Pros and Cons of Breastfeeding

As a mum to be one of the questions that seem to pop up is 'are you going to breast or bottle feed?'. Personally for me, I knew as soon as I fell pregnant that I was going to try and breastfeed but for others they know that it isn't right for them from day one. I've never judged anyone when it comes to feeding their child as I think as long as the baby is happy and healthy then that is all that matters. I often see bottle mummys complaining about people shoving breastfeeding and facts down their throats whilst pregnant and how much it upsets them but for me it was the opposite. Most of the people that I spoke to about breastfeeding had a very negative tone about the situation. I often got comments like 'you do realise that just because you want to breastfeed it doesn't mean you'll be able to' or when I said I was going to breastfeed until 12 months a common comment I got was 'you do realise they'll be walking then' or 'do you not think thats a bit old?'.

Personally I just ignored most of the comments and just got on with what I felt comfortable doing but I know that there's a lot of people that would easily get put off by things being said, so I've listed all of my honest pros and cons that I've found from my experience in breastfeeding.

PROS

- good for baby, lots of nutrition and anti bodies

- good for losing baby weight

- good for the environment

- incredible for bonding

- good for comfort

- babies tend not to poop as much as botte fed babies, so good for mummy's nose

- very convinient

- don't have to make bottes in the middle of the night

- don't have to buy formula

- don't have to wash bottles

- don't have to take bottles and formula with you when you go out

- don't have to count how many ounces baby is drinking

- no periods! (11 months on and still not really had one!) 

CONS

- dirty looks for feeding in public

- people staring at you the whole time you feed in public

- leaky boobs for the whole time

- have to buy and wear breastpads

- have to wear a bra at all times incase boobs explode

- no one else can do the night feeds

- your child often only wants you (your boobs) for comfort

- giant boobs

- sore, hard boobs if you haven't fed your child in hours

- can't go out for the day without baby without having to express

- expressing milk for half an hour and only getting a few ounces at a time