Genuine question. Why do some mom's choose not to breastfeed?

I exclusively breastfeed so it might not be my place to say but I’m trying to wean to bottles & my reasons are - Just want my body back!! It already felt like it wasn’t mine for 9 months, I can see why people want it back straight away - Having someone else be able to help with the feeds, whether it’s my partner or mum or whoever, would be a HUGE help & take the pressure off me - breastfeeding is hard af to start out! It took us 8/9 weeks to be able to feed properly without tears from us both. I don’t know how I didn’t decide to stop & formula feed instead

Because my first had severe jaundice not helped by not feeding enough so I didn’t want to take the risk with my second. In terms of bonding both mine liked to hold onto my ponytail when sleeping and my daughter used to go to sleep holding onto the butterfly of my bra. I never felt like I missed out and in someways both could have done with being a little less attached!

It’s hard if baby isn’t latching right! It is not easy.

I couldn't breastfeed, tried for 8 weeks, but my baby was always still hungry after nursing and he was readmitted to hospital in his first week with dangerously low blood glucose because he wasn't getting enough milk from me. We also had planned to combo feed so my partner could feed baby in the evening so I could sleep.

I am going to attempt it because it’s less faff (in theory) and cheaper than formula. That being said I can’t say I want to at all- the idea of it really makes me uncomfortable. Pregnancy has been a total bitch and I would love to get my body back. It also means that I have to do allllll the feeds rather than splitting it with my partner. Another issue is I have witnessed multiple people turn themselves inside out trying to make it work, and the mental anguish it caused just doesn’t seem worth it.

I had a few reasons: I wanted to have my body back, the stress of knowing if he was having enough the anxiety of feeding in public and mainly my mental health I knew it wasn’t the right thing for me and my little one would be effected from me not being 100% x

I chose not to for my mental health. I tried to start but he had tongue tie and couldn't latch. The hospital were on the verge of not discharging me for mental health reasons due to the difficulties. Fortunately the feeding team supported the bottle feeding and got me discharged. I chose to stick to bottle then as he was happy and fed, and I was happier

I couldn’t breastfeed because she wouldn’t latch but that’s not what she asked, she asked why would you choose not to. I think some find it easier, it’s I suppose easier for dads or other carers to help feed, there’s no weaning from boob, some just might not want to. Some might not feel comfortable in public, maybe they have a lifestyle (drinking a lot or drugs) where they don’t feel comfortable doing so. You can still bond with your baby from feeding formula and that’s enough for some mums! But if I could of I would of defo breastfed!

He was in NICU and due to stress supply dried up so had to swap to formula.

I didn’t feel like the 100% commitment of feeding 24 hours a day was for me. I wanted to be able to share that responsibility with my husband. I also wanted the option to be able to still have aspects of my own life…eg a night out with friends where I wasn’t worried about how long I can leave my baby for. I didn’t want the worry of how I will get baby into a bottle once I go back to work. Formula fed babies absolutely thrive. I work in education, I have worked with babies from birth up to 11 year olds and I cannot tell you which baby was fed in what way. It doesn’t make a difference to their attainment, abilities or attendance. It was the best decision for us as a family x

1) mentally don’t think I’ll be able to cope as I’ve struggled the entire pregnancy 2) I want my body back for me 3) makes sharing feeding with OH easier 4) I like to have a drink when I want so didn’t want that to affect milk and preparation in advance would of been too much🍹

Some mums only get a few weeks maternity leave and some dads take on the main parent role from the start. I breastfeed and combi fed for 4 months but tbh, I hated every minute of it. Didn’t feel like I wasn’t bonded with baby though, loved every second of her just hated breastfeeding and pumping. Got a lot of freedom back when I stopped, mentally and physically.

I just didn't want too

I ebf but will be doing soon. I wonder if my baby would sleep better if not breastfed. I feed to sleep and this is going to be difficult to break when I go back to work.

