Breastfeeding V Formula feeding - The pressure to switch to Formula.
When I found out I was pregnant and all throughout my pregnancy I never gave much thought to how I would feed my child.
I knew he would be fed and that's all that really mattered.
Towards the end I started being questioned on what I planned on doing. I would always say 'yeah I'll give breastfeeding a go I guess, but I'm not too fussed either way'.
Anyway long story short, here I am 16 months later still well and truely on our Breastfeeding journey.
For me, I'm constantly reading posts and articles on the 'Breast is best/Fed is best' debate and how much pressure is placed on mother's to breastfeed.
See, for me it's been the complete opposite.
I have never once felt pressured into breastfeeding.
I have however, felt pressure to stop breastfeeding and switch to formula plenty of times.
If you read my last blog you would know my boy is a terrible sleeper, my gosh I've lost count of the amount of times I've been told to switch to formula, and that will miraculously make him sleep through and we will live happily ever after.
Every time I hear that I literally laugh. Because I know for the most part it's a load of crap because every child is different.
I know mothers who breastfeed and their babies are awesome sleepers, and I know mothers who have terrible sleepers and they are formula fed.
My five main reasons that I've stuck to breastfeeding are,
- It's convenient, there's no getting out of bed to make bottles during the night or having to remember to pack formula, sterilise bottles etc.
- Comfort. This would be my number one reason for sure. The comfort it provides my son is above all else.
Crying? Pop the boob out.
Hurt yaself? Boob time.
Teething? Boob over here.
You get me.
-Free, need I say more? #bargainshopper
- Health benefits. Im not one of these Breast is best preachers so I won't ramble on but the health benefits for both mum and bub speak for themselves.
- It's easy. For me breastfeeding is 10000 times easier than formula feeding, I'm lazy. You do the math.
The issue for me is I don't feel comfortable sharing my love or my support for breastfeeding, because if I do it's like I'm automatically that crazy Breast is Best mum, when that couldn't be further from the truth.
Yeah I love sharing my journey and posting about it on my social media pages, but if it comes to a mother asking for advice or help I don't really feel comfortable writing it in a public forum because I don't want to be looked at like a crazy breastfeeding mum.
And that's shit, it has to change.
Before I had my son breastfeeding never once crossed my mind, I don't recall seeing breastfeeding mothers in shopping centres, I don't remember any family or friends sitting there having a chat to me whilst nursing.
All I remember is bottles, and formula.
So breastfeeding was basically a whole new world to me when I had my son.
I had no education on it whatsoever and I guess that's the same for a lot of people.
These days formula feeding is the 'norm', a lot of people aren't exposed to breastfeeding mothers and we are told that feeding is supposed to be a private thing or to 'cover up'.
Could you imagine someone walking up to a mother feeding their baby from a bottle and saying that, ha ha.
In the first few months I was praised for breastfeeding.
2 months old - Wow good job!
6 months old - You should be so proud of yourself for making it this far, you are amazing.
10 months old - Oh, still breastfeeding? You will be stopping before he turns one, won't you?
12 months old - Oh he's too old, you're weaning now aren't you??
13 months old - But he's One now. That's just weird.
I get asked all the time why haven't I stopped? Or when will I stop?
I'm told how weird it is, or it's getting a bit gross now isn't it??
Like, I'm sorry but did my milk magically turn to shit once my child turned one??
Did it lose any of its nutritional value whatsoever?
Do you question formula feeding mothers why they haven't stopped giving their baby formula the second they turn one?
Do you find that gross as well?? Nahhhhh.
So really, you have no right to say any of that to a mother who chooses to breastfeed into toddlerhood.
Why does it turn from praising mothers who breastfeed to shaming them and making them feel like they're doing something wrong??
My child doesn't sit on my lap nursing all day (nighttime different story lol).
He's a happy, healthy one year old.
He eats 3 meals a day as well as snacks, drinks more than enough water, he's independent, does his own thing, he is full of personality and everyone that meets him falls in love.
Sometimes he just needs that extra bit of comfort from his mumma and that's perfectly fine.
When the time is right for us both, we will stop.
No I won't be breastfeeding him when he is 8.
No he's not going to have some weird mummy issues because he still breastfeeds.
Yes you are weird because you think it's gross, it's natural.
Oh and if it concerns you so much feel free to come and try to wean a boobie obsessed 1 year old and tell me how easy it is to 'just stop'.
And while you're at it get him to sleep more than 2 hours at a time too, please. #babywhisperer
Anyway, I got totally off topic there and as you can see I'm extremely passionate not about breastfeeding in general, but about my son and OUR breastfeeding journey.
It's not about whether you're breastfeeding or Formula feeding your child, it's about what works for YOU and YOUR family.
Some mummas face a lot of struggles trying to breastfeed and have to switch to formula, and some decide from the get go Formula is the right thing for them and make no attempt to breastfeed, and that's fine.
And some mothers give Breastfeeding a go and fall in love with it, the bonding time you share with your child, knowing that big chunk of love is happy and healthy because of your body, that you have provided all the nutrients and goodness for them to grow and thrive, and of course the comfort.
It's a feeling like no other.
Breastfeeding is natural, it should be talked about more and it should be socially accepted and considered the norm.
Formula feeding is perfectly fine too, I actually applaud and have nothing but respect for the formula feeding mummas.
I honestly don't know how you do it, I'll tell ya without breastfeeding my mothering journey would be a hell of a lot different and a million times harder.
I really hope this didn't offend anyone.
I'm not for formula feeding or breastfeeding, I'm all about happy, healthy mummas and babies. ✌🏼
The Tired Mumma x