Is it bad if a woman doesn't breast feed?

Question

what happens if she does? & what happens if she doesnt?

Answer 1

I'll let you decide for yourself:

http://www.promom.org/101/

These bottle-waving women can thumbs-down me all day, but human milk is far better for a human than powdered cow's milk. I don't want to make anyone feel bad either, but there is a serious problem with distorting facts in order to spare the feelings of women who "don't want to be tied down" or "want dad to help with nighttime feedings." Women who want the best will work hard and breastfeed their babies, and women who are not willing to work will settle for artificial food. Don't we all eat Cheetos once in a while? It won't be the last artificial food your baby eats.

Answer 2

I don't believe that breastfeeding is necessarily the issue. I always planned to breastfeed my two girls but have never been successful at it. The issue is the breast milk. The one thing I did do was always feed them breast milk. It doesn't matter the packaging but more the content. Breast milk is healthier with anti-bodies (specifically those anti-bodies of illnesses affecting the mother's/baby's surroundings) but also is more easily digestible and helps maintain normal weight gain. Bonding is usually somewhere at the top of the list to be attacked by non-breastfeeding mothers, but as long as mother or even father is taking the time to hold baby close and interact with baby then the bonding is still taking place. Breast milk for baby as long as possible is the best choice.

I did eventually have to use formula when my supply diminished and it does fill in where I left off, but I had more problems with baby spitting up, constipation, and baby being gassy/fussy. Plus formula costs a lot more in the long run than purchasing a pump or even direct breastfeeding.

Answer 3

It is just common sense. You do not feed a baby cow elephant milk. You would not feed a baby seal goats milk. It does not take a genius to figure out that you do not feed a baby human cow milk! Cow milk is made to grow large babies, it is made to multiply the baby's physical size in a very short time. Human milk on the other hand is made to multiply the size of the brain in a very short time. That is only one small difference in the two types of milk. Human milk is quite simply made for humans, it does not get much more complicated than that.
There is also an emotional bond that is lacking when a baby is not breastfed. All you have to do is hold a baby a few moments and you can tell whether or not he is a breastfed baby.
Women will make up all kinds of excuses for why they did not breastfeed their babies. In my experience which over almost 30 years has been very comphrensive I can tell you that I have never known ONE bad mother who breastfed her child! In every case of neglect and or abuse that I have had to investigate and/or report, the baby in question was bottle fed. I am not saying that all bottle fed babies are mistreated, that is obvioulsy not true, I am just saying that breastfed babies are not. That is, in my limited experience, a fact. Breastfeeding mothers are just by and large better mothers and more determined to make sure that their babies get the best that is available for them. I know that statement will no doubt anger some bottle feeding mothers but it is true. There are some good bottle feeding mothers out there, but there are also some horrible ones. Mothers who care enough about their babies to go that extra mile and breastfeed them are better mothers in other ways also. If you don't believe it do some checking of your own. The next time you hear one of those horrific tales of abuse, find out if the baby was breastfed. I guarantee you, it was not.
Add to that the fact that the higher the education level of the mother, the more likely she is to breastfeed.....add to that the fact that the higher the economic level of the mother, the more likely she is to breastfeed, you start seeing a trend.
This is in my opinion a trend which needs to change. ALL babies deserve their mothers milk. Women need to be better educated so that all babies can receive their mothers milk but we have to work to make that happen.
Bring on the thumbs down, I know they are there!
Lady Trinity~

Answer 4

I don't have to time to type up as much as I'd like to say now... but I'll post this:

"Most bottle-fed babies grow up healthy and secure and not all breastfed babies grow up healthy and secure. But this does not mean that breastfeeding and bottle feeding are essentially the same. Infant formula is a rough copy of what we knew several years ago about breastmilk which is in itself only a rough approximation of something we are only beginning to get an inkling of and are constantly being surprised by. For example, we have known for many years that DHA and ARA were important to the baby’s brain development, but it took years to get it into formulas. But it doesn’t follow that the addition of these to formulas is doing what they are supposed to, as their absorption from formula is different from breastmilk. The many differences have important health consequences. Many elements in breastmilk are not found in artificial baby milk (formula) even though we have known of their importance to the baby for several years—for example, antibodies and cells for protection of the baby against infection, growth factors that help the immune system, the brain and other organs to mature. And breastfeeding is not the same as bottle feeding, it is a whole different relationship. If you have been unable to breastfeed, that is unfortunate (though most times the problems could have been avoided), but to imply it is of no importance is patronizing and just plain wrong. A baby does not have to be breastfed to grow up happy, healthy and secure, but it does help. "
-Dr Jack Newman.

