If you are a expectant or new mom, trying to decide whether or not to breastfeed can be very difficult! If you have to work outside the home, trying to breastfeed your baby can seem almost impossible. This is where a mom support group can be invaluable!
You are not alone. Moms across the country are trying to make these tough decisions too, and sometimes just having another person to talk to can help! When moms connect over issues like breastfeeding, the knowledge and encouragement get shared around and you can find support no matter which decision you end up making.
I breastfed all three of my children. I consider myself lucky because I was able to without a lot of hardship. With my first, I worked outside the home for the first few months, ten hours a day. However, the job was five minutes away from my house, and my husband was a stay at home dad. My schedule ran in three short shifts, 9-12, 1-4 and 5-9, which meant every three or four hours I could come home for an hour and nurse my daughter.
She was an easy baby, too, and slept through the night from the age of two weeks, so even when I switched jobs and worked nights I was able to feed her before I left and put her to bed. I would get home right before she woke in the morning! By the time she was a year old, I had found a job that let me work from home, and from then on I was a work at home, stay at home mom. My boys were able to breast feed too!
I have a lot of friends for whom it wasn’t so easy. They had to work long days away from the home, and some were single moms or moms with hubbies who worked, so the baby went into daycare as soon as their maternity leave ended. One or two tried to pump breast milk and send it for their babies, but most just decided to switch to formula. A couple used formula from the start so they wouldn’t have to do a switchover.
I always tried to offer all of these moms support, because I don’t know what I would have done in their place! I knew I was lucky to have an easy decision. I always felt that breastfeeding was a natural way to make my babies healthy and strong, and they weren’t sick very often. Even today, my older ones only have ever had one ear infection each, and my 18 month old (who is just about weaned) has never had even one. Of course, that might be due to not being in daycare, too; I notice the first year they are in school they spend a lot of time being sick as they get used to all the germs!
The only other thing that I notice about formula is that nearly all the moms I know that use it have babies that colic all the time. I don’t know for sure if it is connected, but it seems to be that they always have to keep switching the formula all the time looking for one that doesn’t upset their babies’ stomachs. None of mine ever were colicky, and I know I am very lucky!
The best thing for any mom is just to do whatever works best for her and her baby. I believe in breastfeeding, but I realize that not everyone can or wants to breastfeed, and I respect their decision!
Whether you decide to breast feed or go the formula route, it’s important that you have people around you that support your decision. You are the mom, and you have to ultimately decide what works best for you AND your baby!
I am lucky to have the luxury to be a stay-at-home mom. I have breastfed both my children with too many problems. I agree, however, it is important to have a support group. My mother was instrumental in helping through those first few rough weeks. Also, I attend a weekly playgroup where I am able to discuss “mom things” with other mommies going through the same experiences. Without that support, I would be quite lonely!
I breastfed the first 4 months. I know that I could have done a better job, but I really struggled to keep up with my son while maintaining my sanity. I supplemented early on (he was jaundice), so the transition to formula was smooth. We have been blessed with an extremely happy baby - no fuss, no colic - just smiles. We use organic formula, but I’m not sure if there are any added benefits tot he organic mix (it might simply be a marketing ploy!). Thanks for sharing your experience and offering women support.
We couldn’t agree more. Support is extremely important for new moms to have.
A new online community for moms just launched at http://www.lansinohmoms.com - a place where moms can virtually find and share answers, encouragement and support from other moms. With all the new challenges and decisions mothers are faced with each day, Lansinoh hopes this forum will be a meaningful and refreshing pause in their day. http://www.lansinohmoms.com
~The Lansinoh Team
I needed a support system so much at first - I had no idea what I was doing with my first baby! Now, after just over 13 years of nursing under my belt I’m a pro - nursed #1 for just under 2 1/2 years, #2 for just over that, #3 for 4 years and still nursing my youngest who just turned 3 (the last 2 were tandem nursed for a few months, I breastfed all through my last pregnancy).
Wow, I breast fed all three of mine just up to 18 months, and then they looked at me and LAUGHED. Like, Mom, what are you trying to do? I’m big, now!!
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