Breast or Bottle? PLEASE READ FIRST!

[maoriprincess]

my baby is now 6 weeks old and is thriving...she's so adorable and loves her big brother and sister to bits...she only smiles for them!!...i am really trying hard to fully breastfeed for as long as possible but i have a 4 year old and a 2 1/2 yr old and they have started playing up lately...i think its because most of my time is taken up breast feeding and i have hardly anytime or them or anything else for that matter...im torn between keep breast feeding or giving her the bottle...my baby was exactly 9 pounds born and at 6 weeks is now 11 pounds so shes gaining weight fine but it takes soooo long...by the end of the day im physically mentally and emotionally drained and she gets up 4 times during the night the last being at about 5ish before morning but just as i get back to sleep its time to get up to get my other kids ready for kindy...its hard because im getting mad at even the sillest things that my kids do or even my mum...its not fair...idk what to do...i want to continue breastfeeding as i know its best but i dont want to miss out on my other 2 kids too..what should i do???

[ammanda]

The OP has responded and said thanks to everyone and she will make her descion now.. so everyone needs to stop with the whole breast is better crap... There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with Formula. Im so sick of hearing haters out there. I dont care if u breast feed, thats amazing my eyes, but some people would rather formula feed. so if you cant be a good supporter of both, then dont respond.  she didnt ask at all what was best, shes just trying to look out for her children. and Trying, this is not for you!!!!!

[nataliexxx]

my daughter megan was born at 9lbs and my daughter chloe was born at 8lb 3oz. both were bottle fed. both are strong healthy little girls. at least you have been breast feeding which is fantastic. but in my personal opinion, if i was you, i would stop. its far too much for you, esp with two other little people to contend with. your baby has had all the important bits.

its up to you, but give yourself a break. you have done fantastic.

[bimbicat7]

Keep going you wonderful mummy!!! you are doing the most amazing job! keep it up! you are giving your daughter GOLD there is no way that formula is anywhere near as good as breastmilk its nade from cows milk!! we are not cows our babies are meant to drink human milk its made just for you individual baby !  everything she needs can come from you! stay strong you little ones will adjust with my second he was a little difficult at feeding times when i was feeding baby but i made it a special time for us all and when id feed id have a special snack made up for him and let him watch a special show on tv or read special book with me so he didnt feel left out, breastfeeding gets so much easier after the first few mths then it will just all fall into place :) keep going if u can your doing amazing your a very strong woman well done! x

[tarajanes]

Trying43
No one is starting a debate.just stating there preference.I fed my children via bottle.somtimes women unable to breastfeed.for me didnt want to get my boobs,out in public :)  people were just stating that bottle milk is just as good.

maoriprincess
Told you there were some helpful ladies on here.I hope they answered some of your questions here.all the best to you.

[maoriprincess]

wow thank you everyone for all your oppinions, i didn't mean for any drama to come out of it im simply a young mum(22) of 3 that has no one physically i can turn to for help, the father to my 6 week old baby i kicked out when i found out i was pregnant as he constantly lied to me and would go out and not come home for at least 3 days and i found out from my other 2 kids(they have same dad but not same as 6 wk old) that he was hitting them so i kicked him out.

The next week i went for a clymdia test as you do when pregnant, and i wasn't worried i thought sweet as i have only been with hime..nothing to worry about then a few days later the midwife called saying  i had clymidia! it didn't even cross my mind that he had been cheated...silly me beleived when he said he was with his mates he really was....turns out i was wrong! we were together for almost a year..( i hate to talk about him i still have so much anger towards him) not even so much the STD part but the hurting my kids part just infuriates me to the core!!!!! i just can't forgive that ever!..

Anyway i never met his family (only his mum 2ce when she came here) so i don't know where they stay or anything..anyway i told her what had happened and that he wasn't welcome near my house and wasn't allowed to see baby but she was more than welcome to as she is the grandma after all but what got me was when i told her what happened she didn't defend him being her son and all and didn't sound suprised? it made me think he's done it before or something???...anyway my point to all that was i cannot contact them to help me in any way..not that i would as i don't know them but i know what it's like to grow up not knowing my fathers side of the family...he wont be around just like my dad wasn't but i at least want the grandma around...and as for going to my family for help....pfffttt that's a whole nother story...my mum is great but she works nights and days and doesn't need the stress and i did make them after all sadly the father to my 2 oldest kids 2 1/2 and 4 is with a really young girl (16) that is insecure of me because she slept with him while we were still together. She wont allow him to see his kids but he's stupid for listening! so they miss out 2 and they absolutly love their dad...


Anyways thank you for reading my story and i will deffinatly go over them a few times and talk to my doc and see what he says to about it both of my other kids were not BFed for long (about 2 weeks MAX) and are fine...my boys had whooping coff and had to be admitted to hospital aswell..and my baby girl(Jaziah ) so far has had the flu...i thought i had made up my mind earlier and was gonna go to bottle feeding but now i can't even remember what my excuse for that was!...i love breatfeeding my girl i feel such a special bond i just feel so bad for my other 2 im constantly growling them for what they should'nt be doing(don't get me wrong i praise them for the good things they do) they really are the best kids i could ask for ( i basically raised 4 of my useless drug taking prositute auntys 8 kids so i know) but lately i just seem to be growling them heaps...i think alot is im over tired but also they might be trying to test what they can get away with while mum is busy...yeah? or am i just trying not to make myself feel as bad as i do???...

[trying43]

For those of you did not read my post please go back and do so again, no where in my posts do I say Formula is bad.   For those those of you who dont think breastfeeding can help decrease certain illnesses or SIDS(never said formula caused it either, simply said that breastfeeding helps reduce it by 50% see the dr sears website for that one or reuters has an article about, thats 2 of many) or that breastmilfk and formula are the same, look it up, they are not the same, there are key differences that cannot be duplicated by formula.  Here is where I got my info from in case you want to find any of the info yourself Academy of breastfeeding medicine, La Leche League, American academy of family physicians, CDC, American college of OBs &GYNs, Office on womens health, Maternal and child health bureau, dr sears, and there are more.  I would be glad to answer any questions via email but I will not debate on the board. For those of you who are interested in starting a debate this is not the forum for that.  This is a support board where you share what your experiences and not bash people or act rude.