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Is breastfeeding worth it?
My short answer for me is YES.
For some people, it is an absolute NO.
If you are looking for encouragement to take the leap and give breastfeeding a try this is the article for you. If you are simply not interested in breastfeeding check out some other articles on my blog that are a better fit for you. You do what is best for you!
However, as a mom who has breastfed 2 babies to about the 14/15-month mark, I think it was worth it. Let’s get into some of the practical reasons why.
Saving Money on Formula
Breastfeeding was a huge money saver!
I have written another article about the 4 major baby expenses: diapering, formula, daycare, and medical bills. You can check that out here.
4 Big Baby Expenses to Plan For: A Practical Guide
It is all about the expenses that are recurring and not things you can get second-hand, such as clothing.
Breastfeeding allowed me to completely avoid paying for formula. It was amazing!
During one of my seasons of breastfeeding, there was a formula shortage, so I also avoided that stress, by knowing that my body would be perfectly capable of feeding my baby.
Another amazing part of breastfeeding was avoiding bottles.
Avoiding Bottles
Now if you pump breast milk and use a bottle you save money on formula, but you don’t skip the hassle of bottles.
This is why directly nursing your baby is in my opinion the most convenient way to feed them.
For more information on direct nursing check out, The Top 17 Advantages of Direct Breastfeeding Over Bottle Feeding.
Have you ever been to a house where they have a young baby and seen bottles everywhere? I have seen used bottles on end tables, dirty bottles in the sink, clean bottles, and all the little parts and pieces drying all over the kitchen counter.
Bottles can take over your home!
Avoiding bottles was a way to eliminate dishes. New parents can spend a lot of time washing bottles. We basically never did!
When it came to outings all I needed to pack was my nursing cover and a burp cloth. I didn’t have to worry about packing bottles, water, and formula. Or transporting pumped milk at the right temperature.
I didn’t have to find a way to make the bottle on the go and get it to the right temperature.
I didn’t have to plan exactly how much milk I would need to get through the outing and back home.
And the final advantage of avoiding bottles was nighttime feedings. By directly nursing my baby I could get to them within moments of them waking up at night. I could nurse them before they had a chance to wake up fully.
Imagine how much slower and cumbersome a nighttime feeding is when you need to get a bottle of formula or breastmilk just right.
Direct nursing at night is a huge advantage for quick feedings that help get babies back to sleep more easily.
My night feedings could be so quick. I really didn’t dread them all that much. Obviously, I love to sleep, but I feel like it was as easy as possible.
Pro-Tip: I do have a suggestion for mommas who plan to use bottles. You and your spouse should rinse them out when done, even if you do not wash them immediately give them that rinse to prevent the milk from caking onto the bottom of the bottle.
Benefits of Direct Nursing
I truly feel like breastfeeding was an easy part of parenting for me. After the initial introduction and learning.
There of course is the learning curve in the beginning.
As long as I could tell my baby was thriving and gaining weight, I knew we were on the right track.
If you feel nervous about this, you can invest in a baby scale at home.
You can also attend lactation classes; they always have a scale. Or you can visit the pediatrician for a weight check.
Direct nursing gave me peace of mind. Typically, people refer to it as a stressor because they can’t see how many ounces their baby is getting.
I chose to trust my body and my eyes.
I found not measuring ounces and tracking every little bit less stressful. I didn’t have to decide when to go from 3-ounce bottles to 4.
I didn’t feel like I had to worry about overfeeding, because your body will regulate your breastmilk.
Because I didn’t pump, I didn’t stress and worry about creating a freezer stash.
Feeding my baby very quickly became a no-brainer for me. Now getting them to sleep…that was a whole nother story.
Struggles of Breastfeeding
Now I do want to keep it real. Breastfeeding is not all daisies and roses. There are of course going to be struggles.
For some, it is learning to get that initial latch. It could be pain, engorgement, lack of supply, and issues such as thrush and mastitis.
If you want help with the initial latch, check out this video:
Overall I avoided or quickly got through most of these issues.
What I struggled with most was the attachment at times.
I felt very tied to my baby, which was fine 95% of the time. But that 5% when I wanted a break was really hard…in fact nearly impossible beyond 3 hours.
There was a point with my first baby, right around the 8th-month mark. I told my husband I wanted to take off for like 3 days. Just a break. That would be very nice.
You can’t do that though! My baby was directly nursed and would not take a bottle. So, I couldn’t just take a pumping vacation. Also, pumping is more work than breastfeeding. It wasn’t a real break. And I also wasn’t ready to quit nursing.
I just simply wanted a break and that was not possible.
But I could say the same thing about being a parent. I have wished to have a day off, but you are never off, even if you have someone else watching your child you never get a day truly off of parenting.
So, for me, it was the physicality of wanting a break, but at the same time, I think it was more mental of wanting that break.
Sometimes I also just wanted my body to be mine again. You share your body during pregnancy and then with breastfeeding you continue to share it.
This is part of being a parent, but it can also be a challenging adjustment, especially with your first baby.
Conclusion
Breastfeeding will come with different challenges for all mothers.
Ultimately though if I got pregnant with a third child today, I would 100% plan to breastfeed.
For me, the pros and general conveniences outweigh the struggles.
Below are some more breastfeeding resources from my blog. Please check them out if you are looking for more information.
I also have a YouTube channel where I discuss breastfeeding, baby registries, and so much more.
Check Out My Articles
The Haakaa: A Simple, Affordable, and Effective Tool for Breastfeeding Moms
Help and Support for New Moms During the First 2 Weeks of Breastfeeding
A Guide to The Four Stages of Breastfeeding and How It Gets Easier Over Time
Why All New Mommas Should Consider Giving Breastfeeding a Try!
How to Choose the Right Supplies for Breastfeeding
