[Tersh]

People have all kinds of reasons for breastfeeding or FF, or doing both. I know many of us have posted our stories, but I was interested in what most people are doing/have done.

[blondie-lox]

I exclusively breast fed. My son has never had any formula and never had a bottle (refused even pumped milk). He is still breast feeding. I voted that it was relatively easy.

I was determined to EBF while I was pregnant with my son. I armed myself with AS MUCH information as I possibly could before having him. I went to a breastfeeding clinic, read information online, watched videos, not to mention I had breastfed my first for 4 months. As soon as my son was born, I instructed the nurses that he was to NEVER have formula in the hospital and I wanted to see a lactation consultant ASAP to make sure I was doing everything properly. I had a pretty "easy" time. Whatever easy is. I didn't have any of the typical "problems" so I guess it was relatively easy.

With my first I breastfed and supplemented with formula from pretty early on. I had cracked, bleeding, raw nipples for months and didn't know that you can't supplement if you wanted to EBF as it can effect supply. I lost my supply around 4 months and had started completely formula feeding. It was very hard the first time.

[Nekinna2402]

I exclusively breastfed and it was challenging for some or all of the time

[*Jillian*]

Exclusively BF and found it relatively easy. I didn't really count the 3 weeks it took to get adjusted and for my nipples to heal up because it seemed like such a short amount of time looking back. It was hard though...probably should have voted for the second option. Oops.

[Jess is Write]

Exclusively breastfed, relatively easy. We went through the typical challenges at first, but I was lucky and never had to deal with any pain.

[beck12]

I predominantly BF & did a little supplementing for what I couldn't pump. I do have to say - I wanted an option for that WITH it was really tough! LOL I thought BF was REALLY hard until at least 6-9 months & for me it hasn't ever been easy - even now, as it takes a great deal of patience for me....but it has ALWAYS been worth it. If that makes sense.

[Fluga]

Exclusively breastfed with little problems. The biggest problem for us was basically that she did not let go of the boob for the first 4-6 weeks. I was housebound, stuck to a chair to the point of being in pain from not moving.

[foxfire_ga79]

I BF'd my kids for a little over a month each (5 weeks for the boys and 7 weeks for my daughter) and then it just seemed I lost supply and lost motivation to keep trying. I hope to do better this time, but I doubt it will be much different.

[Tammyjh]

I exclusively bf my last and with all of mine, I found bf itself to be extremely easy. Only problem with my first was that my supply was low due to stress and nutrition issues(me, not baby). No supply issues with any of my others and besides the early engorged/sore nipple stage, I started to get a plugged duct only once and it resolved on its own with increased feedings.

[Gina1978]

I exclusively breastfed and found it relatively easy to do so.

I did go though a VERY stressing phase where my MIL,my mum and even DH tried to convince me that Noelia would stop crying so much if we gave her a bottle at night.She was 3 months old and had colic,and I was so sleep deprived that I listened to them and tried it for 4 nights.

I HATED it.I felt like I was depriving her of her most comforting nursing session (she loves to nurse to sleep) so after just 4 nights,I refused to do it again and went back to exclusively BFing her.
Thats the only time shes ever had milk that wasnt mine,and Im so glad I never did it again.

Apart from those 4 nights (or 4 bottles) I BF her exclusively for over 6 months and we are still BFing now at 18 months
BFing wasnt/isnt difficult for me.That part was/is easy.Noe was a VERY needy NB and she cried ALOT,so what made me make the mistake of feeding her a bottle for 4 nights wasnt the difficulty of the act of BFing,but the fact that she was always so incredibly fussy and I was too tired to give in to all the pressure I was under.

Of course,once I realised that the bottle wasnt the solution,and I felt guilty for not nursing her to sleep,I put a stop to it right away.

[insert clever username]

Ds: long story, but pumped and supplemented for about 6 weeks of uphill battles, then FF exclusively

Dd: still breastfeeding, some difficulties early on (over-supply, over-active let-down, ductal thrush), but no problems from about 8 weeks on.