-Latching issues (had these with my 1st, shredded nipples, and reached out for help but got none due to covid) - wanting to have a longer break/get body back (my 2nd was EBF and fed every 1-2 hours for 6 months) - allergies: lactose is something you can’t cut out as your breast milk makes it so if they have an allergy to this breastfeeding is a lot more uncomfortable for them. My 2nd was BF till 11 months and had cmpa, egg and wheat allergies which make your own diet very restrictive. If I accidentally consumed something he was allergic to he was inconsolable crying and back arching for days. -weight issues with baby, some have a very slow weight gain which worries them and so feel more comfortable to add formula - traumatic birth: my son was NICU due to being hypoglycaemic at birth and was tiny (0.4th percentile) and was tube fed formula at times - mental health, to me a happier mum is more important than the way in which a baby’s fed - some prefer to bottle feed - routine

-I’m type 1 diabetic and I kept fainting whilst breastfeeding. Smacked my head against the wall once doing it and it got dangerous holding the baby. (No amount of cokes, sweets etc would keep my blood sugars high enough) - I also pulled all the muscles in my back/ribs so I couldn’t physically hold my baby at one point (also had to be on medication that baby couldn’t have) - baby spent a week in hospital for jaundice where they wouldn’t let me breastfeed and then another week because of seizures, so once finally out I couldn’t get my milk supply up. Was literally bleeding from pumping every 30 minutes for a week straight until I gave up. - partner wanted to feed him too. I breastfed for 6 weeks so he did get some benefits.

Having a summer baby I wanted to be able to get out and about, and I didn’t feel comfortable with the whole public breastfeeding- I’m large chested and didn’t think I’d be able to do it discreetly. You also know exactly what your baby is getting you end up being able to get into a better feeding routine. With that I also wanted to share the feeding with my bf to enable him to have that bonding experience with our daughter. I wasn’t completely against breastfeeding but when she was first born she didn’t latch and I took it as a sign and I don’t regret my decision one bit. Finally, as I’m an older mum I had lots of friends who’d breastfed and seen how difficult it was and how much it took a toll on their mental health. Overall for me and my family I felt it was best. I still find it upsetting I always feel I have to justify my reasons and have to word it carefully as some people’s reactions make me feel like I’ve been selfish (you’re not trying to do this by the way) x

With my first I only managed to breastfeed for 2 weeks, I was in agony from my episiotomy and piles… I became very depressed being in pain whilst feeding, she wouldn’t latch properly so more pain. So it was best for my mental wellbeing to not continue x

I think sometimes it’s a support issue. Women aren’t educated enough prenatally and there is a huge lack of support (in the UK anyway) for women once they begin their journey. I was very lucky that my Mum had breastfed all 5 of us so was a fountain of knowledge, but unfortunately not everyone has that opportunity.

I chose not to as I wanted my husband to help with feeds to bond with our baby. I didn’t want to breastfeed in public or have to leave the room in front of family and friends.

My little girl wouldn’t latch and if I’m honest I think it was down to my breast shape and size. I tried pumping but I couldn’t keep up doing it. I just wanted to spend time cuddling my daughter instead of pumping in between her bottle feeds. I’ve decided for my next one I’m formula feeding just because I don’t want to put myself through feeling like a failure cause I couldn’t breast feed not good for the mental health

They may not be able to, supply issues, baby not latching. It’s a massive mental task to be able to breastfeed and PP is hard enough. They may need to return to work very early and are not able to pump etc.

I ebf both my kids up until about 16 months but it was so hard, so many misconceptions, so much misinformation out there about it which made me feel like giving up all the time. One boob ended up cracking so bad I had to bf off only one breast. It took everything in me to keep going. I totally get why some women choose not to.

