Breastfeeding: 7 Reasons To & 4 Reasons Not To

Breastfeeding is one of the hot topics of parenting.

There's co-sleeping, breastfeeding, organic foods, "rough play", discipline, circumcision, ear piercing; you'd be surprised how easy it is to upset someone just because your parenting and opinions differ from theirs.

So today I'm going to bring up the hot-button of breastfeeding.  To do or not to do is completely up to you.  Just make sure your baby eats, whether it's formula or boob magic.  I pumped for my first son, and formula fed my second.  Noelle is actually the first baby that's gotten "on-the-boob" action outside of the hospital. She eats both formula and breastmilk since I don't pump, but she breastfeeds more than anything.

Here's why I breastfeed:
1. All though her poop is looser, leading to more accidents.  It stinks less, so I don't mind it as much.
2. She's my last born, and it seems to make her more baby-ish.  It keeps her in my arms longer.
3. Health benefits, blah, blah, blah.
4.  Pumping hurts.  So I just stick her on the boob.
5.  My boobs are not saggy when they are full of milk; although, they are leaking.  They just seem perkier, and I enjoy that.  They look like wrinkly old cantaloupes when I'm not breastfeeding.  Having babies destroyed my boobs.  Small price to pay, though.
6. If I forget a cup, milk or water; I always have milk. For FREE.
7.  I am lazy.  This is perhaps my biggest reason for breastfeeding.  If I'm asleep (we co-sleep), I can just stick my boob in her mouth.  No sitting up required.  If she's hungry, I don't have to make a bottle; I just stick my boob in her mouth. My boobs are always with me; I never have to find them.  I wash them in the shower so I know they're always clean enough.  Breastfeeding enables my laziness, so I continue to do it.

There are cons and a few reasons not to breastfeeding:
1. I have leaking boobs.  They are not fun.  Sleeping topless is not a comfortable option; that's how you awake in a cold, smelly pool of milk. Worse than a leaking boob is an evil engorged boob.
2.  They are no longer my boobs.  They are Noelle's.  They belong to her, I'm just allowed to carry them around...on my body.
3. I get pinched, nipple chewed, scratched, and grabbed.  Like I said they are no longer my boobs; my 4-month-old mistreats them at her will.  There is nothing I can do about that.
5. Another reason not to breastfeed is because you don't want to or you can't.  As long as the baby eats and receives the nutrition he or she needs, it does not matter.
  

I seriously can stress my last point enough.  I chose to breastfeed, some don't. That's OKAY.  Whether you do it or not, and are public or private with it: as long as your little one is getting proper nutrients you are doing it right. My reason for posting today isn't to encourage or discourage anyone about breastfeeding; I am just sharing personal reasons I have and have not breastfed. 

(The picture attached is her breastfeeding all wrong, she gets no nutrients this way.  But it was so cute I HAD to share. If my nipple offends you, get over yourself!)