The only thing I felt like I gave up some times was my social life...but in reality I didn't.
Because I breast fed DS til he was almost 2, I couldn't leave him with my mum over night til he was well over 1, as he couldn't settle if he woke without the boob. So I couldn't go have a big night out, then come home & sleep it off like everyone else my age was doing. But I survived. I still had drinks when friends came here.
I never had a career, & my mental state would've been alot worse had I not been able to breast feed this time around, so I don't think I can really comment there...