General Chat

My wife breastfed all of ours except the second one because she had mastitis. There are many good reasons for breastfeeding, It is the right formula for a human child, It is at the right temperature, It is always ready on demand AND It comes in such an attractive container.

hi joanne i bottle fed as i had a ceasarian and was in too much agony to breast fed.i was under general anethsetic so was totally spaced out so they bottle fed the baby .i felt that bottle would have been best at the timexxxx(:

To Joanne I bottle fed all 3 of my girls and you couldn't find healthier children anywhere!! I didn't want to breast feed so I didn't. They slept through the night at 3 days old and had a good routine - during the day every 4 hours. I found it all much easier and had 3 very content babies!! Not one had colic! I think you should do what YOU feel is best for you and your baby!! Regards Tammy

Breast fed all three. 15 months 5 months 18 months Loved it but I also got very tired and they might have slept better at night if I'd given them a bottle before bedtime! Hardly put on weight when pregnant, lost it all immediately after giving birth, never put it back on since and have even less in the boob department than before I had the children!! Daisy

Joanne I breat-fed both my babies because a) it is about the only thing you can do as a mother without feeling guilty about it b) its straightforward - no sterilizing bottles, making formula, heating it up etc. c) I enjoyed it. I breastfed both until they were about a year old. nell

Breast fed all 3. None of them have ever had a bottle let alone formula. [Touch wood, as my youngest is still only 9months. lol] Like Pat I can only use the one which makes it a little more complicated, but obviously not impossible as my eldest fed until 2 and my middley until 18months. Have to wait and see with my youngest but as long as he makes it to a year I don't mind. I don't think anyone prepares you for how difficult and down right painful it is for the first few weeks. I'm sure thats why a lot of people stop as no one tell them it gets better.

Breast fed till my daughter was 9 months then ordinary milk in a cup -not allowed now till they`re one! Rosalyn

I breastfed my first for 18 months and the second for 15 months. The first few days were hard because neither of us had done it before and sore nipples were helped with nipple guards and cold cabbage leaves down the bra. When you persevere the whole process is wonderful because it's so natural for mum and baby. I used to put my two on a flat pillow between us in bed so that there was no chance of nodding off and smothering them. No bottle warming or hanging around the cold kitchen in the middle of the night. Breast feeding was easy sitting in the back of the car with a discreet baggy jumper so that baby fed and nothing was on show. I can only speak from my experience. Both babies were settled and only cried because of teething pain. My girls are now four and seven, neither ever had a dummy or mardy blanket and are both confident, happy children. I'd recommend it every time. Louise.

My husband has just added that breast feeding is best because the husband gets to snuggle up to the empties! Louise

I breast fed both of mine. The eldest just gave up at 22 months- then I found out I was a month pregnant - I always wonder whether the milk changed. the youngest I decided to stop when she was 22 months cos I wanted to go out and really celebrate New year! It had all the advantages stated - always there, instant, as soon as they can walk they find their own way to the 'milk bar' in the middle of the night, it's also a good reason for 'doing nothing', and a brilliant time for reading books or doing crossword puzzles (and reading to the eldest when the second one came along)!!!! My eldest has just stopped breast feeding her 26 month old daughter. maggie

Maggie, I think it does as my eldest stopped at 24months when I was 3 months pregnant with middley and she told me it had gone bad. Kept trying it for a couple of days and announced each time 'still yukky', then she just gave up. Bless

My first wife tried to breastfeed but by the third day she was in so much pain she was in tears and had to give up. My second wife did not want to full stop.

I breast fed all 3 of mine but had probs with the first one at first. She used to whinge and I don't think I was very confident - we got there in the end! All three are now happy and healthy, but I think they would have been if they had been bottle fed. Maybe baby number one would have been more contented too - who knows? Do whatever you feel comfortable with. A quick message to the men - I never heard child no three cry in the night - I was either too tired or a bad mother. Good job she had a good father- he used to get out of bed, change nappy and pass her to me to feed - so you men don't have to feel left out! Alice

when my daughter was born and my wife ill it was left to me to make her bottle's both my wife and me being new to it i asked her for advice which was read the B... instructions as she was feeling ill well i Measured the said amount and thought that does'nt look very strong so added one for luck this i did each time until they discovered she was putting on to much weight well when they found out the reason, i was in the dog house there must be a moral to that story somewhere but i never found it so no rude comments from you ladies as my daugther will probably be reading this and laughing. howard

I breast fed both of mine up until about 8 months. I used to express it as well, and give a good bottle before they went to bed. And then on a friday and saturday night my boyfriend would sleep downstairs and give the expressed milk. Mind you on a friday and saturday I would be expressing all day, making sure he had enough otherwise I would have had to feed them.

I started off with the breast but my daughter was so hungry that i couldnt keep up with her and my nipples started to bleed so i had to change to the bottle . . . But im gonna try and breast feed the next one . . . even though i didnt do it for long it did make me feel a lot closer to my daughter.

Breast fed both mine...each for around a year. There are drawbacks...as already mentioned...and breastfed babies need feeding more often than bottlefed ones. This is because breasts produce milk on a supply and demand basis. So nature has it that the more frequently a baby is fed, the more milk your breasts will produce...essential as the baby is growing all the time! Supplementing breastfeeding with bottle feeds is not a good idea for that very reason. I'd say give it a go, even if you have to persevere to get it right at first! It really is the most fulfilling experience to see your baby thriving on your own milk! And it's what breasts are for after all!!! Dee x

Breast fed both, healthy, cheap, easy, space saving, time saving, scream saving and I could do it in my sleep! Fantastic! Abigail

Hi Joanne, it's whatever suites you and the baby. I managed about 12 weeks with my first but had no support from 1st hubby and ran out of everything. Second was in Intensive Care I expressed with an electronic pump which was agony and I was in tears but it was the least I could do for him (sounded like a dairy farm). 2nd hubby was a fantastic support and my only job for 10 months was to feed and give baby medication. We got through mastitus and the medication and the feeding had to be timed (couldn't have medication within an hour of feeding). We managed for 11 months and it was very rewarding. We have a very happy little boy. It all depends how you manage things and how well/tired you're feeling yourself. Don't put too much stress over either methods, the main thing is to enjoy your baby and make the most of every minute. Jude xx