# Do you tell moms breastfeeding is easier than formula feeding?



## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

I don't know if I've ever had ths conversation. Maybe, but if so probably at a La Leche League meeting or something, so with people who would agree with me. And I've never used formula so it would be an uneducated opinion based on what it looks like to me from one side of it. It feels like breastfeeding is easier because I don't have to clean bottles.

Have you ever told anyone this?


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## MeepyCat (Oct 11, 2006)

I can't recall ever having had this conversation, but straight up "breastfeeding is easier than formula feeding" is not what I'd say. The truth is just more complicated: For me, breastfeeding was easier then dealing with formula, once I managed to shed the hospital lactation consultant 's terrible advice, and as long as I was home with a full-term infant. I had a wretched case of oversupply, which was tough to figure out how to manage, and I went back to school when ds was very young, so he went to daycare and I pumped, which took up big chunks of time (my B-school classmates barely knew me), and generated at least as much washing up as formula. Dd was a preemie who couldn't nurse when she was first born, so I did more pumping, and then she needed supplemental calories, and I couldn't be at the hospital enough to do all feeds from the breast, so I kept on pumping... nursing hrr straight from the breast was pretty simple, for us, but I know plenty of people who had trouble for one reason or another. My ability to tolerate the breast pump ran out when dd was 7 months old - I had these awful crying jags every pumping session - and at that point, formula was a godsend. Combination feeding let me keep my emotional grip, and we kept nursing when we were together until she pretty much self weaned at 13 months.

It's complicated, and you have to do what's right for you.


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## Fitgirl11 (Feb 14, 2013)

I have had this conversation before. Although I've had many an issue breastfeeding, I do think it's easier and def more convenient than formula feeding. I work at a hospital where I have to prepare formula for NICU babies and its a real pain. I also have a girlfriend who formula feeds (person I have had this conversation with). She has to schedule and calculate and monitor and try different formulas, get up and clean/sanitize bottles, etc. She also has to make sure she packs enough formula and needs carry all of it on top of all the other babybag items when she leaves the house. It just seems like such a nuiscence. For me, even though I struggled with latch issues, sore cracked nipples for 6 weeks, painful engorged breasts and over supply, I still find breastfeeding more convenient and easier than dealing with formula. When I leave the house all I need to worry about are diapers. I don't have to sanitize and I don't have to schedule because I can feed on demand. For my friend's formula fed baby, sometimes she needs to put off feeding when the baby is crying, just to keep her on the schedule and not over feed her. I feel like although there are issues with breastfeeding, overall it's kept my life easier.


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

In my experience breastfeeding has been great in the long term, but I suspect formula would have been easier in the first 2 months. I can get help cleaning bottles, but I'm the only one producing breastmilk. Plus, I had to pump to get supply up, so there was plenty to wash.


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## Jennyanydots (Sep 8, 2011)

Yes, I would say that breastfeeding is easier for the aforementioned reasons, barring complications and after you get established, and I may have said that in the past. One thing I've also said is that I was totally unprepared for how painful and difficult it can be when you're getting started with a new baby. I felt completely let down (ha, no pun intended) by all the advice I got from books and lactation consultants that basically told me if there was pain I was doing it wrong and it should be blissful and relaxing. After nursing three children my experience is that it is challenging at the outset, and I could see a new mom giving up on bf if she didn't know to expect some difficulty.


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## Ayame (Mar 20, 2013)

Well, I know I am in the minority, but I have chronic low supply/possible IGT, and breastfeeding is NOT easy. I have never been able to ebf and honestly straight formula feeding would be easier than everything I've done to work on my supply to keep BFing plus supplementing with bottles. With that said I absolutely feel that it's worth the effort, but I get annoyed when I hear the standard BFing is easier/cheaper arguments.


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## McGucks (Nov 27, 2010)

I do not tell moms much of anything. Unsolicited advice is not my thing.

I think whether it is "easier" is wholly subjective. Other adjectives might be applicable, but "easier" is a tough one.

Parts of nursing were painful, embarrassing, challenging, and just kind of weird. Parts of it were and are wonderful, empowering, and precious.

I was and am fortunate to have a supportive husband, no supply issues, a fantastic LLL group, and wonderful lactation consultants in the hospital.


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## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

Nursing can be easier, but not always.

With ds1, it was very difficult for the first 6 mos or so. After that it was a breeze. With ds2, it was easy from the start.


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## katelove (Apr 28, 2009)

If someone asked, I would tell them that I found it easier but I wouldn't just randomly tell another mother that.


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## sassyfirechick (Jan 21, 2012)

If asked I've always just said what a positive experience it's been for me. And I've always joked that there's no need to "pack" food for a baby when I carry it on me 24/7 ;-) Definitely made for one less thing to worry about bringing with us places. Had I stayed with my previous job once my maternity ended I can say with 100% certainty I wouldn't have made it this far and still be going at 20mos bc they just were not a family oriented place with a chaotic shedule subject to change at any minute - being out in a car all day doesn't lend itself to easy pumping either. So we're lucky DH does what he does for work and have made it work with me only doing part time.


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## Katie8681 (Dec 29, 2010)

I say that FOR ME the first 3 weeks were really difficult and painful but after that it has been, for the most part, really wonderful. I refuse to sugarcoat how hard it was starting out though! It hurt like hell!


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## mamapigeon (Dec 16, 2010)

DS never had formula, so I honestly don't know how easy or difficult formula feeding is. If someone was interested though, I would share that breastfeeding was not much of a big deal, easier than I thought it would be. It's been easy enough that I'm still nursing him at 26 months and want to do tandem nursing!


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## MissElliephant (Jul 11, 2013)

For us, formula would have been easier, but not as rewarding.

With IGT, I've dealt with chronic low supply from the get-go. DD also had a posterior tongue tie, which made the first few months really rough. Our breastfeeding relationship included nursing, pumping, bottle feeding, herbs, acupuncture, prescription drugs, blahblahblah.

I imagine that with a full supply, BFing would be a LOT easier- no bottles to sterilize! For those moms who pump, though, BFing is probably more time consuming than FF.


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## KistheMum (Apr 20, 2010)

In my experience so far I would say it has been easier... BUT... I had crappy lactation consultant after birth, and small cracks that were excrutiating considering how tiny they were. I had tried laying out topless and putting lanolin on in advance and all this stuff to supposedly help toughen them up beforehand, but none of it worked and the lanolin certainly didn't work afterwards. I would cry and cry while she nursed. What ended up healing my nipples was my own breastmilk. Around 7 weeks, they leaked after I got out of the shower and I was busy running around with a wet shirt for a bit, and realised all of the sudden they didn't hurt. After that I would deliberately leave the milk whenever I had a leak. I was at home, so it was no big deal. Within a week and a half or so they were fine and I never had another crack.

I used to joke that before birth, I intended to breastfeed for one year. After birth, I hoped to breastfeed the next feeding, then the next day, then the next week... Until the big healing around 7-8 weeks. Then at 11 months, I hoped to make it one more month, then we just kept going. I saw various stuff that recommended 2 years so I just said if we make it okay, if we don't okay. She ended up self-weaning after more than 3 1/2 years... 1,337 days to be specific. Which I fully intend to never let her forget. <insert evil cackle here>

With this baby, I expect to sweat it a lot less and intend to self-wean whenever it works out, but hopefully not longer than it took the first one.

The one thing I would want to point out as nicely as possible is that doing what's best for your child's health and life-long well-being is not necessarily about what is easy. For people who are blessed to be able to provide their children with breastmilk I couldn't relate to saying, "Eh, formula seems easier. Let's do that." It probably happens. I just can't relate to it myself. There are women who have oversupply who donate and sell breastmilk so formula isn't the only alternative if someone can't breastfeed themselves. It's a consideration.


