“Are you going to breastfeed?” was a question I got all the time while I was pregnant, and it was something I thought about often. If you’re in this boat, here are some pros and cons of exclusively breastfeeding to help you decide if it’s right for you!
When it comes to feeding your newborn baby, there are a few routes you can go.
You can bottle feed with formula. You can pump and bottle feed with breast milk. Or you can breastfeed straight from the breast. Honestly, you can do a mix of all these routes if you wanted to and/or needed to!
The great thing is that it’s your choice, and you can always change your mind if something is not working for you or for your baby.
From the moment my baby was born, I have personally chosen to breastfeed, and I have been continuing to do so ever since.
Based on stories I had heard from other moms, I was sure I would only breastfeed until my baby started to get teeth. Because, you know, OUCH!
But 11 months in and 6 teeth later, we are still going strong!
(Note that “strong” does not mean the same thing as “easy”. Exclusively breastfeeding is NOT always easy. Especially in the beginning and especially as a first time nursing mother. I have had my fair share of ups and downs, but I’ve pushed through, and it’s become easier as time has passed. Now it’s second nature, and has become something I look forward to (most of the time), and I am happy that I didn’t give up.)
Although exclusively breastfeeding is my preferred method, I have needed to pump for certain situations, like:
If my husband and I have a planned date night, then I make sure I pump milk for the babysitter. The times when my breasts are painfully full of milk, and my baby isn’t hungry, then I pump. If I have an infection, like mastitis, I pump. If I’m sick and my husband needs to help with feeding the baby, I’ll pump.
I pumped more in the beginning of my breastfeeding journey while my body was figuring out how much milk it needed to produce, and now I only do it on occasion. Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience with giving formula to my baby at this time, but I have 11 months of experience with exclusively breastfeeding!
So, if you are curious about breastfeeding, and trying to make a decision on whether or not you want to do it with your baby, here’s some pros and cons that I have come across in my experience so far with having one baby.
This post is all about exclusively breastfeeding, and whether it is right for you.
Exclusively Breastfeeding: Is It Right For You?
Whether or not to breastfeed can feel like a really big decision. One of the best things you can do is to look at the pros and cons, which can help you visualize if breastfeeding is a good fit for you and your baby. And honestly, you may not really know until you try it out yourself. In the meantime, a list, like the one below, is a good place to start.
PROS
The bond <3:
This is a little difficult to explain. You are going to have a bond with your baby already simply because, well, they’re your baby. As their mother, you carried them in your womb for 9 months! You felt them. They felt you. They listened to your voice and moved with you. So when you give birth to them, they already know you, and a bond has already been created.
Breastfeeding creates an even deeper bond with them outside of your womb. You spend a lot of time with them, holding them close and talking to them, rocking them, singing to them, reading out loud, etc. Your body releases oxytocin, which is a bonding hormone. You may know it as “the love hormone”.
It also creates more opportunities for skin-to-skin contact with your little one, which has amazing benefits for both you and baby.
Something that only You can do:
Breastfeeding is not something that just anyone can do. Only you can do that for my baby, and there’s something about that that just feels special. And your baby knows it also, especially once you have established breastfeeding as the way you want to feed your baby.
They know your scent and know when you are close. They learn that when it’s time to eat, mom is around. And I love when my baby knows that their mom is around for them.
You might hate pumping:
I personally hate pumping. Especially since there are breast pumps that claim to be handsfree, but they never truly are. Maybe it’s just user error, but I always find myself needing to hold them to some degree. And if I do manage to get it situated correctly, I have to sit still, otherwise my movements will move the pump or I’ll lose the suction.
So honestly, I would rather not pump, and just breastfeed, because when I am breastfeeding, at least I am spending time with my baby instead of a machine. However, like I mentioned above, there are reasons to have a pump. I just prefer not to use it if I don’t have to. You might feel the same.
No prep:
Besides putting on a cover if you are in public and want some privacy, you don’t have to get anything ready for breastfeeding. You don’t have to put a bottle together and warm up the frozen milk, or get out your breast pump and pump first. You can just whip out your boob and they go to town 😂 Easy-peezy.
