Name: Gina Title: Not planning to Breastfeed, will I lactate?

I am still consdering both sides (to breastfeed or formula) but wonder if I formula feed, will I still be lactating? And if so, how long? My mom says they gave her a shot each time after she gave birth when she told the doc she would formula feed. According to her the shot suppressed the production of milk so that since she wasn't breastfeeding, she would not have pain and hard breasts etc.
however, I read in the book "What to Expect..." that the FDA had since found this practice of getting a shot after giving birth to maybe be harmful and so it is not done anymore??
Is this true? Did anyone out there get such a shot, and if not, how long would it take for the body to naturally stop lactating if I DO decide to formula feed my baby?  ?

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Name: Fiona • Date: 01/24/2006 07:35:01

If you don't breasfeed following birth then your body will not produce milk in any quantity. You may feel uncomfortable and leak for a few days, but you'll be so busy looking after the baby that you won't even notice.

If I were you I'd give breastfeeding a go and if you don't like it then you can always stop - you'll soon dry up. It can take a while to get established and is a bit of work at first - babies feed very frequently in the early days/weeks in order to get your milk flowing. They also need to feed at night a fair amount as this is the time when Prolactin (lactation hormone) is produced in the greatest quantities.

Breastfeeding may not be for everyone, but it's a lovely experience and definately helps you bond with the baby. It's far nicer than bottlefeeding.

I shouldn't worry about needing to have 'shots' after the birth if you decide not to.

take care  =

Name: 3 time nursing mom • Date: 01/26/2006 03:27:00

Gina,

I agree with Fiona. You will be too busy falling in love with your new baby that the discomfort you feel in either nursing or not nursing will be of no consequence to you.

I would like to add that if you decide not to nurse, to at least consider nursing the first 3 or 4 days when your colostrum comes in.

Colostrum is full of wonderful antibodies that is exactly what your baby needs to build up his/her immunities to what (s)he will be exposed to. Also it is chocked full of nutrients in a concentrated form that is designed specifically for baby's digestion.

Even the formula companies admit that they can never offer anything even remotely close to colostrum.

Good luck, and please look at the La Leche League's website on the benefits of breastfeeding to aid you in your decision to nurse or not nurse.

The best decision is one that is made with the most education, and you are the only one that can make the best decision for you and your baby.

Congratulations!  =

Name: Jessica • Date: 01/30/2006 14:32:45

I agree with the other ladies. Like you I still am decided whether or not I want to breastfeed due to extreme sensitivty to my nipples. I'm leaning towards just doing it the first fews days with the colostrum. Either way your baby will love you if you choose to breastfeed or not. My midwife even agrees, your baby is built different from other babies, if you don't breastfed, you baby will still be healthy as can be! At all depends on THEIR immune system and how it's made:) The decision is up to you and your partner. I also asked about the shot to dry up the milk and they no longer do that. THey have you wear a tight bra which will dry up your supply. You will still have some discomfort but it won't last to long. Good luck sweety!!  =

Name: melinda • Date: 02/01/2006 16:21:03

not breastfeeding is a hard decision. Just imaging before 1870 when the first formula came out a baby would die without milk for mom. i could not imagine not breastfeeding my 5 mo old. it does take alot of dedication and patience. It is not easy for all babies, but there is help out there, so ask your doc for a name and number of a specialist.

to myself not breastfeeding if you are capable, is really selfish and not the best choice for your little one.

For the baby, just do it and pretend there is no other choice, that is what i did and she is so healthy.

ps. breastfeeding does hurt, you will cry and want to quit,, but dont, for the baby......  =

Name: 3 time nursing mom • Date: 02/03/2006 02:41:07

I myself did find that it would hurt the first week or so. But after the first few days, the pain would only happen as baby started to nurse and subsided as baby continued to suckle. And then the pain did not occur after my nipples got toughened up.

I chose to nurse my first at a time when nursing was still considered 'shocking', and nursing beyond 2 months was considered apalling by many in the world I was living in. But I did it because I knew without a doubt, after great study of the benefits, that formula (even today's) can never come close to that which Mother Nature designed for my baby. How could it?