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## kittywitty (Jul 5, 2005)

Yes. Usually. I have both ff for medical reasons and bf. Bf is by far easier, even with thrush, lip ties, colic, and food allergy issues. To me, at least. FF was hard. There was just as much picking out the right formula that didn't make ds vomit like crazy, washing, preparing and feeding bottles, the worse bowel issues and sickness, finding old bottles...did I mention waking up in the middle of the night to make bottles? Most of my life was this:







I've had numerous bf struggles, but none equaled that of ff.


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## LoveChild421 (Sep 10, 2004)

If a friend of mine and I are discussing it, I will mention how I never had to get up during the night with my babies because they slept in the bed with me and all I had to do was roll over, lift my t-shirt and latch them on, no getting up to get a bottle, or give the baby the bottle. I tell them how I never had to worry about planning (which I'm terrible at) whenever we were going to go somewhere because there is no need to figure out how many bottles to take, etc when you always have your breasts with you  I tell them how non-stinky exclusively breastfed babies poopy diapers are. There are many perks people just don't talk about, but I think more moms should because there are certainly a lot of people out there saying how "time-consuming" and "hard" nursing is, its nice to present an alternative experience. I loved nursing and would hate for anyone to not even give it a good go because they think its hard.


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## Banana731 (Aug 4, 2006)

I think once breastfeeding is well established it is unquestionably easier. But not everyone gets to that place, for one reason or another. Not everyone gets to stay home with their infants, that makes it complicated too.

But I think, as a few have previously stated, that focusing on what's easiest is not the best way to frame the conversation. There are trade-offs in that department. Even if a mom has to go to a lot of extra effort to breastfeed compared to her peers, she may because in her mind that is still easier than dealing with the increased likelyhood illness and allergy that come with formula feeding. ease is relative.


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## MichelleZB (Nov 1, 2011)

Breastfeeding is quite easy--you just pop the kid on the boob. The food is premixed, prewarmed, and its receptacle is always clean. It's super cheap and nutritionally perfect, and it's impossible to overfeed them because their hunger pangs are calibrated to breastmilk. They cry, you feed them: no counting ounces, no looking at the clock, nothing. The first six months before solids, I never had to worry once about what he was eating, not once. And yes, I did tell other parents it was easy.

I feel like all parents hear is how hard it is these days. That's all I heard.


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## Alenushka (Jul 27, 2002)

No. I prefer not to lie to anyone.

I say that pro and cons to everything. The first six weeks of BF were hell for me and if I did not have a good supply, I would have quit . Other than supply I had every problem imaginable.

Breastfeeding is harder if one work and really hard if one travels. I had an awesome pump but still, it was a pain. If I had job that required me to travel for 1-2-3-4 weeks, I would not be BF.

On other hand, once we got hang of it , it was easier I think because I did not have to shop for formula or warm up bottles at night.


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## McGucks (Nov 27, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MichelleZB*
> 
> Breastfeeding is quite easy--you just pop the kid on the boob. The food is premixed, prewarmed, and its receptacle is always clean. It's super cheap and nutritionally perfect, and it's impossible to overfeed them because their hunger pangs are calibrated to breastmilk. They cry, you feed them: no counting ounces, no looking at the clock, nothing. The first six months before solids, I never had to worry once about what he was eating, not once. And yes, I did tell other parents it was easy.
> 
> I feel like all parents hear is how hard it is these days. That's all I heard.


Count your blessings, mama. It is not like that for everybody. I am truly glad that was your experience, though.

I did LOVE the never worrying about what my guy ate, though...but I was lucky to have good supply, a husband who was out of work and made his job to be bringing me water and healthy food and snacks, and being grateful to me for taking such good care of our son.


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## MeepyCat (Oct 11, 2006)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *KistheMum* 


> There are women who have oversupply who donate and sell breastmilk so formula isn't the only alternative if someone can't breastfeed themselves. It's a consideration.


I've been one of those women, but this isn't a consideration I will randomly hand out to women who are finding breastfeeding challenging.

Milk from milk banks is generally limited in availability to babies with special medical needs, and only available by prescription, which you won't get unless there are special medical needs, because the supply isn't great. Depending on your insurance, you're likely to have to pay for it as well, and the last time I heard a quote (~7 years ago) it was $3/ounce - that's more then my entire family grocery budget.

There are some donors who will trade for cheap - I donated my milk and asked nothing but storage bags in exchange. However:

- The reason I wasn't giving to a milk bank was that I couldn't meet their standards. I'm on anti-depressants, and I lived in the UK during mad cow. If you're concerned about pasteurization or impurities, you probably want to stick with the milk bank.

- The reason I was donating AT ALL was that I had massive oversupply that never entirely resolved. I was pumping 16-20 ounces twice a day until my son was a year old, and he reverse cycled in daycare and did most of his eating at night. End result? I was putting 27-35 ounces of breastmilk into my freezer every day. The problem was slightly better with my DD (NICU baby, I stayed home longer), she ate about 40-50% of the pumped output from 4 10-12 ounce pumping sessions per day. The people who took my donor milk got a *lot* of foremilk, because I saved the better blended bottles preferentially for my own kid. Foremilk/hindmilk imbalance causes foamy diarrhea in newborns, and foremilk is way lower in calories. (I did warn them. An all foremilk bottle is very watery, almost light green in color. I can tell when I pump it, but not when I freeze.)

- It may take multiple donors to get enough milk to feed your baby, and those donors are likely to have different diets, some of which may cause problems. Plus: extra errands.

- The people I gave milk to drove up to 50 miles each way to come to my house at my convenience and get breast milk. You probably need a car, and you have to be able to match the donor's schedule. Especially if you need multiple donors, this is a major logistical undertaking.

- Some people do find the whole notion creepy, and you have to be sensitive to that.

If breastmilk is *really* important to you, and you can find a source that you're comfortable with and can get to, donor milk is an option. In any other circumstance, combination feeding or straight-up formula may be preferable. When I needed to stop pumping for DD, I chose formula, despite knowing that donor milk was available, and how to find it. And honestly? Formula while I worked and nursing at home was amazingly easy for us. (I wished I'd been able to do it with DS, because it would have meant a ton to my career to not spend so much time locked in a closet, pumping milk my baby was largely not even going to drink, just to avoid leaking and pain.)

Unless someone has expressed an interest in donor milk, or has a particular special need, I just don't make that as a recommendation.


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## Ayame (Mar 20, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MichelleZB*
> 
> Breastfeeding is quite easy--you just pop the kid on the boob. The food is premixed, prewarmed, and its receptacle is always clean. It's super cheap and nutritionally perfect, and it's impossible to overfeed them because their hunger pangs are calibrated to breastmilk. They cry, you feed them: no counting ounces, no looking at the clock, nothing. The first six months before solids, I never had to worry once about what he was eating, not once. And yes, I did tell other parents it was easy.
> 
> I feel like all parents hear is how hard it is these days. That's all I heard.


You really should have said, "Breastfeeding is quite easy for me..." Breastfeeding is easy for some people but it's not a general truth for everyone. It was not and is not easy for me but I am doing it anyway because it's worth it.


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## Taximom5 (Jan 6, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MichelleZB*
> 
> Breastfeeding is quite easy--you just pop the kid on the boob. The food is premixed, prewarmed, and its receptacle is always clean. It's super cheap and nutritionally perfect, and it's impossible to overfeed them because their hunger pangs are calibrated to breastmilk. They cry, you feed them: no counting ounces, no looking at the clock, nothing. The first six months before solids, I never had to worry once about what he was eating, not once. And yes, I did tell other parents it was easy.
> 
> I feel like all parents hear is how hard it is these days. That's all I heard.


