No one tried to force me they just asked what I wanted to do and that was that
I was pretty set on bottle feeding until I learned the health benefits of the first few weeks of breastmilk⌠so I decided I would try it for a couple weeks, and then switch to formula. I never did. My baby loved the breast so much I donât think he wouldâve even liked formula after that. It was weird and a little awkward, I totally get what you mean by it being⌠cringy. Not when others do it, itâs not a bad thing obivously, it does feel weird though and definitely feels a little invasive but at the same time itâs your sweet baby so itâs not as bad as it could be. I pushed thru it. I often opted to pump even though I was home with baby, because it was more comfortable. He still got good nutrition and I didnât have to be uncomfortable. Most insurances cover even basic auto pumps so itâs basically no work aside from rinsing parts. I did that until he weaned himself around 10 months. I had to stop breastfeeding due to his teeth coming in at 8 months, he was biting and didnât understand no⌠and I had enough of it by then anyway so we moved to pumping, bottles, and then shortly later pedi said it was okay to do cows milk in the sippy. It was actually a very short span of time looking back.
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They have it at the hosp.
Personally, I donât suggest the glass bottles. It made my daughter throw up from too much air. Once I used her bottles, she was fine.
I was never forced. With my first a consultant came by but I told her my plans to formula feed because there was no way I was going to be able to breastfeed at work. Yes, I know, itâs the law, but I worked in fast food and they expect you to pump in the break room where everyone can come in and out, it was a small space, and it just wasnât going to happen. Eventually I with my 4th I was able to pump, so the lactrition nurse bugged the crap out of and my baby was in the NICU. I dried up because I couldnât find an affordable breast pump and WIC would only give me a hand pump, telling me the hospital had a pump. In which I could only use at the hospital and I had 3 kids at home to take care of. I was only able to visit during school hours. I bought a second hand pump with my 5th and told them I was formula feeding so the lactrition nurse would leave me alone. I pumped for 10 months and my supply dropped.
Yes. The psycho lactation ladies will come and really try to pressure you. I looked at the lady dead in the eyes and firmly said "LOOK, FOR PERSONAL REASONS, I DO NOT WANT TO BREAST FEED. PLEASE LEAVE. IF YOU COME BACK I WILL CONTACT HOSPITAL SECURITY " they even called the room after that and I hung up in their face. Then told the nurse if the lactation people contact me again Iâm going to lose my shit!! Never heard from them again.thats just what they do. I cant friggin stand it.
Why canât you just pump and put in bottles. That way the child still gets the benefit of breast milk.
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My first baby, the nurses tried to force the baby to breastfeed. She wasnât having it, she would fall asleep every time. I made the decision to formula feed after my baby wouldnât eat for 24 hours. The nurses werenât happy but oh well! Your baby, Your choice!
Fed is best. It doesnât matter if itâs breastmilk or formula. Do whatâs best for you. Most hospitals donât make you breastfeed
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I breast fed for a short time. But my boy wasnât getting enough to eat so I went to formula . My boy is a 24 year old man now and is healthy. I donât think breast feeding is for everyone .
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With my last baby I told the nurses that I would be doing what I could but I wouldnât stress myself out trying to bf since it didnât work out with my first two. They still pressured me. But the most pressure I experienced with bf for all three of my babies, was from other mothers telling me what I should be doing, as if I wasnât already trying everything available⌠Just do you and stand your ground. Ignore anyone that tries to shame you into changing your mind
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Be stern with them. They will be pushy. I didnât nurse my older two boys and chose to nurse my youngest. I was so sick after I had him with a fever and drifting in and out of consciousness. They would come in and literally take my breast out of my gown while I was sleeping and try to latch him.
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Just stick to your guns. Your baby your choice. You may need to be dry and to the point but do it if your mind is made up. If you waiver even a little they will push
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I felt so pressured by the Drs and nurses I encountered while pregnant and in the hospital after having my son. I wasnât sure if I wanted to breast feed or not. It got to the point that I just told everyone âIâm formula feeding and thatâs itâ because I was tired of the judgement. I figured if I wanted to try breast feeding at home then I would on my own time. My child is healthy, incredibly smart and huge for his age! He was brought up on formula.
I had to cuz unfortunately I didnt get milk with my firstâŚ32 weeks tomorrow with my 2nd & been taking milk thistle I plan to switch to fenugreek once babys born in Hopeâs I can this time around but my 1st daughter done fine on it
I chose not to breast feed. I went with formula and received NO pressure from my doctor or from the hospital.
