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

[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!

[butterfly_warrior]

Breastfeeding my baby would most definitely have meant giving up my health.

For some, health conditions can be so chronic and debilitating that it is quite simply impossible to go without the appropriate medications to treat them. While there usually are some medications that can be used that are still safe to breastfeed while taking them... Where do you go when they no longer work?

For me... breastfeeding my son meant being in so much pain that I couldn't get out of bed. Being in so much pain that I could barely hold him as a tiny, 2.5kg premmie baby.

The medications that were safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding where no longer effective for my condition. The medications needed to restore me to some sort of health where I could be functional are dreadfully unsafe to breastfeed with.

While I understand that for MOST women, it's not a matter of needing to sacrifice your health to be able to breastfeed, there are SOME women with health conditions that are so severe that it quite literally is a matter of having to give up breastfeeding in order to have some sort of relationship with your own child.

I fail to see how health outcomes in my family could have been any better if I had insisted on breastfeeding. For a start, I wouldn't have been able to care for my son, let alone myself.

Kate, I know that you also suffer from a chronic health condition. Sometimes it's simply more important to be healthy and well enough to interact with your child and feed them formula than to persist with breastfeeding and end up sacrificing your health. I know that some may find that statement offensive, but the reality is that unless you have also suffered from a chronic and debilitating health condition, you cannot know what it is really like to walk in those shoes.

BW

[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??

[sushee]

The one thing I didn't give up was the chance to have another child. I had to wean Charlie in order to do an FET when he was 11 months old, as my periods weren't regular enough for them to pinpoint my ovulation.

Other than that, I didn't give up anything really. I ate spicy foods (probably why Charlie likes it now), had the odd drink (and I wouldn't overindulge at that stage anyway with a young baby to look after), exercised and didn't really have any habits to give up (except good sleep, which wouldn't have made a huge difference if I had to wake up to make up a bottle anyway). I did have a cracked nipples and frequent mastitis with Charlie (not my first three kids) but even now, that feels like a distant memory, where the benefits of actual breastfeeding relationship is fresh and clear in my head - never mind the research etc etc!

Plus they grow up so fast. Charlie's now four and I still mourn the loss of our BFing relationship. It went in as blink of an eye, considering the larger scheme of things. I don't feel like I gave up anything that I didn't get a return on three-fold.

[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.

[kelebek]

Slightly OT but

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 know in NSW this is considered discrimination and they can be persecuted, I would contact your anti-discrimination body in your state and get advice on this.

[Janie]

Lisa, I'm really sorry they have tried to put you in that position. It is law everywhere in Australia that breastfed babies have the right to feed whenever, and wherever they want. So please feel free to simply just feed your baby there. If that makes you uncomfortable, you could try letting the coach know about the law to see if that will change their stance. If not, you can certainly take it further, and if you wish to do so the Australian Breastfeeding Association would be able to point you in the right direction.

I hope you feel able to take this further, as it is appalling that a breastfeeding mum and babe should be treated this way............it would be great to nip it in the bud so that no one else is made to feel as you have been. Good luck hun.

[Turkish Delight]

Honestly, i would not give up anything as even though breast is best, there are millions/billions of people brought up on formula and there is nothing wrong with them due to formula.
If i had no milk, then i wouldn't go on. If bubba didn't want it, i wouldn't press on. Doesnt mean that you are good mother if you breast feed.
I think new mothers are really forced to breastfeed or think it is necessary that you must breastfeed and they stress.
As long as bub, mother and family are happy, formula is just as good as breastmilk. Do whatever is best for you and your situation.