Nursing

[sandnsea]

I want to put this in here, because I want women's opinions only.

Did any of you just not like breastfeeding? I wasn't crazy about it, and my daughter isn't either. Now all her friends are gossiping about her because she decided to stop at just 1 month. She's very independent, they go all the time. She doesn't like having to stop and find a place to nurse, and she gets her bonding through playing and cuddling, not nursing. I felt pretty much the same.

Any stories I can tell her so she won't feel like a freak?

[politicat]

1. One of my sisters felt the same.

Me? Kid? You must be joking....

But one of my sisters tried it and decided it wasn't for her. She expressed for the second and third month, but her production had never been up to my nephew's caloric needs, even when she was nursing on demand so he went over to goat's milk (he didn't tolerate the soy based formula) and he's fine. She's fine, too, and they're very close. Well bonded, well adjusted. He's very smart, very secure, and a happy, well-behaved kid.

Nephew is 4 now, has no allergies or sensitivities (the only reason sis did goat's milk is her pede wouldn't let her do cow's milk) and is perfectly healthy.

The other sister did it in a spirit of penance and while she eventually got to a point where she was easy about it, (and is now something of a BF promoter) her opinion is that every kid and every mom have to make their decisions for themselves, and friends are not the arbitrators here. Her comment on the subject was "Didn't her mom tell her "If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump, too?" " Peer pressure as an adult is as ugly as it is as a teenager.

If that's how your daughter's "friends" treat her, then maybe it's time for new friends.

My $.02

[sandnsea]

5. She's expressing

And the doctor did tell her that since her baby is such a snacker, he may be getting more of the back milk with the calories anyway. She put her friends in their place, all is well now!

[Dervill Crow]

2. Pretty much my whole generation was bottle-fed, and we're fine.

And the only one of my children who was bottle fed is the only one who made the honor roll.

Breastfeeding is convenient for middle-of-the-night feeding, but it's up to the mom and baby to decide if they want to do it. My kids are all happy and well-adjusted and don't remember now how they were fed as infants. Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience, but I think emotionally it is more of a thrill for the mom than the baby; the baby just wants to get fed and snuggle, and a bottle works just fine.

[DemBones DemBones]

3. One month isn't long enough to tell if you like nursing

or not, but if she's already quit, that's a moot point. If she hasn't quit yet and has any inclination to continue, I'd encourage her to give it a few more weeks. But if she's dead-set on quitting, she should do so.

I enjoyed nursing, but I probably know as many people who did not as people who did. She just needs to stand up to her friends on this. Many women have quit nursing early without their babies being harmed. She should remind them that her baby has already benefited from the colostrum and several weeks of breast milk. Or just tell them her doctor said she needed to quit and let them be annoyed with the doctor. ;-)

[RaRa]

4. Well put, DemBones

Even Le Leche says nursing should continue until one person now longer wants to. But, I also had a hard time with my first. I was in excrutiating pain until almost 2 full months of nursing. I was just really stubborn, not that I was enjoying it at all. And there are always time when I didn't feel like it. But the times when I enjoyed it from a bonding perspective far outweighed those times of annoyance. Plus, from a "selfish" standpoint, you significantly decrease your chances of breast cancer by nursing. Something like 4% for every 6 months. I'm down 20%!

Basically, people need to mind their own business. It saddens me that she isn't likely to continue, but it is HER decision. Her CHOICE.

[sandnsea]

6. Thanks everybody

My daughter put her friends in their place and all is well.