a lot of work and you face plenty of problems.

I don't really feel like explaining it,sorry but I can truly say I'm very comfortable with my decision and it was best for me and my daughter.
And it wasn't 'dumb' nor was formula pushed in my face.

Please guys remember that it's important to respect a mother's choice.There are plenty of members here who can see this and who have chosen to formula feed each and every for their own validated reasons.
There are rules in the Breast and bottle feeding section about this and this forum supports and encourages both.

xxx

I want to, my friends think I'm crazy for wanting to breastfeed, they look at me like I've got a green head lol

I agree that it's because their teenagers, not because we are

I don't think Colsy meant any disrespect to bottle feeding mum's, although I can see how it may have come across that way. I think there is a difference in saying, "I don't think mum's should bottle feed" (disrespecting their choice, and their right to choose) and saying "I don't understand why some people would choose to bottle feed." I think it is more ignorance than malice, and if people aren't allowed to ask why people would make the choices they do they may very well go on never knowing or understanding why mum's make the choice to bottle feed their babies. I do not believe it is a healthy way for society to be, when people can not enquire about things they do not understand, in order to gain a greater understanding.

I think it can be healthy to want to know why bottle feeding mum's made the choices they did (and visa verse) because otherwise people will just go on making assumptions and never really know what goes on and why breastfeeding isn't for some, why some people prefer to bottle feed, or why some people choose not to bottle feed. Although admittedly it often leads to arguments, which is sad

As Colsy said "each to their own", but not everyone understands that and so there need to be rules to stop people passing judgement on others, but do these rules encase all conversations about breast and bottle feeding? Is it against the rules to ask why some would breast feed and why others might bottle feed, or to admit that you simply don't know why someone would bottle feed? Because some people do go too far and inevitably it turns into a "breast vs bottle" debate Which restricts people being able to get real information about both methods of feeding when they may come here looking for the impartial pro's and con's of each way, and may want to learn from other's experiences and have more understanding and information to help them in making their choice of whether to breast or bottle feed.

I think it is sad, that people can not come to this forum and ask, "Why did you bottle feed?" or "why did you breast feed?". Because obviously no one has to answer; no one should have to justify why they chose to feed their baby the way that they did, but if you didn't see it as 'justifying' rather, just explaining and sharing your experiences, then I really believe that for some who have not yet made their decision and are genuinely unsure what they want to do, then hearing other people's reasons why they made the choices that they did and how it worked out for them could really help someone who has not yet made that choice. But it always turns into an argument, doesn't it

My post wasn't a reply to a question 'What made you choose bottle feeding',I'm very happy to answer that and have no problem with people asking me.

It reffered to the part in which she wonders how people can be 'bothered' with it and it reffered to posts written by some other members.


If anyone at any time asks me why I chose to FF,I definitely don't mind curiousity and will be glad to reply (although I didn't in this particular post up because I mentioned it several times already and didn't find it relevant for the point I was trying to make in the said post).