Formula Feeders - what excuses do you use for not breastfeeding?

Not everyone can breastfeed. I tried to breastfeed my eldest and he simply wouldn't feed and didn't thrive very well. Once he was on formula, he was fine.

I did breastfeed my youngest for 18 months though.

Your question seems to be deliberately asked in a very provocative manner. Have you no thought for other people's feelings?

EDIT - just read your profile. My god you really are a smug cow! I hope you didn't dislocate your shoulder with all that patting yourself on the back! Actually, I hope you did.

The reason people are being defensive is because the tone of your question is very aggressive and superior. You sound like you are getting a kick out of winding people up and upsetting people. Why the need to be like that? It's wonderful that you were able and wanted to breastfeed your children but there are a myriad of reasons as to why a mother can't or doesn't want to.

I breastfed both of my bubs and will do it again for the next but I don't look down on women that didn't/don't as you obviously do. I would ask you.....why do you need to know the answer to your question? You have already written all formula feeding mums off as neglectful, uncaring and bad mothers. I doubt there is anything anyone could say that could change such a closed and judgemental mind as yours.

i care about my son also and i give him the best i possibly can but you cant make a comment to other mums stating baisically that if we havnt breast fed were not as good a mum as you!!

all through my pregnancy i wanted to breast feed, even when he was born i started breast feeding...but whilst still in the hospital my son could not keep anything i produced down and was vomiting every little bit which i quite worrying for a first time mum and when you baby is so small and helpless, i tried expressing but i just wasnt producing much milk, which i got advised to start on formular, and also a main reason was to see how much he was taking compared to what he was bringing up....i didnt decided that i didnt want to breast feed, and i dont think me and my son have any less of a bond..as you have noticed from posting questions on yahoo, everybody is different from you and there is no reason to post a comment camparing people to yourself, and then shocked because people have been offended!!

i am ttc#2 an hopefully i can breast feed but if not, its no big deal, my future children will also be my world and i would do everything for them so they are happy and healthy, breastfed or not! x

I couldn't breastfeed because I had developed a severe case of preeclampsia and had to take different meds including two blood pressure meds for a few months after he was born....I was told by the nurses that the medicine would get into my breastmilk and that it would then harm my child so i chose formula.....

Only i found out a few months later that what the nurses told me was completely wrong....oh well though, at least i have a very happy and healthy 6 month old boy (and the next time im pregnant, i can try again lol)

my twins were born at 36 weeks via csection they were very small and i was extremely ill after wards i was on all sorts of medication that made my breastmilk unsafe for my babies even to be fed via tube they were in special care for the first few weeks of their life and when they got better the nurses would feed them formula by a small beaker or shringe so by the time i was able to breastfeed them safely they didnt want to i had to feed them every 2.5 hours every day for the first 6 months of their life and if it took me that long to try to get them to feed from the breast (which trust me i tried and all they did was scream the entire time) then i would actually be putting them in danger as they wouldnt have gained any weight infact the screaming etc would cause them to waste the energy the breastmilk woul have given them in the first place. so to answer this question sometimes its just not possible or safe its not always down to lazyness. i dont look on what i just wrote as an excuse i call it good parenting and doing the right thing. sometimes breast isnt always best.

I have fed my baby formula all 9 months shes been alive, and she hasn't had so much as a sniffle, runny nose or ear ache. She has only been to the Dr. for her regular check ups, which it sounds like you could use one of yourself! Like at the im a weird freak starting trouble with and judging people ive never even met just to get a reaction so i feel like i have some power in this world because im really just a pathetic excuse for a human being clinic. Im sure they have one of those where you live if not just shut up and dont say anything at all unless you have something nice to say!, didnt your mother teach you anything? or was she on the computer ignoring you all day hmmm...maybe a product of your environment i'd ask Dr. if that could explain your issues.

I originally planned to breastfeed for six weeks, I ended up breastfeeding for two months. I stopped there because I was eager to get back to my regular routines. Since the first 10 days of breastfeeding are really the most important, I think she'll be fine.

I need no excuse. It was a personal decision. You claim to be such a "perfect" mother but you are far from perfect dear. Not everyone is able to breastfeed, and you should be ashamed of yourself for judging those who don't. You seem like a lovely troll though. I know I am a wonderful parent, regardless of your opinion. My daughter is healthy and happy, and thats all that matters to me!

Yeah, my so called "excuse" for switching my daughter to formula was because I decided to do what so many other people complain that not enough teen mothers do: finish high school.

I'm SO sorry that I decided to get an education.

I'll avoid it next time.

I gave her 6 weeks of breast milk, and I wanted to supplement, but it was going to be much to difficult to try and get out of my classes and still keep up with them.

Hopefully one day you realize that your opinion isn't the only one that matters, and that the only right way is to do what's best for you and your baby.

Edit: Wow...just went and read your profile...I had NO idea anyone could be a perfect parent. Excuse me for not bowing down first. My god, could you BE any more smug? I just figured maybe you were naive, but being such a perfect parent of 6 completely perfect kids...obviously you know exactly what you were saying. Stop trying to stir up trouble, and quit this insinuation that all people who give their babies ANY formula are such horrible neglectful parents. God I think I'm actually disgusted.

We really need to just start IGNORING this crazy woman....she is only asking this to cause argument,debates and for her to "GET OFF" on our frustration with her. She has heard all our comments on this subject before, she knows why everyone chooses breast or formula. Since she has been on here long enough...and if she has been suspended so many times, well Y!A needs to ban her IP instead of just her screen names.

She is only here to make herself feel better , because she lives in a sad made up world. ....

STOP FEEDING THE TROLLS,LOSERS & JUST PLAIN CRAZY PEOPLE!!!!

No excuse my daughter was ill when born and i put he to my breast and she did nothing she got dehydrated had low blood sugar and had bad jaundice they did blood tests and took her away and gave her a bottle.My son was breast fed for 2 weeks my daughter became ill with chicken pox and needed me i gave my son some bottles he then refused the breast.No excuse just did what was best for my babies like a good mummy should.I don't feel bad they both now are very healthy and eat organic homemade food cause that's what is best for are family.People only try and do what is best for their baby and there is always someone to judge them instead of support them.