- someone else can help with baby - it doesn't work for everyone ( for me it was a painful and stressful few weeks) So I quit for my mental health primarily. - you can be sure how much baby has eaten Overall I find that nurses pushed way too much for breastfeeding in my case which was also not fun and didn't really help with the situation

I felt uncomfortable so decided to exclusively pump instead. X

I didn't breastfeed because I just didn't want too. I didn't like the thought of it, the thought made me feel uncomfortable. Shes now 2 and I don't regret it at all. If we had another I would also bottle feed, it worked for us! 😊 x

I'm going to guess it has to do with a little thing called freedom. I never wanted to breastfeed but then LO arrived and it's the only thing that felt possible for me. Though I will say there were many times where I just wanted to pump because breastfeeding can be emotionally and mentally draining. It's 100% a natural thing but considering the toll it can have on you, I never expect a woman to be EBF. Definitely think it's a decision to not be taken lightly since it takes dedication, and work.

honestly the idea really grosses me out. whenever i think about breastfeeding all i can associate it with is a big fat pig lying on the ground with little piglets hanging off her. i find the idea really dehumanising (for myself, not for anybody else , other mums do what you want and whats best for your baby xx) im so glad in my choice of formula feeding from birth as now my partner gets to feed and bond with baby , someone can take over if i need to leave the house so im not stuck to my baby every few hours , i know exactly how much hes getting and eating , i can have a drink if i go out or with dinner , etc. giving birth (at least my experience) was extremelyyyy dehumanising in itself , and i honestly think breastfeeding would have made my PPD come on a lot sooner than it did and it would probably be a lot worse. im so glad i didnt do it

I decided before our daughter was born to do combination feeding, mainly so I wouldn't be almost permanently attached to her. Also my fiancee can then have exclusive feeding time with her and we could split the night feeds up. I love my girl so much but I also love that I was able to carve out some separation time right from the get go. She's 2 now and our bond is very strong x

Some moms don’t get the choice. Baby could not latch properly which caused severe pain and bleeding, frustration in hungry baby. I pumped for a month and never produced more then 2 ounces a day. Tried everything the doctor suggested and tried everything google suggested. My supple actually decreased I believe from stressing over it. The shame and guilt around not breastfeeding really needs to stop. I’m not saying anyone here is shaming anyone else I’m just saying I felt it.

I didn’t breastfeed either of my children at all, I just didn’t want to. My son thrived without a drop of breast milk and so far my second is the same. I could physically see how much baby was drinking which helped ease any stress when it comes to weight gain in the early days. There is so much to think about when baby is first born and I just didn’t want to add breastfeeding to the mix of it, it also meant I could have help when it came to feeding and dad could get involved too

I’m likely to go back on my anxiety/depression meds after birth to reduce the risk of PND, I also wouldn’t want to do it in public, I don’t want to be solely responsible for feeding, I want to use the help/ support of my husband and family if I need a good rest. I wasn’t breastfed by my mother and it didn’t affect our bond or relationship or my health x

I have heard the argument of just being able to go out and do things for yourself (mental health). I really do think that’s a valid reason…. Some women just want their bodies to themselves or some women have had negative experiences with latching and then don’t want to go through the disappointment again with other children. Also totally fair. I had one mom tell me she just wanted a break once she had her 4th child. He is totally healthy and just as healthy as her other children in my opinion. The argument for seeing how much they are drinking is a plus in my opinion, I have been nervous about over and under feeding my baby (she’s breast fed). You don’t get that with bottle feeding

I never wanted to so I didn't.

I wasn't able to breastfeed my first, I just flat out didn't produce basically any milk from the start. Trying was completely horrible for my mental health and affected my ability to bond with my baby. I debated going straight to formula with my second baby because it was so terrible to go through. I mean my baby was hospitalized because he was starving, I had nurses shame me for it, and for 2 months I desperately tried everything possible to get my supply up while people told me "it's not possible to not be able to produce milk, its supply and demand, you're just not trying hard enough." I couldn't do it again. I ended up deciding to try but wouldn't keep trying if the same problem happened again. I also once knew someone who had been sexually assaulted (years before, unrelated to her pregnancy) and breastfeeding triggered her anxiety and trauma around that so she never did it. It was healthier for her not to even try

I’m currently breastfeeding my little boy but it has been hard work and very time-consuming as he has struggled to latch deeply enough ever since he was born, despite input from various professionals. If I didn’t have a supportive partner, and/or if I had other children already, I wouldn’t have been able to continue for as long as I have. Even for those who don’t experience breastfeeding issues, I think the unpredictable nature of responsive feeding is more problematic for some women and their family/work setup than it is for others.

