Should I breastfeed or bottle feed?

I enjoyed breastfeeding my two boys. Breastfeeding can be all-consuming at the start while you and your baby are learning together, but once you get the hang of things it seems easier than bottle feeding to me.

First there is the practical side of things. You don't have to sterilize anything, take bottles with you, think about how long you will be away from home etc. As long as you are there, baby has everything they need to eat and drink. This was very important to me because I've always been somewhat impulsive, and not a great planner. Plus you can feed your baby the moment you want to... no waiting around for bottles to cool while baby cries. And do I even need to mention the cost of formula? 

I also like the way that breastfeeding encourages you to trust your baby. Its hard to do at first as you are learning to read the way your baby communicates, but since you are not measuring you HAVE to go by how your baby seems and the signals that they are giving you. And best of all (for me) you don't have to follow a particular routine, or analyse what your baby needs next, because the breast meets almost all their needs. Hungry, thirsty, tired: it doesn't really matter. You give them the breast and they either perk up or fall asleep. And if they only drink three sips, nothing is wasted.

At the end of the day, babies LOVE to breastfeed and the breast is such a powerful tool for parenting. I have a huge respect for all those mums (not to mention the dads) who care for their babies without it, whether out of choice or necessity! Please don't call your choices selfish!

Are there any downsides of breastfeeding? Well you do tend to be glued to your baby, which is both a blessing and a curse. There is still plenty of chance for your partner and family to be involved, but if your baby doesn't take a bottle you may not feel able to leave your baby completely for more than an hour or two at a time. Of course many mums don't want to anyway, regardless of how they feed. 

Some women feel uncomfortable about breastfeeding in public. It certainly takes a bit of getting used to, but it is much easier is you make friends with other mums, so that you can stick together the first few times.

You might think that you would get more sleep bottle feeding, but studies show that breastfeeding and bottle feeding mums are equally well rested (or should I say poorly rested!). Although breastfeed babies wake more often, they fall asleep again more quickly because they don't have to get up to make bottles and because breastfeeding releases hormones which make baby AND MUM sleepy. Breastfeeding mums who choose to cosleep get the most sleep of all, because they can feed lying down and even fall asleep during the feed. (And the evidence now suggests that sharing a bed can be safe for most babies with a few precautions.)

Breastfeeding hormones seem to have some effect on me, beyond making milk, which could be seen as a positive or negative: they seemed to make me a bit more patient and confident and content... more "motherly" I guess(?), but I also have less get up and go. Breastfeeding can also affect your libido -- giving birth and caring for a newborn tends to anyway, but if you are breastfeeding this might continue for longer. It seems to vary a lot from woman to woman. On the positive side it can suppress your monthly cycle for months, or even years, and can even be a pretty good contraceptive. Do your homework on this if your interested, I don't want to be held responsible for any surprise siblings!!!

If you decide to breastfeed, its a good idea to get informed beforehand and find out where to get local support after your baby is born to improve your chances of breastfeeding successfully. In the UK, look out for Baby Cafes and La Leche League groups