Why do some Mums choose not to breast feed?

Question

I dont mean to offend anyone and I understand that it is everyones choice but Im curious about why people choose not to breast feed. Im not referring to people who can not breast feed or have alot of pain feeding I only mean people who have no problems feeding but choose not to anyway. I met one lady that choose not to because the babys slept longer when on formula. Was curious about what other reasons people may opt to give formula

Answer 1

because we live in a world where women can make choices.  Depending on career and time constraints, other children and basic desire...some choose not to bf.  you realize, there are many healthy, bright people in the world who were not bf - i am one if them.  now, i choose to bf my daughter but its all about choice - and thankfully, we have that ability!

Answer 2

They don't have the time.

Answer 3

Some are just unable to for many reasons.  The baby won't latch, she is not producing enough etc..  Another reason is convenience.  I know some women don't like that reason, but it's true from SOME women.

Answer 4

Some people can't keep a healthy life style and breast feeding would not be as beneficial for their babies. (drinking , smoking, eating good) Other have a hard time at work being able to pump or nurse. I suppose there are many reasons, I was lucky enough to nurse my baby.

Answer 5

Why do some MUM'S chose to stick their noses in other MUM'S business? Why do you care what they do with their children? It's not any of your concern is it? Can you really sit there and say you don't want to 'offend' anyone by stating this question? Yea ok. Next

P.S What's a MUM anyway? Isn't that a type of flower?

What concern is it of yours how they feed their child??????

Answer 6

soem women dont have enough breast milk...

other just dont want a baby sucking on there nipples

Answer 7

I guess some people think that it's gross to breastfeed. I am the only one out of my friends and my husbands family to have breastfeed all of our kids. I think it's just a miseducation, there is nothing gross about it and it's the best thing for your child no matter how long you do it. Maybe I am just bias though

Answer 8

b/c starving a baby is not my idea of good parenting. when it took 10 days for my milk to come in, he was starving!!!!!! in my opinion if you want to "starve" your baby its on you, but I WONT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... at that point he is accustom to a bottle, and so be it.  yes you can push through and keep trying but why, you little one is dieing for food. just feed the baby!!!!! my son is healthier and smarter then all of his breastfed friends so to me the research of "breast is best" is a fallacy!!!!!

Answer 9

I didn't because I worked. that and I just wasn't comfortable having to do it infront of eveyone while i had guest or was in public. of course i was only 18 at the time. now i would do it differently

Answer 10

my friend breastfed her daughter for two weeks and then stopped i asked her why and she had no reason she said she didn't have milk. But it was kind of hard to believe. But my mother in law said she didn't breastfeed because she didn't like the fact that she would have to take her breast out in public.  

Answer 11

misinformation, lack of support, laziness, selfishness... some reasons are sad and i think that if they had just some support, they would have at least tried.  other reasons are really stupid and lame and make me wonder why they bothered to have a kid if they aren't willing to at least make a minimal effort to do what is best for the baby rather than what is more convenient for them.

Answer 12

Because they are uneducated about the health benefits and the bonding brings between a Mommy and her Baby...it's priceless!!!!!

Answer 13

My reasons, demand outweighed supply, and NICU.  I guess neither of which were "choices" but that is why I did not.

Answer 14

when i had my son at age 19 i chose not to breastfeed. my reasons were 1) I had extremly small b*****s and they didnt swell up with any milk so that made me nervous 2) I was scared of the pain 3) i couldnt afford the breastfeeding equipment like breast pumps 4) i had to go back to work right away

and i must say everything turned out great hes 4 now and in great health

Answer 15

I simply was not comfortable with it. The whole feed on demand, and it only being me that could feed them no matter where or when was not something I was willing to do.

I am happy to report my 4 are all very healthy and we enjoy wonderful relationships with each other. I have no regrets!  

Answer 16

Some people probably don't want to commit to it.  

Answer 17

get a job, or do some research; quit trying to start probs

Answer 18

It's funny how these types of question are in the main answered by breastfeeding Mums. Just an observation.

I was neither mis-informed nor un-educated on the matter. I simply did not want to breast feed. I'm not making any excuses. I stand by my choice. I don't think I need to think up a reason because there isn't one.  

Answer 19

I didn't choose to not breastfeed. My baby was in nicu and i couldnt be there for her everytime she needed to be fed..and when she left the nicu she was already used to the bottle so it was no use even trying..and really what business is it of anyones my friends dont think of me any less because my daughters on formula..

Answer 20

Its strictly a personal choice. And I have to go with flwrchild on this and say its no ones business how they choose to feed their child.

Answer 21

im gonna be honest. i chose not to. i regret it. i dont want alot of thumbs down on here saying that i am a bad mom. i'm not and i know it. no one in my family ever breastfed, so i didnt really know anything about it and i thought it would be wierd.  i didnt know anyone that did, and although i loved my baby more than anything while pregnant, i just was wierded out by it. now, i dont know why. i had never even held an infant so babies were new to me. i just thought that if i breastfed, my family would think i was gross. looking back now, i wish i would have soooo bad, and now i see that my reasons were silly. there is nothing gross about it.  when i was in the hospital, the nurse said "breastfeeding or formula?" everyone looked at me, i just said formula. i cant believe i did it. i guess i was just scared. everything was new to me, i mean everything. i think if a nurse would have came in when it was just my husband and me and the baby, and asked, and told me the benefits.. i would have. i just felt put on the spot. my next child, i am going to do everything in my power to breastfeed.

