A Former Formula Feeding Mom's Opinions on Breastfeeding

My older daughter was formula fed. After a week of tantrums (mine and hers) and weight loss (all hers), a friend advised me that a baby needed a happy mother more than she needed to be breastfed. That made sense to me. So, I sent my husband to the store for some formula and my daughter gratefully accepted a bottle and began to eat. By the time she was three months old, I couldn't imagine anything else. I loved our life. I liked that my husband could share in the feedings. I liked that I could work one day a week and not worry about her taking a bottle...it left me plenty of time to worry about other things. I felt like I could go anywhere and feed her whenever she needed to be fed without feeling self concious.

So, when I got pregnant the second time, I approached the whole baby feeding issue with an open mind and a pantry full of formula. I figured I would try breastfeeding again but if it didn't work then I would happily bottle feed. My second daughter was no more cooperative than her older sister while we were in the hospital. She lost well over 10% of her body weight during her first 5 days.

Then, all of the sudden, she latched on and began to eat. For the past 5 months I have been exclusively breastfeeding and I have been very surprised. I had been told that middle of the night feedings would be easier if I was breastfeeding but I didn't believe it. I mean would could be easier than having my husband get up once in a while and let me sleep? I didn't believe it when I was told that I would find ways to breastfeed discretely in public and that I would leave my house before her first birthday. All of things proved true for me. I rarely wake up when my daughter nurses during the night and I, the shy one, nurse in public!