OHbaby! Forums : Breast vs Bottle https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:00:30 +0000 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:48:08 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.04 360 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=12133 <![CDATA[OHbaby! Forums]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/ <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I was the same NZpiper, we were...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245493&title=breast-vs-bottle#245493 Author: cuppatea
Subject: 12133
Posted: 12 November 2007 at 8:48am

I was the same NZpiper, we were in for 6 days cos Spencer had jaundice and had to go in the billibed, so when my milk came in I got loads of help off the lovely midwifes at Burwood. I think that made a huge difference cos everything had been going really well and then my milk came in and it all turned to crap, if I had been at home when that happened I may have just given up cos of the stress of it.]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:48:08 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245493&title=breast-vs-bottle#245493 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I think that does play a big part...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245488&title=breast-vs-bottle#245488 Author: mum2paris
Subject: 12133
Posted: 12 November 2007 at 8:42am

I think that does play a big part Nikki - i mean while it's not nice having your bubs having to have things done to it, or it being prem.. It means you're there while all the crazy stuff happens to your body and you CAN ask questions more readily and get more help.]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:42:44 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245488&title=breast-vs-bottle#245488 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I have been lucky with breast...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245429&title=breast-vs-bottle#245429 Author: peanut butter
Subject: 12133
Posted: 11 November 2007 at 10:37pm

I have been lucky with breast feeding and I truely believe it was down to the support I had in hospital. We were there for 8 days due to Tom needing IV antibiotics and in that time my milk came in, I had the whole massive engorged breasts and I asked lots of questions.

I came home with a good handle on how it all works. I have heard of so many who give up because they dont have that support. ]]> Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:37:22 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245429&title=breast-vs-bottle#245429 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : That&#039;s not very fair simsam,...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245184&title=breast-vs-bottle#245184 Author: mum2paris
Subject: 12133
Posted: 11 November 2007 at 8:22pm

That's not very fair simsam, at least here we have something that if you do want to go bottle - they give you info and you just sign something to say you asked for it to dot the i's and cross the t's (so it's not like they're giving it away) and will help you. In our unit the mums who use any formula even if it's half breast half bottle - get milk demo so they are shown how to make up their chosen formula, how to keep things sterile and how to sterilise things etc.]]> Sun, 11 Nov 2007 20:22:35 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245184&title=breast-vs-bottle#245184 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : We made the decision to stop beating...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245155&title=breast-vs-bottle#245155 Author: MummyFreckle
Subject: 12133
Posted: 11 November 2007 at 7:31pm

We made the decision to stop beating ourselves up about it (okay I made the decision to not feel so guilty about it) and we are happy in our choice to give Ollie both breast and bottle. He is fine with both at the moment and in our opinion its better to have a de-stressed mummy!

No-one told me that my milk would take a few days to come in, and I was having problems even expressing any colostrum.....only the m/w's were able to get it out by man-handling my poor boobs!! I was devasted when the paediatrician said he was dehydrated and that we needed to top him up on formula. I felt like such a failure and sadly the m/w's were not able to offer me any soothing advice or even show me how to give a bottle!! We muddled through on our own... My own m/w is supportive of our decisions but doesnt "offer" any advice really!

 

]]> Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:31:22 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=245155&title=breast-vs-bottle#245155 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : Wow Im upto 100 posts! I must...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244617&title=breast-vs-bottle#244617 Author: emmapea
Subject: 12133
Posted: 10 November 2007 at 9:53am

Wow Im upto 100 posts! I must have been very talkative over the last few days!]]> Sat, 10 Nov 2007 09:53:42 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244617&title=breast-vs-bottle#244617 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : fattartsrock wrote:I also beleive...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244616&title=breast-vs-bottle#244616 Author: emmapea
Subject: 12133
Posted: 10 November 2007 at 9:53am

Originally posted by fattartsrock fattartsrock wrote:

I also beleive that all mums need to support each other, no matter how we choose to feed our children or what nappies we put on their bums. Support from your peers is the most important thing!!

so true... mothers groups can be harsh sometimes... I wish more people were like this!
]]> Sat, 10 Nov 2007 09:53:04 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244616&title=breast-vs-bottle#244616 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I&#039;m one of the people who...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244519&title=breast-vs-bottle#244519 Author: Mikaela
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 10:43pm

I'm one of the people who stopped breastfeeding because it was making my baby sick, rather than because I found it difficult. Alex had (has) quite severe silent reflux, and he would only suckle for a couple of minutes before screaming and screaming with pain. It broke my heart.

