Breastfeeding or formula feeding?

Question

I have my doubt about breastfeeding but with the formula shortage would breastfeeding be the better option? I just don’t want to loose my boobs or have one be much larger than the other. Help please!

Answer

Your boobs are going to change whether you breastfeed or not because you’ve gone through the hormonal changes of pregnancy and lactation. Having one larger than the other is just a fact of life for a lot of women (I don’t know a single person with perfectly symmetrical boobs).
Formula is a fantastic product that has saved the lives of countless babies. However, it will never be as beneficial as breastmilk. That’s simply a fact. There are so many pros to breastfeeding, including the fact that it’s free (formula is expensive as well as scarce), it changes to meet baby’s growing needs, it helps reduce mom’s risk of developing breast cancer, and it reduces baby’s risk of SIDS. The biggest con is being baby’s only source of food, but pumping and bottle feeding allows others to help, or they can help with diaper changes, soothing, etc.
Formula has many cons, including the fact that many infants experience intolerance or allergy issues, more instances of gas and constipation, potential for recalls, user error in formula mixing can lead to illness, or incorrectly bottle feeding to baby can lead to choking. The biggest benefit to formula is that anyone can feed baby, but it comes at a huge (literal) cost.

Answer

Breastfeeding doesn’t change your breasts, it’s pregnancy that does. This isn’t an excuse to not try breastfeeding. With the formula shortage..and it’s bad. I highly suggest to try breastfeeding.

Answer

Breastfeeding is the best option for your child. Your boobs change mainly from pregnancy not breastfeeding. Breastfeeding also lowers your risk of developing cancer. Your primary concern should be your baby’s health. If you are physically capable of breast-feeding, I don’t know why you wouldn’t try. 
Breastfed babies have:
- Stronger immune systems
- Less diarrhea, constipation, gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux, and preterm necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
- Fewer colds and respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and whooping cough
- Fewer ear infections, especially those that damage hearing
- Fewer case of bacterial meningitis
- Better vision and less retinopathy of prematurity
- Lower rates of infant mortality
- Lower rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Less illness overall and less hospitalization
- Parents of breastfed babies have up to six times less absenteeism from work
Young children who were breastfed as babies compared to those who were formula fed have:
- Fewer instances of allergies, eczema, and asthma
- Fewer childhood cancers, including leukemia and lymphomas
- Lower risk of type I and II diabetes
- Fewer instances of Crohn’s disease and colitis
- Lower rates of respiratory illness
- Fewer speech and orthodontic problems
- Fewer cavities
- Less likelihood of becoming obese later in childhood
- Improved brain maturation
- Greater immunity to infection

Answer

Fed is mandatory, informed is best. Find the pros and cons of breastfeeding vs. formula feeding for your personal lifestyle.
Do you have time and stamina to breastfeed/pump?
Can you afford/find a suitable formula long term?
In my opinion, it’s much easier to breastfeed then move to formula (if it doesn’t work), than it is to go straight to formula and try to get a milk supply back (if it doesn’t work).

Answer

I would just like to throw out there that this is my first baby and I was just wanting some information on both breastfeeding and formula feeding from other mothers perspective. I want to do whatever is best for my baby. I just stress on how breastfeeding is going to effect my mental health and my work. But I will do whatever is best for my her. With the formula shortage I’m leaning more towards breastfeeding I just wanted some more information.

Answer

I definitely suggest trying to breastfeed. I wish I could’ve but I just didn’t produce and needed my baby fed.
If you can breastfeed - do it. Your boobs will change regardless because of pregnancy. I hated mine after having my son and like I said, I didn’t produce milk and couldn’t breastfeed. It’s now 19 months later and they look better now but still not the same. I’m at least happier with them now - took time. But if I could’ve breastfed, I would’ve since the benefits are so great.

Answer

So before I had a baby that I exclusively breastfed for 3 months and then pumped and fed alongside formula for another 5 months I was a huge breastfeeding advocate, now I’m very much on the fed is best train. I think everyone who is interested in trying to breastfeed should give it a try and be supported. Breastfeeding can be really hard though and while it is sometimes “cheaper” monetarily (I think I spent a lot on supplies) it is not cheap, it can be a huge time investment depending upon your situation if you have to pump. Given what I have been through and what I’ve learned I will never even consider judging how someone feeds their kid. It sounds like you are interested in trying and like most everyone else has mentioned, your boobs will be different regardless so don’t let that be a determining factor. Take everything into account, how your baby does with feeding, your mental health, the level of support you have at home and work if that’s your case, financial resources, etc.

Answer

I didn't breastfed my 2 and my boobs still changed and sag more now

Answer

Ok, so since everyone else seems to be really trying to push breastfeeding on you, here is my two cents, feed your baby however you feel comfortable, it’s your body your choice and you don’t owe anyone an explanation. That said, here my story. I exclusively pumped for my daughter for 7 months because she would not latch, her lip tie was missed until 9 months even by the LCs at the hospital, and I was given bad advice in the hospital and forced to triple feed which was causing me so much stress and anxiety I went straight to pumping. I loved knowing that my daughter was getting my breastmilk and I was doing the best I could for her at the time but at the same time I hated pumping with a passion, it was mentally, physically and emotionally draining and I stopped as soon as I knew I had enough to get her to a year in the freezer,  but there were points where I wanted to stop every single day and just had to talk myself into making it through that day. After exclusively pumping for my daughter I am very strongly considering going straight to formula for my son when he arrives in august. I am so touched out from my 2 yo that the thought of now having a newborn constantly attached to my breast makes me cringe and I have no desire to connect a pump to my body ever again. By the time my son gets here I will have spent 4 years ttc/pregant/producing milk and I am just over it.  After my daughter was born I had 3 losses before finally conceiving my son in a 1 year period. So yes there is a formula shortage and it is really bad in some areas, most stores I have been to near me have generally had a  pretty good stock of most formulas, and even though it is costly my mental and physical health is more important, and exclusively pumping wasn’t cheap between the cost of pumps, pump parts, bottles and storage bags.

Breastfeeding or formula feeding?

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