Why did you not choose to breastfeed?

Question

This is a non shameful post, genuinely just curious as I’m going through my own decision making process
I’m mostly reaching out to those who didn’t even have any interest in attempting breastfeeding .  What were your reasons ? There’s no right or wrong answer just want to hear other perspectives

Answer

I work full time and will only have 7 weeks off. I worry that that I won’t produce enough or have enough for the baby when I’m not there. I already struggle with depression and anxiety so with that mixture I feel like it would be hard to my mental health. So we will be formula feeding.

Answer

I never had any desire to breastfeed. Formula is perfectly suitable to feed baby (yes, I am aware there are benefits to breastfeeding, no one jump at me about it). I am not sure exactly why I didn’t want to, just never felt the desire or need for it. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t due to meds I have to take anyways. And I never even developed any milk 🤷🏻‍♀️

Answer

i felt uncomfortable ngl. i didnt like the idea of a baby sucking on my breast. luckly, my son never latched so i just pumped what i could and once i dried up i switched to formula. formula is very suitable for babies but please try to get that liquid gold into their system (abt a week it lasts) bc its extremely good for them. but if you dont, its okay. its always up to you

Answer

Breastfeeding stresses me out. Both of my babies never seemed full. They always cried unless they were stuck on my boob. I learned quick that having a baby attached to me 24/7 was bad for my mental health and made me not enjoy the other parts of being a mom. Im a SAHM and enjoy small breaks from my kids every now and then. I couldn’t pump so that meant nobody else could watch/feed baby. I have another kid that I couldn’t really spend anytime with because I wasn’t skilled enough to walk around or do things while feeding baby and she would take forever to eat. It wasn’t fair to my oldest to get none of my time. I was an angry stressed out momma while I was breastfeeding because it just didn’t come easy for me so I decided to quit and me and my baby are so much happier. I’m less stressed about her eating. I have more time for my other kid I can have breaks when I need them and my baby is happy healthy and thriving!

Answer

I tried to breast feed my first and it was a nigthmare. It was more stressful than anything. Being a first time mom is stressful enough. With  my second  i didn't  even give it thought because of the nightmare of a time that I had with my first. And when baby number 3 comes along I probably  wont breastfeed him or her either. FED is best, whichever way works best for you, fantastic. Both  my girls and healthy and smart.

Answer

I breastfeed but my SIL did formula. Her reason was becuase breastfeeding is "disgusting" and "its wrong to let a baby suck on your nipple". 🙄 I have nothing against choosing to formula feed but I think her reason was ridiculous.

Answer

I was sexually abused as a child and for some reason having my nipples stimulated brings back that trauma. I did pump for about two months though. It was so hard in the begging because of the trauma being brought back up. It did eventually subside, but I felt it was such a pain in the ass to pump every two hours. My husband went to work two months pp, and I just didn’t see how it’d be possible to continue pumping. I still feel some sort of guilt cause I’ve let society tell me “breastfed is best”, but it’s what works for us.

Answer

I really had no interest in BF, although I did feel compelled to try it. Mostly curiosity on my part and wanting to at the very least make the effort.
It lasted about 3 days.
It added to my already practically unmanageable discomfort, was actually painful, it placed unnecessary pressure on me at a time where I was barely hanging on and it placed the responsibility of feeding squarely on my shoulders. My partner is a very willing participant in all things regarding my child but being the one with the food source made it so that it was soley me feeding and pumping and providing.
With formula readily available it just seemed crazy to go thru the paces for literally no reason. Breastfeeding and the obsession or lack of interest in it seems to be transient, depending on what time and space you are in.

Answer

With my next baby I will most likely choose formula. I tried with my son and he would never latch. Pumped every 2 hrs, barely got any milk or sleep, and my antibodies were making my son’s jaundice worse. It made me very stressed and depressed. 
When I switched to formula, depression went away. And yes, I know every baby is different and I may not have the same issues next time, but when I think about trying to breastfeed again I literally cringe. And IMO it’s more important to prioritize my mental health. My son is perfectly healthy and he thrived with formula.

Answer

I suffered from depression and anxiety, so I was worried with all the extra stress it would be too overwhelming

Why did you not choose to breastfeed?

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