In the end I discovered through trial and error that he was a million times happier on a combination of Losec and an AR formula. I had tried everything to make breastfeeding work - you name it and I stopped eating/drinking it: citrus, alcohol, fruit juice, tomato, pineapple, and I went dairy/wheat/soy free for a fortnight (and I'm sure there was more that I gave up too). None of it made the slightest bit of difference.

I have felt really guilty about going down the formula route, even though I know logically that it's the best thing for my baby. I still get all teary about it sometimes,and I really miss the closeness of breastfeeding. I was one of the lucky ones who found it really easy to breastfeed and I never had any supply problems, so bottles are a real hassle by contrast. But I have never for a second missed the screaming baby, I'm so happy to see how my son is flourishing. And he had 10 weeks of exclusive breastfeeding which has to be better than nothing.

Edited by Mikaela]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:43:35 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244519&title=breast-vs-bottle#244519 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I only ended up breastfeeding...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244493&title=breast-vs-bottle#244493 Author: .Mel
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 10:13pm

I only ended up breastfeeding for 3 weeks, then my milk supply dropped right off and Coopers weight dropped too. I was expressing, breastfeeding, and topping up with formula. It became so tiring and stressful and really upsetting for the both of us. He was always crying at the boob and preferred the bottle and he was happier for it. I struggled alone with my decision to give up breastfeeding. I started resenting Cooper and my husband (he'd come home everyday and say, how much did you express, how many bottles did you give him etc) and I didn't like feeling that way towards either of them. I also struggled with the fact that I didn't feel like I had bonded with Cooper and I struggled with not being able to soothe him the way I had one with my other two. When he cried and he was handed to me he kept crying, he never stopped and thought oh cool heres mummy I'm safe now....

Someone told me about Domperidone and how it can increase your milk supply; so in the end I went to the doctors and got prescribed it but by that stage Cooper was over the whole breastfeeding thing and basically refused point blank to even try it..again it was stressful and I stayed on it for two weeks and gave up..I accepted the fact that I wasn't going to be able to feed him like I had the other two.

I've been working on creating a stronger bond with him, and he's gaining weight, and is so much happier on the bottle....and too me that's more important.]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:13:46 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244493&title=breast-vs-bottle#244493 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : fattartsrock wrote:You are...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244489&title=breast-vs-bottle#244489 Author: Mazzy
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 10:08pm

Originally posted by fattartsrock fattartsrock wrote:

You are right. There is so much "pressure" to be supermum. I recently heard of a whole coffee group of mums who have babies round the same age,a nd All of them were doing "super" and none of them were having any "problems" and they were all feeling "great". it seemed like no one wanted to be the one to say well, actually....
Thats where my group comes in.


I agree with everything you have said here. I had a coffee group like this but was so glad to have another one where everyone shared everything - no supermums there! Your group sounds great. I wish there were more like them.

Originally posted by fattartsrock fattartsrock wrote:

It makes me sad, though, when mum won't even consider it at all, not even try it, not even the colostrum. And not cos of any of the above reasons, either, Just cos. There, I said it. That is my most private feeling about it all.I appreciate and sympathise for all the other reasons why mums don't carry on with breastfeeding, or don't start, like Janine said.


And I share your secret thoughts about BF/Bottle feeding. I have only known one mum (out of many!) who refused point blank to breast feed because she didn't want to and thought it was only fair that her husband should help with the night feeds, so she went straight to the bottle. That made me sad. But ]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:08:14 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244489&title=breast-vs-bottle#244489 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I also beleive that all mums need...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244482&title=breast-vs-bottle#244482 Author: fattartsrock
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 9:54pm

I also beleive that all mums need to support each other, no matter how we choose to feed our children or what nappies we put on their bums. Support from your peers is the most important thing!!]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:54:37 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244482&title=breast-vs-bottle#244482 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : You are right. There is so much...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244480&title=breast-vs-bottle#244480 Author: fattartsrock
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 9:52pm

You are right. There is so much "pressure" to be supermum. I recently heard of a whole coffee group of mums who have babies round the same age,a nd All of them were doing "super" and none of them were having any "problems" and they were all feeling "great". it seemed like no one wanted to be the one to say well, actually....
Thats where my group comes in.

I appreciate and sympathise for all the other reasons why mums don't carry on with breastfeeding, or don't start, like Janine said.

