Breast or bottle feeding?

dantheman2010

Good morning all,

Our little one is due in a matter of weeks and myself my heavily pregnant OH are wondering what everyones views are on whether you should breastfeed or bottle feed.

My OH's two sisters have both just had little ones too, one bottle feeds and one breast feeds. The bottle fed one seems like such a placid thing whereas the breast fed one always seems to be crying and "searching" for the breast.

We appreciate that, according to the midwife, there are benefits to breast feeding over bottle feeding. However my OH finds the thought of breast feeding quite daunting and when you think about the ease of going to visit people and having me look after her on my own then a formula bottle being made is much easier rather than her having to express before leaving our baby with me etc.

I would like to bond with her and not have her constantly crying for her mums milk.

Anyway just wanted some thoughts of you mums out there.

Thank you all.

basscadette

Nothing to add but I'm due in a few weeks and have the same dilemna. I don't want to breast feed at all if I'm honest and DH agrees with me on that but I do realsie you come under intense pressure from establishment if you refuse.

My best friend has a baby a couple of months old and she is breast feeding - she is knackered and a slave to her baby for the reasons you mention. I also think that until it gets established your baby goes undernourished. A family member had a premature baby and they've had to go onto formula to build him up as he was losing too much weight being breast fed.

Interested on people's opinions too.

fannyanna

Ultimately it's what your OH feels most comfortable with.

There are pro's and cons with both.

I would recommend though that if you wanted to try breast feeding give that a go first as I've heard it's difficult to switch from bottle to breast.

P.S. I've not had any children so I'm not talking from experience. I'm trying to have a baby and these are things I've considered myself.

Elle7

I don't have a child, but I have studied Childcare and Development in detail.

Breastfeeding does have a large amount of benefits, including health ones. It will also help your OH to bond with the baby, and is very natural. It is a daunting prospect at first, and it doesn't always start well - some people find they cannot do it, or do not enjoy it, and switch to bottle feeding. Others are really glad they did breastfeed.

If your OH does choose to breastfeed, she can express for you to feed, or you could introduce formula too.

I'm surprised the bottle fed baby is more placid, I've always found it the other way round - at the nursery I worked at we had it written in big letters if the babies were bottle fed, as they were often more grouchy and less playful and placid then the breastfed babies.

The hospital will have a breastfeeding advisor who can help your OH get used to feeding and make it much less scary, and can also discuss the benefits of breastfeeding with you.

I don't think you should worry about not having time to bond with her, she won't be always crying for Mummy, and you will be able to feed her.

Good luck with everything!

hjsmum

A lot of the nutritional benefit of breastfeeding is passed over in the first feed (immunity to infections etc) so I would always advise giving the first feed or two via breast. The benefits of breastfeeding over bottle are huge in terms of health of the infant. However, some new mums can suffer mentally over the pressure to breastfeed as for most it is not the easiest thing in the world to get to grips with.

Could your OH try breastfeeding for as long as she feels able? She may find it not too bad in which case she could continue. If she doesn't like it then she can change to bottle in the knowledge that she gave it her best shot.

vroombroom

I breastfed for a few days after my son was born and we both found it difficult, so I switched to bottle - both much happier and he is very content.

Its whatever your OH is comfortable with. What I will say though is, don't let health workers bully her into BF if she doesnt want to. Mine is pretty much pro-BF and said to me I was a failure for not trying harder.

20 weeks on though we have a gorgeous healthy boy who sleeps through the night and loves his grub x

Gillyx

There are pros and cons to both in my opinion.

I'm due my first baby in February and I'm planning to at least try breast feeding, I don't have strong opinions one way or another as I know for some people it doesn't work out. The cost for me is one thing, I'd rather use the formula money for something else, if I can.

Dontknowanymore

The only advice I have is you do what YOU want to do, not what everyone else thinks you should do.
I didn't even consider breadfeeding my first child, he's healthy and was such a good placid baby.
I breastfed my second child for the couple of days I was in hospital but then stopped when I came home, he again is healthy and was so laid back as a baby it was unreal.

indebtinsussex

I bf my son and still bf my daughter, and I've never had any problems with them, people have always commented on what happy and contented babies they were and are, and from the size of their thighs when they were babies, clearly were not undernorished, in fact my son actually put on weight in the first couple of days, the little chubster that he was!

My nephews are the same age and were bottle fed, both of them were extremely colicky and sicky children and my sil had the most depressing time with them, so it honestly depends on the child.

I would recommend that your oh tries bf, it is better for the baby and I really have bonded with mine so well, my dh has also bonded with the children just as well as he does other bits that are just daddy and baby time, so I wouldnt worry about that.

your oh isnt going to know until she tries, and she may find that she has no problems and takes to it really well, or may hate it and do bottle instead, however, I have heard that its difficult to go from bottle to breast. Also people I have spoken to who did just bottle feed have felt that they have missed out on the experience on bf.

I struggled with bf my son until I went to a support class (there are loads of them around) and then never looked back, with my son I was a bit more self consious, so I used to bf in private and then bottle feed if we were out in public until I got more courage and then bf him all the time, but with my daughter its not bothered me at all and havent used bottles.

I dont find that I'm a slave to either of my children when bf and what new parent isnt knackered!

Also in true mse style, bf is free, and bottle feeding can be expensive!

Good luxk with whatever you decide to do x

leandygandy

My baby is due on Monday and we have decided I will try to BF. If it doesn't work out then so be it and we will move to bottle, but I am determined to give it a shot. We are very lucky in that there is an abundance of support in our area.

With regards to bonding - BF needn't be a block, the ladies in my NCT class that are BF have said that baby tends to settle for cuddles better with daddy because they can't smell mummy's milk, so daddys there seem to be getting the better part of the deal lol. There is also the option of expressed milk in a bottle for you to help out with feeding.


The key for the both of you is that whatever you decide you need to be happy with your decision. Good luck.

wendz86

I think bfing is at least worth a try as there are so many benefits. Ultimately though it is down to what you want to do.

The first couple of weeks were hard but is so easy now and you don't have to do any preperation etc. I don't really get to go out as she won't take a bottle but i would much rather be with her amnyway.

I think it is down to the individual baby if they are placid or not rather than the way they are fed.