Breast-feeding

I thought that it was pretty widely understood that breast-feeding is the very best option for babies, for a variety of reasons, but two families that I've worked with in the past month with new babies haven't made breast-feeding a priority. And both mothers were in the medical field (one is a nurse and one is a cardiologist).

Have I missed some new news on the subject?

Did you, or do you plan to breast-feed? Why or why not?

[Edited on Aug 24, 2004 by AntiPrincess]

......id breast feed

i just recently had the same conversation with a med friend of mine and she says "yes" to breast feeding... she had a whole bunch of reasons... but i zoned out when she said breast....

i will definately be breast feeding in the event that i have children. there's studies about health issues being linked to breast feeding. so i've heard...

I don't think there is anything wrong with not breast feeding the kid. I wasn't. I turned out spectacular. I am very healthy (have always been).

It's just a decision that every mom has to make. I don't have anything against breast feeding, but I'm just saying that a kid can grow up to be happy and healthy without being breast fed.

Breast feeding = good for babies. Just don't do it in the middle of a restaurant, and pretend not to understand why people are staring you .. this includes leering and the inevitable disgust that some people will have.

This is where my feminist leanings kick in the strongest. I can't understand why anyone WOULDN'T breastfeed (with a very few exceptions).

There are so many studies showing a correlation between breast feeding and health, intelligence, growth, etc.

See, that's what I'm thinking. I mean, I'm not saying that if you're not breast-feed, you'll turn out badly or anything (my current favorite, most well-behaved children were adopted and never breast-feed), but there's so much evidence that the effects are only positive, why wouldn't someone do it if they can?

My wife breast feeds our son and he's all the better for it. He's had one small cold and that's been it. No ear infections, nothing. Also, he's 4.5 months old, he's gained over 10 pounds since he was born and is as strong as an ox. And if you're good, no one sees anything when you're feeding the kid. My wife has had to feed him in places that don't have a Mother's room and she does just fine with it. So what if people shoot a dirty look or wonder what she's doing.

[Edited on Aug 24, 2004 by Sabersoul]

My mom breastfed me, and I was/am really healthy . She was in the La Leche League who gave her good info.

Saving some for later.

i plan on breast feeding, i odn't like the idea of feedong my kid formula. there are soem people who should not breast feed though, like people with illnesses or people who use drugs. i wasn'r breast fed, but in my case it was probly a good thing.

Some people can't, for whatever reason. Maybe those women are on certain prescriptions.

Also, my friend is a nurse, and she didn't breastfeed because, as she put it, "It made me feel like a cow on a leash." She didn't like the "pump and save for later" option, either, because she rarely had time for it.

Some people don't like the idea of it, in general. It's a very personal decision, and I try not to push my views onto women with babies. It's not my place to say something. It's not like baby formula is made out of battery acid.

I was raised on formula since I was adopted, and I turned out just fine. My brother had colic, so he had to be put onto soy formula, and he turned out okay. I don't think either of us missed out on anything. Mum would rock us while feeding us the same way a breastfeeding mother would hold and rock a baby, so the "bonding" aspect was there.

i didn't b/c my little one didnt would have it. i pumped for the first few weeks, for the whole, giving anti-bodies and such. but after that i went to formula, first similac but i switched her tocarnation good start, b/c it seemed to be more 'gentle on her stomach' as they say in the commercial. that worked out well.

I was breast fed.

A family out there was arrested and sent to Prison and had their baby taken away cause they refused to give it any form of milk and at 1 week they were giving it Soy Milk... the baby was severly mal-nurished and on the verge of death.

So please ladies. If you can. Breast feed your child. It is really really really good for them if they can take it.

Please dont slap your vegan life style on a newborn... Babies need those nutrients!
(thats if theyre not alergic or some other form where they cant have dairy or breast milk)

(a cow on a leash? its why you have breasts. and it was ordained 5,000 years ago that you feed your newborn via those breasts. Its totaly normal.)

[Edited on Aug 26, 2004 by Lain]

Whats up Ada.

I meant Adam and Eve (some catholics think it was only 5000 years ago) I was talking about when God created woman.. yeah.. somewhere along them lines.

i bf-ed my kids and if i have more i will do it again. im a 100% bf supporter but am by no means one of those breastfeeding nazis who would nurse thier 6 yr old LOL

I don't know any vegans who refuse to breastfeed their babies. Also, there is soy based formula that is really good for infants. Some infants can't take anything else. Feeding your infant soy milk is just as bad as feeding them whole milk. Not good at all.
It may be that we have breasts to feed babies but it's our right as owners of those breasts to choose what we do with them. I had no idea that it was "ordained" by the christian God. Interesting.

PS- I breastfed until my doc advised me to stop as I have severe anemia and my milk wasn't sustaining enough.

[Edited on Aug 26, 2004 by Roxxeekitty]

[Edited on Aug 26, 2004 by Roxxeekitty]

oof....Lain....buddy.....back away from the thread.

A woman should do whatever she thinks is best for her baby as long as it is medically safe.

lain, i think you know what i have to say to you.

Lain should back away from every thread.

Oh, and I plan to breastfeed.

Somehow when I saw your name, I knew you were going to say that.