This may be a strange question to ask in a forum full of happily breastfeeding advocates, but have you known anyone who actually regretted breastfeeding?
I ask because my SIL is pregnant with her second baby. Her first was formula fed. She's been open to talking about it, but has said that she will probably not breastfeed this one.
I don't want her to feel pressured in any way, but obviously I do want to encourage her to reconsider. I want to be able to say, "Go for it! You won't regret it!" But I guess I want to say that with a clear conscience, if that makes sense.
She's still newly pregnant, so there is plenty of time for conversation about it - and I'm certain that her birth center will do whatever they can to educate and change her mind. I will urge her to at least start out on the breast, and say that she can always switch to formula later - but that odds are it wouldn't pan out if she starts out on the bottle and then has a change of heart. I want to be gentle in my approach to her...I have a new babe as well, and one thing I definitely don't want is for her to feel as though she is somehow a lesser mother for choosing formula. I'm pretty much over the moon with breastfeeding, and there is no other way in my mind barring some extreme circumstance - but I don't want my passion for it to translate as looking down on her, because I truly don't feel that way. We get along great, but don't really know each other well due to a big age gap and living so far apart. I'd love for this to be an opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with her, so it's important for me to tread lightly.
Any thoughts on the best way to encourage her? What have your experiences been?
I ask because my SIL is pregnant with her second baby. Her first was formula fed. She's been open to talking about it, but has said that she will probably not breastfeed this one.
I don't want her to feel pressured in any way, but obviously I do want to encourage her to reconsider. I want to be able to say, "Go for it! You won't regret it!" But I guess I want to say that with a clear conscience, if that makes sense.
She's still newly pregnant, so there is plenty of time for conversation about it - and I'm certain that her birth center will do whatever they can to educate and change her mind. I will urge her to at least start out on the breast, and say that she can always switch to formula later - but that odds are it wouldn't pan out if she starts out on the bottle and then has a change of heart. I want to be gentle in my approach to her...I have a new babe as well, and one thing I definitely don't want is for her to feel as though she is somehow a lesser mother for choosing formula. I'm pretty much over the moon with breastfeeding, and there is no other way in my mind barring some extreme circumstance - but I don't want my passion for it to translate as looking down on her, because I truly don't feel that way. We get along great, but don't really know each other well due to a big age gap and living so far apart. I'd love for this to be an opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with her, so it's important for me to tread lightly.
Any thoughts on the best way to encourage her? What have your experiences been?
This is lovely - thanks so much for sharing.
What she said!!
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