You should be able to do it without judgment. If breast never seems like the best choice for you or your baby, there's no shame there. Your ability to mother has nothing to do with how you feed your child.
If you're unable or choose not to breastfeed, it's definitely okay—and you're not alone. Canadian and U.S. surveys have shown 10% to 32% of mothers never begin breastfeeding and 4% stop within the first week of life. An additional 14% of mothers stop nursing before their baby is 2 months old.
Breastfeeding guilt is a common experience amongst parents when it really shouldn't be. Your breastfeeding relationship should be guilt-free; it's about being connected to your baby and making sure your baby is nourished. Whichever way that may be.
For some people, the decision to breastfeed is an easy one. But others face barriers related to mental and physical health, finances, practicality, or information. These can make the choice more complicated.
Guilt, shame and sadness are all emotions associated with Nursing Aversion. However, it is important to acknowledge that Nursing Aversion is a psychological reflex that occurs in some lactating parents and not others—it is not the result of anything you have done wrong and it does not make you a bad parent.
Many women find breastfeeding difficult and stop before they planned. Some women are relieved to stop. But others regret it. If you regret stopping, you may be able to give it another go, even if you no longer have any milk.
There's no reason why you should not continue breastfeeding your child into their 2nd year and beyond. You and your toddler can continue to enjoy the benefits of breastfeeding for as long as you want to. Your toddler may also find breastfeeding comforting when they're ill or upset.
So how often does breastfeeding really fail? In the sophisticated, emancipated societies of the global west and north, it has been suggested that 5% of mothers are unable to produce enough breast milk to nourish their babies at the breast.
Breastfeeding is recommended for all newborn babies, but not all mothers choose to do it.
Formula feeding is also a healthy choice for babies. If you use a formula, your baby will get the best possible alternative to breast milk. (You should not attempt to make your own formula or feed an infant cow's milk or another kind of milk.)
Many mothers find they experience nursing aversion due to hormonal changes. Some mothers find they struggle around ovulation or during their period. For other mothers, a nursing aversion may be the first sign of pregnancy. Many mothers find nursing through pregnancy tough, and even painful.
Hormonal Changes
It can be really common to feel down or weepy – or even depressed – after weaning. And for some, the feelings are strong and may mean there is a sense of anxiety, insomnia, anger, swings between high and low moods.
The World Health Organization and the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia recommend exclusive breastfeeding (i.e. no other fluids or solids) for six months and then continued breastfeeding combined with solid foods for 12-24 months or as long as mother and baby desire.
Thirty-eight percent were exclusively breastfeeding, 16% were exclusively formula feeding, and 46% were combining breastfeeding with formula feeding (referred to as combination feeders). The women ranged in age from 17 to 39 years of age with a mean age of 26 years.
As a new parent, you have many important decisions to make. One is to choose whether to breastfeed your baby or bottle feed using infant formula. Health experts agree that breastfeeding is the healthiest option for both mom and baby.
Breastfeeding, even just once a day, is worth it.
Your body is regulating your hormones and your endocrine system with stimulation.
Some new parents find it difficult to manage their milk supply and to help baby latch properly. They worry that their baby isn't getting enough milk, or that their baby is unusually fussy. To prevent this type of stress, learn as much about breastfeeding as you can before your baby is born.
Breastmilk or infant formula should be your baby's main source of nutrition for around the first year of life. Health professionals recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, with a gradual introduction of appropriate foods in the second 6 months and ongoing breastfeeding for 2 years or beyond.
For some parents the reason is simply because they don't want to, and there's nothing wrong with that. Formula is a healthy alternative to breast milk that will provide your child with the nutrients they need regardless of your reasons for opting not to breastfeed.
“After you stop breastfeeding, your body has to get back to baseline again which can take some time and cause a lot of symptoms, including appetite changes and metabolism changes,” Moskovitz says. That said, it's not a guarantee that you'll gain weight after you stop nursing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommend that all children, in both developed and undeveloped countries, be breastfed a minimum of two years, or beyond, and acknowledge that the average age of weaning worldwide is about four years old.
If weaning happened abruptly, it may feel like you aren't getting your “fix” of those happy hormones. Research has found that breastfeeding protects some mothers from depression, so it stands to reason that ending it could lead to mood shifts and depressive feelings.
The benefits of breast milk extend beyond the first year. Of course, it's up to you how long you want to breastfeed—one month or one year or more. The key is to wean when you and your baby are ready. This timeline is not supposed to serve as a guilt trip or put any extra pressure on new moms (we have enough of that!).
No one should try to make you feel you have to breastfeed, although health professionals are likely to point out the benefits of breastfeeding, while supporting your right not to do it.