It doesn’t cost any money:
Breastfeeding is free! Your body makes it for you, so you don’t have to buy it! It’s amazing! People usually spend at least $100 on formula per month, depending on the brand and how much their baby eats.
I’m sure we would have spent a few hundred dollars on formula every month with the way my baby eats! However, my husband and I decided that if I stuck to exclusively breastfeeding, that extra money could be better spent elsewhere or saved.
No clean up/Can save time:
Because there is no prep when it comes to breastfeeding, that saves you the time you would have spent getting a bottle ready or cleaning the breast pump. Anything that requires less clean-up is a plus for any mom!
Best nutrition for your baby:
Your body makes breast milk that perfectly matches your baby and their needs. The saliva from your baby communicates with your body and tells you what your baby needs every time your baby breast feeds. Although formula does the job, it’s not the same as breastmilk.
health benefits and antibodies:
You give your baby antibodies through your breast milk, so they can better fight off infections and any bacteria they come in contact with. How cool is that?
Oxytocin high:
Again, breastfeeding releases oxytocin, that “bonding hormone”, leaving you and your baby on a happy, loving, oxytocin high.
Creates good milk production because of babies suction:
A baby who breastfeeds does a much better job at helping your body produce breast milk. A breast pump tries to mimic a baby, but the suction of the pump is not as efficient as a baby sucking.
Gets easier:
Breastfeeding is difficult in the beginning, but it gets easier as you get used to it. You and your baby will fall into a routine and pretty soon you won’t even think about it anymore!
Convenient:
Breastfeeding, once you get past the hardships in the beginning, can be so convenient and easy.
Comforting:
Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to comfort your little one, reducing anxiety, discomfort, and fear. And I’ll be honest, I feel like my baby comforts me whenever I breastfeed. Sometimes I even need that extra little human cuddle.
CONS
Although there are many pros, there are also disadvantages of exclusively breastfeeding.
Something only I can do:
I know this is included as a positive part of exclusively breastfeeding, but it can also be a negative. Because it’s only something I can do, it feels like help is not existent at times.
Although breastfeeding can save prep time and cleaning time, it can take a lot of your personal time since you are the one breastfeeding. It can feel like you never get a break.
Sometimes dad’s wish they could feed the little one. Dad’s can develop a little fomo (fear of missing out) and baby’s can miss out on time with dad. It’s important to think of other ways for dad to spend time with them.
Lack of sleep:
If you are exclusively breastfeeding, that means that you are the one who has to get up every. Single. Time. your baby wakes up during the night. I have never been so tired in my life!
Date nights can be difficult/lack of flexibility:
Date nights can be very tricky. Before solids are introduced into your baby’s diet, and they are relying on breast milk as their main source of food, breastfeeding can get in the way.
We have gotten so many calls from our parents, who were babysitting for us, because our baby was not taking a bottle of breast milk and wouldn’t stop crying. We have had to cut our date nights short, so we can go home to take care of him.
You can always take your baby with you on your date nights, but it limits the activities that you can do with your hunny. This lack of flexibility isn’t ideal either.
So, we have definitely had quickie date nights and we have had to get pretty creative!
Baby impatience since he doesn’t have to wait:
I don’t know if this is a personality trait or a learned behavior… But my baby is so impatient when it comes to needing milk! And I have to wonder if it’s because breast milk is so readily available with breastfeeding, he hasn’t ever needed to wait very long to satisfy his craving. So as soon as he needs food, he is literally screaming. He goes from 0-10 with the snap of a finger. And it’s awful 😂
But, like I said, it might just be his personality, so I’m not sure if it’s a true con to breastfeeding. I have only had one baby, so I have nothing to compare him to. Has anyone else experienced this with their little one? 😛
It’s not always easy:
Breastfeeding is hard! Especially in the beginning stages as a first time mom, when you and baby are trying to figure it out and your body isn’t sure what’s happening. It can be so painful when your breasts get too full and literally feel like little rocks. Your nipples can get chapped and they can bleed. There are chances of infections, like mastitis, (which is the reason why I wanted to quit breastfeeding).
