Why do so many women decide .......?

Question

.......not to breastfeed anymore, when it prevents allergies, increases a child's IQ and so many more benefits ???
Remember , what happened recently with the pet food, the same could happen with the formula, what would you do ,if your baby died from it ??? Would you sue the company , it wouldn't bring your child back ?.......

Why are all the non-breastfeeders so offensive ? I asked the question with sincerety, because I am from Europe and I never understood , why so many American women feed the bottle.
I am tuely sorry , if I have offended anyone , that was not my intention.
God bless everybody.......

Answer 1

i think this is an excellent question!!!! i've been wondering the very same thing for years.. it's so much better for your baby, not to mention the fact that it melts off those extra baby pounds pretty quickly ;) and, it's wayyyy cheaper (and safer) than formula... i wish more mom's would if it's at all possible, breastfeed their baby!!

by the way, i don't think the asker is trying to make anyone feel bad... simply wondering what the reasoning behind NOT breastfeeding is. no one said that it was wrong or right.

***sorry... i just had to add, that all of the reasons for NOT breastfeeding that i've seen so far, are simply self-centered, shallow reasons (it's not convinient, it hurts, it's gross) which btw, your breasts were put on your body for you to feed your child, NOT for your man to play with...

Answer 2

I fully agree that breastfeeding is the ideal food for a baby. BUT I also understand that for some people breatfeeding is simply not a feasible option.
There are a number of legitimate medical reasons not to breastfeed.
There are also instances where the mother cannot be with the baby for whatever reason (ie:return to work, etc.)
There is also the fact that breastfeeding requires an ENORMOUS amount of patience, dedication, time, energy and effort on the part of mother AND baby. Some people just can't do it.
Not to mention the early stages of breastfeeding where latch-on is difficult, everything is painful, nipples crack & bleed, engorgement makes the mere THOUGHT of anything or anyone within 10 feet of your breasts makes you cringe.... sure, it gets better - eventually - but voluntarily surviving all that immediately after giving birth is a bit like rubbing salt in an open wound!
Sure, breastfeeding has LOTS of advantages & benefits. But formula is the very next best thing, and certainly not detrimental to the child!!! Come on, it's not like the choice is between breastfeeding or stale puppy chow that's been dropped in the dirt. Formula is not BAD for babies.
So ease up a bit on the non-breast feeders, they've all got their own perfectly legitimate reasons.
That said, happily the public awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding is on the rise and more and more new moms are making the effort or at least giving it a try. And even a couple days of breastfeeding is of benefit to the baby, whether mom continues for the whole 12 months or gives it up after a week or two.

*PS: Doodlestuff: the IQ thing HAS been scientifically proven, breastfeeding raises a baby's IQ by an average of 5 points*

Answer 3

Actually in my area breast-feeding is on the rise and is the pre-dominate method of feeding.

For those who don't they just might not be comfortable with it.

Babies around the world have died from formula. Though in some cases, it was rather done on purpose to force the parents into sweat shops... ask around about Nestle and human rights. I won't relay the story here, I'm sure it would spark a heated debate.

Answer 4

Actually, I think breast feeding is beginning a resurgence in America compared to when my kids were born. I do not have any proof of that, I just see it more often than I used to. I think in America there are several factors. First is the prude factor. Face it, we are more up tight about things than most European nations. The other thing is I think Americans don't want to be bothered. They view it as more convenient to pull out a bottle of formula. I could be wrong but that is my view.

Answer 5

Some women can't. Which was my situation with my first child. Some women don't have the option because they have to go back to work almost immediately. Some women don't want the changes it makes in the breast structure. And, there are a few, who just don't want to be tied down and have their life be determined by their child.

Answer 6

Your question was reasonable until you started the fearmongering. It's great to be supportive, but needless to attack others. BTW, there is NO PROOF that breastfeeding supports a higher IQ especially when you consider that every single doctor out there was raised on whole cows milk and Gerber baby cereal from birth in the US. So, don't go there. Stick with what are actually supported studies.

Here's the scoop. Many women go back to work. Pumping is not always an option and certainly is not convenient in that situation. Some women are grossed out by breastfeeding or have family members who are constantly attacking them. Many don't want to feed in public so decide not to breastfeed at all. About 15% of women are on medication that isn't recommended for women who breastfeed (or they simply choose not to risk it).

I fully support breastfeeding, but jeez..there is no reason to be annoying to those who chose not to or cannot for their own personal reasons.

Answer 7

That's just a personal choice that every woman has to make and it doesn't make you any less of a mother. I tried to breastfeed my daughter for the first week and she wouldn't latch on. When I took her to the doctor she was losing weight so he told me to either pump or start formula. I pumped for the first few weeks and that worked ok but I eventually switched to formula b/c it was easier.
I know that breastfeeding is the best, but as long as your baby is getting nourishment then it's not that big of a deal....

Answer 8

Trust me.. i tried my darndest to breast feed.. i did it for about 2 weeks but i think my baby was getting more blood than milk..she was sucking the wrong way and I tried so hard to teach her. so i used a breast pump for about a month after that and my milk dried up.. there was nothing i could do. Most of the people i know with hids have breastfed or tried to.. actually i was suprised so many people did.. don't worry it is on the rise, more mothers are becoming aware of the benifits.

Answer 9

I think it's because breasts are looked at as just a sexual body part these days, and for some the idea of feeding a baby using their breasts grosses them out. I was a little freaked out by it at first, but I had a great experience and knew I was doing the right thing. It has completely changed the way I look at my breasts now.

Answer 10

I breastfed my daughter and loved every minute. I plan on breastfeeding my son when he gets here (4 mo to go!!) But, my sister was not as lucky as I was with breastfeeding and she struggled with it. She didn't have any luck and had to resort to formula. I think that most women give breastfeeding a try, and some just can't continue. I think that it is very personal and I wouldn't judge anyone who wasn't breastfeeding because I don't know their situation.