This is true--when everything is working the way it should be working.

But "popping the kid on the boob" does not always result in baby latching on correctly, and for some women, even when baby latches on, there might not be milk. There might be medical reasons--low thyroid, dehydration, exhaustion, depression, probably many other things. In my case, I had had pre-eclampsia and was on magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures until baby was born. Magnesium sulfate inhibits milk production. My colostrum didn't come in until day 5. I pumped with a hospital pump, every 3 hours around the clock, and got nothing, not a drop, until the colostrum came in on day 5.

Many of us have mothers and aunts who know absolutely nothing about breastfeeding, and who were unable to help or guide us. And certainly, none of my doctors knew a thing about breastfeeding.

I was very grateful that formula was available for those first 5 days.

Yes, preparing the formula, cleaning the bottles, making sure I got to the store to buy the damn formula, was a pain in the butt. Doubly so when you figure that I tried to nurse the baby before each bottle-feeding, and then pumped after each one. It was a nightmare.

When my colustrum did come in, I stopped all formula. When my milk came in, I literally threw away the bottles and formula, and never looked back. And yes, once the milk came in and baby latched on, IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER THAN FORMULA.

Especially when going out of the house with the baby--nothing to pack but diapers, wipes, and extra clothes.

An often-overlooked aspect is that of how breastfed babies are generally healthier than formula-fed ones. My babies were the only breastfed ones at their daycare center--and they were the only ones who didn't miss weeks at a time because of the viruses going around the baby room. My babies either didn't get them at all, or were completely well in 24 hours, and, yes, I credit the fact that they were breastfed for this. They were certainly exposed to exactly the same viruses as all the other babies.

So that's another aspect of how much easier things can be when you breastfeed instead of feeding formula.

But the getting started part--that can be very difficult without support. So I strongly suggest finding a good support system. In my case, the La Leche League was fabulous. But I've heard stories of LL moms who were bossy and insensitive rather than supportive. I guess any organization can have people who set a bad example for everyone...


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## MichelleZB (Nov 1, 2011)

I kind of think people are talking about two things:

1) Establishing breastfeeding, which can be tricky for many; and

2) Daily normal breastfeeding, which is usually fairly easy for most as long as they are with their babies a good portion of the time.


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## michelleepotter (Apr 8, 2013)

I'd say that uncomplicated breastfeeding is easier than uncomplicated bottle feeding, and I was lucky that I never had any complications, even from the beginning. But I wouldn't want to make any new mom think that if she does have complications, then it's abnormal, or she's not meant to breastfeed or something and give up. Life isn't always easy, and sometimes the difficult parts are worth it.

Although I did really enjoy never having to get up with a baby in the middle of the night, because all I had to do was roll over and stick a boob in their mouth. I sleep better with a newborn than I do the whole last trimester of pregnancy.


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## butterscotch38 (Jul 16, 2013)

Oh my goodness. I breastfed my first child for 18 months, with much pain the first four months (undiagnosed ductal infection). And now I'm nursing baby #2...we've made it 6 months so far. All of my friends with babies nurse their children. But can I just confess something? I LOATHE nursing most of the time. I hate having my nipples out all the time. Even though I'm not having any pain this time around, I still hate it. I hate the way she pulls at my nipple to get le them to let down. I hate the way she smacks me in the face and pinches my lips when she's eating. I especially hate the indecisive writhing around when she's tired. We try to side nurse and she fusses too much, so I have to get up and sit with Boppy in the wee hours. And I hate how I can never go anywhere and recharge because once I pump milk, it's used that day....I can't seem to get ahead of it. So last week we bought the much dreaded formula to supplement, and we've used it twice. I actually went out alone for six hours! My God! The joy! Not having to rely on frantic pumping marathons is nice. ...and not just nice, but this new recourse we have might enable me not too feel so much resentment and bodily loathing. The fact that so many talk about bfing like it's this gloriously easy, blissful, super natural experience makes it hard for those of us who have issues to feel normal. Maybe it's because I have sexual assault in my past, but I really just can't stand my girl tugging at me. Surely I'm not the only bfing mama not to feel rainbows and unicorns!


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## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

Breastfeeding is more 'no fuss' but after BF straight for 7 years I can safely say that Formula requires less of 'yourself'. It is not easy to have a LO in your mix all the time. Also FF is over by a year, typically, and tho BF has saved me some cooking in the second year, it has the potential to go on for MUCH longer.

I am super proud of my BF career & grateful for each & every health benefit (to BOTH me & my sons) but I had to invest a lot of myself/my life to get those.

(And I am not even someone who struggled with any lactation issues whatsoever).


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## greenkri (Jun 10, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butterscotch38*
> 
> Oh my goodness. I breastfed my first child for 18 months, with much pain the first four months (undiagnosed ductal infection). And now I'm nursing baby #2...we've made it 6 months so far. All of my friends with babies nurse their children. But can I just confess something? I LOATHE nursing most of the time. I hate having my nipples out all the time. Even though I'm not having any pain this time around, I still hate it. I hate the way she pulls at my nipple to get le them to let down. I hate the way she smacks me in the face and pinches my lips when she's eating. I especially hate the indecisive writhing around when she's tired. We try to side nurse and she fusses too much, so I have to get up and sit with Boppy in the wee hours. And I hate how I can never go anywhere and recharge because once I pump milk, it's used that day....I can't seem to get ahead of it. So last week we bought the much dreaded formula to supplement, and we've used it twice. I actually went out alone for six hours! My God! The joy! Not having to rely on frantic pumping marathons is nice. ...and not just nice, but this new recourse we have might enable me not too feel so much resentment and bodily loathing. The fact that so many talk about bfing like it's this gloriously easy, blissful, super natural experience makes it hard for those of us who have issues to feel normal. Maybe it's because I have sexual assault in my past, but I really just can't stand my girl tugging at me. Surely I'm not the only bfing mama not to feel rainbows and unicorns!


Having children, and adding breastfeeding to the mix does demand a lot of the mother. I think the fact is that some of us have more or less giving personalities, and some can accept self sacrifice more easily than others. We all have our strengths and weaknesses as human beings and Moms. Self sacrifice isn't one of my strengths, but it is getting easier as the years go by (I find acceptance goes a LONG way). I had some similar frustrations as you especially with my first. She did a LOT of pinching, and it drove me bonkers. Pinching my breasts, pinching my arms. It was painful, and irritating. I think it's reasonable to not tolerate that behavior. Babies can learn. For me it took holding gently her hands down while nursing for a month or so before she started to lessen that behavior. Also, if they're too squirmy and making me go crazy in my head to nurse properly, I'd set them down calmly and try to reset the situation until things are calm. They'll hopefully learn in time that I'm more cooperative when they're calm. Obviously this doesn't work 100%, but it can help lessen the irritations in my experience.

Re pumping/formula, do what you have to do to stay sane. Getting time to yourself is sooo important.

Sometimes we make choices to take care of our children in a way that we feel is important, and sometimes those choices make more work and frustration for us. For me, cloth diapers was one of those things. I've had some tough times, but I don't regret it. Breastfeeding, despite the few challenges I've had, has largely been a positive experience for me. However, I have had days when my second was a toddler still breastfeeding where I couldn't stand the feeling of her being at the breast. I'm sure it was largely influenced by menstrual hormones as my cycle got back on track, but I can't imagine feeling like that all the time. That sure is tough Mama!


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## earthmama4 (Oct 13, 2008)

I have told this to someone because I have done both. I EBF my first 4 and FF my 5th after the first month. I had low supply and he was having blood streaked stool. I was way stressed and needed to simplify to ONE source of food so I could make sure he was ok, growing, etc. Because of low supply, breast only wasn't an option (and I tried hard to get my supply up, it wasn't happenin') So we went to FT Alimentum. It was the right choice for us but it made me very sad for a long time.

