What would you give up in order to BF your bub?

[Rouge]

I wouldn't give up anything either. And like Barb I don't think you have to.

[Traveller]

I gave up lots to breastfeed my babies. I gave up being selfish, thinking only about myself. I gave up overindulging in alcohol and fatty foods with no thought to my health. I gave up sleeping peacefully every night. However I don't think I could have avoided giving up any of these things by not breastfeeding, it was a natural extension of being pregnant for me. IMHO motherhood requires a lot of sacrifice no matter how you parent.

[Phteven]

I gave up my 10c bras but I bought hot milk ones instead so I survived. Other than that I didn't have to give anything up.
I think that breastfeeding works best when a mother doesn't feel like she has to martyr herself to it.

I think that maybe there are things that you might have to give up to breastfeed but they are the kind of things that you gain by giving up - excessive drinking, heavy smoking, partying every night, a crack habit.... that kind of stuff. If you give them up to breastfeed then your health can only benefit.

[Gigi]

I gave up my 10c bras but I bought hot milk ones instead so I survived. Other than that I didn't have to give anything up.
I think that breastfeeding works best when a mother doesn't feel like she has to martyr herself to it.

I think that maybe there are things that you might have to give up to breastfeed but they are the kind of things that you gain by giving up - excessive drinking, heavy smoking, partying every night, a crack habit.... that kind of stuff. If you give them up to breastfeed then your health can only benefit.

and also from TRAVELLER
I gave up lots to breastfeed my babies. I gave up being selfish, thinking only about myself. I gave up overindulging in alcohol and fatty foods with no thought to my health. I gave up sleeping peacefully every night. However I don't think I could have avoided giving up any of these things by not breastfeeding, it was a natural extension of being pregnant for me. IMHO motherhood requires a lot of sacrifice no matter how you parent.

i agree with these two posts.

and the bit about not being a matryr. i had a breakthrough, at a time when i started to resent feeding my baby, purely by changing my words. i made a headspace change from "feeding on demand" - which i resented - to "feeding by request", which instead made me feel needed by my child.

I think, i KNOW my child had a very rough entry to this world, due to a traumatic labour event - we did not bond well. i actually perceive our breastfeeding relationship, as something we needed, to heal each other, to learn to "be" with each other. All those times of sitting on the sofa, feeding. It has taught me patience and to be "in the moment", when normally, i would resent that time on the sofa. So i see it, in retrospect, as a lesson i needed to be taught. I also see our extended bf-ing as another lesson. We DID need longer to bond than other mothers/children do. It was what was right for us.

ANd yes, my alcohol intake and ability to go out at night has reflected this, but i don't mind, and i made sure i didn't leave my child with anyone, until i was ready to do that. so it was my choice.

i can see many benefits from bf-ing (i have a bad back, and i KNOW if i had had to carry formula around in the nappy bag, i would have suffered from the extra weight). I think if i had NOT gone to ABA meetings when pregnant, i would have had the expectation, that bf-ing would all be easy, and i might have buckled at first medical hassle e.g mastitis, but because i HAD gone to ABA meetings, i had an expectation of "hiccups" along the way, and knowing where to ask for help, i think helped me troubleshoot any medical issues that DID come up. pre-warning was very helpful to me.

everyone's experience is different. i can only base my thoughts, on what i experienced. but i learnt so much from reading about other people's experiences of bf0ing. (and still do).

Lots about parenting is about putting another person first, this is no different.

[Kailani]

I'd give up everything, within reason. Obviously if I had severe medical issues and/or needed medication that was not to be used while bfing, I'd ff. Bfing is really important to me, and DS and I really enjoy it

I don't mind abstaining from alcohol, giving up my underwire bras, and not having all-nighters. No different to when I was pregnant anyway.

[anney]

I was lucky and don't feel I had to give up anything however have put my thoughts here on each of the points

health? - no - in general, would not give up my health. if my health was suffering to the extent it was affecting my ability to parent or my happiness I would have given up b/f.
career? - yes, for women the ability to have babies has a limited timeframe. I believe you can get a career back after the children are older.
sport? - definitely - but it is not a priority for me.
habit? - Not sure - I don't smoke and don't drink much (chocolate is my only vice!) and DD was pretty much happy with whatever I ate and drank so didn't have to

[belfie]

Well i didn't give up anything to BF (bit of sanity maybe in the few months we both beat our heads against a brick wall) but I did give up some things to exclusively express until DS was 12 months old.

health - no. For me, expressing was beneficial for my health and DS's health following gestational diabetes.
career - I was on maternity leave regardless, my purpose was to look after DS
sport - aaah the prolapse, the pelvic floor nerve damage and the giant hooters took care of the running - so no more triathlons. I've learned to love walking instead.
habit - can still do chocolate i'm ok
sanity - I'm adding this one in. When some folks implied that I was giving up my sanity by spending hour after hour glued to a breastpump - well I had my moments I must admit. I suppose I gave up "me" time (maybe?) or spending more time with DS isntead of pumping and like anyone, some days were better than others. But I also managed to make expressing "me" time... watching TV, in front of the PC, reading a book etc. Geez, my record was feeding DS a bottle, drinking a cuppa, talking on the phone and expressing (handsfreee double pumping), I truly didn't know I could be so clever . When I got to 6 months and MIL said he doesn't need it anymore... well the second 6 months was FAR easier than the first... and I couldn't find a good enough reason to stop. Was I a martyr, would I do it again? Dunno but at the time it felt right, and that's all anyone can do.

