Baby Question?

Question

I am 13 and i just had a baby. I want to know if breastfeeding is easier than formula or opposite. I have no idea on how to be a mom and i could use any other advice as well.

Answer 1

Didn't you get any help or answers at the hospital from a lactation consultant after you gave birth? Breastfeeding is free and better for the baby than formula. You don't have to clean any messy bottles and you don't have to warm it up. It does take patience and isn't easy for you at first because it may take some getting used to.

If you want to give your baby the best food possible and all of your immunities, breastfeed for free. If it's not that important to you than spend the $80 a week on formula, spend an hour a day cleaning and sterilizing bottles and nipples and prepering the canned stuff. It is your choice.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I am sorry that this happened to you at just 13! Breastfeeding is easier if you are always available to your baby. Are you still in school? If you are, someone else will need to look after the baby and so formula would probably be easier. What did your doctor suggest? Hopefully you have an aunt, sister, mother or really good friend to help you at this time. There are clinics in most places to help young mothers, find the one closest to where you live. Do you have financial resources to deal with the many expenses a baby requires? You need to get in touch with a worker at Children's Services and ask for any and all help they can give. At your six week checkup you need to ask your medical provider about a birth control method that meets your needs. Look after yourself, raising a baby is difficult at 22, your life just became a whole lot more complicated.

Answer 3

At thirteen breastfeeding will certainly be cheaper since you are not old enough to work. As for which is easier, that is for you to decide. Try breastfeeding for a while. If it does not seem to work out for you then use formula. Just make sure you follow the direction EXACTLY. The most important thing is that your child is thriving. Make sure you take your child to the pediatrician for regular well check-ups so that they can make sure your child is healthy and developing properly. As for advice I suggest going to the library and get "What to expect the first year" It has a lot of helpful advice and what you should be discussing with the babies doctor at each visit.

After reading a few of the posts I had to edit my answer. That is to say add to it. Breastfeeding is no better than formula feeding is these days. Formula has gotten very advanced. Bottle fed children can be just as smart and healthly as breastfed children. Mine are. My son gets straight A's and seldem gets more than a cold. As someone else stated, it's more of a personal choice and only one that you can make that is you. I still encourage you to try breastfeeding before you make any decision. You may discover you love it. It's works for many woman and for some it doesn't. Also at thirteen your body is not fully developed. I would discuss with a doctor how that might affect your ability to sufficient milk. As for school. Some states have started at home schooling via the internet. It's quite similar to to going to college online and is self-paced unlike regular school. I would check into it. It would be a great way for you to be at home to take care of your child now and get your education which you will need to take care of your child later.

No one knows how to be a mom until they become one and it takes time and patience to be a good one. Best of luck to you.

Answer 4

Okay...this is coming from a mom who breastfed for 13 months! It is not always the easiest thing. However, the bonding that I was able to have with my daughter day in and day out was more remarkable than anything. It made me sit down, relax and focus all my time on her. There is nothing more wonderful than knowing you are nurturing your baby in a way that absolutely no one else can. Night feedings do not require mixing & heating up formula; and day trips don't require packing bottles.

I will be honest though...it is very hard work and at times very frustrating for both you and your baby. The results definately speak for themself though. My daughter is now 2 1/2 and comprehensively about an average 3 yo. She speaks in complex sentences, has been able to recite her alphabet for at least a year, can count to 30 and sing dozens of songs.

If nothing else, try it for the first month. In doing so your baby will get all kinds of immunities to boost her health. Best of luck!

Answer 5

breastfeeding is more beneficial for the baby..it helps build the immune system and it also helps you lose weight faster. It all depends on what you were planning to do about school, if you were planning on going back then bottle feeding formula might be easier because you wouldn't have to find time to pump, that might be hard in between classes. Good luck.

Be patient and trust your gutt, when in doubt call your child's doctor that is what they are there for.

Never wake a sleeping baby to feed them, they will wake up and eat when they are hungry.

Check the diaper every hour.

When it comes time to start discipline, be consistant!

I can't think of anymore.

Answer 6

Congratulations on becoming a new mommy! And you're doing just what you should be doing....asking questions.

My advice would be to read up on the benefits and disadvantages of both, then write down the ones that are important to you, and then make your decision. You'll get half of the population telling you "breast is best" and the other half saying they just think breast feeding is disgusting....so what it all boils down to is that it is completely a personal choice issue.

But do your research quickly so you can choose...if you've already had the baby, you might lose out on the chance to breast feed if you wait too long to begin.

One more thing...now that you're a mommy, you have to learn that it's not always about what's the easiest way to do something...sometimes, you may have to choose the more difficult path, simply because your heart and mind tell you it makes more sense to do it that way.

Good luck sweetie...I wish you the best. And just ignore everyone who throws insult your way...you may have not planned for this baby, but that part is in the past, now it's time to move forward and celebrate.

Answer 7

At your age, you probably have school, right? A combination of breast and bottle might work well for you. Breastfeeding is best for the baby and for your body. It will help you lose any weight you put on, and help reduce the risk of breast cancer later.

With formula you have to lug the stuff with you. You have to go buy it, you have to sterilize the bottles, you have to heat it up. It just seemed like a pain to me.

Just remember you can't be perfect. You're going to have to learn the way every new mom does. The hard way. Do you have a parenting book, like "what to expect the first year" or Dr. Spock? Reading one of those might help you get your bearings.

Answer 8

You should try breast feeding first, as bottle feeding can become a pain in the butt with sterilizing bottles/nipples etc, formula choices, cost and all that. Breastfeeding is a cost effective way to give your child everything they need....as long as you eat properly. DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL OR SMOKE OR DO DRUGS.
In my opinion you have already proven that you are irresponsible, getting pregnant at 13, but hopefully this will be a good experience for you and you will be able to look after your child. Children are forever, and being just a child yourself, you need to make sure you have resources available to you if you need help. It takes a brave, smart person to know when to ask for help....and remember this; that child did not ask to be brought into this world....you chose to have them. Please do right by that baby.

Answer 9

i found breastfeeding alot easier no bottles to wash no formula to make you get to be lazy it hurts for a week or so but after that it just gets easier plus they always eat just enough you don't have to worry about them over eating or under eating no constipation less sickness you lose weight faster and you get a wonderful bond with your baby but you do have to make it through the first week which can be rough you also have to be around all the time which will be hard if your in school but it is definitly much easier they are healthier and smarter too buy lansinoh lanolin it'll help the stinging you'll have for your nipples the first week or 2

Answer 10

well if you'll be staying home, breastfeeding is best. And its FREE plus its the very best for your baby. Its really challenging at first but gets easy. Formula is comvenient but gets expensive, especially if your baby is colicky or has a milk allergy and needs that really expensive stuff. Mine did and how I WISHED i kept breastfeeding. As for being a mom, don't worry, it just comes to you. Just make sure you put that sweet baby first at all times. Good luck