why is it that every year less and less women are choosing to breastfeed.What are your views on the matter and would you consider breastfeeding.When my peers in school were informed and my family that i would breasfeed my child they were repulsed and replied"but it makes your breast go saggy".I then replied "well unlike some people i care more about the health of my child than how my breast look,pregnancy makes yur breast go saggy not breastfeeding". Men and womens views welcome!!!
I hate to say this but all the women I personally have known have all been desperate for a drink as soon as their pregnancy was over. They choose to not breast feed for that very reason. Not saying everyone is like that, but I think with alternative options now people are a little more considerate of getting back to having a little fun. Probably the wrong attitude, but these women I have known where not very old, the sort that you saw clubbing a week after giving birth with their parents looking after their new grandchild. :frown: I'm sure there are a number of fair reasons, though.
I was watching this show and some doctors that specialize on this topic said its recommended that children should be breast fed til they're at least 5 years old! Its the only nutritional milk kids need! I do see women get lazy and make it a drag to breast fed,when I have my baby I wont be like that!
I didn't know the rate of breastfeeding is dropping. So l looked it up. According to the latest stats, in 2008, women were breastfeeding in the highest numbers in 20 years. So that's good. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24387268/ Maybe you are seeing a more localized reduction? I did breast feed all of my children, there was never any question of it. It wasn't always easy, but I felt it was certainly worth it. Bonding time, the nutrition that really can't be duplicated in formula. Let's not forget the convenience too, no bottles. It is also of great benefit in recovering from pregnancy (chemicals are released that cause the uterus to contract and shrink). I don't know why any mother would choose not to, I can't think of a legitimate reason not to.
I was on meds with my daughter that could have hurt her if I had breastfed so I didnt,and Yes I had to be on them, it isnt a choice. With my son I breastfed, for 2 months, bc I just said screw the meds, ended up getting mastitis, and had to quit bc he wouldnt latch after that. Not to mention going off my meds, almost killed me. some women do not breastfeed bc they just can not. Not bc they are lazy, or anything.
Then that's probably why. I think breastfeeding follows cultural trends, ebbing and flowing. Post WWII, doctors advised against it as formula become widely available. Then the sexual revolution of the 60's occurred and women were empowered to return to natural child birth and breast feeding increased. I'm sorry. Of course if a woman is on meds that prevent safe breast feeding, of course she shouldn't. I just meant those who think more of their breasts or want to party. In the case of the latter, good, at least they aren't causing their babies to ingest alcohol or drugs.
The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous and infant formulas have been around long enough now that real studies have been able to be done about the differences. Breast fed children score an average of 10 points higher on IQ tests than formula fed children when all other factors are accounted for. Breastfed children have less instances of illness during infancy. Actually infants derive a good portion of their immunities from the mothers breast milk. It is much more nutritious and changes according to the nutritional needs of the infant. There is a feedback between the infants saliva and the mothers breast milk and the nutritional makeup of the breast milk will change according to the needs of the infant. Breastfed children tend to ultimately be more well adjusted emotionally, whether due to the added relationship between mother and child or due to nutritional reasons isn't completely known. I feel it's a combination. Breastfeeding can help prevent breast cancer from developing. It's cheaper. It is very important that the breastfeeding mother maintain a healthy diet and nutrition. The body will produce breast milk that has all the needed nutrients, even if it has to "steal" them from the mothers body. One common example is calcium. It has been shown that a breastfeeding mother with a poor diet low in calcium will show loss of bone density after breastfeeding because calcium was taken from her bones and used to produce the milk. We have six children, all were breastfed until they weened themselves off it, at about 2-2 1/2 years. My wife's breasts got a little smaller after the first child and breastfeeding, but that was OK, She had big ole' boobies, now they are just the right size
My ex breastfed ours until they were 2. Nothing sweeter than seeing the little one contentedly suckling while mom and baby look in each other's eyes strengthening the bond. Colostrum,which comes before the regular milk is helpfull in boosting the immune system and other aspects of babys health,so it's better to breastfeed than use formula,but some can't as PG said.
It's way easier and so much cheaper than formula! My kids are all big now and one of the things I miss about them being little was breastfeeding. It's such an amazing thing that my body alone kept them growing and healthy for their months/year of life. My breasts are different then they were but I think its more due to maturing and gaining/losing weight during pregnancy. Breastfeeding did nothing "bad" to my breasts. why is it that every year less and less women are choosing to breastfeed I think that you said you lived in Jamaica ... what the formula companies do is go to different countries where breastfeeding has been the norm... the mothers there may not have all the information about breastfeeding VS formula. When the babies are born, the families are immediately given free formula and told that it is easier and more preferred etc etc. In the meantime, the mother's milk dries up, and the women no longer have a choice. Really. That's waht happens. It's all about money. Most times these families cannot even afford the formula after their free supply runs out.