It makes me sad, though, when mum won't even consider it at all, not even try it, not even the colostrum. And not cos of any of the above reasons, either, Just cos. There, I said it. That is my most private feeling about it all. BUT just cos I said it, dosen't mean I would ever, ever, ever say that to anyone, and I don't ever ever assume that women who bottle feed do it because they are too lazy or whatever. In fact, I usually assume they had problems and had to make that difficult decision! I feel desperately sad for people who it just dosen't work out for!]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:52:12 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244480&title=breast-vs-bottle#244480 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : cuppatea wrote: mum2paris...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244362&title=breast-vs-bottle#244362 Author: james
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 6:57pm

Originally posted by cuppatea cuppatea wrote:

Originally posted by mum2paris mum2paris wrote:



There are so many reasons, and mostly, most people are not the ones that put the pressure on, it can be the mums themselves that put the judgement on themselves.. .


Totally agree


yep me too ]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:57:34 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244362&title=breast-vs-bottle#244362 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : mum2paris wrote: There are...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244346&title=breast-vs-bottle#244346 Author: cuppatea
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 6:41pm

Originally posted by mum2paris mum2paris wrote:



There are so many reasons, and mostly, most people are not the ones that put the pressure on, it can be the mums themselves that put the judgement on themselves.. .


Totally agree]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:41:31 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244346&title=breast-vs-bottle#244346 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I soooo agree with you Annie....]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244341&title=breast-vs-bottle#244341 Author: mum2paris
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 6:23pm

I soooo agree with you Annie. I also find alot of young mums have pressure on from family to breastfeed but have no idea of all the things you said - i do the "the first 6 weeks are the hardest" talk too, sometimes worry that it may scare them but i think it helps them to realise they can push on through if they have the right SUPPORT and definatley funding for Lc's is soooooo worth it.

There are so many other reasons for not breastfeeding.. we know a family memeber that is on medication that meant she couldn't feed her baby - it would not have been safe, there are others who may have had a history of abuse issues when they were younger and the thought of having anyone, even their own baby, near breasts etc can be very hard for them.

There are so many reasons, and mostly, most people are not the ones that put the pressure on, it can be the mums themselves that put the judgement on themselves.. i realised once things settled down with Paris that no-one really had been giving me grief.. they were relived that i was happy again and that it found a way for me to stop stressing myself out so much.. it was myself that was making.. well.. myself feel like utter bollocks about it.]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:23:53 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244341&title=breast-vs-bottle#244341 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : Fattartsrock, I think you do have...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244174&title=breast-vs-bottle#244174 Author: cuppatea
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 2:42pm

Fattartsrock, I think you do have a point with the help.....but a lack of support or knowledge isn't always the reason why people stop. I knew all that stuff you have written, my milk didn't come in till day 5, Spencer lost more than 10% of his body weight but I wasn't stressed about it cos I knew it was normal, I expected sleepless nights and frequent feeds, I perservered through those first weeks, I asked and got help when I got a blister on one of my nipples. And a lack of milk was never an issue for me...too much in the beginning, but that calmed down.

Yes I do think there in some areas there is a lack of support and I also think that some women make no effort to look into breastfeeding or to give it a proper try but we shouldn't assume that that is the case for all women.
There needs to be less judgement and more support, it is not healthy for women to be feeling so bad for not breastfeeding.]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:42:35 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244174&title=breast-vs-bottle#244174 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : ]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244168&title=breast-vs-bottle#244168 Author: fattartsrock
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 2:34pm

]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:34:55 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244168&title=breast-vs-bottle#244168 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : fattartsrock wrote: I help...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244152&title=breast-vs-bottle#244152 Author: Paws
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 2:24pm

Originally posted by fattartsrock fattartsrock wrote:


I help run a breast feeding support group through our hospital here, and what upsets me soooo sooooo much is the lack of information given to new mums regarding common BF problems, and the lack of support from their already overworked midwives and lack of funding for more hours for lactation consultants.


i so wish I'd gotten onto something like this! My breastfeeding fell down due to improper info from the hospital midwives and I wasn't able to get near the lactation consultant.

I tried really hard to relactate when maddie was 6months but she wouldn't have a bar of it...breaks my heart!]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:24:25 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244152&title=breast-vs-bottle#244152 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : I am very very much a pro breastfeeder,...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244125&title=breast-vs-bottle#244125 Author: fattartsrock
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 1:58pm

I am very very much a pro breastfeeder, however I would never push my thoughts/feelings onto others, as I had lots and lots of problems with feeding Jacob, and ended up mix feeding him.

