Your baby, your choice

The breast vs bottle debate is not something I openly get involved in normally, but there is so much in the pressΒ at the moment it is hard to ignore.

There are some people who have the choice taken away from them, often for medical reasons and might for example be told they cannot breastfeed. This must be very difficult to hear and to deal with, especially if you have had your heart set on breastfeeding.

For everyone else there is a choice to be made. How are you going to feed your baby? Some of you will choose breast, some bottle, some of you will mix the two, some of you will breastfeed for two weeks and some for two years. We all have our own reasons for the choices we make.

I am a breastfeeder. I have breastfed all four of my babies and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My babies, my choice.

_TDP0009

That doesn’t mean I found it easy. The first time was very tough indeed but I never wanted to give up.

Breastfeeding can be exhausting and damn hard work but my view has always been that breastfeeding was the best thing for my babies and it didn’t matter how hard it was or how exhausting or even painful at times because it was the best thing for them.

That is not everyone’s’ view and that is fine.

Your baby, your choice.

Ultimately, as long as our babies are being fed then that’s all that matters.

I’m not going to list all the benefits of breastfeeding here as we’ve all heard them. You choose whether you consider these important or not.

Your baby, your choice.

Everyone seems to have a view about how everyone else feeds their babies. Perhaps it would be a good idea to stop bashing each other for this and instead feel grateful that we had a choice because some do not.

My baby, my choice.

Your baby, your choice.

44 comments

  1. Completely agree, thanks for posting. We’re all mothers trying to do what’s best. To have a choice is a great thing, to own that choice is too. #effitfriday

  2. Exactly! The press is getting boring now. I think most people are aware of natures function for breasts and need to stop making unnecessary fuss! We’re lucky that we live in a society where we have other options to feed our babies!

  3. I love this post! I had a hard time figuring out what i wanted to do. i tried breastfeeding and it just wasn’t right for me. and i felt like a failure just because there is a big thing of breastfeeding, but i chose not to and i’m not glad i didn’t, but i would definitely try breastfeeding with our next baby x

    1. I empathise. I also found it too difficult with my first and my second had an op on her tongue so made it impossible. Felt pressure too. Like this post though ?

  4. Completely 100% agree with this. I don’t get it. As long as a baby is being fed then who cares! Motherhood is totally about choices.

    I decided not to weigh in with the whole #brelfie vs #bressure posting and instead did this -http://www.lifewithbabykicks.com/2015/06/10-signs-you-are-breastfeeding.html?m=1

    Thanks for linking with #effitfriday

  5. Totally agree with you, I often think how lucky we are that the majority of us have two choices about how we feed our babies – I am not sure why people seem to get involved in something that is nothing to do with them!

  6. Hear Hear!! I don’t understand why people insist on bashing those that don’t breastfeed without thinking about their reasons behind it and maybe considering the extreme guilt they feel at perhaps not being able to. I also think more support needs to be given to those who would like to breastfeed but are struggling with it. #bigfatlinky

  7. I’m with you! So bored of the whole debate, why is it such a big debate now? Some women breastfeed and some don’t – get over it! Its like debating over whether you should wipe your arse standing up or sitting down – its a private and personal choice and nobody should care how you do it. #rantover ?

  8. Great post! I totally agree! Having a baby is emotional and hard enough without the stress, guilt, and judging that comes with the whole breast vs bottle debate.. x #brilliantblogposts

  9. Fantastic post and point made. I agree whole heartedly it’s your baby your choice and sometimes people judge way too quickly before they know the circumstance. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me. Hope to see you again tomorrow for another great round. #sharewithme

  10. Amen! Yes!! Bravo!! I’m a huge pro for breastfeeding, plan to do it again if we have a 3rd, but I know now, 8.5 years into parenting that what I choose is best for me/my babies but that doesn’t make another mother’s choice to feed differently less valid or good! Well said!

  11. I found it hard too… really hard. I remember saying to hubby I’d rather go through labour again than the first few weeks of struggling to get feeding sorted (bubs was jaundiced and that added to the anguish)… we got there in the end though and I ended up loving every last moment πŸ™‚

  12. Great post and I completely agree. I ‘still’ breastfeed my toddler and I am happy with my choice but I would never judge another mum for how they feed their babies, that’s just ridiculous!
    Becky x
    #Twinklytuesday

  13. Aaah β€” I’m sick to the back teeth of this debate. Some mothers can’t breastfeed. Some mothers don’t want to. Some breastfeed for a little while, other’s breastfeed their kids til they are 8 years old. Ultimately, it has nothing to do with anyone else.

    All the judgemental parents β€” on *both* sides of the fence β€” should just move on. Thanks so much for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday β€” hope to see you again next week! x

    Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk

  14. Totally agree! Mum’s should also support one another too instead of bashing one another or trying to out do the other. Us Mother’s are criticised so much for every choice we make so lets just support one another!

  15. I completely agree all this parenting competition and judging needs to go out the window pronto. We are all trying to achieve the same thing to be the best parents we can to our lovely babies no matter which way they sleep, are fed, etc…. I wish we would all stop judging each other and support each other more no matter what. Thanks for linking up to #ShareWithMe

  16. I saw a woman discreetly breastfeeding at our locally health club and it took me back 40 years to when I did the same with mine and yes there were people disagreeing with breastfeeding in public then too. How ridiculous it is the most natural and delightful thing ever.

  17. I do think that breastfeeding is the best, but is such a hard work that I understand why a lot of women cannot do this.

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