What made FF harder for me was how to handle night feedings! I hated getting up to make bottles in the night. Because were were doing a ready to feed formula, it was stored in the fridge so it needed to be heated up. So it took around 10 minutes to get the bottle ready since I was doing it the "right" way in a pan of water on the stove. Problem was, baby was fired up and mad and crying by this point. I hate hearing my babies cry! With BF, its pretty much instant gratification! I really missed that.

It got better when I put DS on (gasp!) a feeding schedule. Bottle warmed and ready before he was crying with hunger, around every 3 hours. Cue feeding just wasn't working. And I let myself use the micro in the middle of the night (another gasp!) It also got easier once DS was sleeping a good stretch at night. Which I must say happened a lot earlier than my BF babies! He also slept better during the day. So for me, a big plus for FF was the fact that DS got enough and was a good sleeper. The predictability made things a lot easier on me as a mom of a large family. It wasn't as much of a plus that others could feed him - it was still usually always me. I didn't find myself delegating that task much. Nor did I leave him with others more just because I was FF. I think maybe twice his whole first year?

I agree with PPs that BF is easier when you have a decent supply and no major issues. When you are dealing with low supply, feeding issues, allergies, sleep problems, etc, it can get really complicated. My FF DS was/is perfectly healthy. None of the things you typically hear about - no GI illnesses, no ear infections, maybe one cold. Some of my EBF babies had near constant ear infections the first year, most had at least one bout of croup, and 2 were hospitalized with GI infection-related dehydration! I did find that a lot of my fears of formula feeding were unfounded. He is just as attached to me as my EBF babies were. Mama is still his world.







I would have no problem using it again if needed.


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## susanmary (Nov 28, 2012)

In my experience ... Breastfeeding is more convenient. More rewarding i believe. But, easier .... No way! It's always much harder to go against a cultural norm. And especially hard physically and emotionally if you have a high needs child in terms of sleep. It's a journey though, that has taught me more about life and parenting than i could have ever understood. It's also strengthened my character enormously.


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## ocelotmom (Jul 29, 2003)

I think telling people breastfeeding is easier without caveat is likely to push them towards quitting if their experience isn't picture perfect.

Breastfeeding is often easier in the long run, and usually worth the effort, but it has more of a learning curve.


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *susanmary*
> 
> It's always much harder to go against a cultural norm.


But breastfeeding is the cultural norm. Most moms try it and about half do it for at least 6 months (http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm). Once they've gotten that far, clearly they don't need others to advise them on breast vs. formula...they've got plenty of personal experience to base future decisions off of. And, once kiddo is past a year, it's no longer a question of formula or breastfeeding, right? It's breastfeeding or not breastfeeding.


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## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

^Naw, from 1-3, it is totally Breastfeeding vs. Sippy Cups & Cow Milk . . .


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## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

It is an opinion matter whether Breastfeeding is the cultural norm in the US, but my firmly held opinion is that it is NOT the cultural norm, as Formula is advertised heavily in ALL parenting/pregnancy magazines and most Mommy boards besides this one.


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dinahx*
> 
> ^Naw, from 1-3, it is totally Breastfeeding vs. Sippy Cups & Cow Milk . . .


Well, yeah, I lost out to sippy cups at about 8 months, so now (11 months) it's breastfeeding at night and his beloved straw cup (http://www.diapers.com/p/munchkin-mighty-grip-flip-straw-cup-10-oz-2-pk-18155?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_term=MC-083&utm_campaign=GooglePLA&CAWELAID=1338637292&utm_content=pla&ca_sku=MC-083&ca_gpa=pla&ca_kw={keyword}) filled with pumped milk during daylight hours, when breastfeeding is WAAAYYYY too boring. Have I mentioned....I HATE pumping!!!

Originally Posted by *dinahx* 

"It is an opinion matter whether Breastfeeding is the cultural norm in the US, but my firmly held opinion is that it is NOT the cultural norm, as Formula is advertised heavily in ALL parenting/pregnancy magazines and most Mommy boards besides this one."

When more than 1/2 the population does it (at an infant age), it seems pretty normal to me, though marketing, TV, etc can surely give us a false perception of such things. For instance, we tend to think drinking, crime, and holding professional occupations (doctor, lawyer) are much more common than they really are just b/c of what we see on TV (http://research3.bus.wisc.edu/file.php/157/papers/television_consumer_reality.pdf). So, could be a question of whether culture drives media or media drives culture, but I try (and often fail, I'm sure!) to base my normative perceptions on what is more than what's propagated.


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## susanmary (Nov 28, 2012)

Hi rktrump, Just to clarify... I'm in Ireland. Very low breastfeeding rate unfortunately. Past 6 months it could be as low as 2-3% I've read. :-( Also a lot of myths and actually anti-breastfeeding attitudes if you nurse beyond 1 year. It's so sad and very isolating. :-(


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *susanmary*
> 
> Hi rktrump, Just to clarify... I'm in Ireland. Very low breastfeeding rate unfortunately. Past 6 months it could be as low as 2-3% I've read. :-( Also a lot of myths and actually anti-breastfeeding attitudes if you nurse beyond 1 year. It's so sad and very isolating. :-(


Wow 2-3%! Certainly not the norm. That is such a shame, and so hard to understand. How can so many people believe mother nature got it so wrong?

I sure am glad there are websites like this, and hope that helps with the isolation at least a bit.


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## MichelleZB (Nov 1, 2011)

Whether breastfeeding is the cultural norm or not depends on what your culture is! And that doesn't even mean what country you're in, because people move in different circles. Most of my friends breastfed, both my mother and my husband's mother breastfed all of their children, and nobody ever said boo to me about breastfeeding. It was, therefore, not an uphill battle for me, culturally.

Most of my coworkers are breastfeeding, even. I was talking to a co-worker with kids the other day, and they were having a tough time because his wife was weaning their two-year-old. It is certainly the norm in *my* culture. It may not be in others.

And it doesn't have to be breastfeeding vs. sippy after a year. I have a 19-month old who nurses on demand. I still give him sippies with cow's milk or juice or water if he's into that. I don't pump; if he wants mom milk, he can drink it from me, and if I'm not around, he can have some other liquid. It has not undermined our breastfeeding relationship at all--he nurses like crazy all the time. But if he did start preferring cups of water/juice/milk over me, I'd consider that a natural progression. As he grows up, I expect him to gradually transition away from nursing as he feels ready.


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## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

I agree that BF culture can vary by family, by county, etc.

However the entire design of a Sippy cup mimics Breastfeeding. I only consider the progression natural if there is no suckling motion or dairy beverage functioning as a breast substitute. I know there is no real place for juice in the healthy toddler diet @ all. I regard it as a treat, like a donut (my mother regards it as a food group).


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MichelleZB*
> 
> I don't pump; if he wants mom milk, he can drink it from me, and if I'm not around, he can have some other liquid.


If my guy wasn't still in the age range where he needs BM or formula for nutritional reasons, I sure wouldn't pump. In fact, I'm sooooo 'pumped' (hehehe) for when he's old enough not to need BM so I can throw this thing out the window!


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## randymom89 (Jul 10, 2013)

Of course women don't only breastfeed because of ease or saving money by not buying formula. There's a whole lot of health benefit of breast milk that formula comes close to immitating but not fully.

That said - you're question was really about which is easier. Breastfeeding is easier but it is a commitment. Your body adjusts to the needs of your baby providing a different type of milk to newborns than 6 month olds. The quantity grows as your baby grows to provide a lot more for a one year old than an infant. Once your baby is insync with your baby it is very hard to skip a meal or 2 (leave baby with babysitter with formula) - Those meals will be building up in your brests - very uncomfortable.

