https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:29:09 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374601 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 16:10:05 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2374601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've spent over 3 years of my life nursing, and I've never felt "in love" with it. It's never felt magical. It's been one of the hardest, most physically painful, mentally draining, exhausting, and demanding thing I have ever done. But I do it because I believe it's the healthiest option for my baby and it's free. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374584 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 15:59:35 +0000 sarac 2374584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: Absolutely this. Breastfeeding is easy for me, and I enjoy doing it sometimes, but mostly it's just another way that I take care of my child. And that is absolutely enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374516 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 14:56:45 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 2374516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never loved it. I could have written your words exactly. But, the 2nd time around, I used it as a chance to get some time off from DD1, since she was going through a pretty rough mommy-hating phase, and to get some breaks in at work. I did miss it after I stopped with DD2 though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374511 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 14:54:10 +0000 gingerbebe 2374511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Never really loved it, plus DS had reflux and colic and I had low supply so it was miserable plodding through that on no sleep. I was BFing constantly and then pumping 8 times a day to try on top of it to try to get my supply up so I spent almost all my waking hours worrying about having enough milk. We supplemented with formula to make up what I was short and we eventually switched to EPing so I could track his weight, which sucked in its own way (I was pumping upwards of 3 hours a day), but the one upside was that it actually let me enjoy nursing for the sake of nursing when he was upset or when we both just needed to take a side-lying nap. I pumped until 9.5 months and he started biting, so I felt totally fine with weaning at that point. I hope BFing for the next one works out better, but yeah, I never found it to be this magical experience everyone talks about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374484 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 14:42:44 +0000 wrkbrk 2374484@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: agree.</p> <p>I don't care for it. I knew I wouldn't. It's only been a week but it's hard, it hurts, and I'm up 6-7 times a night while DW sleeps. :/ But it's good for him so I'll continue!!! Even when my mom says things like, "you're only making this harder on yourself. I formula fed you and you were fine!" :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374467 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 14:34:08 +0000 Truth Bombs 2374467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't love the act of nursing so much as I love being able to provide my kids with what I personally feel is the best food for them. Pumping is pretty much the absolute worst, nursing is kind of "meh" to me, but providing breastmilk is a big win, so that's why I do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374447 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 14:14:37 +0000 cascademom 2374447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never been a fan of it. With my first, I put so much pressure on myself to nurse him exclusively that it wore me down. This time around, I've accepted that my milk makes up a small portion of his food intake. I make him bottles for daycare. I know now that his total calories from my milk weren't much. So now, I have no qualms about preparing formula bottles alongside my breastmilk bottle. It makes the whole thing seem easier and less intense. I'm still morning and night feeding him until we wean. Otherwise, I'm less bothered by it than I was last time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374389 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:33:43 +0000 lawbee11 2374389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: I totally agree with you. I did love nursing for the most part, but even if I hadn't I still would have BF assuming there weren't any major issues. I also didn't love changing diapers or waking up in the middle of the night, but I did it anyways. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374384 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:30:04 +0000 Kemma 2374384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Whether you love it or not bf'ing is just the biologically normal way to feed a baby and sometimes I think life would be better / easier if we focussed on that rather than all the emotive stuff! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374151 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 10:49:15 +0000 .twist. 2374151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't enjoy BFing at all. There was no bonding experience. I didn't ever have any doubts or sadness when we weaned. I was actually relieved. We weaned at 10 months and I wish I would have done it earlier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374147 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 10:48:03 +0000 winniebee 2374147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, I didn't love nursing until recently....now I like it. Especially around 6 months I was like, UGH I have 6 more months of this?! Never felt warm and fuzzy over it. But I did it because it was easy, I had milk to offer, and I knew it was good for him. Now, because he's almost 1, we nurse only a few times a day....and I know it's almost over...I enjoy it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374142 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 10:46:01 +0000 Alivoo01 2374142@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Me! I never got that "bonding" feeling while nursing that I constantly hear about. But I did enjoy its convenience and know I was providing something good for DS. As you said, a means of feeding him.</p> <p>I grew up knowing nothing but formula. It was DH that told me about breastfeeding so I went in aware I might not be able to and ready to supplement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374055 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:56:25 +0000 AB810 2374055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The only time I love nursing is when I'm around my in-laws and can disappear for a while up feed the baby. I nursed my first for 21 months and it mostly made me feel tied down (especially because she would only go to sleep with it). Number two is six weeks old and I plan on nursing him for roughly the same time frame, but I'm not stoked. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374050 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:50:22 +0000 hilsy85 2374050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSRS: lol! yes, totally agree--very utilitarian. the only nursing sessions I really loved were the ones where he was older, and it felt more like soon-to-be-ending precious quiet time together, and even that was not for all of them, just the bedtime ones mostly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2374000 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:31:32 +0000 Smurfette 2374000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't love it at all. It was never a bonding time for me. I hate pumping, and I felt like a milk cow. Which is why I decided to start weaning at 6 months. I was much happier not BF. But that said I will BF with the next one for 6 months and if I feel the same then I will start to wean then too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2373996 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:28:50 +0000 MrsSRS 2373996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sometimes it's awesome, but mostly it's sort of an absent-minded one more kid related chore type thing for me. Not dissimilar to putting a bowl of pretzels on the table for my toddler. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/not-loving-nursing#post-2373987 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:21:33 +0000 mrsjyw 2373987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Preface this post to say that I'm grateful that I've had an easy BF journey. Both with DS1 ('til he was 13 months) and ongoing with DS2 (almost 5 monhts).</p> <p>I never loved nursing the first time around, it was just a means to feed my baby and since we had no major issues, it was never a thought, not to breastfeed. I pumped 3 days a week in the office and we had a smooth ride until 13 months when DS weaned pretty much on his own.</p> <p>I had a lil bit of overactive letdown, oversupply, and DS2 had a mild reflux case; but even still this time around, no major issues to complain. And I really am grateful. But I don't love it. I don't have this magical moment, but more of a "my baby is hungry, this is how I feed my baby." mentality about it. </p> <p>I actually sometimes pump because I prefer it over nursing him sometimes. (insert mom guilt).</p> <p>I never expected to fall head over heels in love with nursing (I never expected to be able to BF at all); but I also didn't expect to be so indifferent about it either.</p> <p>Anyone not love nursing so much, but still do it anyway? </p>