Were you BF or FF?

[Willow]

My sister was my mum's first baby and was born prem due to quite severe pre eclampsia. She tried to breastfeed but with a prem baby who was hardly ever with her, severely cracked and damaged nipples (she tells me one was so bad it practically split right down the middle ) she didn't last more than a few weeks. She tried again when I was born but the minute she had attachment/nipple damage issues she gave up again. Basically, she just didn't have the support she needed to keep going. When my brother was born, I think she was a bit heartbroken about it all and didn't even try with him

I know it affected her badly because she tells me up until we were quite a lot older, 10, 12 etc she used to have dreams about breastfeeding a baby

I think she was a bit confronted by my breastfeeding in the beginning. I am quite the freak in my family - apart from my sister who breastfed her second child till about 9 months, I'm it. Not to mention the fact that I am (STILL, are you STILL feeding him??) feeding my 2.5 year old AND tandem feeding. I think one of my cousins on my dad's side has breastfed her children but I don't ever see them. My uncle asked me one day out of the blue if I was 'demand feeding' my DD so I assume he got that little pearl of wisdom from my cousin

I don't remember seeing any of my family (and I have quite an extended family on my mum's side, mostly female) breastfeeding while I was growing up. I don't know how I got the idea in my head but I knew the minute I was prg that I would breastfeed my babies.

[avribr]

Mum FF all 4 of us so when my DD was born I just presumed I would BF as I was given no other option back then anyway. When I was discharged from hospital she still wasn't feeding right and the problems just got worse when I got home, I was 19 and had no idea. I gave up at 4 weeks after going to the doctor with mastitis he wrote me out a script to dry up my milk and that was that, all over.

When my DS1 & DS2 were born I automatically FF as my first experience was horrible and turned me off going there again. When the hospital found out that I was FF my DS1 & DS2 I was very much discriminated against and found the whole process of being in hospital overwhelming and wanting to leave as soon as I could. Looking back I probably should of given it a go, but even though my boys were FF, we bonded very well no problems there and love them to pieces.

[sloane]

I find this thread very interesting. I am amazed at how many of us were ff from such an early age. I've notice a lot of us were ff because of supply or quality of milk issues (apparently).

I wonder if our mothers had readily available and instant support that we have through the internet or telephone if we'd been bf for longer. Our mums didn't have a computer and some didn't have a phone or car.

:yeahthat: i didn't really talk to mum properly about it until i was PG. i'm pretty sure i was started on formula before she left hospital...and the reason was something like i cried so much when i was off in the nursery (well, actually i was separated from the other babies because i made so much noise crying so glad o could have DS with me after he was born) that when i was brought to her i was too sleepy to feed so the nurses helped her dry up her milk. it just seems so crazy to me, knowing what i do. i've never said anything to her because she just didn't know any different but i'm so glad i have far more information available to me. plus it seems very different now from the way it was in the 70's - i felt really encouraged & supported to feed when i was in hospital.

[*Beema*]

I was fed carnation milk

My mum couldn't BF, her milk never came in for all three of us children.

[Livinthedream]

I was BF for 3 weeks, but cried all of the time and was loosing weight.
So mums obs told her to put me on formula.

[allycat06]

I was fed carnation milk

is that what babies were fed before formula came along? wowee!

[sas85]

Have heard of evaporated milk, or rice cereal in European Countries, or I remember our Fijian tour guide telling us he and other babies born during war time grew up on coconut milk if there mothers couldn't BF them Quite amazing what the human body can grow on considering the total lack of nutrients for infants in the above - thank goodness formula at least provides an adequate alternative when it's truly needed.

[*Beema*]

is that what babies were fed before formula came along? wowee!

Yeah! I was completely shocked when mum told me, she even has all our little booklets which said how many oz (ounces) we were to be given and how often Amazing to read back on how things were "done"

[Swoop]

Beema: my MIL fed her first two kids Carnation milk too (it was in the UK in the 60's). I was astounded when she first told me about it. I noticed they have a warning on Carnation now that it's not suitable for infants so I guess it's just in case anyone gets any well meaning advice from family members who were new parents then.

I was bf for about 8 weeks and then on to formula because 'it was too hard'. My younger brother was bf for 3 days and then the midwives gave my mum something to dry up her milk coz it was too much to try to bf a newborn with a toddler in the house!

