Why don't more mom's Breastfeed?

Question

The reason I ask is because I have read so many answers about giving baby formula. Babies were born to be breastfed. Breastmilk is the best food for your baby, no exceptions. It has EVERYTHING your baby needs, and is the cheapest baby food there is. It is always the right temperature and is the most healthy. So why don't you all breastfeed? I don't get it! And PLEASE don't say it's because you work. My mom worked too, but took time every day to pump and feed me bottles of breast milk, and she breastfed me when she got home. You had the baby, so why don't people care for babies the way NATURE intended?

I want to add that I am not being judgemental. And that inverted nipples are not excuse. I use a nipple shield becuase BOTH of my nipples are severely inverted. I'm also not saying that breastfeeding is easier, because it is not. I have spent many hours with slices of cucumber on my nipples. I know it's hard, but it's the best for YOUR baby.

Answer 1

I really don't know. I breastfed both my babies and I worked too. I stopped feeding my daughter at 7 months and my son at 10 months. The only reason I stopped is because I just couldn't pump enough when I was away and they started eating more solid foods around those times. I even used my milk to mix their first bites of rice cereal. I think that some women have a weird feeling about breastfeeding because of all the sexual emphasis put onto breasts. They are afraid that is will be looked upon as some kind of fantasy or that they might feel funny doing it. I also think that it has to do with more and more women (girls really) having babies young. I give you props for breastfeeding as Nature intended. No baby can be allergic to mother's milk!! they just can have bad reactions to some things that the momma eats. Breast milk gives your baby all the nutrients and vitamins and anti-bodies that it needs to get through the first year of life!
BREAST IS BEST!!

Answer 2

I am a breastfeeding counselor and deal with mums difficulties all the time, I could go on for ever about this but in a nutshell, women have lost the 'art' of feeding, We haven't grown up watching other women breastfeed as it has become taboo and therefore young girls don't get the information and nurturing that is required . So we give birth and are expected to 'just know' It really isn't that easy for some, one small example is that if you don't feed on demand (whenever your baby wants it) and time it by a watch your milk may dry up because babies aren't born with a watch!! They just cry if thery are hungry or need a cuddle, (breastfeeding gives both) That is one small example where lots of mums go wrong and have to give up.
I agree with what your saying whole heartedly that's why I became a counselor and found that society is our problem not the new mums!! They ahve enough to deal with.
cheers

Answer 3

I breastfed for a year. Neither my mother nor grandmother could nurse due to medical reasons, and both of them dearly wanted to. I have no regrets, and I sincerly think it was easier than having to get up and make a bottle when i was dead tired. It was nice to just curl up with my daughter. Getting past the first month was hard, because jaundice made her so sleepy, but after that it was second nature. My sister-in-law gave up nursing after a week so she didnt always have to get up with the baby, she could sleep in and let dad feed him. My friend quit cuz it just hurt too bad. But I'm with you, the rewards outweigh the difficulties.

PS- we plan on 3 more children, and unless I am literally incapable of nursing for some reason, they will all be nursed for a year, or even more. Not all mothers have the patience, or pain tolerance, or the will to go thru with it, but I believe that many mothers who choose not to nurse are just as good of moms in the long run. Although I believe breast is best, and agree with you there, I also agree with the person who said we should unite as mothers. Its an amazing experience, and we should support eachother and promote good education on responsible parenting, not tear eachother down. There are a lot of girls out there who are just ignorant, or irresponsible, due to their background or whatever and they need good, loving role models in their lives. I was fortunate enough to come from a loving family, have experience in child care, and be educated on the subject, but not everyone is.

PPS- my grandmother told me that in her day, breastfeeding was very taboo. She wanted to do it, but couldnt, and anyone who DID nurse was ridiculed. At least it is becoming more of an accepted and encouraged things these days. We have the RIGHT to breastfeed, but not everyone can or does exercize it.

Answer 4

for some people it is hard to pump at work. Others the baby does not latch well. As for my wife our baby did not latch well even with lots of help for lactation specialist and our doctor. Then when she did latch on about a month in my wife had a low milk supply (medical) she tried pumping between feedings and everything to get her supple up but it was not enough for our daughter after breastfeeding she was still hungry and we had to give a bottle. She would drain both breast and still need more. Her hole life became about feeding so we finally stopped and went to formula

Answer 5

I breastfed my son for 5 wks. My daughter is just over a month old, and I breastfeed parttime. It is painful, time consuming (which is hard when you have a two year old running around). I live with other people, so when baby is hungry, I have to take my two year old and hide for an hour while she feeds. Which is another problem. She feeds for an hour or more, and is still hungry. By the end of the hour, I am so drained, my son is anxious to go back downstairs to his toys, etc. I nurse for a few, then fix a bottle. She was breastfed exclusively for a few weeks, and got the good nutrients in the beginning.