I want to reiterate that I am not shaming the mother in any way. Just stating the truth about what I have learned about breastfeeding vs. Formula and I had to do both because I dried up. I regret giving my kid GMO formula when I couldâve gotten him organic. He has digestive issues now because of it. My other kids who were fed organic formula after I dried up are fine. I have personal experience with both so I was reaching out to this Momma with Love! 
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I did both âŚformula depends on the babyâs intake all babyâs canât drink the same thing my kids were on good start âŚI dont know if they use good start anymoreâŚgood luck and congratulations on your new baby.
Some hospitals push it, itâs annoying. Just stand your ground and respectfully decline her advice. When I had my last and stated I was formula feeding, the lactation specialist respected it and just gave me tips on how to get my milk to dry up as fast as possible and what to do if I get engorged.
Lots of people only do formula⌠If you donât want to breastfeed, donât let them push you to do it. Your body, your child & your choice. Just Feed the babyâŚ
Just be firm that you want to formula feed. If the lactation consultant asked to come in say no thank you. You are an adult and get to make decisions that work best for your family, donât feel like you have to justify your decision!
Most wont make you. Just let your doctor know that you plan on formula from the start and they should work with you on it
They will try to push breastfeeding but be stern. I tried with my first but ended up formula feeding right when I got home.
I didnât even try with my second
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i formula fed my son since birth, now hes drinking gallon milk. but he was sensitive to real milk formula so i had to switch him to soy cause he would projectile vomit all the time, after i switched to soy though he still spit up but not as bad as with real formula. 
my baby boy is STRONG and healthy.
my hospital just asked âare you breast or bottle feedingâ i said bottle, so they went and got a premade formula bottle and brought it to my room after labor.
Theyâre gonna push it on you but they cannot force you to. My doctor kept commenting on it but once I explained I simply was not interested and had made up my mind he never mentioned it again. Congrats! And stand unwavering in your decision! afterall it is YOUR decision!
My mom didnât have a choice due to medication. She had to formula feed. Donât let them bully you. Tell them that you are going to formula feed. They cannot stop you.
I formula feed and will formula feed again. A lot of ppl will say stuff to you just ignore it. I have it in my file that I wonât be breast feeding. Ppl still ask at every appt if Iâm going to breast feed. Just keep saying no donât get upset just simply stick to your plan itâs none of their business
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I breastfed for the first month, but could produce enough milk, sadly, and had to switch to formula. If you have health insurance, you can get a prescription for a breast pump, and it will either be free or very cheap. Maybe you could try that instead of actually breastfeeding? Just an idea. Fed is fed. As long as baby gets the nutrition he/she needs. However, I would advise to at least try to pump your colostrum since thatâs where a lot of the antibodies are. Itâll help with babyâs immune system.
However, if you are set on formula only, I will say that the hospital I went to was very supportive of the motherâsâ choices. Most people donât have a lot of issues with medical staff. Most of the forceful backlash actually comes from other moms who are too judgemental to mind their own business. Good luck to you. And I hope this helps.
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Just let them know when your in the hospital you want to formula feed, they shouldnât say anything. I had 3 all formula fed and healthy
If you can try to get some colostrum from you for your baby, it has antibodies in it that protect your baby from illness until the baby starts being able to protect itself. I have bottle fed all mine due to not producing enough milk, but they still got a few milliliters of the first milk ( Iâm talking like 1-2mls after an hour on a hospital machine) but it is really beneficial 
Iâve had a friend feel the same way, she decided to Express the colostrum and continue for a week, then went to formula, as that first bit is crazy good for them, but if you want to formula feed from birth Iâd get one that is gentle in tummies like aptamil, also get a few different bottles incase she doesnt like certain ones, Iâve heard dr browns are really good, hospitals tend to force breastfeeding, some just shove baby on the boob, and you may as well not even be there cause some dont listen, Iâd say have a pump with you and have it out visible and keep telling them you will be pumping or have formula out ready to go, you never know tho, I felt a but nervous about it too, but baby latched straight away and it was actually a really special amazing bonding time, the love just grew and grew.
I havenât had it pushed. I tried to pump but never emptied my boobs well. Just tell them youâre formula feeding
They talk to people about breastfeeding as an option, but I havenât been in a hospital yet that doesnât try to shove a bottle of formula down a babyâs throat even if the mother has made it clear she wants to breastfeed. Never known a hospital to try to pressure parents into breastfeeding.
