Your reasons for breastfeeding?

[dannii]

After reading some peoples posts got me curious on some of the reasons you decided to breastfeed?

Was it because you just believe its the best thing to provide for baby etc..
Health reasons.. improve babies health chances re allergies and immune etc..
Convenience.. hate making bottles and strilizing and getting up to make them throughout the night?
Or pressured for one reason or another whether from midwives or family/friends etc..

thanks :)

[Ange&Seth]

A little of all of them i guess. Best for baby, Convenience cos the milk was just 'there', and a little bit of pressure as well from DP.

I just said while I was pregnant that I'd give it a go and if it didn't work out for me, then I wasn't going to beat myself up over it.

[shed]

I just said while I was pregnant that I'd give it a go and if it didn't work out for me, then I wasn't going to beat myself up over it.

That's my attitude as well. I am doing everything I can to prepare for it, I will stick at it as much as I can and after that if its not working then I will stop.

[Areca]

I voted other. My reasons were for all of the above, except I had no pressure from anyone. I originally said that I would give it a go and see how I went. Well I had a few obstacles at the start which made me even more determined!
I think there are so many benefits for baby, and for mum too. I'm too lazy to mix bottles and considering that I now find bf'ing so easy it would kill me to have to pay for something I can make for free! Now I'm more than determined to bf every child of mine!

[Nickster]

mumtoone, you have said exactly everything I was going to say!

So, all I can say is "ditto".

One of the best things for me is that with the sleep deprivation in the early days (ie. the first 12 months lol), it was just so incredibly convenient to just put baby on the breast. I couldn't imagine having to fuss over preparing and warming bottles in the middle of the night while half asleep and trying to keep a crying baby calm.

I also secretly love knowing that I alone can calm my sometimes fractious toddler just by giving her a feed.

[dannii]

yeah its nice to know we have something to instantly calm them!
always handy to have hehe

[Areca]

I should also add that the first 3 months DD took forever to feed. This might seem like a pain to some but I loved it. She could feed for up to an hour during a growth spurt and I'd just lie down on the bed and have a snooze (she'd get fidgety when she was done and would wake me up). I wouldn't have that benefit with a bottle fed baby!!

And I love that feeding times are for me and DD. She will take a bottle of EBM so I can leave her but I love not having to share feeding times because it really is such a great way to bond! If DD was bottle fed I'd have everyone asking to feed her.

[OceBel]

i breastfed my daughter because i had heaps of the stuff, and because its the best stuff to give.

[Crazy Monkey]

I decided when I was pregnant that I would give it a go and try my best as its best for baby... Nearly 13 months on, we are still going...

[BJelly]

I wanted to BF because of the antibodies it gives to the baby, and lessens the chance of getting allergies; it's convenient (after a few weeks of agony:o ); it's the perfect natural food for babies; it's great for calming babies - you know something is really wrong if a BF won't help them settle.

And also there are health benefits for me too - less chance of osteoporosis, and less chance of getting some forms of cancer later in life.

[Oscar's mum]

And also there are health benefits for me too - less chance of osteoporosis, and less chance of getting some forms of cancer later in life.


Another one of the things that got me to breastfeed was that it 'may' reduce the chances of asthma!;)

[nemosmum]

Its best for my bub:thumbsup:

Becoz i hated bfing with a passion for the first four months I would have stopped if I wasnt supported by dh, ABA and I also had feelings of guilt that made me keep going........................However I am thrilled that i did continue coz i ended up enjoying the closeness wih my bub.

[the_queen]

I agree with all the reasons everyone has posted.

Also, breastfed poo's don't stink!!:thumbsup:

[kymmy]

I breastfed cos its natural
I didn't believe it was an option
I am lazy- meaning i knew that it is easier to give the boob than make up bottles
Anything that makes my life as a parent easier is got to be good for me

[cheezelkat]

It was cheap and convenient. Seriously, I don't think breastfeeding was ever a choice for me. I always wanted to do what was best for my child.

[emilysmumma]

Great thread Dannii

I BF because there is no more gift than I can give my DD than food from my own body to give her the best start in life.
Even when I seriously thought of giving up in those first few weeks due to the agony (boobs stretching to the point of popping) the thought of giving up just made me so sad thatI would be failing her for not giving what is rightfully hers, IYKWIM.

Silly i know but now the convienance is also right up there on the top of my list.

Plus when she looks up at me with a cheeky grin when she is finished...awwwhh.

[♥Heaven Sent♥]

I chose to breastfeed because i believe it is best for bub and its also conveniant it also helped me to lose most of my baby belly it didnt take me long to go back to my normal weight i actually lost more than just the baby fat which was great:thumbsup: .Even though i only breast fed for four months i knew that i tried my hardest but in the end bub was loosing interest i had to have an operation and it was giving her bad reflux.Im really hoping that this time bub has more interest and dosnt get bad reflux like his sister:fingerscrossed: .

[Rockett]

I breastfed because it was best for my baby.:thumbsup: It was our special time together too.We stopped a few weeks ago though at 15 months old.

Also the fact that it's free,convenient and no making up bottles etc, doesn't hurt either!

[Mischief]

I can say a bit of all of them too.

I wanted to breastfeed because of the imunities it gives to the baby. Its free, and I wanted to be close to my bubba.

The biggest thing that keeps me breastfeeding though is the concern that I'm letting my baby down if I dont. I feel alot of preasure from my hubbys mum (even if she doesnt mean too) to keep going. Ive been expressing exclusively (except for 1 night feed) for 3 weeks now....

[Sara's Boys]

if there was a "all of the above" except pressure, i would have said that. I breast fed my first and will breastfeed my second. It is of course the best for bub, as well as the easiest for me, I hate the thought of getting up and making/heating bottles through the night. And I just loved being free to leave the house woth nappies and never having to worry if I had enough formula. I only fed to 6 months because my supply dried up earlier than I'd hooped. But, above all this, I LOVE BREASTFEEDING!! To me it's an amazing bond to share with your new bub, you feel very close, and it gives you regular intervals to stop what you busy doing and just sit,relax and enjoy being in luv with your bub.