Why I am so happy to be breastfeeding!

[Samuel's mum]

This board is often about the struggles of breastfeeding and is visited by lots of mums new to breastfeeding and I feel like a bit of celebration!!

Here are a few of my thoughts:
I love the fact that Sam is so happy and content when he's settling down for a feed.
I love the fact I've been able to travel to Japan, America and all over the UK and haven't needed to worry about bottles.
I love the fact my breasts feel so useful having taken up so much space for so long!
I love the fact I have discovered a subject of study which I found so interesting and feels so important.
I love the fact our feeding time is such a calming and loving and safe place for both of us.

I'm not going to list all the health benefits of breastfeeding here as they can be found in lots of different places. Here are a few links if you are interested in reading more:

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics%3b100/6/1035

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/bf/benefits.shtml

I know not everyone has the choice to feed their baby in the way they want to so I feel it's important those of us who can appreciate it.
 
This link has interesting information for mothers who choose either breastfeeding or bottlefeeding.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/your_kids/babies_feeding.shtml#breast_or_bottle?

[rooby-rooby-roo]

Great post Emma! I am so pleased to be breastfeeding too! It is something that i can do and do well and without too much worry, and for someone (me!) with fragile self-esteem that is so great to know!! I love that Red is now old enough to get excited about breastfeeding and takes moments to look up at me and grin or blow me an affectionate raspberry!

Funny - last night i was feeding him at about 10pm ish. Not normally done, but i had gone out to a concert at my sister's school and just got back, he woke up and even though he had a bottle at bedtime from Daddy i fed him. He wasn't really hungry but enjoyed the comfort and when he was nearly asleep he reached his hand up to my mouth for me to kiss. It was such a quiet, special moment.

[Mariek]

I'm glad you've posted this Emma.

When I was having Grace I was so gung-ho about how I was going to breastfeed and how it was going to be easy "Women have been doing this for centuries... yada yada yada...". You get the idea. Well, pride cometh before a fall don't they say. When I couldn't BF (too long a story to recount, again) I was absolutely gutted.

I'll certainly be trying again when #2 arrives - but you can rest assured I won't be quite so pig-headed about it this time round..... and I certainly won't be taking it for granted if I'm successful. It's good that people appreciate that they can do this and how special it is.

thanks

[JacobMarksMummy]

Brilliant idea Emma!

I love bf my DS as its the only time in the day when he is still. Its a speacil little cuddle just for us and it makes DS healthier and me healthier. I love the fact he is getting benifits that will help him not only now but also all his life.  I love the fact I could go on a camping holiday with him when he was three months old and didnt even have to wory or think about feeding him. Its the best kind of take-away and being a tight ar*e I love the fact its free!!!! 

[evelyn]

Before i had my 2nd dd (ddno.1 was ff, me young and uninformed), I couldnt even read the breastfeeding chapters in the baby books....i dont know why but i found it disturbing, but strangely i knew i wanted to give it a go for a while....
6 months later and we are still bf!
I think it is the most special time of my life, the only word i can use to describe the feeling of closeness when we are feeding is "heaven".
Even now with treatment resistant thrush the thoughts of stopping bf makes me lonesome.  I only ever intended feeding for 3 months but now see how i could stop for another while, especially as i am returning to work next week, as i know we will have our specia; times together.

[nathan_smom]

Thanks for posting this thread!  When I first began BF I would literally count the minutes before the feed would be over..I was in pain everywhere...didn't know how long I could do it!  But as the days passed, it gradually got better and better.  I remember thinking..if I only BF for a month it woud be beneficial for my son....well, over 7 months later I am still doing it and I am SOOOO glad I stuck with it.  In fact I get a bit teary eyed when I think about the thought of weaning him!  My advice would be to give it a try...you might be surprised

[woopster]

I'm not bf this time round - too many things against us.  And I REALLY miss it.  I bf DS1 for 17 months and loved (nearly  ) every minute f it.

