breast feeding vs. bottle feeding

[newmotheroftwo]

Im pregnant with my 2nd child, my 1st one is 2 1/2 and he was formula/bottle fed from day one and i want to also bottle feed this one when it gets here, my boyfriend disagrees strongly with my decision because my 1st child gets sick ALOT and had alot of health issues and he thinks its from me not breasfeeding because breastfeeding as most know is healthier for the baby....is this true? Could me not breastfeeding have caused him to be the way he is and should i take it as a lesson to breastfeed this one? Or is it ok to bottle feed like i want too?

[Cornpones]

I agree with the benefits of breast feeding. I pumped with my first since I was working. With my second, Ip decided to be a stay at home mom, so I tried to nurse him. Well the day we got discharged, they have him his vaccines and he stopped latching on, so I had to go back to the pump and do double the work. This time, I'm refusing vaccines and nursing exclusively. It's a bond that will be there forever. And the benefits of your natural made milk vs synthetic formula, outweigh it all. Even if you pump, that's better than nothing. It's true, formula fed babies are sicker, as are c-section babies. And its also true what some other moms said, that if skin problems are in your family, breast fed babies might have it too, not to the same degree as formulating, but they do too.  Good luck with your choice.

[2ndbaby162]

I breastfed my first and she's had skin problems and been quite sickly so its mostly down to the child's ability to handle infections and illnesses. My sister bottle fed all 4 of hers and only one had skin issues. I'd read breastfeeding helped children avoid things like eczema bit its throughout my family regardless of if that child was breast fed or not. The first week is the most critical for boosting your babies immune system because their bodies need that help  in the early days. After that its all them so don't blame yourself. Do what you feel is best for you as well. If your other half can't support you then you could give him a list of all the benefits of formula and tell him to stop being such a muppet!

[Mizzztaylor]

I believe breastfeeding is super beneficial but m milk never came in with my first son so I had to formula feed him and he is perfectly healthy. Do not blame yourself for your son getting sick often. Plenty of moms have to formula feed and their kids turn out fine. If your son gets sick often it's probably just because that's the way his immune system works. If breastfeeding is uncomfortable to you then you absolutely should bottle feed him. It's your choice and not your boyfriends.

[maxeymom]

Your boyfriend is right as to breastfed babies get sick less bc breast milk has stuff in it that formula can never imitate but just bc your baby gets sick a lot doesnt mean that its bc you didnt breast feed. If you want your baby on a bottle you can always just pump. Even giving your baby breast milk for a short period of time will be very beneficial. It is always worth a try and if it doesnt work well at least you tried instead of dismissing it all together. We were made to have milk when our babies were born for a reason and formula can never replace that.

[NatFox]

I do believe in benefits of breastfeeding. With my first it was very hard for me.. I had infection few times and my niples were bleeding at first but i stuck to it. My believe is that i should never look for an easy options and if i decided to have a child i would do what is best for that child. Unless there is a REAL reason for me not to breastfeed, i will be doing it. But this is just me.....people are different ...

[newmotheroftwo]

Thanks ladies! You were all very comphorting! And reasurring :-) im very nervous about the new baby so i just hope it all works out.

[Mrs_Baze]

Most of the benefits to the baby are from your colostrum, so if you wanted to see if that might help your second, I would say breastfeed in the hospital, get the first few feedings from your colostrum, and then you can go to formula. Hopefully that will satisfy both you and the father.

[Babybump3]

First of all,do not think it is your fault if your first baby gets poorly alot because you bottle fed,i think to many people are judgemental of how you feed your baby.My first baby i tried to breast feed but i wad very poorly after birth and had a traumatic labour which i think resulted in me not being able to breast feed and lack of support,so she was bottle fed,My 2nd baby i did manage to breast feed until she was nearly 1!Which i am proud of myself for.I had a lovely birth with her and i had alot of support from friends who had breastfed.When you first start to breastfeed you get to a part where you feel like you have hit a brick wall (when your milk comes in) it becomes very sore to feed and with your emotions all over the place and your boobs solid it is hard but once you get past that it gets so much easier.I loved breastfeeding my 2nd daughter and i did have times when she was a baby where i made myself feel bad that i had not managed to do it for my first but she is a healthy 4year old now!She does seem to get poorlier and ill more than my 2nd,i do not know if that is because she was bottle fed,i did mention to my husband i thought it might be why but who knows.
I am having my 3rd baby in 2weeks and i hope to breastfeed again.
If you have some friends that have breastfed then see if they can give you advice once baby is born if you need it but do not make yourself feel bad if you cant do it.Goodluck

[timegoneby]

I would go with whatever is comfortable for you! I have tried to breast feed my two boys but have never been able to succeed past the hospital. They are both happy and healthy boys. I will try again with my third but I am not very hopeful I can do it and will probably end up going to formula. I know there are bennifets to breast feeding. But to be honest I think a lot of those bennifets are over hyped. It really should be up to the mother and how she responds both mentally and physically to breast feeding and how her little one does. My oldest refused to be put to the breast because he hated to be held. He prefered to be put in his swing with his bottle proped up. to this day he refuses to be hugged. My second had a sever allergy to milk protein that even cutting it out of my diet would work. He had to be put on elemental formula....best of luck. :)