After proving I could not only survive, but grasp the full experience of birthing pains with joy, ( note: joy doesn't mean I didn't think it hurt like h#%%), the pain that came with the first moments of nursing really was mind over matter. I thought it to be a piece of cake in the big scheme of things, knowing that I was giving my child the best start in life I could possible give.

Any pain I felt was just another expression of love for my baby.  =

Name: //\\ • Date: 02/13/2006 08:32:00

You will lactate but not as much!!! It will dry up in a week or so!!  =

Name: MBR4UA • Date: 06/25/2007 08:54:22

I breast-fed my daughter last time, and I know that I will NOT be nursing at all the next time. I agree that it's kind of nice at first, but for me, it got very old very quickly. My milk didn't hurt when it came in at all, which was nice, but I my breasts were sore, my nipples were cracked, and my daughter didn't want to latch on. For me, it was a lot of work with very little pay-off. I bonded with my precious just fine bottle feeding, and it saved my breasts a lot of trouble!
Again, this is completely JUST ME, and everyone is different. My advice would be to give it a go at first and see how you and your baby respond to it. If there are no problems, more power to you! I just ask that you don't make us non-nursing moms feel guilty about our choice!
Best of luck!  =

Name: briseis • Date: 06/28/2007 06:04:31

Well at least give her the colostrum; I'd say breatfeed your baby for the first week so she gets the colostrum, and then bottle-feed if it gets too much for you. You'll produce the colostrum anyway. Why waste it?  =

Name: nancy2 • Date: 01/16/2008 22:22:27

I want to lactate without breastfeeding a baby to enlarge my breast. want to do this with a pump. is this possible  =

Name: playmatex3x • Date: 02/14/2008 00:03:19

if you pump, then you will keep producing milk. if you are going to pump you might as well breastfeed. and you could just feed the baby the pumped milk you dont have to feed the baby off of you. but pumping, you might get ebhind because babies eat alot!!  =

Name: playmatex3x • Date: 02/14/2008 00:03:52

i breastfed and my boobs didnt shrink when i was done they just looked more real.. lol  =

Name: Candy79 • Date: 03/21/2008 06:02:51

I was undecided at first when I was pregnant with my son but I found out that its not only good for the baby its also very healthy for yourself. I also found out how much formula cost! its like $20, you can also go on WIC for the baby. We are planning on having another baby and I am guaranteeing that I'll do it again. To tell the truth I was told that it hurts a lot to breastfeed and similar stories about the nipples cracking and bleeding, mine never did, it did hurt maybe the first 2-3 days but after that it didn't hurt. I was only able to breast feed for 3 months with my son and I wasn't making enough milk so I had to to formula later but I continued to breast feed for another 1 1/2mos. Either way is good, I was told that Soy formula was more like breast milk than the milk base kind and my little boy that is going to be 2yrs old in a few months is as healthy as they come. If you do breastfeed and want to pump (which I suggest you pump right away even if you can't bottle feed right away, all you have to do is put it in the freezer and save up on it.) buy a good pump not a cheap one because they break or they just don't work.  =

Name: jen85 • Date: 03/24/2008 02:55:52

I breastfed my 1st for 15 months, because I had the time. He ate a lot more frequent than bottle fed baby's because breastmilk digest faster. He nursed like every 45 mins. He refused to take a bottle and since never had. Now looking back the experience was great and th e bebefits were great for not only my son but also for myself. My son still never had an ear infection or any type of other infection. He's had a cold twice in his entire life. He's 2 1/2. He's very healthy and intelligent.

It was very time consuming and no one could watch him because he refused to take a bottle. This time with baby #2 I will be stricktly bottle feeding. I'll make sure he gets my colostrom the first few days and might nurse him in the middle of the night, because I won't want to get up and warm up a bottle, but mornings and throughout day I will be formula feeding. It will be better for daycare, and parents watching him because they'll be able to feed him to.

It's your decision. Breastfeeding is best for baby's. But as I said, very time consuming.  =