Is this off track because it's not BF or FF?... I guess it's just a different perspective.

[nattyfred]

I gave up lots to breastfeed my babies. I gave up being selfish, thinking only about myself. I gave up overindulging in alcohol and fatty foods with no thought to my health. I gave up sleeping peacefully every night. However I don't think I could have avoided giving up any of these things by not breastfeeding, it was a natural extension of being pregnant for me. IMHO motherhood requires a lot of sacrifice no matter how you parent.

Exactly. I do think we give up these things but I wouldnt want to give up the beautiful connection that V and I have and how she sees me as an extension of herself.. I love BF and that is from someone who was adamant I would NEVER do it....Oh how things change lol

[Jennifer13]

I love BF and that is from someone who was adamant I would NEVER do it....Oh how things change lol

natty - I can't believe you said that and look at you now!! I think I might start a new thread.

[nattyfred]

Just getting a bit off the point but yeah Jennifer, I even bought formula to use at home and threatened to bring my own to the hospital...then she was born and there was no way I was giving it to her lol.."You had me at hello" lol.

[Artechim]

I would have given away my career and bad habits for children regardless of feeding method and I never played sports, but I have given away a huge chunk of mental health for breastfeeding.

My DD is nearly 9 months old and I have left her for 1.5 hours at the longest because she might need a feed. I can't get a break away, can't go out for a child free dinner, can't give the night time duties to someone else so I could actually get some sleep. I would love to leave her with someone else for a while and just have a bit of a sanity refresher away from kids but I am tied to her because she needs to be fed. A night out, maybe a drink or five and then a full night of sleep whilst someone else looked after her would be amazing.

And before anyone tells me I could just express, I will add that it doesn't work that way for everyone and I don't have hours to sit around expressing to get enough for one feed that she wouldn't take from a bottle anyway.

[Traveller]

I completely sympathise Artechim. Expressing was a nightmare for me too and I never got a break from my babies apart from an enforced one when boytwin was in hospital. I know I will probably sounds like a broken record but it will get easier, and once your baby is around a year you will be able to get away for a few hours as breastmilk will not be such an important part of her diet. Well done for getting to 9 months, you sounds like an amazing mother.

[~Kim~]

I personally don't think you should have to 'give up' anything.

[Arcadia]

I don't think I have given up anymore than I had while pg. I went back to ballet when she was 10 weeks, I work casually and I go out at night too. I never leave her for more than a couple of hours, but that is because I miss her!! (and I didn't express either...too annoying and she wouldn't take bottles)

In the early days, I did feel weighed down by her constant need to be attached to me day and night, but that was just an adjustment thing. And it passes so quickly!

I think women need support to breastfeed, and that means time without the baby and rest to help cope with the intensity of a suckling babe. Some babies are more demanding than others too.

Do you feel you are sacrificing too much Kate? It is a big adjustment when a tiny baby needs you so much, but I think that is true irrespective of feeding choice. Hang in there!

[turtleschell]

I have given up my fabulous wardrobe... All my clothes are difficult to breastfeed in.. and I miss wearing tight dresses where the sleeves don't easily slip down.

I have given up having fun days/nights at the pub with friends (because I don't like the idea of bringing my baby to a place full of drunk people)

I've given up going out at night! (Coz DD still feeds every 3hrs)

But I don't mind wearing looser clothes, staying in at night and missing out on the pub, because feeding times with DD are just ten times more enjoyable than all of these things!

[Peach*]

Im with Winter on this one, Id pretty much give up anything. As Barb mentioned though-you dont have to, yes in the early days you cant go out and booze or party but even if you were FF would you really want to??

[didispunk]

Yup anything but my heath!

[LisaFire]

I wouldnt give up anything to breast feed my DD, however I may postpone things like returning to work or sport.

I am however having to give up watching my DSD train at karate because I have been told by the coach of the state team I am not welcome there if I am going to breastfeed K. I refuse to allow my baby to scream for 2hours for a feed, I refuse to feed her in a cold car and she wont accept a bottle. So I have no choice but to stay home. I dont even know if I am allowed to go to tournaments now. My DSD hates the way I have been treated by the club and so does everyone else I know.