I never considered anything other than bf my dd, but I really struggled in the begining, everything that could go wrong did and my dd's weight dropped off. Both mum and MIL were staying and really pushing for me to switch to ff, and I nearly caved but in the end I didn't and I'm so glad I didn't. Now i'm one of the only ones in my mothers group who wants to continue past the 1 year mark.

Love this thread, it's so fascinating!

[lauren22]

i was bf for 3 years and 2 months before self weaning my mum did an awsome job

[sleepyljm]

I was FF.The benefits were never really known or highlighted. I think that is why things are a bit different now. They had Nursing Mothers (ABA). My mum was suprised at how much it was pushed on pregnant women and new mothers.

[widdly]

Mum BF me for 10 months, she weaned me straight to cows milk from a cup. I think knowing that my mum bf'd gave me encouragement to bf too

[Miss.September]

Me and my brother were both formula fed. Mum has inverted nipples and try as she might she couldn't get us to latch on without being in excruciating pain. With me, she lasted a week, I think my brother was three weeks. She was devastated and back then the nurses gave her such a hard time for "giving up" and "think of the harm you're doing to your baby". Added pressure no new mum needs.

So I'm pretty happy that I'm a B/F mum and my mum's very happy too that I could. DD has been BF for 1 year and five days! YAY!

[beansbeans!]

Mum BF me for six months until I bit her one day, then it was straight to formula.
My brother was fully formula fed because mum's milk didnt come in due to stress (our dad died 6 weeks before my brother was born, so no one pushed her to even try I don't think)

Initially I thought I would feed DD for six months, then formula, because I seemed to turn out ok, but instead DD BF for 21 months, and that was primarily due to me being lazy. I just couldnt put myself, DD or DH through the stress of weaning her. So we let her make the decision. And I suppose I also learnt how awesome breastmilk is and I loved the special relationship that we had at that point.
Now Im hoping that DD2 will feed for that long, and even longer if she wants to!

[~Kaz~]

I was fed EBM for about a month and then switched to formula when mum's supply dried up (no motilium back then!). The reason she was expressing is that I have a cleft. She went on to feed my younger siblings for longer - about 9-12 months each I think.

I had issues early on with DS (and some now more recently ) but I never even considered switching to formula. I just didn't see it as an option. I think mum did influence me to some extent prior to having DS - only because it was presented and discussed as the normal way to feed a baby when I grew up and I know me being on formula was about my inability to suck properly.

The information and education about the benefits of b'feeding also had a huge influence. Plus I didn't get the birth I had hoped for so I wasn't about to "fail" at this either. As Kim said, there was an element of 'never-say'die' determination and I get that from my mum too. So she did influence me, but not in a straightforward kind of way of BF me so therefore I BF ITMS.

[Rouge]

My mother tried to BF, but the hospital was tube feeding me in between to keep me quiet... The only reason they found out is a relative happened to walk past the nursery at one point and saw the tube and thought there was something terribly wrong with me. The nurse who was responsible for it was reprimanded but I wonder how many other babies had the same thing happen to them? So I was FF from birth.

But I have to say this had no baring whatsoever on how I wanted to feed my children. I wanted to breastfeed both of them from before they were ever conceived. My reasoning was due to the education I had received as well as the positive supportive influences around me.

[[M]umma[M]ia]

I was Formula Fed, which im 100% thankful for as my mum was quite a huge drinker.

I BF DD for the first 6 weeks and then FF.

My own mother FF me had no impact on my decision to try and BF at all. I am very pro breastfeeding and im determined to do it for a minimum of 12 months next time.

[fionas]

Mum is the sort of person who would rather pull all her fingernails out than say the word "breast". So I've never really asked her so it certainly did not have a bearing on my decision.I think, however, that she FF. Interestingly, though, it does have a bearing on whether I will invite them here after the birth of DD2 because mum & dad just won't know where to look if I BF and I won't be very mobile so the idea of moving from room to room to save them embarrassment is just too much.

My decision was to breastfeed but we had lots of difficulties (mainly, I think, because I put TOO much pressure on myself and was too determined to do it and got myself into a right state about it). So expressed for two months and then fully FF.

I intend to BF again because I think it's the normal thing to do. Why would I bother with tins of powdered stuff if I don't have to. BUT, having FF DD, I am in no way as scared of FF as I was first time around. I was convinced that I would be seriously short-changing her health-wise by doing so but she hardly ever gets sick.