Answer 6

My baby is three weeks old and believe me when i say i did everything possible to breastfeed and it just didn't work out.I suffered for eight long days and finally she would not latch on anymore and i cried for two days because i really wanted her to have breast milk so i decided to pump and give it to her in a bottle i could only produce one ounce at a time from both breasts it was not worth it because she ate at least three ounces at a time it took me six hours to make three ounces.Plus my six year old lives with her dad and we are going thru a custody battle i only get her every other weekend so that first weekend we had the baby she was really neglected so it wasn't really a bad thing that i stopped because of my other child I had to do what is best for both my six year old and baby.So some people really try and some don't.I think if mothers at least try that is saying they do care more for their baby than their self.

Answer 7

I breastfed all 3 of my kids. Saying that, chill out. Its a choice. Be glad they had the kid and didn't abort it. Breastfeeding is a choice just like disposable or cloth, homeschool or public education. Each parent does things differently. That doesn't make it wrong. I know women that have been devistated that their body didn't produce enough milk to feed their child. Or others that didn't find out they weren't producing enough till the doctor told them at a check-up that the baby was dehydrated and needed formula. I've heard of women that adopt and use tubes attached to their breast to mimic breastfeeding so they get that experience. Women that breastfeed for 3 years happily because they think its best for their kid. I heard of one military mom that pumped while deployed and would dry-ice her milk back to her baby. So lay off already. Breast might be best, but formula doesn't suck. (pun intended).

Answer 8

Have you ever considered that for some moms, there are medical reasons why they can't breastfeed? Or for some moms, they are on medication that they cannot go of that are dangerous for breastfeeding? Or that, unfortunately for some moms who planned on breastfeeding and really wanted to breastfeed, the milk just does not come in? Or Maybe for some moms the answer is as simple as they just don't want to? Maybe you should do some reasearch and you'll find out that the world isn't so black and white. You ARE being judgemental and you ARE being closed-minded!!! Whether or not to breastfeed is a personal decision and sometimes not an option. It's really none of your frickin' business. As long as each mother is doing what she truly feels is the best for her and her baby and is making the decision with love and is devoted to being a good mommy, each to their own. How about if you take care of you, I'll take care of me, and all others take care of theirselves?

Answer 9

The only think I was sure on throughout pregnancy was that I wanted to breast feed and give my son the best start in life. However, despite a good start at breast feeding, he became jaundiced and was admitted to hospital @ 5 days. The doctor (and I quote) said your milk supply obviously isn't good enough, you must introduce bottles or you'll make him ill!!!! My milk had only just come in and, in hindsight, I realise that we were only just establishing our supply and demand routine - if the hospital had been more supportive - things would have been fine. However, the introduction of bottles by the hospital on the day my milk came in disrupted my milk supply so that it dwindled to almost nothing, taught my son that there was an easier option than breasts, and destroyed any confidence I had in my bodies ability to nurse my son. I spent weeks torturing myself that I was obviously a s**t mother because I couldn't breast feed - everywhere you look it says 'breast is best' - and since my son wouldn't latch on after being introduced to bottles, that must make me a bad mother! I pumped and pumped all day everyday - stressing myself out and convinced I was a failure. The 1st months of my babies life were bligted by feelings of inadequacy that I couldn't breast feed exclusively. It still brings tears to my eyes and makes me really really angry when I think back to that doctors words of my milk making my baby ill. No - my milk wasn't inadequate - we were getting there - I needed support and encouragement - not a snotty nosed clueless jr doc who had no regard for future feeding probs that she was causing. Expressing finally got easier and my son now (@5months) has 4 x Expressed bottles and 1 x formula a day. I only express 2 xs a day now and we've got into a routine that suits us. I know he's getting the valuable breast milk antibodies - and I get the sanity that comes with not having to be tied to the pumps!!

New mums need support, not extra pressure. Breast is best does not mean formula is bad. New mums must do what makes them and their babies happy. Many many formula fed babies thrive - infact my baby had a very health weight gain when formula fed - this has now reduced since moving to a more breast fed diet!

By saying you're giving baby the best start in life intimates that formula mums are not doing the best for their babies - next time you say this - imaging the extra emotional turmoil you're inflicting on mums who can't breast feed. We feel bad enough already!

Answer 10

I understand breastfeeding is good for babies, i couldn't. A lot of moms have health conditions and when they deliver they need to be put on meds like me. I had to go on atenenol. Other moms cant do it because they have inverted nipples. Either way, you shouldn't judge other women for not breasfeeding. To each their own. Some women who want to but can't have to deal with the thought of letting their baby down. Isn't that enough? True the mothers who can , should..........but not everyone is the same.