I breastfed Client One until she was about ten months old, at which time she decided she was done. I have every intention of breastfeeding Client Two until he is at least a year old, as long as he is a willing participant, maybe even longer for bedtime feedings. Breastfeeding is the best and healthiest option for feeding your baby and by far the cheapest. I understand that there are many mothers out there that choose not to breastfeed- some because they cannot others because they feel it is not the option for them. I do not judge them. Because I had to work when Client One was a baby, I had to pump and that made it difficult to keep my milk supply up. This meant that we ended up supplementing with formula and the last couple months of that first year, she drank formula in a bottle every night at bedtime as well as some throughout the day.
That being said, I love and hate breastfeeding.
When I have no plans and can take my day at my own pace, I love breastfeeding. There is nothing sweeter or more precious than the special bond that you create with your baby when you are breastfeeding. It is completely incomparable to anything else. When your baby is gulping away and he looks up at you with that loving appreciation in his eyes, it is an uplifting high. For this reason, if you can find no other, I highly recommend breastfeeding as much as you can, even if it's only once a day. You simply do not get that same bond from a bottle.
Breastfeeding is also a money saving option. Even with coupons and such, formula can get quite pricey. Breastfeeding is more or less free. Of course, if you have to work, buying a breast pump can cost a pretty penny, but in the long run it is still cheaper than a year of formula.
Overall, breastfeeding is also better for you and the baby. Breast milk provides necessary nutrients and immunity to your baby. Breastfeeding also helps you out by letting your body get back to that "pre-baby" weight a little bit faster. It can also help keep you from getting pregnant again too soon after birth (usually for the first six months) if you don't want to go on birth control. (Please note: Breastfeeding does NOT guarantee that you will not get pregnant, it just makes it more difficult.)
Breastfed babies also have better smelling poop. I know that sounds weird, but it is entirely true. They also tend to spit up less, which is a plus. And, of course, there is no preparation. No scooping or heating at that three a.m. feeding which means that everyone gets back to sleep sooner. So, in a way, breastfeeding actually makes for a cleaner, more pleasant life.
But sometimes, I really hate breastfeeding. Breast milk does not last as long on a baby's tummy as formula, meaning that breastfed babies need to eat more often than formula fed babies. This means more restless nights until the baby learns to stock up with a heavy night feeding. It also means practically force feeding your baby right before you leave the house in the hopes that he can stay full and happy for the full length of your errand. And if he does get hungry while you are out and about, it means trying to find a quiet dark corner to feed him, awkwardness washing over you. Sometimes it's a dressing room in a department store, sometimes a quick trip to the car, and sometimes it actually is a dark corner. You, of course, try to be discreet, but you can still feel the eyes of others passing by. I am not one of those people comfortable enough to just "pop it out," not in public anyway. It does demand a certain level of discretion. Not everyone needs to see you. Yes, it is a natural process, but not everything that is natural needs to be done on display.
Anyhow, I digress.
Yes, breastfeeding is wonderful, but at the end of that first year, I am so over it. Yes, I cried when Client One decided she was done with it entirely. Yes, I love feeding Client Two, even at three in the morning. And yes, I have plans to breastfeed Client Two for just about as long as he wants, at least at night. But, I hate the pressure of it all. And it's not just the feeding in public. Babies get teeth at just a few months, you know. And they bite. Hard. And they get more and more teeth as the year goes on. And they learn to bite harder. And then there's the leaking of milk, which is as embarrassing as when you were in junior high and you had that "ketchup" stain on the back of your pants. (You know what I'm talking about.) And there's also that crampy feeling in your breasts that you get when your baby has missed a feeding or when you start weaning. So uncomfortable.
But, despite all the difficulties that might come along with breastfeeding, I still highly recommend it- just be aware of all it entails. It's definitely a commitment, but so is parenting in general. In the end, though, I would not trade those sweet moments for the world. Well,at least not all of them.
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