If you are going to commit to breast feeding you will need a good pump to pump bottles when you are away from your baby. The Medella in Style pump is http://amzn.to/12lOBJz is excellent since it has great suction and does twobreasts at once so you finish in less than 10 minutes

Breastfeeding is easier and also wonderful - but it's a commitment so it's worthwhile to buy the right tools to make it work for you


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## fayebond (Jun 16, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Banana731*
> 
> I think once breastfeeding is well established it is unquestionably easier. But not everyone gets to that place, for one reason or another. Not everyone gets to stay home with their infants, that makes it complicated too.
> 
> But I think, as a few have previously stated, that focusing on what's easiest is not the best way to frame the conversation. There are trade-offs in that department. Even if a mom has to go to a lot of extra effort to breastfeed compared to her peers, she may because in her mind that is still easier than dealing with the increased likelyhood illness and allergy that come with formula feeding. ease is relative.


ditto.

like many things in life, its harder up front, but both easier and better in the long run.


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## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

Some of us define 'nutritional need' differently than others: IMO my 3.5 year old still 'needs' breastmilk, for nutrition, for antibodies, etc. I am not saying ALL 3.5 year olds need Breastmilk but I have never nursed a child who I didn't feel needed it & I have never felt like like Bovine Milk or Juice came anywhere close to being remotely equal to the benefit from my milk. The only beverage besides Mama Milk I consider to fill a 'need' is (fluoride & chlorine free!) water.


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## MichelleZB (Nov 1, 2011)

Yes, but we all need liquid of some form or other to live. That's why we get thirsty. Eventually, we stop drinking breastmilk (which was, when we were infants, both liquid and food) and drink other things, like water, milk, juice, coffee, single malts, etc. Some of those liquids are more hydrating than others, perhaps. 

How we choose to drink those other liquids--do we us a real cup? A sippy cup to prevent spilling? An ale horn to be retro?--is sort of irrelevant. We're not talking about nipple confusion from bottles with infants, here. I'm talking about older children drinking liquid.

I'll likely be breastfeeding my toddler well past the age of two, but I can't agree that it is "unnatural" to give him other drinks when I'm at work. What else does one do when one is thirsty but drink?


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## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

Water is all you need for Thirst. Juice is just fruit minus fiber. Sippy cups do mimic the motion of Breastfeeding, they aren't just to prevent spilling, which is why sometimes toddlers reject the breast in favor of them . . . There is nothing wrong with Cow Milk in a Sippy but it IS a substitute for Human Milk in a Breast.


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *randymom89*
> 
> The Medella in Style pump is http://amzn.to/12lOBJz is excellent since it has great suction and does twobreasts at once so you finish in less than 10 minutes


I think this could be misleading. I've NEVER pumped a decent amount in 10 minutes - we don't all respond the same to the pump (I have the dual Ameda, but I doubt it's a Medella vs. Ameda issue).


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

Yeah, I meant according to pediatricians and the medical community in general.


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## rktrump (Jan 18, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dinahx*
> 
> Some of us define 'nutritional need' differently than others: IMO my 3.5 year old still 'needs' breastmilk, for nutrition, for antibodies, etc. I am not saying ALL 3.5 year olds need Breastmilk but I have never nursed a child who I didn't feel needed it & I have never felt like like Bovine Milk or Juice came anywhere close to being remotely equal to the benefit from my milk. The only beverage besides Mama Milk I consider to fill a 'need' is (fluoride & chlorine free!) water.


Yeah, I meant according to pediatricians and the medical community in general.

And, my guy uses straws - no idea how that relates to suckling exactly. Then again, we also own sippys that just pour, so it could be misleading to cast a diverse product as just one thing. Of course, we don't use those - oh, the mess!


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## demeter888 (Jan 18, 2013)

I would never tell anyone breastfeeding is easier because it is different for everyone and I personally didn't give formula until DS was over 12 months old. I suspect that, over all, formula would have been easier for me. It certainly would not have been more rewarding, though.

I also get tired of people going on about how great breastfeeding is; I even had a guy at airport security who inspected my frozen breastmilk start telling me how it's the best thing I can do for my baby. I am tired of people assuming that I need a lecture or pep talk of any kind regarding breastfeeding when it's really none of their business what/when/how I feed my child.

For some women, formula is the best thing for themselves and their baby.


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## erigeron (Oct 29, 2010)

I tell people that breastfeeding is pretty easy for most people once they get the hang of it/get through the first month or so, but there is a learning curve and some people have a lot of problems. But I also tell them that pumping at work sucks. EasiER than formula? It seems that way to me, but I've never fed formula. Honestly that's not a comparison I'm tempted to make. I would never tell someone "You should totally breastfeed, it's easier than formula", because it's not my business to tell her what to do. All I can speak to is my own experience.


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## sassyfirechick (Jan 21, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *demeter888*
> 
> I would never tell anyone breastfeeding is easier because it is different for everyone and I personally didn't give formula until DS was over 12 months old. I suspect that, over all, formula would have been easier for me. It certainly would not have been more rewarding, though.
> 
> ...


I highly doubt the man at the airport meant any harm in his comment. I'd rather have people comment on the benefits of breastfeeding over the *benefits* of vaccinating. I'm sure he thought he was supporting you in some way and really that's what there needs to be more of - support.


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## woodsymom (Nov 22, 2010)

I fed my first daughter formula (I could not get the hang of breastfeeding), my second daughter (born 18 months later) I was very determined to breastfeed and I did for over a year. I worked full-time 50 minutes away from home, so no I did not think it was easier, but it was worth it. Pumping on my lunch breaks in my car, always worrying if she would have enough milk when I was away from her - no not easier. I think every situation varies, as does breastfeeding culture. My SIL breastfed, and that was the ONLY person I knew that breastfed, I was definitely a minority. I do believe things have changed quite a bit since I weaned two years ago and that is a good thing.


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## MichelleZB (Nov 1, 2011)

When you go back to work also makes a huge difference. Since the US has such short mat leaves, I rather imagine it would be much harder to maintain breastfeeding.

If you are at home with your baby for a year or so, breastfeeding is nothing at all. Your boobs are already around, so no pumping, no counting ounces, no washing bottles. The kid just sort of eats when he's hungry and it's all very fuss-free. (Here I'm talking about once breastfeeding has been well established; I'm aware some people have problems setting it all up.)

If you have to be away from your small infant for 8 or 10 hours in the day, I can see how that would add extra complications, like pumping, a baby that nurses all night (even more than usual) and worries over supply.


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## demeter888 (Jan 18, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sassyfirechick*
> 
> I highly doubt the man at the airport meant any harm in his comment. I'd rather have people comment on the benefits of breastfeeding over the *benefits* of vaccinating. I'm sure he thought he was supporting you in some way and really that's what there needs to be more of - support.


OK, I'm going to have to disagree. I don't agree that there needs to be more moral lecturing/public opinion one way or the other and do not consider that support. If someone needs support, there are other more convenient ways to get it. I don't think he meant any harm, either. But it's still none of his business. For all these strangers know a mom is considering giving up breastfeeding and lamenting over it; the last thing they need is a moral lecture one way or the other. I know women who feel terrible that they can't breastfeed and went nuts trying to when the right thing was to switch to formula; what about support for them? Does that belong in public? No, if this was all respected in the first place it would still be a personal choice and respected as such.

As for vaccinating, I fully vaccinate on a delayed schedule but I don't think my opinion on that belongs in a stranger's face, either.