Answer 5

Breastfeeding is preferable, but not always feasible for every mom for various reasons.

If a baby is breastfed, they usually have better antibodies passed from mom, but there's no true evidence about no allergies or being smarter or anything like that. (I know several cases to support that.) There's also a special bond forged between mom and baby.

Bottle-fed babies are not "abused" as some overzealous pro-breastfeeding people might tell you. Some women just can't breastfeed for medical or physical reasons and shouldn't be made to feel inferior or that they're doing their children a disservice by formula feeding. That also offers daddies a chance to bond with baby that way.

Generally, breast is best, but there's perfectly acceptable commerical formulas out there. (The homemade formulas don't offer the same nutrition.)

Answer 6

It's not bad if she doesn't, it's totally her choice. There are definite benefits for both mother and baby. The baby gets important antibodies to fight off infection, the baby bonds with mother quickly. For mother, breastfeeding helps shrink the uterus back to the normal size and helps her lose weight she might have put on while pregnant. It's really a personal decision. Good luck ;)

Answer 7

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!
Now having said that, after I had my first child, I was adamant about wanting to breastfeed. Everything I read said that breastfeeding was the best thing for the baby. Well, there was one small problem...I had almost no milk. After 3 days of trying everything possible, speaking to my pedaitrician every 2 hours and crying my eyes out, I put away the breast pump and bought extra cans of formula. My son is now 8. He is a strong and healthy boy.
When my daughter was born, I tried again. Same problem. Almost no milk. Considering my past experience, I was not quite as upset. She is now 2 and doing just fine.
As for the theory about breastmilk being the best thing for the baby, well that may have been true back in the days when our stress level was not as high as it is now; when the food we ate was not filled with hormones, fillers, chemicals and preservatives; when the water we drank was not filled with as many polutants and when our environment was cleaner.
Having raised 2 healthy kids on formula, I can say,consider your lifestyle, if you can, good for you. If you cannot, it is not the end of the world.

Answer 8

My pediatricians advice was to do what we were comfortable with. He's had patients that were breastfed that were sickly and patients that were bottlefed that were perfectly healthy (and vice versa).

I breastfed my son for 1 month (just in case!) but we had some problems and had to supplement anyway so we finally switched completely to formula. My son is 14 mos. and very healthy.

It's not a bad thing if she chooses not to. I would at least give it a shot though. I'm going to try again with our 2nd child.

I don't really see the whole bonding thing as an issue either. Whatever means you choose to feed your child you will still bond with him/her.

Answer 9

if she does, the baby gets all the nutrients they need, secuity from the mother.. its a bonding point. and also the mom would lose so much weight sometimes even more then they gainied. breast feeding burns SO many calories and is great for both of them
if she doesnt, formula is expensive, and the mom could have to work out majorly if she wants to go down (in most cases), and the milk dries up causeing pain, and swelling, and in 95% of cases, her cha cha's will not get smaller.

its better if they do for many reasons.
i tried i just got to stressed out. i had hell getting my weight off. and i also had hell with the milk drying stage.

Answer 10

Some say a breastfed baby is healthier. I nursed my son exclusively for the first 3 months and he is really healthy. I'm still nursing my 9 month old daughter and she's been sick quite a bit this past winter. I've also noticed that they seem more attached to me than bottle fed babies that I know.

Answer 11

It is NOT BAD if a woman does not breast feed that is up to her... and it is said to be better for baby as long as the woman is taking care of her self as she is still pregnant.. no smoking no drinking, eats right... but formula has come a long way and is just fine for baby!