Answer 22

Not enough time...maybe the mom eats crappy food(breast milk quality depends on mothers diet greatly)...does drugs...drinks...takes prescription medications...too inconvenient...thinks its gross..just doesn't want to.

I pumped my milk since day one when my son was lil.And I had the SAME bonding experience with him feeding a bottle then if I would have breastfed so that is a big misconception.

I don't like the idea of breastfeeding for me personally.

Also, just because a mom feeds formula doesn't mean she loves her kid any less.You can breastfeed your kid but feed it c**p when it is a kid and it can be totally unhealthy.

I on the other hand feed my son breast milk until 9 months and he ate nothing but organic food since.

My niece was formula fed generic and feed organic food since and both of our kids are as healthy as can be.

Answer 23

I think some are afraid it will make there b***s sag really low. Some don't have the time because lots of work places won't let them pump on a regular basis and they need the job. Maybe some are just being selfish, no offense to anyone, but they just don't fill that it fits in their schedule or they just don't like the idea of having to do it. I thought about not breast feeding but it made more sense to than not. I was worried that my milk wouldn't come in on both sides or not at all because i had surgery on them about two years ago (a reduction and lift because I've been top heavy since I was ten and also gained then lost a lot of weight) , but i figure why would it hurt to try.

Answer 24

My reason for not breastfeeding was because I didn't feel comfortable doing it, and I did not want to do it. I know that sounds as though it is a harsh answer, but its the truth. I didn't feel as though my baby should have to suffer breastfeeding when I wasn't comfortable at all doing it, and I figured she would sense me feeling uncomfortable and i just didn't want it to be an all around stressful situation for neither of use.

Also- I wanted my husband to have some partake in her feedings- And a lot of people would say "Well, why don't you pump"? My answer to this was the same as Why I don't breastfeed...Its just wasn't a comfortable thing to me. And I dont mean to sound as though I am a horrible Mother but my answer Im giving you is completely honest.

Hope you understand!!!! Lots of luck and blessings to you and your little one!  

Answer 25

I am bf my baby girl, but there are a ton of reasons.  Some people go back to work and don't have anywhere to pump.  Some women get "boobied out" (in the words of my sister) after BF kid after kid.  Some people oddly think it's "nasty" (go figure).  Some people *think* formula is healthier for babies.  Some people listen to their moms, husbands, etc who don't support them and discourage them from breastfeeding.  Some women just do it because it seems natural to them, ecspecially if they've never been exposed to breastfeeding.  

I had an emergency C-section, and took forever to be awakened.  By the time I woke up, the baby had already been given quite a bit of formula, and when I tried breastfeeding, he wasn't very happy.

My son was only bf for a few months, and only once daily, at that.  We both just got so frustrated, and I was getting even more depressed with the post partum AND unsuccessful breastfeeding, so I stopped after 3 months.  This time, with my 8 mo. daughter, it's going smoothly.

Answer 26

I chose not to breastfeed my first and second children because....

I tried with my first and had a bad experience - she was premature and was not the least bit interested in nursing, only wanted to sleep.  She was losing weight, I was going to the breast feeding clinic & pumping - I felt horrible about myself for failing to feed my child, and being a very private person I was uncomfortable with exposing myself to all these people who were truly trying to help me.  So I quit.  And she thrived.

I pumped for 2 months for my third child on doctor's orders because she was extremely ill, but on the rare ocassions when she received food (rather than simply IV nutrition)......they gave her special formula rather than my pumped milk.   Breast isn't always best.

I chose to breastfeed my fourth because....

If I could pump for 2 months successfully, I felt I owed myself and my child another try at breastfeeding.  It's going wonderfully - he's 4 months old and doing great!

Never judge (which you don't seem to be doing) - you never know what lies behind the choices people make.

Answer 27

I chose to breastfeed my son(now two months old) and will continue to until he is a year old..But with my daughter when I had her I was still in school and only breastfeed for a week until I returned to school..With my schedual it made it almost impossible to continue breastfeeding..I tried pumping but my milk wasnt in enough to pump so I was only able to pump 1 ounce(I had a really bad pump I think)..So i finally decided that formula would be the best for y situation...With my son I had my year maternity lesave so I will continue to breastfeed...But i think reasons that that people may choose not to is for conveniance..

Answer 28

To give a purpose and life's meaning to the "superior" mothers that do everything right.

Breastfeeding may be all natural and the way our bodies were meant to nourish infants, but our bodies weren't designed to drive cars, sit at desks, and type on these computers either.  Sometimes it's less stressful for the mom, and formula is an acceptable substitute.  I supplemented my daughter and stopped seriously considering defenestration when I got more than 30 minutes of continuous sleep.

Many of us were raised on formula and turned out fine.  Really, either method is fine.  Whatever works for your family.

Answer 29

my sister breastfed for 3 weeks, then had a job offer (cleaning mobile homes from the factory) that she felt she had to take so she started bottle feeding her son. she was told the job would be harmful to her milk b/c she would be breathing in heavy fumes....she ended up not taking the job and her milk didn't dry up until over a yr later, but she chose to just stick with bottles/ formula...not sure why...i guess b/c they had a routine she didn't want to change it again.

my mother was told she couldn't breastfeed b/c she had cancer and she would never have "good milk" again

my MIL chose not to breastfeed b/c she went to work right away...the breast-pumps 27+ yrs ago were not that great i can imagine...

Renee S - have you thought of trying to breastfeed now? how old is your baby? this is not a judgemental question. i could've very well been in your shoes if i didn't have the support from friends and my birth class. i just want you to know that with some work, it still may be possible to nurse your LO...good luck if you decide to.

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