I’m on a biologic medication for my medical condition that doesn’t have enough research into whether it’s safe for breastfeeding babies or not so I chose not to.

My milk didn’t come in but the time he wanted it. It did a few days later and I could have tired again, but I was already happy with the load not being on me, and I’m certain I made the right choice for us all

With my first I wasn’t making any milk so didn’t even want to try for my new baby. Meant I could get back on medication asap. But I did actually start producing milk and 5 weeks later I am still leaking. Kinda wish I did try again but I didn’t want to go through all the stress I did with my first

I just didn’t want too x

My sister never wanted to because she wasn't comfortable with the idea. She was 16 when she had her first and was still very insecure. She also is disgusted by the leaking breasts. When she had her second 5 years later she felt the same.

Also, I tried to breastfeed, but the trauma caused by her father caused my milk not to come in right, which led to low milk supply. I had to start supplementing with formula. I did both until she was 5 months old, when she got sick and couldn't breathe through her nose enough to even want to breastfeed. I decided to use that as a natural stopping point. It still breaks my heart that I couldn't fully breastfeed and had to stop so soon.

I have always had a thing about my boobs being touched, don’t even like touching them myself when I shower, so I knew I wouldn’t like breastfeeding so chose not to. As it was I ended up with an emergency c-section and was put completely under. Took ages for me to come round almost 12 hours after my LG was born so my husband had to give her bottles. She also had an 80% tongue tie, I did try it but she couldn’t latch and was very happy taking the bottle. Also meant my husband could do the feeds while I recovered from the surgery.

My LO wasn't latching or swallowing properly. We were advised by midwives and lactation consultant to supplement with formula. If he didn't have formula, he'd likely starve!

Sometimes heath concerns or medication prevent a child from being breast fed some mums try it an don’t get on with it or baby doesn’t take to it, personally I bottle fed my first so his dad could share the feeding plus I was young an didn’t really get much information an support on breastfeeding with my second my milk never came in there was nothing to feed her with not even colostrum you don’t get any less of a bond by not breast feeding you are still an mum an do the majority of feeds there are pros an cons of both

Honestly? I can't be arsed, the mental stress on a lot of mums to do it is insane! I tried I really did but it caused me major anxiety and paranoid of my supply. Plus the dad wanted to be more involved! Using formula/making bottles and feeding meant I had the freedom when I needed it.

Some just can't, I wanted to BF but she couldn't latch so I had to pump but that meant no quality time with her as I was literally pumping and sterilising all the time with literally no time to eat, sleep, function etc so we moved to formula and it's been so much better for us

It was always my preference, and I am now able to ebf - but I wouldn’t do it again. My milk took a week to come in, my LG lost more than 10% of her body weight, I had to triple feed (bf, pump, expressed milk and/or formula top up), on top of that she had a tongue tie that wasn’t caught until she was 2 weeks and took a further 2 weeks to get it released - during which time the nipple pain was just getting worse until I was literally crying every time she wanted to feed (I was advised to continue feeding as well as pumping both to increase milk supply and so she didn’t lose the skill). She’s now 13 weeks and breast feeding is starting to become something I look forward to and treat as bonding time - but in hindsight, if I hadn’t been so focused on ebf I could have spent so much more time bonding with her and enjoying time with my partner instead of needlessly enduring stress, guilt, physical and mental pain, and exhaustion. I don’t regret it per se, but I wouldn’t do it again.

I tried when my girl was born while in the hospital but I wasn’t overly fussed about it honestly.After a few attempts of it just not working I gave her a bottle and she was fine with it straight away. I probably could have tried harder but as I said I wasn’t overly bothered either way and I was so exhausted from a traumatic birth. Bottle feeding means dad/grandma can help feed baby. I haven’t got to worry about pumping enough if I need to leave babe for a day or whatever. Just doesn’t work for some women.

In addition to many reasons others mention above, birth control drops your supply, so I’m really excited to get back on that lol