Im worried about Breastfeeding?

Question

I've only heard negatives about breastfeeding such as its too hard, its too soar, its a pain to always do etc etc. Is there anything apart from the babies health that might entice me to be more positive about the experience as I would like to give it a go?

Answer 1

I don't have one negative thing to say about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the most wonderful experience I've ever experienced. It's not supposed to be painful. I nursed my son until he was 27 months and I'm currently nursing my 11 month old. It's such a special time. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It hurt for a few days with my son, but once we got the hang of it it was smooth sailing after that. I had no problems with my daughter. There are so many health benefits to your baby as well. I would encourage it 100%, don't give up.

Answer 2

Quite frankly, i advise all women to breastfeed for one reason and one reason only...it makes parenting easier! Every time your new baby cries, all you have to do is sit down and lift up your shirt....when is life ever that easy? Yes, it can hurt in the first week or so, even if the baby is latched on properly, you can still feel some discomfort, or 'latch -on pain' (at first) and it can be time-consuming of course. But its the best thing I ever did. You might as well try it out, if you really dont like it...you can quit. See if your health ins. plan will cover a breastfeeding class...or one may be available for free at the hospital where you deliver. You can attend a La Leche League meeting before you deliver and talk with all the other mommies there and get the pros and cons that way. Also, some quick pro-s for mom is that it burns extra calories and MIGHT protect you against breast cancer in the future.

Answer 3

It is so important to breastfeed if you are able. Breastmilk provides a baby with the exact nutrients the baby needs and is so important for the baby's health and development. There are alot of other advantages too.
1) it is an excellent time to bond with your baby. Breastfeeding is indescribable, you have to experience it to appreciate the joy it can bring to Mum and baby.
2) You burn alot of calories breastfeeding, so combined with the hormonal effects of breastfeeding it helps your body to heal after the pregnancy and birth and also helps you loose some of the pregnancy weight
3) Wherever you are baby always has fresh food ready to serve, no prep required.
4) If you have to be away from baby you can express milk for someone else to do the feeding.
5) Breastmilk can be expressed and frozen for emegencies when you are not there.
If you would like to do it you should. Do not let another persons experience put you off, because your experience could be very different. I had alot of trouble getting my first child to latch on and for the first month was in tears during every feed as the pain of latching on was horrendous. I also managed to get Mastitis twice, but all in all I loved breastfeeding, and would not change a thing. Sure it can be tough, but isn't your baby worth that? If it is all too much hassle, then why would someone choose to have a child in the first place? At least try, so you know for yourself. Good luck!
P.S. the beast thing for sore cracked nipples is pawpaw ointment. It is available in health shops and some pharmacies. It is safe for Mum and for baby and was recomended to me by a pharmacist whose wife successfully breastfed triplets!!! That is quite an endorsement.

Answer 4

It is not hard for every woman. Some women experience little or no pain while breastfeeding, and, for the most part, any pain you do have will be gone in about two weeks.

Just make sure you're prepared. Find your local La Leche League Leader, and take some breastfeeding classes. Ask your hospital if they have Lactation Consultants on call so that you can get the help you need.

I've been breastfeeding my son for 9 months now, and I can honestly say that I can't imagine what my mothering experience would be without it.

Answer 5

You always hear more about the negatives because the people who've had negative experiences love to talk about them. They don't do it on purpose, but many of them want your sympathy as a way of validating that they were right to stop (or never try it again, etc).

Like others have said, a correct latch prevents all the soreness. A good lactation consultant is crucial (there are a lot of bad ones out there - my sister-in-law and I have both run into them), and most hospitals have one on staff (not necessarily a good one, but better than nothing which is what women used to get only a few years ago). Barring that, your local La Leche League (LLL - you can find them by doing a web search using your favorite search engine) chapter is a fabulous resource, and the most helpful women I've ever met on this subject have all been LLL leaders.

Other advantages besides healthier for baby...

Convenience - your milk is "on tap" and doesn't need to be prepared in the middle of the night, checked for proper temperature, measured into a bottle for correct mixing (critical), or chilled to take with you during an outing.

Safety - breastmilk is stable at room temperature for several hours. Formula must be refrigerated immediately.

