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I think you should "get over it" already (as you rightly said). Remember once you decide to have a child it is not about you anymore, it is about your baby and doing what is best. Give it a try. You have to have a better excuse for not doing what is best besides thinking it might be "irritating".

I also vote to "get over it". Heres the thing, yes, breastfeeding takes a little bit to get used to and your nipples may be really sore at first but it gets so much easier after the initial first week and then every week after that. I myself am a first time mom and I'm dealing with everything there is to having a newborn including colic and I am able to breastfeed. I would say give it a try but remember that the first days are not an initial indicator of what BFing will really be like. It is recommended that everyone try BFing, and give yourself at least 6 weeks to see if it is for you. I feel that if you go into breastfeeding with a positive attitude it makes a huge difference. Good luck.

Get over it. Not only will you be offering your baby the best possible nutrition, you will also save yourself tons of money! BF is hard at first, at least for me it was, but I'm sooo glad I didn't quit all the times I thought I wanted to (in the first couple of weeks). The most important thing for the early weeks is a good latch. Don't be afraid to ask your lactation consultant and.or nurse for help in the hospital. They literally grabbed my boob and showed me how to get the baby to latch on correctly. I have never had scabbed over nipples...but they are "sore" the first few days because of course you've never had a baby eating off you before. It gets so much easier too. My dd is almost 6.5 months and bf is a breeze now. I hate bottles!! But, in the end it's your personal decision, but that is my opinion.

Give it a try and see how it goes. It might go better than you expect :-) I actually never had any pain/latch issues at all with my 3 kids. But, just to clarify... it doesn't keep your baby from getting sick for the first few years... it gives them some immunities, but bf babies still get sick. My oldest got sick a few times in his first few year and my younger two were sick A LOT (they had an older sib in school bringing germs home). Anyway, just wanted to clarify that bfing is good and has many benefits, but it doesn't completely prevent infant/toddler illnesses.

I NEVER thought I would be able to breastfeed. I'm a first timer too and initially said I was going to give it a "try" but thought I would end up formula feeding (esp after hearing all the horror stories). But, my ds is now 2 months and I lOVVE b'fding. It was really easy for me, and tho it's time consuming, I would never change a thing. I'm going to do it for at least 6 months now and maybe even longer if I can. Try it and see what happens...u could be pleasantly suprised:-)

Tashabaty - I agree with the others on here - you should definitely give it a try. I am one of those who have had difficulties with feeding, but I just keep picturing the formula ingredients label (what is all that stuff in there??!) and I'm committed to feeding my baby "whole food" - breastmilk - tailor-made for him, rather than corporate food. One really nice thing is that if you are out somewhere with the baby and s/he's hungry, it's so easy to just bf. You can even do it in your car if you are shy, or have some sort of clothing or sling that covers you up. BF-ing is also supposed to be better for the mother as well... I think I read that the longer you feed, it lowers the risk of breast cancer. I feel very empowered about feeding my baby... I look at him (he's 15lbs at nearly 12 weeks!) and think, all of his growth has come from something I've produced! It's a good feeling to know he is having the best food possible. But it really helps to decide to be committed to it - I know with all the pain I've had, if I wasn't determined to bf, I would have stopped weeks ago. Best of luck to you! (ps - I'm a 1st time mom as well.)

Oh, and one more great thing about breastfeeding is that it really does help you lose weight faster. I am only 6 weeks pp and I gained 43 pounds during my pregnancy and I only have 15 pounds till I'm back to my prepregnancy weight. Mind you I have not even watched what I have been eating and I still lose weight.

If you're really unsure, go buy a small container of formula and mix up a bottle. Smell it and take a taste...then decide if that's what you want your baby eating for the first year of its life. I'm going to be honest; breastfeeding hurt like hell the first 8 weeks. If I had had to go back to work, I would have given up after 2 weeks and said to heck with it. My nipples were sore, cracked, and had blood blisters. Something, I'm not sure what, made me keep going and hang in there. Maybe it was because my daughter was given 1 oz of formula in the hospital and it immediately changed the way she smelled. I don't know. I do know that she just turned 2 this past Friday, and is still nursing, despite the fact that I'm also 8 weeks pregnant with #2. There is a good probability that I will continue to nurse my older daughter while also nursing this baby. At this point, my daughter is old enough that she will most likely be able to remember nursing, and will remember the bond it creates. Knowing that, that I have given both of us something to cherish for the rest of our lives, makes those 8 weeks totally worth it.