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## roisin32 (Feb 28, 2011)

I breastfeed for the nutritional and emotional benefits for my child, but I'm not sure its easier. I feel like I never heard a word of warning about the drawbacks- aside from the initial learning curve (who *doesn't* shed some tears of pain and frusteration in the first few weeks of a first baby?), it has been REALLY hard to get my (now 22 month old) to not need to nurse round the clock...normal at first, incredibly tiring two years later. I'm very happy that I have no worries about her nutritional intake, but the bond the nursing formed between she and I, and she and sleep has pretty much excluded her dad and any kind of sleep training. Also, I have never been able to leave her with anyone (even her dad or my mother) for more than a few hours, because nursing is the ONLY way she has ever fallen asleep. thats taken a big toll on my work, and our relationship. And now that I'm expecting a new baby again, its waaay more painful than it was at first, and I still haven't gotten a full night's sleep since before the first one was born! It is hard not to look with envy on those moms who can prepare a few bottles, leave instructions, and get away for a while! BUT I would still do it, and will do it, again. These years are short, the benefits are long. What we have sacrificed is still not equal to the satisfaction of knowing I have done the best I can to give her the best start I could (but I can absolutely understand being in the position to make those sacrifices, for many kinds of reasons).


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## Katie8681 (Dec 29, 2010)

The comments about working made me want to add to my response. I started working again when my son was 9 months old, just 1-2 office days/ week, and pumping did suck. When he was about a year I started doing 24 hour in hospital shifts and that was brutal. Luckily I didn't have to do more than a few per month and of course DS was eating solids and drinking water, too. However if he had been younger and my shifts more frequent, I just don't know if it would have been tolerable. I feel very lucky not to have had to make that choice because I have loved breastfeeding my son!


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## Nicole L (Nov 29, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mamazee*
> 
> I don't know if I've ever had ths conversation. Maybe, but if so probably at a La Leche League meeting or something, so with people who would agree with me. And I've never used formula so it would be an uneducated opinion based on what it looks like to me from one side of it. It feels like breastfeeding is easier because I don't have to clean bottles.
> 
> Have you ever told anyone this?


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## cyclamen (Jul 10, 2005)

I have never said this, mainly because what will make one way of baby feeding easier or harder is going to depend so much on individual factors.


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## Backroads (May 4, 2013)

No. While I am "ra-rah breast" I have no argument whatsoever with formula. My friends who formula-feed have their reasons for doing so. I do say breast-feeding was easy for me (it was) and I say I just did what the consultants told me to do in class (it worked), and I leave it at that.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I've only read the OP, so this may have been said.

I've used formula a couple of times, while babysitting. I found it to be a massive PITA, and can't imagine subjecting myself to that kind of hassle, unless it were absolutely necessary. When I've found myself in a conversation about it, I've said just that. But, I don't say that breastfeeding is easier than formula - I say it was easier for me. I have no idea whether it would be easier for any other specific woman, yk? I had a really rough time getting breastfeeding established with ds1 (probably related to the 14 hour separation, lack of food, high level of drugs/meds in my system, recovery pain, etc. - not to mention the brigade of nurses who came in and gave me conflicting advice every 30 seconds), but things were smoothed out in 2-3 weeks. If things had kept being so difficult, as they soetimes do, I wouldn't want to assume formula would have been harder, yk?


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## Adaline'sMama (Apr 16, 2010)

As a mom who has done both, Id never tell anyone that breastfeeding is easier.

I nursed DD until 18 months, and it was easy peasy after we hit 6 weeks. Although, until she was one she never slept longer than 45 minutes at a time.

I nursed DS for his whole life and we never had a problem.

My twins were preterm, and I EPed for them for 8 weeks, and then we switched to nursing. They nursed for a couple of months and I sat in a chair completely covered with babies while my house fell apart, my diet went to crap, my business fell apart, and my 3 year old was starved for attention. And as a result of all that, my marriage went into a terrible rut. SO, now we almost exclusively formula feed and everyone is much happier. And the first night we gave formula my twins have slept 8 hours at night, and have done so every night since, giving me the ability to (sort of) think like a human being again.

So, I am probably one of those moms who would have said that "breastfeeding is easier because you dont have to wash bottles or mix formula". And that was easy to say, never having done it myself.

Breastfeeding at night is easier IF you cosleep.

Breastfeeding is easier IF you arent constantly battling supply issues and feeling like you arent good enough.

Bottles dont really have to be boiled after the first couple of weeks and it doesnt take that long to clean them. 
It's really not that hard to mix formula while you are half asleep. Put two scoops in the bottle before you go to bed and add water.

If someone asked me who was 9 months pregnant and considering nursing, of course I wouldnt tell them "oh, feed your baby formula, they'll sleep through the night," but I also wouldnt tell them how easy peasy nursing is- because every situation is different, every newborn is different.


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## susanmary (Nov 28, 2012)

Roisin123 ... I hear you completely.


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## buko (Feb 29, 2012)

I want to disclaim that I do think there are benefits to FF even in "uncomplicated" cases, especially if you WOH full-time, but in general I think uncomplicated BF seems like it's much easier than uncomplicated FF (which I guess would be when you start off with the perfect formula and have zero digestive issues).

When DD was 3 months old, I went to a BFing support group and (aside from the leaders), I was the woman with the most BFing experience, LOL... Anyway, since it was mostly pregnant FTMs-to-be, this subject came up and one of the leaders said (for most women) FFing was easier than BFing for the first 40 days, and then BFing was easier. I'd say that sums it up for me, and probably for the vast majority of women with any sort of cultural and/or personal support. I didn't have a lot of such support, but some.

It has NOT been easy for me, but not super-hard since she was ~40 days old or so. And I can't imagine having to get out of bed at night for any reason! Since maybe 6-8 weeks (DD is 4.5+ months), we haven't even sat up in bed except for maybe 1 potty trip per night, which I need, too (we EC). So if you co-sleep and have no special challenges, I think BFing wins, hands-down.

And another aspect-- speaking only for myself here, I believe it is very likely to be much easier much sooner for any subsequent babies (barring preemies, twins, SN, etc.) So, there's that, too-- once you have one under your belt, I believe in the majority of cases, you reap the benefits (in terms of ease) with every successive child.


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## ihave7kids (Apr 21, 2012)

Well, I have had both easy BFing and difficult BFing, but overall, I would say that once your supply is established and your nipples stop hurting (meaning about after 3 weeks or so for me), it is definitely easier. Two of my kids had formula as infants, one because he was a preemie in the NICU and he was my first and I had NO HELP from anyone to learn how to pump the first few days, my second because I had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix when she was 7 days old. I hadn't had time to pump/freeze any milk yet, and I was on so much medication in the hospital that I had to pump and discard the milk, so hubby had to give her formula at home for several days. She hated it and threw up every time! I am thankful that formula was available to me in those situations, but now that I have the benefit of more experience, and a more relaxed life-style, my other 5 were exclusively BF'd and never even had a bottle of pumped milk. They were just always with me and I fed them when needed, weaning when the next baby was conceived. In fact, I am trying to wean my 26month old currently, but he wants no part of it!! I am already 5 months pregnant, but it looks like we may end up tandem nursing, which I've never done before.

For my family, BFing is definitely easier, and I would encourage other moms to give it their best try, but I recognize that for some (especially working moms) it may just not work out. I would also say, though, that I think many moms are sold short by their health professionals when they are told they have "low supply" and should just stop nursing. There are so many things one can try to increase milk supply naturally, but most health care providers are unaware of them ( oatmeal, mother's milk tea, kangaroo care, fenugreek, and so on). We need to give these moms more support than they are getting so that their BFing experience can be successful.


