Breast feeding or bottle?

Hello, I was wondering who felt more comfortable with either breast or bottle feeding. I want to try out breast feeding since it is better for the baby but I am worried about all the cons to it also. And if I start how long will it take for my breasts to stop producing and dry up?

What're all the breastfeeding cons?

What are the cons?

& what exactly are the cons?

i pumped for my oldest..he was in the nicu for a few weeks..my supply didnt last long.

i nursed my youngest for almost 20 months. Weaning was.a.breeze.

ill be breastfeeding this baby too.

I don't know if I would consider those cons. They are possibilities yes but not really a con. I would definitely try it because the pros outweigh your 'cons' and if you decide it just isn't for you than go ahead and formula feed.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Jocelynn Rose:</b>" Some Cons are: Mastitis, plugged milk ducts and engorgement if the baby is not feeding frequently or ... [snip!] ... Stress can reduce amount of milk you make. Cannot use certain medicines or foods. Cracked, Blistered, Bloody, Sore Nipples."</blockquote>




I can understand these but i prefer breastfeeding.

With formula you dont know where it came from, you dont know if someone slipped something harmful in it, your constantly washing bottles while half asleep and needing to feed a baby, if baby doesnt finish a bottle its pretty much wasted, and you can easily run out and have to actually go spend money on more.

I formula fed my oldest and hated it. Breast fed my youngest and will breastfeed this baby also.

Some Cons are:
Mastitis - Had it once with my 1st for a totlaly predictable reason, i was at work & not allowed a pump break for like 14 hrs - long story - never happened again.
plugged milk ducts - Had that - it is how I got mastitis, normally does not happen if you feed on demand.
engorgement if the baby is not feeding frequently or properly. - you want to talk engorgement? Try not breastfeeding - THAT engorgement beats ANYTHING you get while nursing...that is a con of formula feeding - NOT breastfeeding.
Unable to determine if baby drank enough. - completely not true. You can always tell what goes in by what comes out. If knowing ounces of intake were important prior to ingestion, our boobs would come with measurement son them - humans don't need this kind of thin g- we are just used to bottles & get all antsy for no reason. And if you are feeling extra anxious you can always go in for a pre-feed weigh in & a post feed weigh in & see how much your baby gained. I never did it - but someone feel the need.
Stress can reduce amount of milk you make. - not necessarily true - lots of women in war torn areas have nursed just fine. In fact most women in refugee camps who arrive running for their lives are successfully nursing. I am pretty sure they are stressed out. I am not sure we'd have survived until now if women developed low supply as often as women today seem to get it.
Cannot use certain medicines or foods. - meh - there are lots of alternatives you can take (you can check out Dr Thomas Hale & Medications & Mothers Milk to see that there is a LOT you can take) & what foods are you talking about? I've never avoided any foods.
Cracked, Blistered, Bloody, Sore Nipples. - with my 1st I had not ONE day of that. With #2 I had 3 weeks.........in return for those bloody nipples I reduced my risk of breast cancer by half. I think blistered nips is worth a few weeks of that...and like I said, with #1 - I had NONE of it - not ONE day, not even so much as an "owie" came from my mouth.

The CONS of formula:
Twice the risk of SIDS
Seven fold increase in childhood cancer (particularly lymphomas)
a atrophied thymus gland (which is what trains T-cells on how to fight infection)
Risk of contamination - especially when traveling, needing water, natural disaster, etc
Has no secretory IgA (special antibodies) to coat the lining of the gut to protect against invasion of intestinal infections & the like.


The deal is, this is a serious health decision, for you & baby. You really ought to look at the health implications of this choice versus what is convenient/inconvenient. ANY inconvenience of breastfeeding IS more than made up for in avoiding the risks of artificial forms of feeding. ANYONE who tells you there is no risk to choosing to formula feed is someone you should be highly suspicious of listening to on ANY issue, including Drs, as the increase risk of both short term illness & long term disease (like diabetes, arthritis, cancers, GI tract issues) for not just baby, but also for mom are very very well documented in study after study.

Is breastfeeding always fun? Hell no. Is it always doable for every mom? Nope - but is ALWAYS worth trying if you can....always.

I had a clogged duct when I cut my nearly 2 yo off cold turkey. BAD idea! It hurts like a bitch, but it's treatable w/ hot water and massage.

I'm far more comfortable breast feeding. My son was breastfed for 21 months.

My daughter was breastfed for about 2 months and then went to a mix of formula and breast as my milk supply tanked when my manager decided I couldn't pump and leave work on time.

This baby will hopefully be bottle fed breastmilk while I'm at work and breastfed when I'm home. I'm at a much better company and will get my law required pumping breaks.

I prefer bottle feeding. It's less frustrating for me.

Quoting Jocelynn Rose:" Hello, I was wondering who felt more comfortable with either breast or bottle feeding. I want to try ... [snip!] ... I am worried about all the cons to it also. And if I start how long will it take for my breasts to stop producing and dry up?"

Are you working or SAHM? If you are working, then it would be easier to pump/use bottles, but if you are a SAHM, I would honestly try breast-feeding first. I heard bottles can be tough on a baby's gums and erupting teeth.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Jocelynn Rose:</b>" Hello, I was wondering who felt more comfortable with either breast or bottle feeding. I want to try ... [snip!] ... I am worried about all the cons to it also. And if I start how long will it take for my breasts to stop producing and dry up?"</blockquote>




I wasn't able to exclusively BF. my supply dried up at about 3 mo ths but I was very pleased that I was able to BF even for a short time so that my baby had superior nutrition and that we had that bonding.

When I was mentally ready to give up trying to BF, I was relieved and felt more balanced . It ws a rough road but I'm glad I tried and then glad that I finally gave up.

I recommend trying it and if successful continueing for at least a couple of months.

It's hard at first... but I'm so happy I breastfeed. I very much regret not breastfeeding my oldest!

Give it a try, there are more cons to formula than breastfeeding.

I'm definitely more comfortable breastfeeding. I had mastitis 3 times with my first, and while it was painful, it's very worth it. My first nursed for 2 1/2 years. My second is almost 1 year old, and is still nursing. Love it, worth it!

Would have loved to breast feed all of my kids. But I'm the 1% of if woman who don't produce breast milk.

I would have chose bf over ft any day. Lol