Am just wondering?

There has been somethin bothering me even before I got Preg and some of you wont understand but I have a MASSIVE phobia of BF I know it sounds ridiculous but it worries me so so much... I would love to be strong enough to do it for babs but dunno If I can.. I admire woman who can manage it! What i am wondering is.... ya know when ya have the baby do they expect you to breastfeed straight off??? What bout if ya have decided not to breastfeed wat happens then??? This whole issue worries me more than childbirth and could anyone tell me wat are the hospital staff like are they weird bout bottle feeding??? I know breast is best but I was bottle fed as were my siblings and not bit of harm to us!

I've decided to BF (if I can) as I believe it does give the best possible start for your baby. However, various circumstances can affect a woman's ability to BF. However, I think that a phobia of BF is simply (sorry forgive me if this sounds harsh) a lack of exposure to women actually doing it. I don't seriously think you can call it a phobia. I was shocked to hear one of my closest friends say "Urgh you won't catch me doing that!" I wasn't BF, nor was my brother, as we were both preemies and my Mum couldn't. And we're both fine. No-one argues with that. But if you can, I think you should give it a bash. In saying that, it doesn't come naturally, and I know the nurses in the hospital have already got up my nose by asking several times what I plan to do - I mean for crying out loud, I'm still in the first trimester!!! I've heard other friends saying the same, and also noting that different nurses give different advice. I'm going to join a BF class to understand how it works, what to expect and sometimes you get to see it in action. Yes, it's weird watching other women BF'ing - I never know where to look - but it will help when it comes to me doing it. I hope you don't think I'm preachy about it. I really do think it's the best, IF you can do it. BUT I do think nurses need to get their act together and ease off a little so people can decide in their own time. Good luck in whatever you decide!

you just need to tell them part of your birth plan is to bottle feed. end of story, i think they just ram breastfeeding down your throat. my sis tried put herself under pressure to BF and ended up not being able to do it. she just had her second baby and just bottle fed and feels so much better for it. you just need to tell them what your plan is and dont let them start ranting on that breast is best bla bla bla. hope thats a help

Ya absoultely Ive had fiens who just said to the nurses they had no intention of breast feeding and the nurses went along fine with it. I was absolutely going to bottle feed but had changed my mind recently as we have a cat and two dogs living in the house. I m going to try BF and see who I go but Im not putting myself under any stress either way. Even if I did take to it, I would only BF for maybe 8 or 10 weeks and plan to do combined feeding from 2 weeks on so it doesnt have to be an either or choice! Good luck but dont wreck your head too much about it, you do what feels right for you, the baby will be delighted with grub no matter where it comes from!

dont get me wrong sunsparks its not lack of exposure SIL bf and plenty of mates have its jst a personal thing for me really have really strange thing bout my nipples even bein touched.... my poor dh even knows its always been a no go area! Dunno wat the hell its bout cant explain it but sin a bhfuil! I think you gals are right if I decide to bottle feed will just have to be sure in myself (which I find hard) and have it in the birth plan! Thanks girls! XXX

[quote="lovelife26":2v7vizs0]dont get me wrong sunsparks its not lack of exposure SIL bf and plenty of mates have [b:2v7vizs0]its jst a personal thing for me really have really strange thing bout my nipples even bein touched[/b:2v7vizs0].... my poor dh even knows its always been a no go area! Dunno wat the hell its bout cant explain it but sin a bhfuil! I think you gals are right if I decide to bottle feed will just have to be sure in myself (which I find hard) and have it in the birth plan! Thanks girls! XXX[/quote:2v7vizs0] Join the club lovelife26.. I really want to BF but have a thing about my nipples being touched..

tbe honest i never felt pressure to bf by the hospital or midwifes was just asked what my plans were, and they ticked a box, midwife asked at early stage of labour again and i said id try but wasnt commiting myself to having to bf... ds latched straight away and went from there and we manage for about 4/5moths. If you have really strong feelings about not doing it then dont cause newborns are hard enough to deal with the trying to bf when you relly dont want to do it, youll only end stressed out. i was bottlefed too, as were all my sisters and we turned out fine.

I found at my consultant appointments etc that I was being pushed into BF although in the end it was recommended that I didn't because of the amount of weight loss I experienced during pregnancy. I am very slight and don't put on weight easily so would have difficulty maintaining enough weight to BF. Anyway when I went in to have DS I think it was a relief to the staff I wasn't BFing as I was the only one on the ward bottle feeding and they were short staffed and stretched to give enough time to the new mums learning to BF for the first time. I'm sometimes sorry I didn't get the chance to try BFing but I don't worry about it too much DS is fine with only one minor illness since birth. I would make up my mind and stick to it if you want to bottle feed don't let others push you into something you're not happy about.

At several of my early appointments the midwife asked if I had thought about bf. I told her I was still undecided about it. At about 28weeks I had an appointment and was seen by an older midwife and she was definitely trying to ram it down my throat so told her again that I was undecided and at the end of the day it would be my decision to make not hers. She got all huffy then but I was glad I said it to her. I never had any intention if bf. It just wasn't for me! Like you I don't like my nipples being touched! When dd was born they asked me how I was going to feed and I said bottle. The midwife said it to my h2b but he told her in no uncertain terms that it was our decision and to leave me alone! Nobody said a word to me after that! It's a very personal choice for each woman and while I know about all the breast is best info out there (Studied childcare so did bf in great detail) my dd is absolutely thriving on formula! Don't let anyone bully you into making a decision that you are not comfortable with. I've never regreted not bf.