Te decision to bottle feed baby is a very very tough one indeed.

I help run a breast feeding support group through our hospital here, and what upsets me soooo sooooo much is the lack of information given to new mums regarding common BF problems, and the lack of support from their already overworked midwives and lack of funding for more hours for lactation consultants.

Basically mums just don't know where to get help and what is normal and what is not. Also, no one seems to tell expecting mums that breast feeding is hard in the beginning and it hurts and it takes ages, and babies want to feed all the time, especially at night BUT by about 4 to 6 weeks, things will have settled in somewhat and you won't feel so fingers and thumbs.

Thnigs new mums often don't know are: Milk takes about 3 days to come in, depending on the circumstances of your delivery. Epidural/ceaser/prem birth all can effect how and whn milk comes in. Baby won't starve until then
You don't "run out of milk" as your body makes most of it while you are feeding. To help your supply you need to rest in the afternoons (sit for half an hour with a big drink, a banana and a book)
A breast pump does not express as much as your baby will, so don't be alarmed and think you are starving your baby if you express and only get 30 ml
Babies tummies are very very very small
You need to drink lots of water
about 98% of people can actually breastfeed, the amount of people who actually can't is very very minute.

I was one of the 2% who physically was unable to, I had no milk supply whatever. With the help of the ward staff, my midwife and a lactation consultant (and a supply of milk producing tablets that I took every day for 10 months) I was able to breast feed Jacob from 6 weeks, and all that hard work meant that the receptors were laid down and this time i have been able to feed char no problems at all. It was well worth it!

As you can tell, I am a breastfeeding nerd and proud of it.

edited to add, on the % of physically able/unable to feed part there are alot more mums who could feed, but it just didn't work out for them etc.

Edited by fattartsrock]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:58:46 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244125&title=breast-vs-bottle#244125 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : well siad jannie ]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244069&title=breast-vs-bottle#244069 Author: james
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 1:02pm

well siad jannie ]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:02:24 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244069&title=breast-vs-bottle#244069 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : Yep that so true - I struggled...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244048&title=breast-vs-bottle#244048 Author: mum2paris
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 12:25pm

Yep that so true - I struggled and struggled for months trying to breastfeed Paris and it took me a long long time to get to the point where i accepted that i should give her a bottle of formula - i felt guilty all the time, i hated being a failure, I wanted so much to breastfeed. I hated being at mother's groups and having to do the walk of shame across the room to get the bottle cos everyone else was breastfeeding their babies, and me, i just couldn't get her to feed.
I felt guilt, i felt shame, i felt i was failing as a mother but i felt all the other things mentioned there including relief at finally getting her fed and happier than she had been.

however, i do see the other side. i do agree that the baby friendly hospital thing has made it much harder for mums and bubs and i find myself having struggles with how to give advice to mums. i remember one mum having no end of problems and being in the same mindset that i could plainly see i had been in with paris, down to behaviours and what she said too. everyone just kept saying "just give them the bottle" but she wouldn't.... i told her what i went through with Paris, I told her i had been through the same, and i also said that i wasn't going to say "just give them formula" because nothing like that was helpful to say and she would not just decide like that, it s a mental process you go through to be able to switch to formula when your heart had been set on this one thing (a bit that same as having heart set on a 'natural' birth and ending up with a c-section). I left it to her, told the others to back off, and told her whatever she did she was a great mum and she'd do what she felt was best when she reached her own decision.

I try and give good advice, but also help either way, i do stress the importance of great support and seeking help and it seems that usualy 2nd time mums that had a bad experience the 1st time tend to take that advice a bit more having learnt through experience that you can't be supermum 24/7 I try and promote the idea of breastfeeding but also remember that a happy healthy mum is much better than a stressed out upset one.

Very interesting article.]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:25:22 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244048&title=breast-vs-bottle#244048 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : That was a really interesting...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244032&title=breast-vs-bottle#244032 Author: cuppatea
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 11:54am

That was a really interesting read. A lot of what they have found I can relate to.]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:54:22 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244032&title=breast-vs-bottle#244032 <![CDATA[Breast vs Bottle : For those of us struggling with...]]> https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244014&title=breast-vs-bottle#244014 Author: MummyFreckle
Subject: 12133
Posted: 09 November 2007 at 11:26am

For those of us struggling with the bottle vs breast dilemma - my DH found this Interesting article:  http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CACA0.htm ]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:26:04 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12133&PID=244014&title=breast-vs-bottle#244014