A nurse who doesn't breastfeed

ceebeejay · Jun 1, 2014

I have done both. First was 80% breastfed for 15 months. Second breastfed for 4 months maybe. Last 100% bottle. Breastfeeding was pure torture for me. Never, ever, ever lost the pain and bleeding. Before my last I had augmentation to my breast (imagine! I breastfed and my breast STILL deflated. Myth debunked) and was not feeling good about any risk to my baby. I am sure there was none, but whatever. They are all smart and healthy. To each their own. The great thing about BF was when they got sick, if I caught the same thing, they would get the antibodies from me and get better when I did. ON the the other hand, my youngest rarely got sick. LOL!

klone, MSN, RN · Jun 1, 2014

Please cite your claim that WHO claims there are no long term benefits to breastfeeding. This is so untrue it's laughable.

The 2013 meta-analysis they published found that long term benefits were strongest in children and adolescents, and were diluted as they went into adulthood. No surprise there.

Also, a lot of women breastfeed for the first several weeks and then wean or combi-feed once they go back to work, without pumping at all.

allnurses Guide · Jun 1, 2014

My daughter says I scared her at age 12 when her dad and I had our surprise baby. "Your body changed too much mom" and "your breasts got huge" . . . . She refuses to ever consider getting pregnant or breastfeeding. She says she will hire a surrogate to have the baby. I said "are you going to hire a wet-nurse as well?". :cheeky: Yeah, I'm "cheeky" like that.

I say do what makes you comfortable. I've worked OB and PP and I never pushed a woman to breastfeed. If they were not interested, I got them bottles with formula.

There are lots of nurses (and other women) who choose not to breastfeed. It is fine.

There IS copious amounts of research though that it is good for you and babies - I mean when you think about it . . . . our bodies grow the babies and make the milk so it must be ok.

Good luck with whatever your future holds!

**LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM** · Jun 1, 2014

Yes, I too am very curious to see the research from the WHO stating that there are no long-term benefits to breastfeeding. :sarcastic:

I don't give a hoot if you don't want to breastfeed, but please do not warp the evidence.

Beautiful Mind RN · Jun 1, 2014

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/79198/1/9789241505307_eng.pdf

Just posting for informative reasons, nothing more!

A piece recommended by a preceptor of mine while I did my OB clinicals last year. Good read.

As the others have said, to each their own! To breastfeed or not to breastfeed, that is the question...

For only you to answer. :)

fawnmarie, ASN · Jun 1, 2014

I breastfed my first baby and thought I was a superstar. She did not have a drop of anything other than breastmilk until she was 10 months old. I live in a part of the country where breastfeeding rates are low, and I really enjoyed getting to teach others about lactation and the benefits of breastmilk. When I became pregnant for the second time, I planned to breastfeed again, of course, because I loved it so much the first time around. My daughter never had an ear infection or any problems with constipation, and I was a proud advocate of breastfeeding. My reality check came when I gave birth to twins! Even with frequent nursing and pumping, I just could not produce enough breastmilk to exclusively breastfeed both babies! We had to supplement with formula, something I had been adamantly against. I realized that I was not a bad mom for supplementing with formula...my babies had to eat! My twins were both breastfed and bottle-fed until 15 months. Breastfeeding is not for every mother, and I'm glad for my own experience that taught me that it's OK to give formula. Being a nurse is about not judging others for their lifestyle choices!

ktwlpn, LPN · Jun 2, 2014

Thanks for the support. And yeah, one of the reasons I don't want to breastfeed is that I won't have time to pump every 2-3 hours at work.
We can't really pinpoint the actual long term benefits of breastfeeding because so much goes into a person's overall health like genetics, lifestyle, environment, etc. Also, the World Health Organization says there's no long term benefits of breastfeeding as well.

Your body, your choice. And get ready for the circ debate if you have a boy.

I breastfed. I went back to work at when he was 12 weeks old,full time, evening shift in a hospital. I tried to pump at work and just could not do it. Could not realax and let down couldn't get off the floor to do it,it was med surg.. Amazingly my body adjusted, I seemed to amp up production during the day, I had plenty of milk in bottles for my husband to give him in the evening. He started sleeping through the night at 9 weeks so I just pumped when I got home and then got up with him in the morning. Granted, you do feel like that's all you do but what better excuse is there to sit and do nothing and hold your baby, stare into his eyes and smell him for hours? Forget cleaning, cooking and laundry...And it's convenient and cheap.

I do believe formula is fine. Look how long humans live on tube feedings. The great thing is you can make the choice. I know plenty of women, some of my SIL's who are just not comfortable with it. They are not comfortable with their bodies and not afraid to admit it. It's the "ewww" factor. No-one should be shamed by anyone ...

Ever listen to Dr Laura on siriusxm? She believes putting kids in daycare is like stabbing them with knives. If you try to please everyone your head will explode.

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 2, 2014

Even if I chose not to breast feed, I would still do it for the first day or two so the baby could get colostrum.

kgoode0919 · Jun 2, 2014

I work 12 hour nights and exclusively pump now that I'm back at work. It is extremely tiring! I pump at 3p, 6p, 12a, 4a and then at 9a before I go to sleep. It is extremely difficult to get those 12a and 4a pumps in. I work on a very busy floor and taking 30m to pump is just unrealistic. I am not relieved of my patient duties because our charge takes just as many patients as the rest of us. If I ever have another child, I will not do this again!

rachel0609, ADN, RN · Jun 2, 2014

I forced myself to breast-feed my 3 children and I was miserable, but I was made to feel like a bad mother if I didn't. I now wish I had never tried at all, I feel like I missed out on so much and stressed when I shouldn't have. I definitely agree that it's a personal choice that no one should make you feel bad about.

mamabearof3boys · Jun 2, 2014

Before you make a decision that can affect your child's future health (risk reductions in ear infections, asthma, allergies and so much more)and yours (risk reduction in breast and ovarian cancers) PLEASE research. I find it woefully ignorant of people to blindly think formula even Comes close to breast milk. It's like feeding your kid McDonald's versus Filet mignon...sure you can live off of it, and some do just fine...but do you really want to?! That's your pride and joy, shouldn't you give them the best you can for their health?!

rachel0609, ADN, RN · Jun 2, 2014

Before you make a decision that can affect your child's future health (risk reductions in ear infections, asthma, allergies and so much more)and yours (risk reduction in breast and ovarian cancers) PLEASE research. I find it woefully ignorant of people to blindly think formula even Comes close to breast milk. It's like feeding your kid McDonald's versus Filet mignon...sure you can live off of it, and some do just fine...but do you really want to?! That's your pride and joy, shouldn't you give them the best you can for their health?!

That's ugly and misinformed.