I was definitely pressured into breastfeeding at the hospital with my first two. My first was way and wasnât born knowing how to latch or breathe while eating. A nurse got so frustrated with him she violently shoved his head into my breast. He never tried again. He would scream if we tried after that. We reported the nurse. He ended up being allergic to my milk anyway. Pressured with my second as well and she to ended up being allergic. Pregnant with my fourth and I plan to just be blunt and rude if necessary. I did breastfeed my third and it made my depression spiral. Never again. Stand your ground and donât put up with them pressuring you!
It will make the baby constipated
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Formula fed all 3 of mine from birthâŚwas never pushed towards breast feeding by anyone. But then again, I was very clear with what I was doing thru-out my 1st two pregnancies and towards the end with #3, so I think they know there was no point in pushing.
Your body and your choice.
The nurses might ask you to try it and if you do not want to than donât. I breastfed my twins and the Lactation Consultants were awful they honestly no help I ended up figuring it all out on my own. Ask for the formula they will supply the formula for the hospital stay and a bit for the first few nights.
Just stick to your guns. With my daughter I tried to exclusively breastfeed because I bought into the pressure put on me from all sides but she had a lot of issues and I donât think either one of us were really happy. We ended up having to switch to soy formula and she was 100% happier after that even though I felt SO much guilt thanks to all the pressure to breastfeed and the stigma against formula. I felt like I had failed. With my twin sons I was older and more sure of my choices as a mom and I knew I wanted to pump and feed breastmilk from a bottle with formula supplemented as needed. I didnât want to fall down the mom-guilt rabbit hole again. My lactation consultant was obnoxiously persistent that I try to breastfeed despite my desires which I made very clear and even my nurses respected. She even went so far as to attempt to force my littlest twin to latch when he was obviously struggling and my rage was growing. Just tell them no. Plain and simple. No. (And I added a few choice explicative in my head at the time)
My specialist didnât force it at all. They also provided me with formula there. After I was at home, we started using similac. Also donât let any moms make you feel bad. Itâs YOUR decision. And itâs no one elseâs business.
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Iâve noticed theyâve gotten a lot less pushy between when I had my first and my last baby end of 2017. Just be straight up with them. I had to supplement with my last while in the hospital and I was worried to ask the nurse for a bottle because how pushy they had been in they passed. They actually ended up being very nice and supportive about it. Even saying âyes Iâll get you a bottle, maybe the baby will sleep a little more for youâ because I was exhausted and nipples were on fire. Sure enough, baby girl slept a Couple hours. If it was 2009 when I had my first they would have looked at my like I was trying to poison my baby just for asking for a bottle 
you do what you need to do, just tell them your decision with confidence rather than uncertainty so there isnât room for persuasion.
My lactation consultant was awesome and was so helpful with breastfeeding but also gave me so much info about formula feeding. Telling me about different formulas and how to choose the right one if I decided that breastfeeding was not for me. She gave me different tips on how to make formula feeding more bonding (itâs what I was worried about) I felt so much more informed after meeting with her
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They will ask if you are going to breastfeed or formula. With both my boys they suggested breastfeeding but never pushed it on me.
Your baby your choice and the midwifes and hospital staff have to respect that!
Ask your hospital. Different hospitals have different policies
DO NOT JUDGE âŚpeople
Put your foot down girl ⌠you are the mother of this baby
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Oh lort honey. You really need to educate yourself on breastfeeding before saying it makes you âcringeâ.
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I never was pressured to breast feed. Used formula with no problems. I was given something so milk wouldnât come in. No hospital should make that choice for you!!
Make that clear when you go in so they dont send a lactation consultant at all
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Itâs your baby not the hospitals, if you want to bottle feed from birth then do it. I bottle fed all 6 of mine and they were ok
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Breastfeeding makes you cringe? How old are you? It doesnât sound like youâre mature enough to be having a baby. Wow.
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It can make you cringe girl. You dont have to prove or explain anything.
You have a kid⌠thatâs all thatâs required to be a mom, and if its alive and fed and thriving then youâre doing just fine.
Anybody who wants to try and make you come up with a better description has no place doing that. You dont have to share a reason at all.
Feed your kid formula if thatâs what you choose. And thatâs perfectly fine. 
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I am so over people pushing momâs to do one or the other. Can we just agree that a fed baby is truly best? Can we just agree that not starving the baby is really the best option?
Girl, you do you. If it isnât for you, trying it will just stress you both out. Go in knowing and being confident in your decision. Take a bottle with you just in case if youâre concerned they wonât provide one. Heck, even call the hospital and talk to the nurses about it. Questions never hurt. Best of luck to you mama.
