That's right. I'm all in for breastfeeding. (I weaned my son at 14 months and was surprisingly sad when he went to sleep fine without any ninny.) But there was one downfall - well technically two.
Here are My reasons for loving breastfeeding:
1. Bonding - It is an amazing feeling to know that you can feed your child and take care of their nutritional needs better than anyone else. And holding your little one while they nurse is such a precious experience.
2.Fat burner - Breastfeeding torches calories and usually takes care of the extra weight you may have gained during pregnancy.
3. Voracious appetite - I saw this as a plus maybe because I had NO appetite during most of my pregnancy. I wanted to eat everything in sight (I tried to keep 90% of it healthy).
4. Sleep aid - I always felt ready for bed after I finished nursing. It helped me relax and focus on resting and winding down.
5. Sex appeal - I appreciated that I had the opportunity to see what it was like to have large breasts (comically large). Not great for regular clothes, but it sure made me look hot in a swimsuit.
6. Convenience - No bottle warming, no formula mixing, no waiting while baby gets hungrier. Anytime or anywhere, I had the boob juice ready.
7. Cheap - Holy cow. Really, I think we saved enough money to buy a cow by not having to spend money on formula. I couldn't believe how much that stuff costs.
8. Healthier baby - I don't know that this is true for every baby, but my son had very few health issues or sicknesses while I was breastfeeding him. He was exposed to the flu once (without being vaccinated) and he didn't contract it. He also was exposed to a stomach virus that both me, my husband and his nana ended up catching, but he was fine. And no major colds or other problems.
9. Patience - I feel like breastfeeding my son helped me to develop a true sense of patience. That time wasn't about what I wanted to accomplish, it became about waiting and just being ok with serving someone else's needs. Which I think helps me with the rest of parenting. It's about raising another person by giving them the things they need to grow and mature.
10. Sense of accomplishment - I never like to admit to pride, but I was thrilled that I stuck with it. No it wasn't always easy (particularly the going-back-to-work-and-pumping part). But it was totally worth it.
And here it is, the big letdown (pun totally intended but probably not gotten unless you've been a lactating mother):
SAGGY BOOBS. Sigh. Now I really am looking forward to the next time I nurse a baby, just so I can have some firm breasts for a short time.
Check out more info here on why nursing (if you can) is so ideal:
http://www.llli.org/
But balance this perspective with the truth that formula feeding is a very nutritional choice for your baby, if that is what you would prefer or if that is what you need to do for whatever reason:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/breast_bottle_feeding.html#
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