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## unuselyriver (Aug 13, 2012)

well nurse can be easy but it is not allways the best for the baby i had two i breastfeed and one i did not cause i did not get enough milk in to do so i wish i had but it is ok cause i did not find cleaning the bottles all that hard as pull my boob out in the middle of the store or work so she could eat


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *demeter888*
> 
> I also get tired of people going on about how great breastfeeding is; I even had a guy at airport security who inspected my frozen breastmilk start telling me how it's the best thing I can do for my baby. I am tired of people assuming that I need a lecture or pep talk of any kind regarding breastfeeding when it's really none of their business what/when/how I feed my child.


Yeah, that's why I never bought the cards that some people hand out. It just feels patronizing.


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## jabs (Mar 11, 2010)

I had this conversation holding my sobbing friend in my arms, totally shattered into the 4th week of BFing that was not going well, feeling so ashamed and guilty for wanting to supplement with formula. I told her that formula wasn't going to make her life easier, but you know what? It did. She gives a bottle of formula at noon and before bed and her baby sleeps and doesn't cry. Mommy is relieved and can now get some sleep.


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## cheer4hen (Jul 24, 2013)

For me breastfeeding has definitely been easy, and I have told people that; however, I know BFing is not always easy. We've been very fortunate!


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## monkeyscience (Feb 5, 2008)

I wouldn't say that categorically, no. I say that it is easier in some ways (no being out of the house and realizing, crap, forgot the bottle, ran out of formula, there's no clean water, etc., or midnight bottle-making), but harder in others (nursing away from home can be tough for so many reasons, and not being able to easily leave your baby, for example). I definitely believe it's worth it, and as some have mentioned, I do not always choose what is easiest in raising my child, but what is best. Since I have the ability to provide my child with breastmilk, I do. I'm also a big advocate of telling people about the wonders of lactation consultants. Nursing was hellish off and on (mostly on) for the first 2.5 months until I finally got in to see a lactation consultant. That was a huge game-changer for me.

I guess it depends on who you talk to, but I'm definitely one who heard mostly roses and unicorns about breastfeeding before having my son, and I wish I had heard more about how it takes time to get into your groove. Then again, maybe I just didn't want to hear it. It's hard to know. I can say once I started breastfeeding, I was very disappointed in my breastfeeding books. Neither of them had the word "pain" in their index. I was having pain (SEVERE pain!) both during nursing and between nursing sessions, and all they could offer was that I might feel a little "discomfort". Not at all helpful.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *monkeyscience* Neither of them had the word "pain" in their index. I was having pain (SEVERE pain!) both during nursing and between nursing sessions, and all they could offer was that I might feel a little "discomfort". Not at all helpful.


I think that's largely a result of the medical impact. As far as I can tell, the only time medical professionals use the word "pain" is in pain management, which they administer after determining one's level of "discomfort". (Yes - I'm jaded...I've had post-op pain referred to as discomfort, had the pain of an infected crack in my nipple referred to as discomfort, etc. The term "discomfort" means something very different in medical - and related - circles than it does in the real world, imo.)


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## monkeyscience (Feb 5, 2008)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Storm Bride*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


Interesting point. Maybe it makes medical people feel better to call it discomfort, but to the rest of us in the real world, it hurts a lot more than that! I expected better from LLL and Dr. Sears, but I honestly wouldn't recommend either book at this point. Way too much candles and soft music and not nearly enough realism.


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## Katie8681 (Dec 29, 2010)

Amen to the discomfort bs! I personally will not lie to clients in such a way. "Discomfort" is when you're cramped into a tiny airplane seat. If you are crying and rocking back and forth, it's pain!


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## erigeron (Oct 29, 2010)

I see prescriptions from time to time for pain medicine that say to take as needed for "discomfort" and that makes me wonder if the patient really understands what the doctor is getting at with that instruction.


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## MichelleZB (Nov 1, 2011)

I find Dr. Newman's book about breastfeeding to be the most frank. I think he does mention pain.

YMMV. Breastfeeding never hurt for me.


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## monkeyscience (Feb 5, 2008)

I doubt breastfeeding would have hurt much if there hadn't been problems I wasn't aware of initially. To this day, the LC I saw is the only person I've ever heard mention you can get dermatitis from lanolin, or from disposable nursing pads.


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## erigeron (Oct 29, 2010)

I attended a breastfeeding group for a while run by an IBCLC. She is the only person I've ever heard say that if you have flat nipples you're more likely to have pain with nursing and have it take longer to go away. Since I apparently have flat nipples, this would have been nice to know earlier in the process. This didn't even come up in group until well after my problems had resolved themselves... but I'd seen at least two LCs in the hospital who hadn't said anything, and I'd never read anything anywhere.


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## McGucks (Nov 27, 2010)

Nursing became physically neutral (no longer painful) when my guy hit around three months. I had awesome lactation consultants, wonderful LLL support, and no interfering issues such as supply, nipple shape, latch problems. None.

It just really hurt for a quarter of a year.

Down the road, I had a couple of go-rounds with extremely sharp, needle-like pain during nursing. Nystatin cleared it up within a couple days on each occasion. Visually, I was asympomatic of a yeast problem, and I never would have suspected it unless my LLL leader explained what it might be. My HCP gave me the script and it was magic.


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## hippy mum (Aug 12, 2006)

I wouldn't tell someone it's easier, it's all opinion. What I do tell moms is first to check the health benefits of both mother and baby, then read about bf, attend some lll meetings if possible, and in general realize it's not going to be "easy" for everyone. Not to give up at the first sign of trouble, but seek help. Those first 6 wks are hard no matter what, and if there are complications, you need to have support and know who to call. You may have to supplement, you may be able to wean off it, you may have to stop bf. Everyone's different.


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## KimberleyLB (May 27, 2013)

I was involved in a conversation like this between two people and one was trying to convince the other to breastfeed. She stated that it was easier than formula. I've done both and I have to say that breastfeeding was a lot easier on me, but not because of convenience. It was actually harder to get the hang of breastfeeding because I had very little help. I had a great supply when it came to actual feedings, but using a breast pump was not very easy for me at all. I really didn't have any time to pump because DD was constantly hungry and that made it hard for anyone else to bond with DD when it came to feeding time. And I'd hear that as a major complaint from the MIL because she didn't want to bond any other way with her granddaughter. The pump also seemed to reduce my milk flow too.

However, having said all of that, there were some huge pluses for me. I have Fibro and my pain levels decreased due to breastfeeding. I actually felt so good, that I was able to maintain a pretty normal routine at home literally right after getting out of the hospital and started to visit people after a being home just three days. I didn't have that with my first. I did bottle fed her. It took a couple of weeks for me to feel strong enough even to venture out of the house for an hour. I remember feeling very weak and tired with my first one and visiting people in the mall that I worked at was very difficult.

I also had a hard time carrying everything around. Many times my husband was not with me when I had the children in tow and it was MUCH easier to carry a bag without formula in it, especially if we were going somewhere for several hours. I would have to bring the can and that sucker is big and heavy when it's newly opened. Of course, I always got the big can because it was cheaper to do so, and that was part of the problem, but the smaller ones were pretty hefty too. Many times we'd buy smaller cans and keep them over at both sets of grandparents' houses. I even had one at Great Grandma's house too. And that was an extra expense which at times was not really easy.


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## MamadeRumi (Aug 5, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *buko*
> When DD was 3 months old, I went to a BFing support group and (aside from the leaders), I was the woman with the most BFing experience, LOL... Anyway, since it was mostly pregnant FTMs-to-be, this subject came up and one of the leaders said (for most women) FFing was easier than BFing for the first 40 days, and then BFing was easier. I'd say that sums it up for me, and probably for the vast majority of women with any sort of cultural and/or personal support. I didn't have a lot of such support, but some.


