Breast vs. Bottle

Reading a new-mom friend's blog about breast feeding and the stress it induced for her and her newborn, reminded me of the stress I felt almost 22 years ago as I grappled with the breast vs. bottle decision.

Of course, everything I was reading was telling me that if I didn't breast feed, I'd be doing my precious baby a grave dis-service. But, I just couldn't bring myself to go that route because of circumstances that had completely turned me off to breast feeding when I was a teenager. (I think it best not to expand on that at this moment.) At any rate, from the time I found out I was pregnant, I agonized over the fact that I just wasn't comfortable with breast feeding. I was sure I was a terrible mom even before my baby had even been born.

At each doctor visit, I was asked for my decision and, for 7 months, I wouldn't admit to the doctor that I was going to bottle feed. I just knew that if I made that admission I'd get a long lecture about how I'd do my poor little unsuspecting baby life long damage.

Finally, in my 8th month, I 'fessed up and told them I'd be bottle feeding. How incredibly relieved was I when the doctor's only response was, "Okay, then this is the formula you want to use." Omigosh! Had I known it would be that easy, I'd have told them my very first visit and saved all those stressful months. Probably would've been better off for my unborn baby as well. A stressed out mom-to-be isn't a good thing, either, right?

Fortunately, both my baby girls were extremely healthy as bottle fed babies and, as far as I can see 21 and almost 17 years down the road, I didn't do them life long damage.

I was able to have a true bonding experience with them as I fed them; holding them close, talking to them and loving them while they drank from their bottles. And, isn't love what it's all about for babies?

I learned to go with my gut sometimes (most times?) and things will work out for the best. My babies benefitted from having a (somewhat) relaxed mommy instead of an uptight one dealing with a feeding option that just wasn't right for us.


Go with your gut, too. Especially if it's going to help you have a

Stress FREE day!