Bahhhhhhhh, I hate nursing.... okay, sometimes it isn't bad... but mostly I STRONGLY dislike it. Does that make me a bad mother? It seems like everyone enjoys that special time with their baby. Maybe because I haven't had easy nursers. My girls both liked to chug as quick as they can gulping tons of air in the process. This means a lot of burping... A LOT! It is so time consuming and in the middle of the night that is not what I want to be doing. It usually involves 3 or 4 rounds of burping in one feeding. Both of my girls are/were also SUPER STRONG! They are never still unless they are asleep. I have to wrestle arms away from their mouths constantly, straighten tightly curled legs and rotate flailing heads. It is a battle. A battle intensified by their piercing screams for more food. As if those aren't enough reasons to dislike the process, add to it the leaking, painful 'let down' reflex, the fact that only I can do it, the public exposure and never being able to get away from baby. I just keep telling myself that it is best for her and I will sacrifice all the inconvenience, pain and torture for that.
Here is a list of pro's before I decide to quit nursing right now...
it is free
never have to carry bottles
doesn't require heating
lets me see my baby every 3 hours (okay that is a stretch because at 4 am I would rather not see her)
it will strengthen her immune system
hmmmm.. that's about all I can come up with.
Anyone else hate it but still stuck with it?
9 comments:
I'd say quit if you hate it that much. Or just do it for a month or two and then switch to formula. I know plenty of girls that have hated it, but done it for the beginning and then switched to formula. There are plenty of formula fed babies who are just fine and have fine immune systems.
Sometimes I want to give up...at first I want to scream...when you are so tired and wish your husband could just get up and feed her..but when they start sleeping through the night and it is less frequent feedings, I like it better...but by then they won't nurse as well when covered and a whole new list of problems arrive...like teeth!!! But I think there are pros and cons to both ways...I just think the pros of nursing win! Would your husband be willing to get up every once in awhile, like on a Friday or Saturday night, to bottle feed? You could pump and then let him feed her...missing one nursing session every once in awhile will not make you lose you milk...good luck..it really is special and I don't know about you, but when I am done it us always bitter sweet...nice to not be attached ALL the time...but sad that they are't AS dependent on you...I don't know...it is a tough one!
I'm with you my dear, I've always felt like a bad mommy because I don't like nursing. For all the reasons you listed and more. Don't feel like a bad mom though, I think there are more people out there that feel the same way than we both know.
I only nursed my girls for the first few months. Joslyn used to bite and grind her gums together, Keira was never full and had to have a bottle after every feeding, and Eden was the same. Not to mention the pleasant bleeding every time. It was awful. Good luck! :)
I 100% understand what you are saying. I hated nursing - especially at the beginning - it did seem to get easier as the babies got older. I was even lucky enough to have one baby who couldn't nurse (and actually I got a lot of flak for not pumping instead of using formula in his bottles.)
I say what's best for baby is a happy well rested mother and if you want to quit - you should. I know a lot of people would strongly disagree with me but I don't really give a crap!
I feel the same way about breasfeeding too, obviously we're not alone in this. I didn't wean Kassie until she was 15 months because she never would take formula or pumped breastmilk... so I felt stuck, either she goes hungry or I suck it up and deal with it. The $$$ was a big factor also. I hated closing myself into a room alone, especially during family gatherings, because she would never eat when covered and then she'd poop out of her clothes right after and I'd be stuck alone with the mess of leaking milk and changing the baby and I always just wanted to let everything stay messy and cry. And for some reason I'm pregnant again and dreading the breastfeeding more than the actual delivery. It's a good thing these babies are cute and the breastfeeding torture doesn't last forever.
jen i totally understand! it stinks! i b-feed carmnen for 3 weeks, and she was impossible, plus it was making me uber cranky, and a happy mom is way more important in my opinion. with macy i did a bit longer but carmen was jealous and didn't understand and there just weren't enough hours in a day for me to sit there for hour to feed and then to pump for an hour after that...the benefits just didn't outway the costs for me...but i did feed macy for 6 weeks instead of 3 so it was getting better i guess...i get angry when i feel pain so along with your friends comments my back was aching, boobs, and so we did the bottle, with bottle you do have to think ahead, and bring a thermos or whatever, but to me i'd rather do that, then all the other things to do with breasts and pain...
Since I have virgin breasts (ok that sounds weird but you know what I mean) I can't really say. Have you tried pumping? I dunno if that would be much easier but it might help...
I don't like the first 6 weeks of it all. It's difficult to get started for the first time and having to do it again 3 years later. after that 6 - 8 week mark and learning that breastfeeding does hurt sometimes and I wasn't a failure because it did it was smooth sailing for me. I can't get the hang of putting a blanket over myself and feeding. sure it takes you away from the social scene for a while but it's all a phase, soon it will be over and all you do is "remember when". I'm all for each individuals choice on the matter. I wouldn't do it any other way. I believe breast is best for my babies, love that its free and it helps me loose weight. win, win, win!
hey Jen! i didnt mind nursing my first but i absolutely hated nursing my second. i do think that breast is best, in a sense, but more importantly, whatever mom wants, is best. if you are stressed and hating it, it actually affects the quality of your milk and can make for fussier baby. i say, do what is best for YOUR mental health. your baby will live & thrive without breastmilk, im sure (:
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