This was not my experience, and after reading so many similar replies I'm realizing I was in the minority. DS latched on within minutes of being born, and almost 3 1/2 years later he's still going strong. I had a little pain from sore nipples very early on, but it really wasn't too bad. I had more milk than I knew what to do with, but that seemed like a minor inconvenience. The inconvenient part started for me when DS was 6 months old and I had to go back to work full time. I had arranged to be able to take him into the office with me a couple of days a week, and then I'd just shut the door and nurse when I needed to. That was occasionally awkward, with a student or colleague wanting to talk to me right when DS needed to nurse. But it was doable. What was really tough was the other two days when I left DS home with DH and worked long, 13 or 14 hour days with all of my teaching crammed into those days. (That was how I was able to negotiate bringing him in on the days I wasn't teaching). It meant that during those very long days, I never truly had a break. I'd get to the office, after an hour commute, close the door and pump. Then I'd get ready to teach a class, teach the class, return to my office and pump. Then I'd go teach another class, etc. etc, all day long. There was probably just as much washing and such, and I had to carry the breastpump, the bottles, the freezer pack (because I didn't have a fridge to store the milk in), the cleaning wipes with me. And then there were the awkward moments when I would have finished pumping, wiped off the pump parts, and set them out to air dry when a student or colleague knocked on my door. I don't really have a problem NIP, but I felt really uncomfortable about having a professional conversation with pumping paraphernalia lying around. And there were the really awkward moments when I was pumping and our janitor, a really nice guy who just can't catch a clue on this one issue, would knock on my closed, locked door, and then proceed to unlock it and come on in while I was nursing. So no, at those moments I don't think breastfeeding was easier than formula feeding. It took a lot of determination and hard work, and even with that said I have to acknowledge that I had it easier than some mamas. I did have a private office that I could use. I did have plenty of milk. I did have a supportive husband who was home with our son for those two days each week and was committed to not giving him anything but my milk. But easy? no. I kept doing it because I felt it was the best thing for me and my baby. And yes, I have to put myself in there, too. It was best for me because after working those long days I meant I could go home and nurse my son and we would reconnect after what felt like a very long separation.

so overall I would say my experience with breastfeeding has been wonderful. And for the most part I think it was probably more convenient than FF, but not during those difficult periods when I had to pump at work, or at conferences, or while travelling. Worth it still, but not always easy.


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## barefootmama0709 (Jun 25, 2009)

For me, BFing was way, way easier than formula. It didn't agree with my son either-he was constipated a LOT. Mixing bottles at 3 AM was never any fun either and really highlighted the difference for me-all you have to do when night nursing is turn over!


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## lilitchka (Jan 19, 2012)

I don't tell anything moms about this issue.

but I am convinced that formula feeding is way more complicated, once breastfeeding is initiated.

I have a very close friend who ff her baby (has medical contraindication to bf) and I bf mine. we are out together often.

my diaper bag is mini, hers is huge. She has to bring bottles (and to avoid plastic, they are glass ones, so heavy and could brake). formula. special water. her baby, during a long period, only tolerated pre-mixed formula from the store. so big volumes of formula needed to be carried around.

we would be sitting at the restaurant together,she will watch the clock to decide if she should start warming the milk. because if she waits until baby asks for it, by the time it is warmed, baby would be very upset. so she asks for hot water in a cup. the waitress needs explanation of size of cup and volume/temperature of the water. half of the time it is not a big enough cup to put the bottle in.

need to wait for another one. then warming the bottle, verifying 2 or 3 times that it is warm enough. sometime,s we are talking at the restaurant, and she forgets about her warming bottle, then it gets too hot, and she needs to wait,so it cools down. then she tries to give it to baby. sometimes baby takes it, sometimes refuses, and she needs to start all over again in an hour. often baby will drink just half of it. so it still needs to be packed and carried in case she needs it later.

I just put baby to the breast. it takes 2 seconds to <<prepare>> the food.

feeding my baby was the simplest part of traveling.we traveled a lot with our breastfed babies to different continents, frequent airplanes, frequent plan changes.

it was very complicated for my friend to travel. In fact, she avoided or delayed trips just because of feeding issues.

but if mom stays at home all day long, them maybe FF is as easy as BF.

I would have lost a lot of freedom if I was FF. less spontaneous plan changes. more stress.

For my formula feeding friend, breastfeeding seems is way easier. Now that her baby is a toddler, she doesn't realize how breastfeeding now would make her life easier also. there are so many times that I see her toddler tired, cranky, overwhelmed, hungry, on a verge of tantrum etc. And I know that in all those cases, I would nurse my toddler, and the issue is resolved.


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## seraf (Feb 1, 2002)

I have said that breast is easier than bottles, not trying to convince anyone one way or another. I thought bottles were easy until I got used to nursing. The next bottle baby I nannied showed me how much easier breast was.

That said, the first few weeks of nursing can be hard. I usually tell people that if they can get past the beginning, it's worth it.


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## MontrealMT (Aug 7, 2013)

I tell moms that - largely - breastfeeding is designed to be easier than formula... but to be open to the specifics of their own situation, and then be accepting of their personal trials and journeys. as nothing about raising a baby follows a mathematical formula. montrealmt.com


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## EliteGoddess (Aug 5, 2013)

In terms of which is "easier", they both have pros and cons.

In terms of which is better, breastfeeding wins hands down.


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## erigeron (Oct 29, 2010)

I think that depends on your individual situation and how you define "better". I can think of plenty of people for whom breastfeeding isn't "better".


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## hippy mum (Aug 12, 2006)

I think elitegoddess is meaning healthier? in terms of "better", overall, not easier. For most moms/babies, the health benefits outweigh not bf. Yes, in today's world there are chemical overlays in our milk, but we can also look at all the good it does for mom and baby, and even more, the family, when cost/sick days etc start being added in.

Any bf a mom tries is good, short or long. I'd recommend anyone wanting to bf, read as much as possible, spend time with other bf moms, attend some meetings/nursing mom groups etc. There will be many personal exp about how "hard" or "easy" the first few weeks were, overcoming problems, going back to work, nicu etc.

Breastfeeding is to some a personal decision, and to others a definite health choice.


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## seraf (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hippy mum*
> 
> Breastfeeding is to some a personal decision, and to others a definite health choice.


And a financial decision. Saving money was what got me started.


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## ikikyler (Aug 13, 2013)

If you are at home with your baby for a year or so, breastfeeding is nothing at all. Your boobs are already around, so no pumping, no counting ounces, no washing bottles. The kid just sort of eats when he's hungry and it's all very fuss-free.


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## Quinalla (May 23, 2005)

I tell folks my experience as I've done it all (BF, pumped, formula fed). The easiest in most cases is BFing after the first few weeks, the first few weeks BFing can be harder than formula or pumping/bottle feeding would be, but it is worth getting through those early days/weeks to get to the easy part. Having milk always ready at the right temperature and no bottles to clean, yeah way easier unless you have some of the rare problems (thrush, mastitis, low supply, etc.) Formula feeding is easier than pumping, especially if your childcare providers prepare the formula bottles and wash bottles (many do), but for most women, you have to pump or you will lose your supply. I find pumping worth it, even with the extra work, but it isn't for everyone or even possible for everyone depending on their work environment. I want to maintain my supply for a lot of reasons, but a big one is keeping the babies from getting as many sicknesses so I don't have to miss work.

Some of the arguments for formula that it makes babies sleep longer, I've not seen evidence of that with my babies who all have (or are having) some formula.

So yes, overall I think BFing is much easier than formula, but it isn't always easier at first and it isn't usually easier if you return to work prior to 1 year or whenever you are ok with your baby having milk or another non-formula drink.


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