Breastfeeding...Opinion

***This post is my opinion about breastfeeding. This is what I think is best for me and my family. Each family is different and has different needs. This is not intended to belittle women who choose breastfeeding is not right for them***

When we found out that I was pregnant I knew right away that I wanted to breastfeed. At that point I did not know why I wanted to, I just knew that is what my natural instinct. After much reading before and after I gave birth confirmed my natural instincts...breast is best.

Since I have had a taste of formula feeding and breastfeeding I feel like I have a pretty solid opinion about both options.

Breastfeeding is not only better for your baby because it contains antibodies that help prevent many illnesses...these antibodies cannot be recreated and put in formula. Breastfed babies also have a much lower risk for ear infections and diarrhea. Research also says that breastfed babies have a lower risk for type 2 diabetes, asthma, and obesity. Breast milk is also significantly easier for a newborns tummy to digest. As a baby grows they need different nutrients. When your babies saliva meets your breast it sends signals to your body on what and how much of it to include in your breast milk. It is also very hard to overfeed a (nursing) breastfed baby. Your baby eats until they are full...depending on the amount of milk your baby drank and the time period between feedings signals your body how much milk to make for the next feeding...God made our bodies so amazing!

Breastfeeding has soo many nutritional benefits but also has so many emotional benefits for Mom and baby. The bond that breastfeeding creates between mother and baby is beyond anything man made. Breastfeeding releases hormones in babies brain helping them feel comfort, love, and safety. Moms brain also releases hormones to make her uterus contract which helps shrink it back to normal size after birth. Moms brain also releases hormones that help ward of Post Pardum Depression and the baby blues.

When I was struggling with breastfeeding I asked Parsons pediatrician what the best formula choice would be if I had to stop breastfeeding. He simply said "there is not one, breast milk is what is best for your baby" After he told me that, I called my doctors office and spoke to a midwife about what to do to make it happen, and after some practice, water and lots and lots of patience...it did.

Formula feeding is not really easier just different. Instead of wearing a nursing bra and a cover you carry bottles, water and formula. Instead of being the primary source of nutrition for your baby, anyone can feed your baby. Formula feeding is much more expensive. Formula is harder to digest and it can take awhile to find the "right" fit for your baby.

Everything I have said above makes breastfeeding sound so wonderful and amazing..which it is. But it is also painful, hard, and stressful. No one tells you that breastfeeding takes practice and may not go as planned. So here is my little list of tips and tricks that have worked best for me...

Take a breastfeeding class, I really wish I would have
Nursing bras and tanks - buy them and stock up
Nursing sleep bras - perfect for at first when your body is regulating its milk supply when you may become engorged.
Buy a Medela pump. I know they are expensive BUT it makes pumping so much quicker. Especially if you are going to be pumping when/if you go back to work.
Have patience

Here it is the question all of you want an answer to...how long do I plan on breastfeeding. The original plan was breastfeeding until Parson self weaned. Yes that's right self weaned. Now, keep in mind 95% of babies who self wean when they are ready do so between 12-18 months. Most times when children nurse beyond that its not for nutritional reasons but for emotional reasons for Mom or baby. After Parson is a year we will drop down to two nursing sessions a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. After 12 months the main source of nutrition for toddlers needs to be solid food. This is another instance where it is up to each family to decide what is best for them. This is what we have decided is best for our family.

People thought I was crazy when I did not just give up when Parson and I were having challenges and people still are amazed that I pump three times a day at work so I could continue to breastfeed. I choose to do these things not because they make me a better mom, women, or person but because it is what is best for my family.

So if you choose to breastfeed know that it will be challenging, hard, amazing, and worth it. Don't let anyone else tell you what is best for your family and baby. Do what you know and feel is natural and best for you.

Patty