Today on the news I saw that a survey found that women are stopping with breastfeeding their bubs by the time they're 3 months old: http://www.news.com.au/national/more-and-more-mothers-choose-the-bottle-over-breastfeeding-report-shows/story-e6frfkvr-1226226427026
The main reason for this is that most women want to share this with their partner with others saying that they thought that formula was just as good as breast milk.
I personally stopped breastfeeding just over the 6 month mark - and I felt bad about it. But to be honest, most of the time I didn't enjoy it. I loved the fact that I was bonding with my little man but my back and shoulders really suffered. I saw the physio several times and had the nurse see me several times to help me with the correct way to breastfeed but to no avail.
Once I finally decided to give it up, I actually started to feel so much better. Not just physically, but also mentally. I was all of a sudden able to leave my son with my husband, my parents, his parents. We could feed him at the shopping centre, at the park, at the cafe (I never felt good about breastfeeding in public!). It was like I was finally having a well earned break! When I was tired, someone else could feed him. When I wanted to get out of the house (which has been very often lately!), someone else could feed him.
One thing I've noticed though is that my son still only wants me to feed him when he is either really upset or when I come home after being gone for a few hours. I don't mind, it makes me feel good that he still really needs/wants his mummy! :)
Anyway, my point is - I don't really understand why women would give up breastfeeding before the 3 month mark if they have the milk. Although I suffered with pain, I soldiered on - I believe it is very important. Not just for that bonding experience, but I really do believe breast milk is better than formula. How can science exactly duplicate something so natural anyway?
Based on this survey, I'm sure not everyone will agree but I believe that the longer one can breastfeed is definitely better for baby.
I am wondering, how long did everyone else breastfeed for, if at all?
I breastfed both my girls for a year, even though they got some formula (not to mention solid food) after I went back to work (went back after 7 months with baby 1 and 9 months with baby 2). I found breastfeeding so trouble-free and easy - painless, quick, convenient... in comparison I found that mixing formula and sterilizing bottles was a hassle. I think I'm in the minority, though, in finding breastfeeding easy. Most women seem to have a much harder time trying to make it work.
ReplyDeleteHave to admit that breastfeeding does tie you to the baby in a way (though I did often pump milk which someone else could later give to my babies) but I think you have to take a long-term view. Those first months seem soooo long when you are feeding round the clock, but looking back now (my girls are 6 and almost 3) I can barely remember that time and it feels like it went very quickly!
For the record, everything I have read suggested that breast milk gives a newborn things that formula can't, e.g. immunity to infection. Definitely worth giving your baby breastmilk if you can possibly manage it!