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I breastfeed because breast milk is liquid gold: it's good for her, it's FREE, and I wanted to see what this whole bonding business was about.

I didn't know anyone who breastfed growing up--but both my best friends (who've had children before me) did so I got a lot of tips and advice from them.

My plan was always to at least give it a shot and although there were difficulties in the beginning, I'm so glad it worked out for LO and I.

ETA: YES! The baby weight. It's all gone. And believe me I have pigged out quite a few times and have barely exercised. Oh, and not having my period right away. I hope it stays away for the whole year.

I never even thought about not breastfeeding when i was pregnant. I just assumed i would do it. I continued to do it because i felt if i could produce milk, i would give what i think is best for my baby. It is free (minus all the pumping tools) and so much more convenient. It is less stressful whipping out the boob to calm down a crying baby than it is to hear her scream while you are boiling water for formula and waiting for it to cool down.

I dont know if breastfeeding really helped me lose weight. I feel like i am still holding onto a few pounds because i cant diet while breastfeeding.

My benefits: Helped my uterus return back to it's normal size faster, it reduces the risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer. Reduces the risk of osteoporosis. No AF!

Social benefits: No mixing, measuring, washing. My milk is always portable. I can breastfeed anywhere. I will never have the screaming baby on a plane or in the restaurant, because I can plug him up Any time I want my baby back at social functions I can tell people I'm full and they'll pass him right back.

Emotional: Special relationship. I didn't feel a special bond at first, but as he got older and would smile at me while latched, or hold my finger it melted my heart. Gives you down time. Sometimes as Moms we forget to rest a little too.

Economic: Saves approx $1200 first year in formula. Breastfed babies have less illness= less doctor visits, less meds, less calling out of work. Avg breastfeeding family saves $400 in medical cost per year.

Enviromental: Breastmilk saves gas, oil, electricity, water. No waste.

Baby:

Breastmilk is the perfect balanced food for your baby. It contains over 200 nutrients. It changes as the baby grows providing exactly what they need at that time. Hence why bf babies poop does not smell and they often do not poop often as well. This also means less gas, less colic, and less spit up. They have less diarrhea and constipation. They are less likely do develop bowel diseases (colitis, chron's, celiac).
Less urinary tract infections.
Less respiratory and ear infections.
Reduces risk of obesity
Lowers risk of asthma, food allergies, eczema
Promotes nervous system development which increases IQ
Reduces risk of SIDS
Reduces juvenile diabetes
Fewer cavities
Better speech development
It's organic
Breastmilk actually contains certain chemicals that have a tranquilizing effect. Helps calm baby during stressful/painful times. (nursing after vaccinations is much more effective to calm baby than a pacifier will ever be)

Formula fed babies have an increased risk of developing breast cancer themselves later in life as well as greater risk of developing childhood lymphoma. Formula is also linked to Hodgkins. Formula fed babies have a higher risk of death prior to 3rd birthday.
The World Health Organization and the American Pediatrics Association Recommends it
No Recalls.

I have more reasons if you need them.

definitely echo what others said!!

I feel that anything that is more "natural" (occurs on it's own, closest to original state etc) is the best option - in all things in life (food etc). so breastfeeding being something that occurs as a natural result of pregnancy/childbirth just makes sense to me I guess.

It's not easy, nope - it's hard to keep going but for me it's worth it in so many ways.

- I know Baby S is getting the best he can possibly get. There are SO many ways this is true. One of my favorites is that if your baby is exposed to an illness and you are as well (like you take your baby to visit a friend who you later find out is sick), your body immediately begins to develop antibodies in your milk to build up your baby's immune system. It has all the vitamins/nutrients it needs so you don't need to supplement with other vitamins (except vit D in the winter).

