Ten Reasons Not to NOT Breastfeed

I hear stories from moms almost daily about why they are choosing not to breastfeed. Some are legitimate reasons. Most are not. This post is intended to debunk some of the misconceptions I often hear and hopefully provide some truth about breastfeeding.

Ten Reasons not to NOT Breastfeed:

1. "I have to go back to work."

Many moms are able to successfully go back to work and breastfeed. Being away from your baby obviously requires a little more effort at breastfeeding than having her right with you does, but it can be done- fairly easily even, in most cases! There are also laws in most states protecting your right to breastfeed at work, so that can be a great advantage to you.

2. "My mom didn't make milk."

Every breastfeeding situation must be addressed individually. The lack, abundance or just the right amount of milk is determined by many, many factors. And generally, what your mama had or did won't effect you.

3. "Everybody I know uses formula."

Though it may seem like formula is prevalent in our country, there are lots of breastfeeders out there! More than you think! You never know who or where you may find a breastfeeding advocate. And, most importantly, regardless of what others are doing, be confident that you are doing what's best for your baby.

4. "Nobody else can feed him if I breastfeed. I will have to do all the work!"

Let me be honest with you. Breastfeeding is a commitment. That does not mean, however, that you can never have help. There are many ways that you can be helped as a breastfeeding mother. If you choose, you can pump milk and have a helper feed the baby. My husband and I tag-teamed night feedings and he would change the diaper and I would do the feeding. I, personally, loved being the only one able to comfort and feed my child, especially in those first few days when everyone seems to want their hands on them. This is not true for everyone, however, but just know you do have options!

5. "My doctor, grandma, mother, friend, sister... told me formula is just as good."

I hate to argue with your grandma, but she's just plain wrong on this one. There are a zillion reasons that breastmilk is the best food for your baby. You can read more about some of them here.

6. "Breastfeeding isn't really cheaper for me. I'll just get WIC to buy me formula."

I hear this all the time and it is a huge misconception. WIC is an amazing program for people that need it. BUT, it is a supplemental program. Moms only get 25% of the formula they use through the WIC program. That leaves 75% that will be bought from YOUR money. Seriously $1,000- $3,000+ per year out of your pocket. That is not to mention additional healthcare costs of babies fed formula as mentioned here or here.

I also hear that the amount not covered by WIC can just be bought with food stamps. That might be true, but would you not rather buy food for yourself than baby formula? I would personally rather be eating lasagna than spending my food money on formula. Do your research before you assume you will have help in buying formula.

7. "If I did it, I would only do it for a few weeks anyway."

Any breast milk is better than none at all, so go ahead and try! And, once you have gotten through the first few weeks, you have gotten through the hardest part, so you can make goals that work for your baby and you as time progresses.

8. "My boobs, nipples, body... are too big, small, flat..."

There is no perfect body for breastfeeding. Your parts are perfectly made to feed your baby. No matter what size or shape. If there is an actual medical condition, there are many times that it can be easily corrected to ensure breastfeeding will work, but don't worry unless it is determined by a medical professional that there actually is a problem.

9. "I read this article that said if I breastfeed, my baby is going to get BPA through my milk."

Unfortunately, BPA is all around us. There have been some studies linking BPA to mother's milk, however, formula feeding mothers also face this challenge in the bottles that they choose to use and other environmental factors. I can promise you that the benefits of breastmilk are HUGE and we need to do lots more research before we start worrying about BPA in mother's milk.

10. "My diet is not good enough to give her all the nutrients she needs."

What you eat does not determine what your baby eats. Your milk is perfect for your baby no matter what your diet is. Though there are some suggestions for maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle while breastfeeding, your baby will still benefit greatly from your milk, no matter what your diet.

Be confident in knowing that breast milk is the best thing for your baby, no matter what your circumstances are. Your body was made to feed your baby and I can't promise that it will be easy, but I can promise it will be worth it.

Broken heart for breastfeeding

For the last two weeks, the preacher has made me cry! Maybe he's just really hitting my heart with his words, or it might be the hormones gifted to me by the little human I know is coming out soon, but either way, I spent the last two services praying I didn't have mascara running down my face.

This Sunday, he said we needed to be praying for our hearts to be broken for what breaks God's heart. Now I am sure the whole rest of the congregation was thinking about poor children and drug afflicted families, but I sat there, crying my eyes out, thinking about breastfeeding.

Aside from the calling to marry my husband or to stay home with my babies, I have never felt a greater calling than what I feel is my calling to help people breastfeed. I live in an area where breastfeeding is not really the norm, nor is it as accepted as I wish it was. Often I feel so overwhelmed by the challenges, that my impact seems nearly non-existent. As is common in much of this country, many moms here would rather pump and feed their baby a bottle in a restaurant than face the judgment the receive for nursing. I also live in an area where many of the breastfeeding professionals are much more interested in the profit they can gain than the lives that they can change. So, our challenges are daily and very big.

Now why did this make me cry Sunday?

There are hungry babies in this country.

There are babies affected by child abuse every single day.

There are babies who almost lose their lives because their families can't afford formula and dilute it to toxic levels. Formula companies convince moms that what you can buy is better than what God gave you. And while breastfeeding might not solve these problems, I really feel like it might help. And just as a disclaimer, I know there are people that can't breastfeed and with my whole heart I am understanding and compassionate to those people, but a LOT of people just make a choice not to try or not to try very hard.

Even in the poorest of cultures, babies have a greater chance at survival when their moms choose to breastfeed. Yes, a mom who barely receives the intake to meet her own nutritional needs gives her baby a greater chance at life when she breastfeeds.

I cannot attribute this next opinion to anyone but myself and I don't know that there will ever be research to prove my opinion to be true. However, I strongly believe that would could decrease abuse in our country if we increased our breastfeeding rates. There is no greater way, in my opinion, to bond a mother with her baby than breastfeeding. Baby-friendly hospitals in some countries have seen a dramatic decrease in abandonment of newborns when mothers are encouraged to breastfeed.

Now, please, please, please do not leave me hateful comments, thinking I look negatively toward formula feeding moms. That is NOT the point of this post. I am not saying all moms who choose to use formula abuse their children. I am, however, saying some moms are more prone to being abusers and the pattern of abuse might actually be stopped with the bond that breastfeeding brings between mother and child.

I also see a great financial struggle with some formula-feeding families. If the families that cannot afford formula and are forced to dilute it would have made the choice to breastfeed, these babies would never suffer from the complications that can come with malnutrition. Being a stay at home mom, I know how challenging finances can sometimes be. I think if moms were better educated on the kind of money they would be forced to spend on formula, they might make better decisions.

Lastly, my heart breaks because formula companies in this country convince families that what they can provide from a can is better than the way God intended our babies to be fed. The lack of regulation of what these companies can advertise never ceases to astonish me.

I know the preacher intended for me to think about AIDS ravaged villages and poverty-stricken orphans, but my heart breaks for breastfeeding. I guess God breaks each of our hearts for different things and mine will always break every time I see a baby with a bottle of formula, because I know what he is missing.