[kgmf123]

Hello,

I have had two children, one was exclusively ff and one is exclusively bf and although I don't enjoy the bf experience (I posted on the other thread) I am so happy to be bf for the following reasons:

(i) My baby is positively thriving and hasn't been ill at all
(ii) She seems a lot less 'colicky' than her brother was
(iii) Feeding is very quick
(iv) I got back to my pre pg weight after 4 months (took 18 months when I ff)

So despite not enjoying it, if I was to have another child I would certainly bf again. I would say if you are pg and reading this and undecided on what feeding method to choose, I would always recommend bf, but just be prepared that the experience may be 'different' to what you expect.

Kat x

[Lilah'sMommy]

Thanks for posting this!

I love BFing because:

1: It made dd so portable when she was young... all I needed to leave the house was diapers, and my breasts.
2: Of he special bond we share.
3: DD has been sick only twice in her life, and only once very badly.
4: I have a minute to just sit and enjoy my toddler, my wonderful little girl.
5: She loves my milk!
6: I lost all my (ample-- 50 lbs!) preg weight by 5 months and then proceeded to lose 12 more lbs.
7: Because it's something only I can do for her!

[deenz]

I am extremely grateful that I am able to bf, and that I had absolutely fantastic support in the early difficult days with dd1!

I love the closeness, little eyes watching me, little hands stroking my hair/chest/face.
I love all the amazing benefits that bf'ing has.
I love that through bf'ing I have been able to become passionate about it, and love learning new things about bf'ing.

[KellyC]

I contributed to the other post too - unfortunately not everything is straight forward!  I love that I'm breastfeeding Zander because I know I'm giving him the best start in life and it makes me proud that I've been able to do it for so long.  I secretly love it if Zander's upset and daddy can't calm him because he doesn't have the equipment I do (I don't do this often - AP and all that but there have been occassions where it's been necessary!).  I love that I don't have to clean and sterilise bottles (very lazy indeed!) and that breastmilk is free.  Lastly I'm pleased that my breasts aren't empty sacks that reach my knees just yet - for this reason alone (let alone all the others!) I really don't want to stop!

Kelly x

[Peppermom]

Me too! Me too!

I love that little coughing noise she makes when she is hungry. 

I love that she has to feel my skin when she nurses (makes it hard to nurse in publis sometimes though).

I love that sometimes I am the only one that she wants to calm her.

I love that she wants to lay in bed beside and nurse to go to sleep everynight like clockwork at 8:00.  It calms me and I sleep better after that too!

I love that my employer is understanding and even made a special spot for me to pump after the births of all three of my babies.

I love that knowing that fat little smiling face and "michellinman" legs are a direct result of my boobies & milk!

I am going to boohoo here at work thinking about it.............thanks for posting this!

[jbepko]

I love breastfeeding because
1) No one else can do it for my baby- as a working mom that's really important
2) he always plays with my hands while nursing
3) he is just so cute when his eyes light up at nursing time
4) it means I don't have to pump!!!
5) I know how much I will miss it when we wean
6) its my special time with him....and he is growing so fast

[Christa]

I love breastfeeding for an opposite reason than Samuel's mum:
I love the fact my breasts feel so useful having taken up so LITTLE space for so long! Mine are very small (32A at the most) and they were certainly not useful for attracting men.

I love the fact the size has nothing to do with how well one can breastfeed. My lo was almost exclusively breastfed and everyone who meets him comments on how healthy/ sturdy/ exuberant etc etc he is.

I love that he can tell me he's hungry even at this young age... if I am holding him he squirms his body to the side and starts rooting around, he's very obivous.

[owelley]

I LOVE BREASTFEEDING!!!  For me, nothing else comes close.  There's just this certain connection that I feel to my daughter everytime.  We had a rough start at first but I just thank God that he gave me the courage and strength even thru cracked nipples etc. to NOT give up!!