Why I Breastfeed

6 1/2 weeks into Aedan's life and I still have to remind myself on a daily basis why breastfeeding him is the right thing for us.  So I thought I would blog about it to help me with my goal of doing it as long as I can.  Every week or so I set a new goal.  My current short-term goal is 2 months.  My long-term goal is to do it until I go back to work.

Why I breastfeed:
1.  We already know Aedan has a sensitive stomach, breastmilk is formulated to be the best thing for him, as long as I avoid dairy.  I worry that even hypoallergenic formula will be tough on his stomach.

2. It's free!  (sort-of)  Formula, especially hypoallergenic, is expensive.  I'm cheap.  I say it's only sort-of free because I've invested in nursing bras, tank-tops, remedies for soreness early on...and a pump.  But at least the pump was an investment I made 3 years ago.

3. Attempt to keep Aedan healthier.  Theoretically since my breastmilk has my immunities, it should give Aedan a stronger immune system.  Brody was constantly sick (as are most daycare kids) the first couple years, so I am trying to give Aedan the best shot possible.  Do I really think that formula-fed kids can't be just as healthy?  No.  But it's worth a shot!

4. It is easier, when we're at home.  No bottles, no powder to mix, and it's always in stock!  Especially in the middle of the night when I'm too sleep deprived to make bottles.

Why I struggle with breastfeeding:
1.  It's not easy, when I'm not at home.  I can walk through Target feeding Aedan a bottle, I can't however walk and breastfeed.  I know some moms can (by using a sling), but I'm not that coordinated (ha!).  I've gotten over my fear of nursing in public and I just use a cover to keep everything hidden.  If I didn't do this, I'd never get out of the house and then I'd really go crazy.  But it still requires me to sit down for anywhere from 20-40 minutes depending on how slow Aedan wants to eat that day.

2.  The pump.  I hate the pump.  At the end of the day, I'm going back to work and ideally I would pump to keep up his breastmilk.  So I started pumping to get him used to the bottle and to start building extra.  Unfortunately, I'm learning that I can only pump about half of what he eats.  So, while I'm still building an extra stash, when I give him a bottle, I lose out.  He eats 3-4oz, I pump 1.5-2oz.  So as much as giving him a bottle is great and gives me a break, I lose out.  Which means less time away from the baby, which means less time with Brody and less alone time with the hubs.

3. DAIRY!  Have I ever mentioned how much I love milk, and cheese, and milk chocolate and ice cream?  Yum...

Above all, I LOVE those cute squishy cheeks!