Bottle Feeding

I have two children, ages 5 and 7, and another one due in January.  I have formula fed ALL of my children from day one.  I could come up with a multitude of reasons for you, but it's really no one's business. My entire family was formula fed, as well (brother, sister, nieces, etc).  I have given birth in military hospitals twice, and even this current civilian hospital is not any better at their breastfeeding stances (nor is their OBGYN office!).

Even when I was admitted recently for severe SPD, panic attack, dehydration, AND my hips being dislocated by 4 inches (long story)...a LC decided to try to convince me (perfect time to harass a pregnant woman right?  right when she's in the worst pain of her life) that I needed yet ANOTHER parenting class because...god forbid, I do NOT EVER want to breast feed.  I actually had to kick the woman out of my hospital room.

It is a sad day when you have to constantly remove people from your hospital room.  I believe the last time I was hospitalized, I had to have 5 LCs removed.  I was the only one in the L&D ward that was actively NOT going to even attempt to breastfeed.  The insane part is that each one thought they could strong arm me (in their own way) into changing my mind.  It's not going to happen, and you're only making it worse for your case!

I will NEVER EVER consider breastfeeding.  I have left STRICT instructions NOT to let an LC or anyone who wanted to "guilt" me into BFing anywhere near my child or I.  My husband already knows the drill by now, and he has been lectured not to let any of those "types" around me or face the wrath that is me.

I have dealt with the mean LCs, in both the current hospital and the two different military hospitals.  I have NEVER met a nice one (I guess I have bad luck?).  I have had them attempt to physically coerce me into BFing, while highly doped up on medication after delivery (not a good thing to do to someone like me).  My husband had to physically remove one of the LCs off of me, as I couldn't even attempt to get her off.

I have had them FORCE me AND my husband to take parenting classes (military hospital #1), because according to them we couldn't check out of the hospital until I was "fully informed" about breast being best.  Nice, right?  That was a good long 3 hours of my life sitting in a wheelchair with no pain medication and an episiotomy - sp? (3rd degree tear).  I'm fairly certain sitting through that 3 hours was worse then the actual labor.  I just wanted to go home, not hear about how I'm a terrible parent for not breastfeeding!

I have had them FORCE me to attend a breastfeeding class (military hospital #2), before being discharged.  Once again, I was the only one NOT breastfeeding there.  This time the class only took an hour.  However, I was forced to endure the looks when asked why I wasn't going to breastfeed.  Because...I don't want to?

I am fairly certain I know more about breastfeeding and bottle feeding then the average person, and probably even more then the women who keep attempting to sway me to breastfeeding.  I always choose the higher route.  I don't argue.  I tell them bottle feeding ONLY.  I ignore anything they say after that.  If they continue, I have them removed from my care team.

For their attitudes alone, even if I had a glimmer of "oh, I might try it this time"...I am now even more solid in my decision.  I will never change my stance on bottle feeding my children.

PS. I have many more stories about the LCs, nurses, doctors, friends, etc...all trying to force me to change my mind.  They are never ever subtle about it either.  I even had a friend of 12 years stop being my friend because she found out both of my kids were bottle fed (oh no!  the horror! /gasp) and I won't be even attempting to breastfeed the newest little one.