Cost - breast milk is free. Even if you buy or rent a good hospital-grade breast pump and purchase storage bags to freeze extra milk for later, you will spend significantly less than you would to purchase formula.

Bonding - an irreplaceable bonding experience with your baby you will never forget. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have breastfed my son since his birth. Makes you feel wonderful, which is no surprise since it also releases endorphins (the feel-good hormones) that are good for you AND the baby

Diapers - breastfed babies diapers are not as stinky as formula-fed - many moms report no offensive odor at all (including me)

Mommy health - numerous health benefits to you, including lower risk of variosu cancers (breast, ovarian, etc) before menopause, reduced risk of osteoporosis, and others

BONUS! - Breastfeeding moms lose the pregnancy weight faster and easier than non-breastfeeding moms.

One last thing to remember - the longer you breastfeed the more benefits you and baby will get from it, so trying it and stopping when the benefits are outweighed by the negatives is much better than not trying it at all. Every day you breastfeed is one more day your baby gets the benefits of breastfeeding that he wouldn't otherwise have had.

Good luck!

Answer 6

I have a five month old and I breastfeed her. I've enjoyed it overall, because I knew I wanted to do it. I pump as well, place it in a bottle and she will take that with anyone. It has been some work, you will need time on your hands, help. Before I made up my mind I heard pros and cons but let me tell you this you can hear positive and negative things all day about if you should or shouldn't breast feed. Sure breastfeeding is said to be the healthest route to go, but there are MILLIONS of babies that were formula fed and they are prefectly healthy too. You can have a strong loving bond with your child as well without puting them to the breast.My best answer for you is to try it yourself. You alone will know your body and if and how you can handle it. Don't listen to anyone ELSE, but you. Trust yourself.

Answer 7

Breastfeeding is such a wonderful bonding experience. While your baby is nursing, you can gaze into each others eyes while you caress her (with bottle feeding, you are holding the bottle, with nursing your hand is free.) Often times while she is nursing, her hands will rub you. Also, not only is the breast nourishing, it is also comforting, no one will be able to comfort her like mommy can. While other parents have to get up at night and warm a bottle while the baby is often times distressed and fully awake by the time the bottle is ready, a nursing mother has already been able to pull baby close and nurse her baby back to sleep before anyone in the household is awakened.

I won't lie to you, nursing can be frustrating, but it is a beautiful experience. It is comforting to know that I nursed three children the way nature intended. Mother's milk is easier on the stomach and because our milk is seasoned with whatever we have eaten, our children are often times less likely to be picky eaters. I hope you choose what is right for you and your baby. I personally loved it and if I had more, I would not hesitate to nurse again. Good Luck!

Answer 8

Having the experience of breastfeeding your child is the most wonderful experience that youll have, As of my experience It only soars for a day or two and after that no pain at all, all you feel is the fullfilment of showing your love to your baby, so dont be afraid certain things must have a sacrifices but in the end you'll feel the wonderful feeling that you've never felt before

Answer 9

The most important part of breastfeeding is this: if baby is latched on properly, it hardly ever hurts. It is a wonderful thing to breastfeed a baby, but I could only do it for 6 weeks with my sons because it was too time consuming. Anything you give baby is wonderful, but if it is too hard, don't be disappointed. Just try your hardest to give baby at least a week, because no formula can give baby the antibodies and it's really good for your metabolism...breastfeeding also releases hormones that will lessen the pain of childbirth.

Answer 10

i have 2 kids and my sister has 2 kids all breastfeed but some longer then the others. my first i breastfed for 4 months off and on and my second i plan to strictly breast feed till at least 1 yr as for my sisters exsperiace with it she breastfed for 7 months with her oldest and 15 months with her youngest. the pain is only if the child dont have a good latch there will b some one at the hospital that can help with that. here are some positives to it the baby does not have to wait for a bottle you dont have to get up in the middle of night to make a bottle u dont have to go throught the pain of drying up so fast hormon levels come down slower and no piriods while breastfeeding and that means no pregnancys and thats just for u. the pluses for the baby r that they dont get sick with colds ear infections half as much my daughter had stomach problems with formula and still does ur milk is made for ur childs needs un like formula and is easier to digest. there is a link to formula and sids. and there is just a huge bond that comes from breast feeding that u cant get from giving a bottle