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You might want to try this question at the breastfeeding or newborn care forums. I am a first time mom and I too struggled w/ this decision. I mean breastfeeding is sooo -ugh- but there are so many benefits. I am going to try. As for the hubby/family feedings you can pump and feed baby w/ a bottle. Or you can pump and always feed baby from the bottle if you really don't want to breastfeed. But I figure you will never know until you try! Good Luck!

leticia, I'm having the same problem. I think I'm going to try breastfeeding & see how it goes. It doesn't really appeal to me at all either.

I'm going to breastfeed but when i go out in public or other peroples homes i'm pumping before i go so i can bottlefeed.I'm not big on the whole pulling my breast out in public.

OMG Leticia, that is exactly how I feel. I feel like I should because I know its the best thing to do. I just can't wrap my brain around the whole act of breastfeeding. I didn't breastfeed my son b/c I was only 21 when I had him and I didn't even consider it b/c I thought it was too weird. Now that I'm older I understand why I should but I feel like I won't be able to handle it. Its a really hard place to be in. What do you think you are gonna do?

I'm decided to bottle feed. I thought about breast feeding and decide bottle feeding is the way to go for me

for me there is no question, i am breastfeeding. after awhile i might start to pump so that my dh husband can feed the baby as well. I am just curious,(and whatever you choose to do is your decision and i don't want this to come out the wrong way) to the ones who does not want to breastfeed, why not? why do you think it is not appealing? I am like i said just curious because to me it was just never a question because of the benefits, the closeness to my new baby, and yes i will save a couple of dollars! I am expecting my first in March.

Yeah, for me there is really no question either - breastfeeding. I'm due with our first in Feb, and dh's boss even told him at work that the most expensive part of having a kid is the cost of formula! We really have a tight budget as it is, lol. I have one sis in law that pulls it out in public and flaunts it, and yet I know other moms that quietly do their thing and you never really know when it's going on. To me it really isn't a $$ issue, although it is a nice bonus. It's just the most natural thing in the world, and takes less work on my part, reduces my breast cancer risk, and helps me burn an xtra 1,000 calories a day. Who can beat that? I want my figure back! ;)

Ashley-I thought it was 5,000 calories a day. It also helps your uterus contract back to regular size after giving birth. I don't understand why it isn't sppealing to people either? Bottles need to be starilized, hauled around, and when my baby wakes me up at 4 am, I don't want to have to prepare a bottle. Plus the colostrum, which is the first thing that comes out of your breast gives your baby antibodies that help to prevent infection and gives your baby the exact amount of fat, calories, nutrition that your baby needs, I don't understand why people don't want to breast feed, oh another plus, those poos are alot less stinky when the baby has been fed breast milk as opposed to formula....just another plus I guess..

it's 500 calories, not 1000 or 5000, you eat 5000 calories in more then 2 days!!

i am going to do both. try to breastfeed when i am alone and bottle feed in public. i guess part of the reason i am uncomfortable with breastfeeding is because i am unfamiliar with it. no one in my family ever nursed and all of my friends are shocked when they find out i will be trying to. Even though it seems in the recent years breastfeeding has made a big comeback, alot of people are still uncomfortable with it and no matter how silly I know that is, it still makes me a little nervous. I also know there is nothing like feeding a newborn baby and i really want my husband to have this bonding experience with our baby and look forward to the help! And lastly I am afraid of the pain! But all in all I know breastfeeding is best and i feel i do owe to my baby to at least try. Thanks to all of you for your feedback!

I am going to bottle feed. I also struggle with breastfeeding being best for baby and myself. But I am a DD pre pregnancy. I don't think I can handle even bigger boobs! I also want my husband and mother to help. And pumping takes time. I plan to work part time at home (self employed) so it will be a lot easier for me to not have to deal with pumping. (Mom or husband will be watching baby when I work).

What I will most likely do is try it for a week or two. That way the baby gets the colostrum, but my boobs will be back to normal when I start working at 4-6 weeks.

Like you Jill, I too was already a DD. The idea of these things getting bigger and sagging is down right depressing, but I am going to breast feed and pump to feed my little tike in public. No way I'm pulling one of these bad boys out in public to scare the kids!!

For those of you ladies who are adverse to breastfeeding, may I ask why? I have a friend who still breastfeeds her 1 yo, and the bond they have is unbelievable. Also, she breastfeeds no matter where she is.. she wears long shirts and just tucks baby's head underneath, and baby knows how to find the nipple herself without a bunch of guidance. I am sad that due to social conditioning people feel weird to breastfeed, even though women have been doing it for thousands of years. Think of all the benefits of breastmilk, not to mention the benefits to your uterus after birth. I think baby needs that time to be able to bond with mommy. I will definitely breastfeed, no question. Not only are the benefits for the baby so great, but the price of formula is HUGE and plus, think of this... breastfed babies rarely have stinky poo, while formula fed babies' diapers always reek to high heavens!

i absolutley respect breastfeeding and know it is best but i explained why i am uncomfortable with it, i am unfamiliar with it and no one i know has ever done it. i know it is silly to be a little weirded out by it and it is natural but i just am. and as i mentioned i keep hearing how painful it is. has anyone successfully just pumped and bottle fed? thanks for all of your opinions.

I have breastfed all 3 of my children and plan on doing so with my next, I have never experience any pain with nursing, with the exception of the 1st week. But it was easily fixed with the nursing cream you put on your breasts after nursing. Also go without a bra for a week at night or whenever you can. It toughens up the nipples. Do this before delivery. So those of you worried about the pain I would have to say that that was not a problem for me.

I am definitely breastfeeding my baby :P No questions ask.