I don't agree with you. I feel that these days women are far more educated and MORE women are breastfeeding than in the recent past (like the 50s-80s). I have breastfed all of my children and almost everyone I know has as well....hmmm... ETA: I didn't realize you were not in the US. I can only speak for what I see in this country. Sorry it's not the same where you live.
My wife breast-feeds our son and her breasts DO NOT sag. I don't think breast-feeding has anything to do with sagging. Unless I'm wrong, it has something to do with the tissue that connects the breast to the chest or something like that.
As stated in the original post, breastfeeding does not make the breasts sag. What makes breasts sag are: Pregnancy smoking age The reason it is often believed that breastfeeding makes them sag, is that when breastfeeding is ended (when the child is weaned), then the sagging becomes visible, up till the weaning the breast was filled with milk and did not appear as saggy. Human milk, is designed for human babies/children and is more easily digested and assimilated than any other infant food. 70% of people cannot digest cows milk and/or are intolerant or allergic to it. Human milk contains living substances that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, thus protecting babys/childs system. It contains the right components to build babys brain and nervous system. Many tests have suggested that breastfeeding causes higher IQ, also into adulthood and breastfed children develop better jaw/facial control, which gives better speech later on. There are numerous reasons to breastfeed, just to mention some: a breastfed child has reduced risk of -allergies, - infections -virus, -obesity, -coronary/heart diseases, etc Breastfeeding women reduce thier risk of breastcancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and urinary tract infections. And those are just the physical benefits. Breastfeeding is so much more than just nutrition, it is about security, closeness, warmth, love, forming bonds and baby/child laying the foundation for later understanding of human connections and communication. Yes, I'm pro-breastfeeding
I so would have loved to breastfeed my daughter (she was born three months ago!) but it just never worked for us. She wouldn't latch on no matter how hard I tried, went to breastfeeding clinics, had midwives coming to us to help.. And every time we tried, we both ended up in tears, she was hungry and frustrated and I was upset coz I couldn't give her what she needed. It was heartbreaking and I still feel so guilty about it. I expressed all the milk for her for the first few months but now she's on formula as expressing just takes too much time and time is something you really don't have with a three month old. I'm happy that at least she got all the benefits of breast milk for the first two months but it still breaks my heart as I so badly wanted to breastfeed. And I still feel so guilty about it too, I never even thought about the possibility of formula feeding when I was pregnant but things just don't always work out.. But my daughter is a very healthy and happy baby and that's what matters. Having said that, formula is fine but I really don't understand women who choose that over breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is hard work but it's so totally worth it when you want to give your baby the best possible start. And surely that's the whole point of being a parent?
KozmicBlue, you should not feel guilty, you did your very best and that's all a mother can do. True, breastfeeding is best, but not being able to, does not make you any less of a mom. And your next baby might breastfeed like a dream Just out of curiousity- did you check if she is tongue-tied? Does she make clicking sounds when she feeds?
I'm currently breastfeeding my three-month-old and will continue to do so until it's time to wean. Can't say when that will be. I've always been a huge proponent of natural childbirth, which I had, and breastfeeding, but no one knows what it will be like or what is best for them until they do it. I would recommend breastfeeding to all healthy women because of the unmatched nutritional benefits, though for some who are on certain medications or have certain health problems it is not recommended or impossible. That said, breastfeeding is not as easy as I thought it would be. It is sometimes a challenge, as for the first two months I had a vast oversupply of milk, which is frustrating on many levels, and just now my supply has drastically decreased, which is frustrating for other obvious reasons. Sometimes my baby will not nurse and will only get a full belly if I give him a bottle (pumped breastmilk, not formula). While I'm glad he likes the bottle--it's convenient--oftentimes it makes me sad that for whatever reason he will prefer the bottle over my breast. And I don't abstain completely from having fun either. I don't party at the clubs or anything, and I never drank while pregnant, but I will partake in a couple glasses of wine or a few beers now and again, and I believe there's little to no risk in that. People don't realize how taxing being a new mother is, and we all want to unwind and enjoy ourselves with some semblance of how we used to, otherwise we'd literally go crazy. I'm aware some alcohol crosses into the milk, but I don't drink enough to negatively affect my baby. He's very lively, alert, and developing ahead of the curve. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and parenthood in general are very multi-faceted experiences, and each family can only make the decisions that are best for them, hopefully without fear of judgment.
The flow from the bottle is much faster than from the breast = he does not have to work as hard. Same as with your oversupply = fast milk = less work. Now your milksupply has stabilised, which, compared to an oversupply, is interpreted as too little. So I am pretty sure you have the exact right amount of milk, you just need to trust in it and throw away the bottle, because end result will be, that he refuses the breast all together.
