Breastfeeding is a personal choice! I breastfed my girls for 14 months and I am currently breastfeeding my 3 month old boy. I prefer it as its convenient for me! Yes, it has numerous benefits for my child (as I have been told) such as passing antibodies and nutrients but, as all choices in life it has it’s advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
- Health benefits for child such as passing antibodies and nutrients
- Not having to wash and sterilize bottles – for me this is a biggy, one less thing in my endless list of things to do
- One less thing to pack!
- Food on the go – as long as I’m around milk is available
- Saves money – no need to buy formula
- Loss of pregnancy weight – Really?! not in my case– I have more of an appetite, I honestly feel like a bottomless pit
- Supposedly a contraception method – Definitely not trying this one out, not risking it after having third child
Disadvantages
- Limited wardrobe options – having to think what to wear to have easy access to your breasts– dresses are out of the question! I learnt this the hard way! I had just had my son and had a hairdressers appointment after spending sometime looking for an outfit to “disimular” – cover up my tummy I opted on knee length dress and blazer. (I thought I looked cute!) it wasn’t until I got to the hairdressers I realised I would have to basically go en pelota!- naked to feed my child! (Tip: I really recommend nursing vests under your tops as your midriff is covered whilst feeding, specially in Winter)
- Need to be near your child – complicates having a night out, need to express milk which can be annoying! (more on this point later)
- Baby uses you as comfort… at least in my case, which means constantly having your breasts out
- Feeding on demand – so no routine, no day is the same
- Diet requirements– certain foods can affect baby, apparently vegetables such as cauliflower can give baby gases (as well as yourself haha), little to no alcohol (Tip: when I feel like having an alcoholic drink I normally have it just after the night time feed so its gives my body plenty of time to leave my system.
I’m sure my boy sees me like this when his hungry!
After 3 rounds of breastfeeding I think my breasts have had enough. They are gonna end up saggy, como dos pimientos frito! (literally translated to.. 2 fried peppers). My breasts are out of bounds!😆 hubby! You don’t play with your food! or your sons food in this matter.
When I was breastfeeding my first child I used to hate breastfeeding in public. It’s not that I was made uncomfortable, but it was me, I didn’t like showing my breasts in public I felt like I was doing something wrong, I guess it must have been a mix of shyness, fear and shame. I used to go into shops changing rooms or hide in restaurant’s toilets. In retrospect was not nice! I still remember the smell of dirty nappies in the bin whilst breastfeeding my child. I even went to a different room in my house when I had guests or went to someone else’s house as I thought I was making them uncomfortable. I got shawls to cover up but as I maneuvered the shawl, the baby and my top I would show my breast more than without it. Until I found a breastfeeding apron (see picture below) it has a wire at the top which allows you enough space to place baby and can also see child whilst breastfeeding.
When I got to breastfeed my second child I didn’t hide anymore in toilets and I even sat on the main street benches to breastfeed if I needed too. My inhibitions decreased as time went by, (after 3 births and showing your bits to the mid-wife who was a past student🤦♀️ its bound to happen!) and now with my third child I don’t even use the breastfeeding apron (as using the apron was like a big neon sign ‘Look breasts out!’). Some people don’t even notice I’m nursing my baby now without my apron, I have had people approach me saying “Aww que chico a verlo” (translate to… ‘Aww how small let me see’) and my son is attached to my breast but people don’t seem to be phased about it. Luckily enough I have not been approached by anyone telling me not to nurse in public, as I know this has happened in the past. I now nurse wherever I have too, even at the dinner table, the problem with this my son ends up with crumbs or even sauce stain on his clothes (oops!) they should invent some sort of contraption- a tray maybe that prevents any food that falls from my fork to him whilst a breastfeed.
During 1st child 
During 2nd child 
During 3rd child
Having to nurse and take care of another 2 kids is difficult at times. Whilst I’m nursing I sometimes try to do phonic sounds with my 5 year old or catch up with messages, emails and phone calls. I always try to sort out the girls with some sort entertainment or have their lunch/dinner before I settle with the little one, it really depends the time of the day. The best time is in the morning or night when girls in school/nursery or asleep and can connect with my little one- its the best feeling in the world when he grabs your finger or looks up at you and gives a cheeky smile (it just melts my heart).