Reasons Why Breast Isn’t Always Best
By Lauren Mccluskey
10 months ago
1. Why do people think breastfeeding is best?
Image Source / Reddit.com
Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged as a very beneficial and natural way to nourish babies. This is because it is designed to supply babies with all of their necessary nutrients in the right amounts. It has also been found that it may protect against sickness, allergies, infections, and even obesity, as well as certain diseases like diabetes and cancer.2. But is breast REALLY best?
Image Source / Reddit.com
There is an attitude in society that 'breast is best' for infants but, to be honest, it's a complete myth because the ways mothers feed their babies are completely unique to them and everybody is different. This attitude is terribly damaging because it puts the blinders on mothers recognizing that breastfeeding may not always be the best or feasible option.3. CHOICE
Image Source / Reddit.com
First of all, how a parent chooses to feed their baby is entirely up to them. It's their choice. There's no question about it. And if they choose to bottle feed their baby rather than breastfeed them, then that's their business and not anybody else's.4. Insufficient supply
Image Source / Mambabyblog.com
But sometimes the choice might be taken out of our hands and how we choose to feed our little ones for various reasons. And one of these reasons might be that the mother has an insufficient supply of breastmilk. This might make it harder for her to exclusively breastfeed her baby.5. Difficulties
Image Source / Mattoslactation.com
There might also be various difficulties that may make breastfeeding harder. These include difficulties with latching and nipple pain. And these challenges, as well as others, can really make breastfeeding stressful, painful, and uncomfortable for both mother and baby.6. Exhaustion and mental health
Image Source / Prettypassive.com
Being a new parent is exhausting. That's a fact. But the demands of breastfeeding may be physically and emotionally draining for the mother. And when you're physically and emotionally drained, you are more likely to have increased stress, exhaustion, and this may lead to postpartum depression.7. Medications
Image Source / Newbornbaby.com
Some of the medications that the mother may need to take regularly could be completely incompatible with breastfeeding. This is because traces of medicine may be present in the breastmilk which could potentially pose significant risks to the baby if the baby consumes the milk.8. Previous breast surgery
Image Source / Newsweek.com
Sometimes, if a woman has had previous breast surgery, such as an augmentation or a reduction, they may experience difficulties with milk production or latching. But it is also important to point out that if you have had previous breast surgery, this might not mean that breastfeeding is impossible for you.9. Prematurity
Image Source / YouTube
If a baby was born prematurely, which means they were born before 37 weeks gestation, they may have special nutritional needs. This isn't always the case, but quite often cases, when babies are premature they may need to be fed with fortified formula and sometimes, donor breast milk.10. Multiple births
Image Source / Reddit.com
Mothers who give birth to twins, triplets, quadruplets, and beyond, might face some significant challenges when it comes to breastfeeding. Particularly if they want to exclusively breastfeed their infants because they might struggle to produce enough milk to nourish them all.11. Adoption
Image Source / Newbornbaby.com
Sometimes, a mother might not give birth to the babies that they are a parent of, for example, if they are adoptive parents. So in this case, breastfeeding might not be possible because they may have not undergone lactation to produce breastmilk themselves.12. Baby health issues
Image Source / Hellobello.com
Sometimes, babies may be born with certain health issues that may require different feeding methods, and they may require specialized formula in order to get the nutrition they need. These health conditions that may affect their ability to breastfeed may include metabolic disorders or allergies.13. Maternal health issues
Image Source / Reddit.com
As well as infant health issues, maternal health issues also exist and if a mother has certain conditions, for example, HIV, active tuberculosis, or a health issue that requires certain medications, these might affect her ability to breastfeed and might even make it unsafe for the mother to breastfeed.14. Trauma
Image Source / Reddit.com
Sometimes, if a woman has had certain traumas in her life, like a traumatic birth experience or previous trauma unrelated to pregnancy and giving birth, breastfeeding might be triggering and emotionally distressing so may not be the best option in these cases.15. Pain and discomfort
Image Source / Reddit.com
Occasionally, some women might experience intolerable pain or some discomfort when breastfeeding their baby which might mean that this is not the best option for mom and baby. This pain can be severe and may be caused by mastitis, sensitive nipples, or other conditions.16. Employment
Image Source / Reddit.com
It is common for mothers to need to return to work after they have their baby, and sometimes, this can be only a short time after giving birth. So returning to work and being away from their baby may make breastfeeding their child much more difficult than if they were with their baby all the time.17. Insufficient leave