Leaky boobs (in the beginning especially):
Wow. The leaky boobs are real. They just spray wherever they please! Sex is already a fun, messy ordeal, but adding milk to the mix makes everything a little more exciting 😉 And I can not tell you how many times I have put on an outfit, just to change it 10 minutes later because a milky circle decided to make itself known on the front of my shirt.
Limited on clothes:
Speaking of clothes, finding a comfortable outfit that still looks cute and flirty while also creating easy access to your boobs for breastfeeding can seem impossible at times. Or all the time. If you are anything like me and did not spend much money on breastfeeding friendly clothes, then it feels impossible all the time hahaha!
I miss out:
I miss out on quite a few things with friends and family. There have been many times that I sit down to eat at a family gathering, and my baby decides that he is hungry too. Because I feel a little awkward breastfeeding in front of people, I excuse myself from the room. By the time I come back, everyone is done eating and has moved on to other activities. This happens with meals, with games, with activities, with conversations. With everything, really. Although I am connecting with my baby, it makes me feel disconnected from others.
Getting things done and doing hobbies of my own also get interrupted with breastfeeding, which can be a hard reality to accept. I still struggle with this sometimes, because I am a goal setter and a list maker. I feel like I don’t get as much crossed off my list because I have to take so many breaks to breastfeed my baby.
It’s been easier as he’s gotten older, because he can go longer periods of time without being fed. But it was hard for the first 6-8 months to give myself grace for not being as productive as I wanted to be. I had to remind myself often that I was freaking keeping a little human alive and happy! That’s a really great goal to accomplish every day 😉
I don’t know how much my baby is eating:
Not knowing how much my baby was eating was never a huge concern for me because my baby continued to gain healthy weight. However, I have definitely been curious as to how much he was eating, and I also know that not knowing the amount can be concerning for other parents.
Potential food/drink/medication restrictions:
When you exclusively breastfeed, your baby basically gets leftovers from whatever you eat. Some babies can be sensitive to a food you might be consuming, like dairy products, wheat products, eggs, etc. This means that you need to eliminate it from your diet so that your baby can continue breastfeeding without any issues. And sometimes that sucks! Going without your morning chocolate milk can be a big bummer!
There are also limits on your intake of alcohol, caffeine, and medications. Traces of these products end up in your breastmilk, and then your baby ingests them.
Some people are not willing to give up certain foods, drinks, or medications, and they don’t want these restrictions that are tied to breastfeeding.
I don’t always feel like myself:
When you choose to breastfeed, your hormones can still be imbalanced. Not to mention you just feel like a mighty milk machine. I’m sad to admit that I don’t always feel like myself. I know some women who stop breastfeeding early, just so they can get back to feeling normal.
One boob is usually bigger than the other:
I try to even out my boobs and have my baby eat from each of them equally, but one boob always ends up a little bigger than the other. Because I am a perfectionist and a little OCD, this drives me crazy hah!
Let’s wrap this up:
Breastfeeding isn’t just physical, but also mental and emotional. The infections are a nightmare, and the way my baby would scratch and pinch me was enough to leave marks on my skin. The nights that I’m simply so exhausted from waking up so much that I just feed my baby and cry are too many to count. The times I have thought about giving up are more than you may think.
But…
There’s nothing like feeling frustrated while breastfeeding, and then a little hand reaches up and gently touches your face. There’s nothing like being absolutely tired, and then looking down at your little one who is staring back at you with wide eyes, not just looking at you, but seeing you. There’s nothing like feeling like you want to run away to the coast, alone, and never look back, just to find that your baby is smiling at you in between gulps, and maybe they even giggle a bit. There’s nothing like watching them fall asleep while eating, skin to skin, looking so peaceful with their wispy eyelashes and suckling lips.
Sigh. I melt every time I breastfeed my little boy.
Well, almost every time 😉
I know breastfeeding is not for everyone, but it’s been so worth it for me. I would recommend it to any mom, even though it is incredibly hard. Despite all of the cons, the experience of breastfeeding my little human has been absolutely incredible and absolutely endearing.
I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Let me know- does exclusively breastfeeding sound appealing to you at all, or would you rather hop on a different train? 😉
This post was all about the pros and cons of exclusively breastfeeding.
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