Breastfeeding?? good or bad?

Question

my husband says that i shouldn't breastfeed because i don't eat healthy enough! which is true! i am not a vegetable person but i do eat them sometimes!! what should i do cause i want to try to breastfeed my baby!

Answer 1

Breastfeeding gives you bonding time with your baby. It is a natural thing. If you want to do it, then go ahead.

Answer 2

If you are not eating healthy it would be best that you use a formula that contains ARA/DHA, which is found in breastmilk and aids with brain development. There is no rule that says you have to breastfeed at all. If you do want to breastfeed make sure that you continue to take your prenatal vitamins the WHOLE time that you are breastfeeding. Drink a V-8. It has several veggies in it. My mom never breastfed any of us 4 kids and none of us had anything more serious than chicken pox, so the idea that children that are formula fed get sick more often is a bunch of crap. Kids will get sick if the parents are not careful about letting people with colds and other illness around their child.

Answer 3

Please bear this in mind : though it does benefit your baby when you eat healthy while you are breastfeeding, breastmilk, even by a woman who eats a poor diet, is still FAR suprerior nutritionally to formula. If you do not eat enough vitamins in your diet, your body will take them from stores to provide for your baby. Even if you are on medication, breastmilk is safer and superior to formula.

And as an added bonus breastmilk helps mother in the following areas: extended breastfeeding lowers a woman's risk of breast cancer, breastfeeding lowers a womans risk of diabetes, helps mother to recover from childbirth faster, and helps to prevent postpartum depression (among a long list of other benefits)

For the baby, breastfeeding: Provides baby with nature's best whole food, gives the best type of loving warmth and comfort a baby can receive, provides antibodies to any oncoming colds or bacteria (anything mother is exposed to mother creates antibodies towards - these pass through the milk and help to complement baby's own immunities, thus often the breastfed baby is sick less often and less severely than the bottle fed baby). Breastfeeding also lowers the risks of respiratory problems later in childhood, such as allergies and asthma. It also lowers the risk of childhood diabetes, lowers a girls' chances of developing breast cancer later in life, and so much more. What more could you ask for in a meal?

It sounds like you could use some breastfeeding support around you. Having other mothers who know the value of breastfeeding (for mother and for baby) can be really helpful, especially if your husband is kind of iffy about the whole thing. Check out http://www.lalecheleague.org - it is a mother based mother run non-profit organization created specifically to help women through breastfeeding. Most small communities (internationally) have a local chapter that you can drop in - it's free, and it's so great to connect with other new moms. Good luck!

Answer 4

Definitely breast feed. I fed all three of mine this way. It's the easiest and healthiest for the baby. You have to make the choice to be healthy yourself when you do it, but the bonding is sooooo worth it. I pumped too, so they would have it while I was gone (necessity) and so dad can get in on feeding them also. And you don't have to go to an all out health fanatic stage to do it. Just eating right, taking vitamins, no smoking, and no drinking. I don't like boiled veggies much, but I tried out fresh or grilled ones and love them now. Fruits too. It's also the cheapest way of feeding your child. Formula costs at least $10 a can, and you can go through 2-3 cans a week easy. Call the La Leche group in your area or ask your doctor about other breast feeding information. But go for it, if you are having a healthy pregnancy, you should be able to be healthy enough to breast feed. I did it until they were each about 10 months old.

Answer 5

I myself don't eat the healthy way all the time but my baby is very healthy and growing inside me well. My doctor said I would be better off to breastfeed because it is better for the baby and me. My husband says it's whatever I decide. at first he said to breastfeed. Then he went to formula because he didn't feel like he would get to bond with her like I will. He is now fully supportive because I have chosen to breast and formula feed. Even if you don't eat healthy your breast milk still has the nutrients that the baby needs. It will not be harmful for the baby. good luck

Answer 6

Breastfeeding is healthy no matter what you eat. You should however avoid cafeen and spicy foods as well as gassy vegitables as this will pass through your milk and make baby gassy and unconfortable. No formula could ever come close to the nutrition and antibodies babies get through breast milk. Oh And no drinking eiteher most babies will feed ever two hours on the breast and that is from the start of one feeding to the start of the other.. that usually only leaves 1.25 hours in between the acctually feedings and the average size women needs two hours to elimate 1 oz of alcohol from her system. Booze will pass through into your breast milk and that is not somehting you want. Breastfeading, although natural, is not as easy as some make it sound. My wife has been trying for the last 5 weeks and we are just starting to get it under control. if you can stick with it, it is well worth it. There are also plenty of support groups in every comunity to help you along the way.

Answer 7

Women in 3rd world countries who do not have access to adequate nutrition still manage to successfully breastfeed - so the thought that you shouldn't because your diet isn't 'healthy' is completely without merit! Should there be any doubt - yes, take a vitamin - one your doctor can prescribe with plenty of folic acid and omega 3!!! Breastfeeding provides the best, cheapest, purest food for you baby! Congratulations and best wishes!

Answer 8

Definitely you should breastfeed. Your body removes the nutrients the baby needs. So take your prenatal vitamins., drink lots of water and eat normally. Baby needs the milk to fight off infections and just for a good start its so much healthier. And it helps you loose the baby weight. And you don't have to deal with bottles.

Answer 9

Breast milk is best for your child. If your not eating very healthy then you should start to do so. You don't have to be a health freak to breastfeed your child. Research shows that babies who are breastfeed as infants are: healthier, breastfeeding helps protect against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, allergies, asthma, certain childhood cancers, breast cancer, dental cavities, and osteoporosis.
Also: Breastfed babies are more intelligent. One study showed they scored an average of 6 points higher on I.Q. tests, another showed long-term improvement in academic performance.

Here are a few websites to visit:
http://www.transitiontoparenthood.com/ttp/parented/postpartum/bfbenefits.htm

http://www.sightline.org/research/pollution/res_pubs/breastfeeding

http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_9148.asp

Give your child a head start in life: breastfeed.

Answer 10

Breastfeeding is a major bonding experience between mother and child and it delivers many more nutrients and antioxidants to the baby than if the baby were to drink formula. If I were you I'd eat a little healthier and indulge in my cravings for non-healthy foods maybe once every couple days and that way the baby and you are getting all the nutrients you need and you're able to get that bonding experience but you still get your little sinful pleasures in life.

Answer 11

Still, breastfeeding is still the best for the baby as it contains natural nutritions for the baby that will help in his building up of his immunation. Studies have shown that breastfeeded babies have lesser chance of having asthma, which is a rather common thing for babies to have. And in terms of natural, what's a better substitute than the milk from the mother?