Breastfeeding is a very touchy subject for many people. Everyone has an opinion on it. Some people act like you’re a bad mother if you do not breastfeed your baby. That’s so NOT true. I think as long as your baby is fed and happy, you are doing a fabulous job mama! The mom shaming out there is really ridiculous.
Anyways, besides giving birth, breastfeeding has been the hardest yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever accomplished. We went through 2 months of hardships before we got the hang of it. In this blog, I want to share with you 5 pros and 5 cons of breastfeeding that I’ve experienced firsthand. Hopefully I can help you by sharing my experiences.
PROS:
1. It’s very convenient! I started out pumping and bottle feeding only, but now I barely bottle feed him now that he latches good! It’s very convenient because you can breastfeed anywhere! I always cover myself, but some people don’t even feel shame without a cover! Each to their own. No judgement! Also, I don’t have to get up at night to make bottles. I love that!
2. It’s free. You obviously don’t have to go to the store and buy it!
3. It has a ton of health benefits for your little one. Breast milk is full of nutrients and antibodies for your baby. You can also use it to treat rashes, ear infections, and many more things!
4. It creates a unique bond. I know that there are a million ways to bond with your baby, but the connection I feel when I am breastfeeding my son is so special.
5. Breastfeeding helps you loose baby weight! I lost my baby weight fast after having my son, and I’m already back in my pre pregnancy jeans. Well.. they are snug, but I can still get in them!
CONS:
1. There is so much pain in the beginning. Latching hurt in the beginning. I would literally grit my teeth every time JJ would latch within the first month. I also had mastitis and milk blisters. Mastitis is an infection due to clogged milk ducts. You literally feel like you have the flu when you have mastitis.
2. You leak! If you want to breastfeed, get you some nipple pads. For the first few weeks, you’ll want nipple pads so milk doesn’t soak through your shirt.
3. Your chest will hurt when your baby or even other people’s babies cry! It’s crazy how our bodies work. I’ve been walking around in a store before, and I heard a baby crying, and the my chest just started hurting like I needed to breastfeed! Crazy, right?!
4. You have to consistently feed or pump. To relieve pain and keep your milk supply up, you have to breastfeed and/or pump every 3 hours or so. It’s definitely a commitment!
5. You have to be very conscious of what you eat. I loooooooove spicy food and caffeine, but I can’t have too much of either. Also you have to pay attention just incase something you ate upsets your baby’s belly after a feeding.
Listen to “Episode 12: The Pros and Cons of Breastfeeding” on Spreaker.
Everyone’s breastfeeding story is different. I encourage you that if you are ever on the brink of giving up, get help before you quit breastfeeding altogether. There are amazing lactation consultants out there who might can help you, but if you choose formula, that’s just fine too. I believe mothers should make that call based on what is best for them and their babies. I wish health and happiness for all moms and their little ones.
15 replies on “The Pros and Cons of Breastfeeding”
I agree with all your pros. I second numbers 2 and 5 of your cons. I have had a good experience so far, I am still breastfeeding my 14month old baby. Enjoy!
I was nervous at first to read this, as I wasn’t able to breastfeed my son due to medical complications. I’m used to feeling very shamed when I read these type of articles, but I was relieved that in your first paragraph you made it clear that you believe that as long as a mother is making sure her baby is fed, she’s doing a great job. So, thank you!! Also, whenever I’m feeling bad for myself for not being able to breastfeed, I’ll try to remember the cons you listed.
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Breastfeeding creates such an amazing bond with your little!
Another pro would be fighting off illnesses and combating allergies! But another con would have to be the lack of freedom. It’s hard to go on vacation without baby because you are constantly pumping, trying to figure out how to store and transport milk, and you have to have a good freezer stash saved up before hand!
Thanks for sharing momma!
Really great information that I think helps moms weigh the pros and cons about breastfeeding. I think it’s really important to acknowledge like you did that breastfeeding in general can be painful at first, but to also look for signs that it could be something more serious like an infection. Great job coming full circle on the information you presented, I really enjoyed reading it!
Breastfeeding definitely has its ups and downs! I love breastfeeding and am currently tandem nursing my 3yo and 5 month old, but it was definitely a struggle at first! And I wish that I lost weight with it- I (like many other breastfeeding moms) am not able to lose weight while nursing. Which is a bummer because I gained so much both pregnancies…but I just have to remind myself that it’s temporary and it’s worth it!
Ah, the joys of breastfeeding, and the woes! It is definitely not this magical story book process that we all want to believe it is. But, like you mentioned, it can be very much rewarding.
You go mama!! I breastfed my son until just after his 2nd birthday! I can’t wait to start my next breastfeeding journey with my little girl due any week! I definitely think the pros outweigh the cons. The health benefits alone for my son was worth it! My husband came home from work one day saying how his co-workers baby ALWAYS got sick and that they weren’t breastfed. My son hardly gets sick. Even now! He’s a very healthy kid and I firmly believe part of it is because of breastfeeding. But I do agree with what you said in the beginning, that mama shaming is a no go. Fed is BEST. And if you can’t breastfeed for whatever reason, I am thankful they have solutions out there now. Back in the olden days, your baby would either die or you’d get a wet nurse. No mama shaming here!
Great article. I think if more women knew some of the struggles of breastfeeding prior to starting it would make it easier. So many of us have difficulties and the first month, phew! Chapped nipples and cluster feeding are no joke but being aware ahead of time can help ease your mind to understanding you aren’t “doing it wrong “. My girl and I are at 16 months right now. 💜
For me personally, there was never any doubt that I wouldn’t breastfeed. It felt like the only natural choice for me. I followed a close friend with all the bottle washing and packing, finding a place to heat the bottle etc, and it felt overwhelming and stressful compared to “always being prepared to feed” 😅. My experience with my first born and then twins have been easy, yes the first two weeks both times were painful, but otherwise no complaints. Other than I gained weight during the first 6months while exclusively breastfeeding! And always having to wear a nursing pad.. And actually I’m sure there were quite a few more cons, but for me the benefits were all worth it.
Very true that you must watch what you eat. At the beginning when I ate spicy foods or oranges, it made my son gassy. I had to eliminate lots of food and weigh option before eating. Overall I enjoy the bond made than anything else.
TO be honest, I let go of the pump and just brought along the babies with me wherever I went. I just had a feeding bib with me and it made everything very convenient. No one was disturbed by it at all, perhaps because I was in environments when breastfeeding was common. 🙂
Totally agree! Breastfeeding can be hard and time consuming! It’s important to think of all those pros while experiencing the cons! Love the post!
I loved breastfeeding my kiddos, but I was also very much ready to be done as soon as they were! It’s a wonderful bonding experience but it can be hard when they want you all the time!
So true! We just wrapped up a 3 hour car ride and my 15 month old was trying to nurse within 5 minutes of being home. Lol
I enjoyed reading this Katie, I’m sure things will go great with your second baby boy too ‼️ 💙