[ctanis]

With Jay I BF for about 3 weeks then switched to FF

With Jonathan I had to supplement for about a month or less because of supply issues. Once I got my supply back I went to EBF him

[TheOtherMichelle]

I put "other" because I could fit into a few categories. I EBF for the first 6 months and it was relatively easy. The only difficult part was being needed so much while I was hormonal and recovering from the birth. I wanted to pump so I could let someone else take over the feedings but luckily her pedi talked me out of it. No physical problems with BF'ing once I got the latch right the first day.

At 6 months I started working more hours and had to rely more on pumping and it caused my supply to drop. I had some BM frozen but once that was through I had to supplement. However I was able to continue BF'ing with supplementing until shortly before a year.

[Keskes]

I put other.

I breastfed my first for 2 weeks and then gave up, because he wasn't being fed. I realize that some women think it's fine for a baby to lose a ridiculous amount of weight, but I don't think it's acceptable. I wasn't willing to let my child starve for three weeks so I could continue breast feeding. When the lactation consultant weighed him after 20 minutes nursing on one breast, and 10 on the other, and saw that he hadn't gained a single ounce, and when my pediatrician looked at his growth chart at 2 weeks, with that horrified expression on his face, I realized it was time to go to formula.

With my second I nursed for 5 weeks (or was it six?), and had the same supply issues. I "supplemented" after the first couple weeks, but really I was FFing and supplementing with breast milk, since very little of the food she got was from me.

I have little to no desire to try breast feeding again.

[frgsonmysox]

my first I nursed for 5 weeks. I had a tremendous lack of support and was constantly put down for nursing. We gave up and I regret every day for doing so.

With my daughter I was determined to not give up - and she would nurse 40+ times a day (she's a snacker), we had colic, severe reflux, weight gain issues, and I had severe PPD. It was not easy by any means but she never once had a bottle or any sort of supplement. She nursed exclusively until 15 months when she could finally handle food without choking. At 3+ she still nurses once a day before bed.

With David he was a horrible nurser from the get go, but again I was determined. His breathing issues made him not want to have anything near his face, and therefore fought me with every feeding. I would have to get him pretty much asleep and then wake him up a tiny bit to latch on. He nurse/slept for the first 6 months at which point he outgrew his breathing issues. At 15 months he still nurses numerous times a day and through the night. He was by far the hardest and I had moments I wanted to give up but I'm glad I never once gave him a bottle or any sort of supplement

[LoriB]

I'm currently nursing my third boy and have had almost no problems. The worst of it was my second child had a bit of thrush but some gentian violet cleared that up very quickly. I also had the makings of a clogged duct, also with my second, but I just nursed more often on that side and it cleared up before I had any problems. I think I am an anomaly though, I really thought everyone had it just as easy until I started reading on JM.

[Mikasa]

I nursed both my kids, my first to 9 months and my second to 13 months, they both had formula now and then when I was nursing. My reason for BFing, obviously it is best for baby but I am also WAY to cheap to be spending $100+ a month on formula.

[mama_reese]

I'm still breastfeeding my six month old son. No signs of stopping. I'm going to keep it up until he self weans, whenever that is. We had a pretty easy time of it, some issues lathing for the first week or so, I had a blister on my nipple which bled and HURT horribly, from a poor latch, which I corrected myself and with practice. I never had a LC, by choice. So yea, it was comparatively easy, since some ladies have a horrible time! He has never ahd a taste of formula. So I'd say breastfeeding has been easy for us.

[smsturner]

formula. and my kids were happy and healthy

[Mom2Froggy]

I breastfed and tried to do exclusive but was having supply issues and weight issues with Lily so I had to supplement. I also went through heck trying to find a bottle Lily would use, as she refused the bottle. I finally found nipples she liked and found she liked her milk to be quite warm. But if I was in the house, all she wanted was to nurse, which was demanding and exhausting with how low my supply was. I tried the beer method a few times to help get it up overnight which worked quite well, and used fenugreek which also helped a lot.