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Home › Articles › Issues for Mom › I Hate Breastfeeding – Now What?

I Hate Breastfeeding – Now What?

Considerations Before You Quit

By Shel Franco

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What's the most important thing you will ever do with your life? If that baby on your lap is any indicator, being a good parent and raising a healthy child is probably what you're thinking. If I pressed you further and asked how you intended to do that, would the answer come as easily?

Few people would argue the importance of breastfeeding – to the child and the mother. Science doesn't have to say another word. Human mothers make milk for their babies. Obviously, human babies should drink human milk. But that simple fact doesn't translate to a majority of breastfeeding infants, and it certainly doesn't guarantee that all human mothers will enjoy the experience.

Melissa N. of Katy, Texas, is one of those mothers. "I found the size of my breasts while I was breastfeeding [to be] very inhibiting," she says. "I never could get into a comfortable position, and my back always hurt either because of the weight of my breasts or the contorted positions I needed to be in so the baby would be comfortable. I had to feed him in the football hold, so I really could not see him while he ate. The bonding I was hoping to feel was replaced by resentment."

For other moms, breastfeeding doesn't go as they had planned, and feelings of never being able to satisfy the baby add to the insecurities of new parenthood.

"Audrey would not latch on," says Misty Albert of Cypress, Texas. "I made several attempts with a lactation specialist, but Audrey just wouldn't take for very long. Her first 36 hours she cried and cried."

So what do you do if you encounter difficulties or simply hate to breastfeed?

If You Quit

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Comments

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Re: It IS ok to quit by anonymous on 08/21/2009 10:31PM

Sorry but I dont buy it. You do a disservice to women by the guilt based article you are pushing on breast feeding. I did both -- one breast fed and the other bottle. And both were in happy and healthy and smart. But as a FAMILY it was much better with the bottle and with Dad full time helping and bonding. No ear infections here and very little sickness with either baby. And my breastfed niece is now getting tubes for almost constant ear infections. Your article is very one sided. Women should know that they can choose and ARE NOT hurting their babies and are still good mothers. Shame on you for continuing to demote women in this world!

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