Booby or bottle?

Hello Girlies,

I just wondered who was planning to breast feed their bubbas and who wants to bottle feed.
I really want to breast feed but I understand its not as easy as it looks.
Also does it really help you loose weight if you breast feed?

Just interested in hearing what you ladies are planning to do.

Ta,
Hannah 34 weeks tommorow!!

I'm a booby mummy

hi Hannah

Jus popped over from B&T, you must be getting so excited now! it feels like only yesterday i was in your shoes, but my wee man is 3 months now....dunno where the time has gone.

Anyway back to the point! I've been feeding Euan on the boob pretty much from day 1 and although i did find it tough to begin with i'm so so glad i've stuck with it cos its so bloody easy! I will be truthful and say there were times when i felt like packing it in, especially after having masitis and sore nipples. But its so rewarding and is so convenient, especially when doing night feeds--i barely even wake up, just stick him on then pop him back in the cot when he's done

Also its great when you're out and about cos you're not limited to how many feeds you've brought with you. Yes its a bit wierd the first time you do it in public but you can be really discreet when doing it-practise a couple of times at home before you go out, and go someone quite quiet the first time and have someone with you. Once you've got over that first hurdle you'll be whipping them out in no time!!

I also think the breastfeeding helped me get back to my pre-preg weight. I was back in my jeans in 4 weeks and this weekend i was in my super tight going out jeans (Euan is now 12 weeks)

My advice would be to take all the help you can get with breastfeeding in the first couple of weeks. Make sure the MW helps you with the attachment and postioning the first few times as this is what can make it hurt if its not right. Get some Lansinoh cream (its pricey but well worth it and saved my sore nipples)

Good luck with the next 6 weeks!

Kate and Euan xx

Bf

Hi Hannah,
I am breastfeeding my baby. I had no problem, it came pretty easy to the baby (but I guess this depends on the baby). It is so much more convenient - especially at night. You can just get out of bed, half asleep, feed the baby and go back to bed. Imagine you would have to make up bottles at 11pm and at 2am and at 4am and at 6am.
So for me, it was no question: it is more convenient, never mind all the benefits to you and baby. And yes, I am back in my pre-pregnancy clothes and almost down to my normal weight without having tried to lose weight really.

Katy and Ashira 13 weeks old

Hay Hannah,

I breastfed Mya and i loved it - it was such a nice feeling although it is hard to start with i was really lucky as my milk seemed to pour out and all the MW at the hospital after i had her called me the "Milk Fairy" lol... but i would say try and persist through the hard part and try to express as much as possible i made up loads of milk so that BF could do a night fed so i could at least get a block part of sleep..

I think the worse part is when there about 10-14 days old and you all of a sudden become really sore - the MW will try and tell you that you are doing it wrong but my mum who succesfully breastfed 4 of us til we were 6 months said that it happens as your nipple aint used to being sucked on - mine shed a layer of skin (sounds worse than it is) through this period i gave her some aptimal which is specially designed to compliment breastfeeding and who the MW say to use as a top up if you aint producing enough milk. After that i couldnt feel a thing and could enjoy it....

The only thing i didnt enjoy with BF was wehn i went out as i would have to find a private place - in the end i tried to express but this only last 2 hours out and so again used formula or tried to work around it....

Hope that helped you decide a bit

Sammie x Mya x Bump 37 weeks tomorrow x

Hi hannah

Hi there,

I will be breast feeding. I bottle fed my first and breast fed my other 2. I had to do it myself as the MW never got around to showing me. It depends on the individual on how easy it comes. It's such a lovely feeling when you can do it though and so much easier, especially during the night feeds. I found that my breast fed babies never suffered with colic as they pass a lot of wind after a feed (and usually a dirty nappy...). My bottle fed baby really suffered with colic and constipation, which made him cry a lot.

I lost weight very quickly with my second compared with my first, not sure if this is down to the breast or not.... It's just a lovely, bonding experience...

TC and good luck!

Amanda 25+1 x

Im going to try both lol!

Planning to bf my son but as my hubby is very keen share the bonding experience of feeding and help with night feeds etc, so im going to try and express as soon as is possible - which im not sure how early that will be as I cant remember when I tried expressing last time it was over 7 years ago lol!!
Hopefully he will be happy to take either booby or teat so we can both do it. Dont plan to bf for months to be honest but would like to give him a good start then probably switch to bottle after a few months. I only managed 6 weeks of bf last time as it was soooooo exhausting (altho Iw as following mw advice of feeding on demand which didnt help - soon got him on 4 hourly feeds which was bliss lol!!)
Hoping to so something similar this time round with a routine.
Got the gina ford book to read when I start my mat leave so I can decide wether her system is too harsh for us or to give it a shot! took my son 6 month to sleep through so im determined to get this little monkey sleeping better earlier on!

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

Claire and 29+3 blue bump

hey hun

well you are right, it isnt as easy as it looks. if you can get thro the first few weeks it does get easier tho and it is v rewarding when it does go right. with my son it all went perfectly but with my daughter, it cwas a different story.

anyway. give it a go, then at least you know what you are dealing with!

as for weight loss well - after i had my son (7lb 14oz), i was back in my pre pregnancy jeans within 3 weeks - total pregnancy weight gain was 1st 6oz.

i fell pregnant 4.5 months after my son was born. after having my daughter (7lb 3oz), i was back in the pre bump jeans within 3 days!! total pregnancy weight gain 11lb.

wasnt that i was trying to lose weight or that i didnt eat properly when i was pg cos my hubby is a health fiend and he made sure i was well looked after on that front. i was just lucky.

breast feeding burns a lot of calories and so helps you lose weight. it also helps the uterus contract back down to its pre pregnancy size, which means your baby belly should, in theory, disappear quicker!

good luck!
kelly, oliver 18 months and emilie 24 weeks
xxx