Why do some women choose not to breastfeed their babies?

A lot of women have "boobs" stamped in their mind as some sexual object and think it "strange" to do so. Others may feel it's too restricting, with formula they can pack the baby up and go, with boobs it's more time-consuming and takes more planning in some ways like where to nurse or pump instead etc. I personally think if a woman is perfectly able to breastfeed her daughter than she should. I breastfed my daughter until she was 3 yrs old, exclusively for her infancy til 6 mons, I had formula help along.

I'm glad I breastfed my daughter and she has been a healthy child.

Some women can not provide breast milk some have work and can not be pumping all the time.

Unfortunately people can be so selfish and do it for lifestyle reasons. I agree with you. And why would you have children if you care so little?

Let alone nine kids, like the lady here In very few cases a woman NEEDS to supplement with formula, and good loving moms wish they didn't have to. And in many cases doctors and nurses give them poor advice and they don't get the right information from whom should help with their questions. As for pumping, it is necessary if work keeps you away from your baby when he needs to feed.

Getting breast milk instead of artificial stuff is 1000 times better for baby's health. And YES, nothing, absolutely nothing is more bonding and rewarding for a woman than breastfeeding. The ones who are silly to chose otherwise will never know.

And one more thing: so many that used formula wish they could go back in time and breastfeed. NO WOMAN who breastfed wishes she had used formula instead, Ask around and you will see. Ps "pack and go" and "it takes time" are not justification/ Formula takes a lot more time, you have to measure and mix every single time, and you don't need to pack your breasts, you have milk for the baby where ever and whenever.

But sure you can't have the nanny do it, so if you don't care, you have a nanny or someone else prepare bottles - easy, hun? But does it feel right?

WOW some women don't produce enough milk or the baby doesn't latch on. Geez people as long as the baby is being fed it really doesn't matter.

I breastfeed exclusively, but none of my friends or family have breastfed. The reasons they told me were: 1) they didn't have the patience, 2) it was too stressful, 3) you can't measure the amount of milk your baby is getting, & 4) you can't drink. My baby wouldn't latch for the first 3 weeks, leaving me pumping to feed her only breast milk, & it was honestly the most stressful thing when my baby was screaming hungry for hours everyday & I was in pain while feeding but once she latched right & I got used to it the effort is so worth it.My sister-in-law told me that she wasn't "maternal" enough to breastfeed her babies.

I think most people nowadays are under the impression that formula is easier (whether you agree or not) & keeps them full longer. Whenever my baby gets hungry, my family asks me when I'm going to switch to formula so she will "actually feel full". I have no plans to stop breastfeeding until my baby decides she doesn't want to breastfeed anymore but that's just me :) It's just not for everyone!

Actually, most women leave hospital breastfeeding their infants but then quit after a few days, weeks, months. This is a common trend in the US, UK and Australia, although the breastfeeding rates in Australia are higher. Lack of support and lack of education (in regards to breastfeeding) are the two biggest factors in women ceasing to breastfeed.

Most women don't have a problem with supply but if baby is waking frequently at night (normal) and is cluster feeding (normal), if breasts no longer feel engorged after a few weeks (normal), the mother assumes low supply (which she doesn't have) and starts to supplement with formula and eventually all breastfeeding is replaced with formula. Problems with latch are able to be solved if the mother is able to access help but the help needs to be in the form of a certified lactation consultant as, too often, midwives, pediatricians, GPs, nurses calling themselves lactation consultants, child health nurses and the like, give out terrible advice and ultimately sabotage the mother's breastfeeding relationship. There are still a lot of myths and old-wives tales circulating around regarding breastfeeding.

Unfortunately, sentiments such as; "all that matters is that the baby is being fed" are also going to affect breastfeeding rates. It does matter if an infant doesn't get breast milk. The benefits of breast milk have been clearly studied and documented.

Without the benefits of breast milk, infants are susceptible to numerous illnesses as infants and toddlers and are at a higher risk of developing numerous health problems as adults. As others have pointed out, some women choose not to breastfeed their baby from birth. As long as the woman is well-informed of the risks of not breastfeeding, and even if people feel that she is being selfish for not feeding, as long as she's aware of the risks to her child by not breast feeding, her decision needs to be respected.

Some people think its gross I personally think its all natural and there is nothing gross about it both of my kids are breastfeed and I wouldnt change.

From each of the mothers who have bottle fed that I have spoken to on this topic - their reason was simple - it absolutely hurt them. They said the pain was not worth it. One ex friend of mine was breast feeding her baby and I asked her if it hur t- she looked at me with the most shocked expression and goes 'Of course!

Its a terrible pain, but my husband wants me to feed her like this, and I have the milk, so I have to! ' Let me see when my time comes... I'll tell you whether it hurts or not in another 10 months (TTC atm! ).

Lack of education/information, support, or just don't want too. In my case it was a lack of information and support. I really wish I would have breast fed, but I didn't think it was a true option for me.

With my 1st daughter I tried to breastfeed her. When she was a few days old she had jaundice. She had to be admitted to the hospital where the nurses told me to formula feed her instead.

Doing so made her jaundice go away, but nobody explained to me that I should have been pumping to maintain my supply. For the few days I did breastfeed her I had to wear nipple shields and it hurt really bad. The nurses told me it was best for her if I just bottle fed her formula because I did not have enough milk.

When I had my 2nd and 3rd children I just decided to formula feed them from the start based on my experiences with my 1st. For many women staying home is not an option, especially in this economy. They have to go back to work and in the USA that is often when the baby is only six weeks old.

That is another reason women commonly chose to formula feed instead of breastfeed.

I had nine children and had absolutely no desire to have a baby hanging on my boobs 24/7. Formula is quite satisfactory and bonding can most definitely be accomplished by snuggling a baby drinking from a bottle and the advantage is not only can older siblings bond but dad can too and better yet, dad can do it at night when mom is too tired to!

It takes TIME. If you don't plan for it, you don't know what youre in for. Formula is quick, as breastfeeding takes time.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.