Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

Don't feel guilty for your feelings.

I plan on BF, but I will have to pump when I return to work, and it for some reason latching doesn't work, I plan to pump anyway so my baby can have the benefits of breast milk

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

I will most likely pump as well. First of all, I know that breasts are a great food source, but I see them as a very sexual thing. Also, I don't want the feeling of always being attached.

However, most importantly, I need to monitor my child's food intake and with breastfeeding, I don't feel that one can do that really well. I had a friend who was basically starving her baby because she refused to formula feed. After the baby lost almost two pounds and I threaghtened to call ACS, she changed her tune. I know this is an extreme case but the caloric intake is so important during this time.

At least there is a choice!

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

I would like to try to BF but I cant see myslef being comfortable about it , even just pumping but I am sure it will be diff once the baby comes

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

i nursed my daughter on the breast for the first month. not wierded out by it. i bought a pump and she liked the bottle much better because she didnt have to work forthe milk. i think pumping hte remaining 11 months helped me out so i want not on demand and had to pump only 3 times a day and produce enough for her where as exclusive breastfeeding is anywhere from 2-3 hours on demand. good luck if you have anyquestions fm me.

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

I felt the same way when i was PG with DD. I wanted to BF 100% but was a little iffy on the whole baby to breast thing and planned on pumping from day 1.

My advice, Keep an open mind and at least try it, you never know!

I tried nursing and wound up LOVING IT, and HATING PUmping,it was soo much easier than having to clean, hook up to a pump every 2-3 hours a day. It was so much easier to just stick baby to boob when it was time to eat and DC is crying for food in the middle of the night or day.

Do you what you think it's best, your opinion and thoughts might change once you see your little bundle.

Good luck

Never ever ever apologize for how you feel and don't let anyone critize you on your decisions

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

My DD is three and half weeks old and we have had latching problems, milk supply problems and she sort of selectively latches so I pump and we give formula.


I totally understand the guilt you are experiencing and I feel guilty that I am not able to make it work with DD. I think we as moms or soon-to-be moms are too hard on ourselves. We need to remember we do the best we can and if what we can't do in one area, we make up for in another.

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

Please...do not ever let anyone make u feel guilty when it comes to your choices and your child. What is right for one is not always right for another.
let me tell u---I wanted to bf my son---the breastfeeding league-whatever it is..came in the hospital to tt me...
I was made to feel bad about supplementing with a bottle--giving water, a pacifier anything. I was advised only breast feed.
Well...my milk didn't come in..Winthrop missed all dehydration signs and my son wound up in ICU, getting every test known to man and then some.
Its a rule--once they start antibiotics they have to stay on them for 5 days..so..when they finally diagnosed my poor baby they still left him with a iv in his arm getting unnecessary medication.
I will pump---this time just like with my daughter so i know exactly what they get.
If pumping makes u feel comfortable because u do not want anyone latched to your breast then so be it...
Some people want a epidural..some don't/ everyone is different,.
U are not a bad mommy if u are not comfortable.
Should u be forced to do something u do not want so your child senses your tension?
do whatever makes u feel good.
We all learn whats best for us from trial and error and this is only the beginning.
They have pumps in the hospital and u can get one immed to use...try it and see if its for u or if u even want to do it at all.
Good luck---and Don't********
ever not post because u think u will get flamed.
Anyone that forces their opinion as the only right way isn't worth listening to anyhow.

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

I am not sure why some of the girls are so freaked out by the idea of the baby actually nursing on their breasts. After all, that's why they are there in the first place, but i do understand that everyone has their own reservations about different things in life. However, as someone who BF exclusively for 13.5 months and pumped at work 2x every single working day, let me just say this:

it feels SO SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER to actually have your little baby on your breast than a plastic pub that is pulling on your boobies while making a "Whoosh Whoosh Waah Whoosh Whoosh Waah" sound.

Just a little input from a veteran pumper, take it or leave it!

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

BF does scare me a little. I will give it a fair shot and even if it works only for a few weeks, then so be it. If at first I absolutely can't tolerate it, then at least I know I tried.

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

You will discover after you have your baby what works best for you. I wanted to try BF'ing and hated it. Just the way I felt. Did i want it to work? Sure! But when DS spiked a temp from dehydration that was it...I said "please get me some formula" and then I was left alone to figure it out. I was jealous of those who took naturally too it but I got over it quickly and plan to FF future babies.

If you pump exclusively, good for you! Who cares how it gets delivered to the baby? The fact is that the baby WILL be fed and will be just fine...good luck to you and don't worry too much

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

DS didn't latch on well until 6 weeks old. Until then I pumped 4 times a day. I am glad that he is nursing well now only because pumping was a real pain in the arse- all the time and bottle washing was SUCH a pain. Nursing is easier- you are skipping so many steps- and I can always pump if I need to- its easier to go from nursing to pumping then from pumping to nursing. I would suggest trying BFing if you can initially- if you don't like it you can always move to pumping. If you give the baby bottles they say its harder for them to take to the breast. My LC said my DS was unusual that he latched on so late.

But, do whatever makes you happy- don't let anyone make you feel guilty! Boobs don't make a mom!

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

Thank you so much to all of you! I feel so much better hearing that so many women feel the same way I do! I am definately going to try it out and will eventually end up pumping...even if it is only half pumping, half on the breast because I selfishly want HELP with feeding the baby! I am glad that I am not the only one and that most of us agree we shouldn't be afraid to post on here! That is what this site is for!!

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

I felt the same exact way

I did pump for a month and had all intentions to do it for a long time but I had other issues and I couldn't BF anymore.

It is totally ok to just pump Do whatever is right for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

I can tell you that it didn't really gross me out to think of my baby feeding from me, but I was afraid of the pain involved. I did tell myself that I was going to give it a real try and if I couldn't do it, I would pump. Well, I tried it in the hospital, in fact I told the L&D nurses that I wanted to BF within 30 minutes of delivery because that is what they suggest so the baby learns right away what to do. I did that, and I worked with her for 2 days to get her to latch onto me, but she wouldn't. She just didn't open her mouthe enough and I was getting upset and frustrated so I just decided to pump for her. I too felt that I wanted her to have my milk and I didn't really care how she got it. I continued pumping until she was almost 5 months old and I had to wean her because I was going back to work. Many women continue pumping even while they are working, but I knew that with my job it was not possible for me.

I will never regret my decision. I was able to give my baby the best nutrition I could for the firs 6 months of her life (I had a big freezer full of milk to get her through another month).

Pumping was difficult because not only did you have to take the time to pump, but you also had to wash all the feeding supplies plus all the pumping equipment and make bottles, split the milk up to freeze the excess, etc, etc, etc. But as I said, I will NEVER regret what I did and I plan to do the same for any future children that I have. In fact, if I can work it out, I will continue pumping even longer for them

If you have any questions or need any advice on this, feel free to FM me. Good luck to you.

Re: Feeling Guilty (re: Breastfeeding---please don't attack me!!)

I agree with the ladies' responses so far -- you shouldn't feel guilty. I also wanted to mention that because our society sexualizes womens' breasts, it's not surprising that many of us feel a bit "grossed out" by the prospect of breastfeeding... we may be conditioned to think of breasts as objects of sexual desire rather than as a way to feed babies. I definitely feel a little weird about BFing for this reason, but I do plan to try anyway.