I wanted to add - there are ways to reduce problems with breastfeeding. Go to a La Leche League meeting before your baby is born. They're really not the she-devils people make them out to be. They're there to help and encourage you. Make sure you have a good support system in place, people who will support and encourage you to keep breastfeeding, people who will offer to do your laundry instead of offering to feed the baby. Don't fall into the trap of having bottles and formula "just in case". You won't need them! Know that you WILL have enough milk, unless you have certain medical issues (PCOS, breast reduction, premature birth, and hypoplastic breasts are among the few causes for a low supply) Don't expect to have milk until your baby is 3-5 days old - your baby does NOT NEED FORMULA before then, so don't allow the hospital to tell you otherwise. You should start seeing colostrum, a clear, sticky, honey-like fluid, around your 24th week. This is the only food your baby needs until your milk comes in, which, like I said, takes 3-5 days following a normal vaginal delivery. It can take longer following a c-section, in which case, contact your La Leche League leader about using a supplemental nursing system to avoid nipple confusion. (Which was the cause of my 8 weeks of hell) In planning for your baby, consider co-sleeping, or keeping the baby in a bassinet in your room. It is sooo much easier to get through the newborn stage of constant nursing if you can lay down and doze while nursing. Also investigate getting a ring sling or wrap to facilitate hands-free nursing while out and about. (Not Snuglis, etc, those, while useful carriers, are not easy to nurse in. At least they weren't for me!) I hope some of this information helps, and I hope you do ultimately decide to breastfeed your baby...it is a powerful thing, to know that you are nourishing your child through the marvel that is your body.

I could not bring myself to breastfeed my daughter. I had my mind set from the time I found out I was pregnant. I got the WORST looks from people when I told them it was my decision not to breastfeed. I stuck with my decision and my daughter is now 8 and has been the picture of perfect health since birth. I am now pg with #3 and my decision has stuck. I would never try to convince someone NOT to breastfeed whereas I was persuaded and pressured numerous times to breastfeed.

I would at least give it a try... it is painful at first- I had sore nipples for about 4 weeks but it does get easier and its so cool knowing you can feed your baby. Jaimie is right- it does change the way your baby smells- breast milk is very sweet tasting .. and if you take a whif of formula you will see how gross it smells- it also makes there poops and spit up smell and stain clothing- My dd is 11 weeks old and now I love BF... and if I ever need a break I just give dh a bottle of pumped milk and he feeds her- You can always quit if you find its not for you but at least try it since its the healthiest thing you can do for your baby. Oh yeah- and the bonding aspect is great. my LO looks into my eyes and pats my chest with her hand while she nurses.,. its cute- and yes breast fed babies get sick less often! and it does help you lose weight- ALOT of positives., and lowers you risk of Breast cancer.

Ummm i must be an exception because not only were my kids sweet smelling, but they were not as sick as my SIL's kids that WERE breastfed. Nothing, but small colds, but her kids were constantly suffering ear infections, etc..Also, withOUT breastfeeding I was back to pre preggo weight 3 months after giving birth. Everyone kept asking if I breastfed since I looked so slim, I happily answered NOPE! So it's a HUGE misconception. I have seen plenty of overweight mommies breastfeeding. And as far as bonding... well as far as i know breastfeeding isn't the cause of eye contact. My children stared into my eyes just the same when I fed them via bottle, but not only did I get to bond... my husband did too. And my son still holds my hand while I am BOTTLE feeding him. Except he is drinking cows milk now as opposed to the 'smelly-stain causing' formula someone mentioned. I don't know what formula you have been sniffing, but the one I have used has no scent. And as far as staining.... 'Shout' works wonders.