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Well. Some of these comments are exactly why this new mama is scared of how the hospital staff will take her decision to formula feed her own child. Good job, sanctimommies!
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I felt exactly the same way. Formula worked well
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I know there are âbaby friendlyâ hospitals, I had my 2nd baby at one. Those hospitals definitely push for BFing. I tried with all 3 of mine and ended up switching to formula because I didnât produce enough. My advice would be to avoid a âbaby friendlyâ hospital and to use a more gentle formula. We had good luck with enfamil gentlease and also parents choice âtenderâ
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I actually do believe that fed is best. It took me a long time to get there because I wanted to breastfeed my daughter so bad and I was only able to do it a couple months and it killed me. And I tried everything. Teas, shakes, pumping, nipple shields, twice weekly visits to a lactation specialist. I even had a visiting nurse for awhile. I donât shame women who canât breastfeed because of some kind of medical reason. But to not even try because it makes you âcringeâ or youâre too lazy is just ridiculous and I know Iâm going to get flamed for saying this but I donât care. I stand by it.
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I tried breastfeeding (My daughter was a preemie born 2 months early) so when she was in the NICU I pumped and they feed it to her through her tube. I wasnât pumping even an ounce so she was switched to a special formula. I would figure if you tell the doctors that you arenât breastfeeding then they might not send a lactation consultant to your room
When I was at the hospital, even though I knew I wanted to formula feed I gave breast feeding one try as his first âfeedingâ just cause I felt like it in the moment. The lactation specialist could tell it just wasnât my cup of tea( also my son just wasnt latching my breast at all) and brought in 3 different kinds of formula told me about the difference and helped me pick one, made sure my baby took the bottle and then let me be. It was so stress free and peaceful.
I believe you just tell them you are formula feeding. If you tell them your gonna breastfeed then they will try and push it, but tell your in and tell the hospital as well your not breastfeeding. Formula has the same vitimines as breast milk, I have 4, 1 was formula feed the others where breast milk for as long as I could. One was 1 year, 1 was 3 months, The last was 6 months. There all healthy. There is no difference. Do what makes you comfortable.
I formula fed it was fine no different except easier to share night time feeding with your partner plus you donât have to watch what you consume diet wise ie gassy foods or spicy foods caffine
Just be firm with the nurses if they try to push something you donât want. Ask for a supervisor if they keep pushing. If you have a partner or family member with you make sure they know what you want and have them advocate for you!
I dont believe I ever felt pressure. I told them I want to primarily pump and supplement with formula. They kind of asked why and I explained it to them. I got more hastle from doctors at the check up appointments.
I did formula from birth with my 2nd. Take the formula to the hospital with you. They wont bother you about it just say youâre bottle feeding.
Breastfeeding is only good for baby if its something the mom wants to doâŚor at the very least is ok with. Doing it while stressed out and resentful lowers supply and possibly quality of the milk. More so, and I cant stress this enough, if a mom chooses to nurse or formula feed and resents it it damages the bond to her baby. Its far worse to resent your baby/ not be able to bond with them because you choose to nurse when you didnât want to than choosing formula.
Just make sure he gets the stuff he needs from your breast first think itâs called callostrum or something (I know I spelled that wrong)
With my daughter my milk didnât come in until she was like two months old so she was bottle fed and the hospital staff was supportive. With my son I wanted to strictly breast feed and he had a lot of trouble latching and the hospital staff kept recommending to supplement with formula
The hospital I gave birth in asked me as well as my OB asked me and no one pressured one thing or another. I honestly feel like it will depend on the staff themselves.
As long as you and baby are fed and happy and doing what best for the both of you thatâs all that matters.
I told everyone before my son came I wanted to formula feed, no one gave me any issues or tried to force me to do something I didnât/couldnât want to do! I hope you have the same experience, no one can force you to breastfeed and if you donât want to, explain that to them and that should be the end of it! A fed baby is best!
My son suffered because of formula, it was very hard on me to heard his stomach crunch so bad and he would spit a lot. It took him a while to pass his born weight and took forever to grow up. Took him to the doctor a bunch of times because I felt he would choke on it at some point. Well we both suffered. He was fuzzy all the time. With my daughter she also doesnât want to stick to my brest but she is feed exclusively breast milk and she is growing super fast and healthy. Do not spit and her tummy doesnât crunches and she is barely ever fuzzy.
Just put it in your birthing plan. I wrote my plan down and handed it to the head nurse upon arrival to the hospital. 
they followed it to a T!!
If you let your hubby suck your nipples, let the baby suck it too . I think breastfeeding is the best .