- it's free. seriously this was enough to make me say - THIS WILL WORK. no matter how much it hurts in the beginning or how demanding it is, I cannot afford over $20/week for formula. It wasn't really an option. So we made it work

- definitely the bond too. Although sometimes, especially in the beginning, I felt only needed/loved/wanted for my milk Even now at 9 months old, Cobi for sure prefers his daddy and I still think if I didn't have milk he'd spend less time with me. So it's a perk and disadvantage at the same time. I do think we have a stronger relationship because of it.

- I love that I always have one thing that never fails to soothe him. If he gets hurt, I just pop him on the boob and he stops crying, if he's scared, that's how I comfort him; if he cannot sleep - it's usually fool-proof to nurse him to sleep.

Idk - love it and I hate it but I am SO glad I am still doing it.

Because frankly at the end of the day it's the best food for my baby.

Formula certainly isn't the devil but it can never match or replicate the benefits or qualities that breast milk provides to baby.

And as a more trivial reason - and I hope I don't offend anyody by saying this - but in my experience, formula fed babies smell funny. On the days when I'm really struggling with breastfeeding (we have issues with tongue tie), I think about the sweet smell of my wee daughter and it strengthens my resolve to keep perservering.

all of the great reasons mentioned above.

as a bonus, i can pig out and i don't gain weight because i lose so many calories from breastfeeding. and i've only had 2 periods in the past 4 years because of being pregnant and breastfeeding woohoo!

that said after 14 months i'm ready to start weaning because i'm the only one who can put olive down at night, and she is really attached to me.

What everyone else said.

My mom breastfed me and my sister and I just always assumed I would also. I would do formula if this didn't work out or was too stressful - but luckily BFing is working for us so far!

Other people have hit the major points, but I do it because it's cheaper/easier for me, it's the best food source for my baby, and the weight loss/health benefits for me.

It's free. #1 reason.

For us, apart from being good for baby, I do it because #1 it doesn't cost a thing #2 is easy (as in, no prep needed) and #3 its bond time with baby.

@junebugmama: I forgot about no AF! I made it to about 11 months before that returned! It was GREAT!

i breastfeed because of all the benefits to both me and the baby.

La leche league believes that breastfeeding reduces the chances of both mom and baby developing certain illnesses and diseases in the future.

Its cheaper than formula. Its free if you dont pump, if you do pump than its not free for all the gear.

Its more nutritious than formula with the exception of Iron

It helps boost immunity

My mother didnt breastfeed me but I always knew I wanted to give it my very best try

@runnerd: Kudos to you for trying to understand something that isn't familiar to you.

I BF because of all the health benefits listed above for LO and for me. I keep BFing because I can. I didn't have major issues like so many women and I know I'm so lucky. I love it and hate it at the moment, but I keep going because I believe its best for LO.

My mom didn't BF for long, we were mainly formula babies because that was normal where we lived when I was born. DH's mom and sister didn't BF at all, so he didn't understand why I wanted to BF. I had to educate DH and he came to BF class with me at the hospital. Then he started to "get it" and now he's my biggest supporter.

Good luck with any route you chose. If you decide you want to try to BF, I highly recommend taking a class and bringing DH.

My #1 reason is because its was P deserves. It definitely hasn't been an easy road & diet changes have caused our cost to be more than formula feeding a "normal" infant, but ultimately I know breastmilk is what was designed for her so I've worked through the issues to continue bf'ing.

@junebugmama covered all my other reasons! The bond has been great, and different than the bond I had with DS as an infant (and he was much "easier"), & I haven't had to work out at all to get back into my prepreg clothes (I think I'm actually a size down). And I've pretty come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter how long we go, I'll cry when we wean. *don't wanna think about it*

Everything everyone else said, plus two more:

When DS gets fussy or acts hungry after a full feeding and he's really just sleepy, I pop him on and in a minute or two he's asleep.

If you CD, EBF poop just rinses right out, no scraping necessary. I'll be a little sad when we start solids.

I don't have the "bonding" experience yet, but he has the sweetest look on his face when he feeds and sometimes he holds onto my hand.