Breastfeeding vs. formula...the stuff you won't read in a book!

Hey, y'all!  We've moved on to the 2nd word of the "Happy Birthday Blogging Bonanza!"  Thanks for sticking with me!

Happy 1st Birthday, Tatem Rose!
A SPRINKLES Party!
Party Pics
Peas in a pod
Yes!  I LOVE it!  (The many obsessions of an almost 3 year old)

Breastfeeding vs. formula...the stuff you won't read in a book:)
I LOVE YOU!
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Traditions
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Dancing baby
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Yipee, I'm three!!

Don't be scared by today's title!  I'll keep this fun for all. :)

When you are expecting a baby, whether waiting for an adoption or if you are pregnant, there's one thing we all have in common.  We want the absolute best for our babies!  No matter what you decide is best for you and your baby, as long as you feed her something, you're doing a great (and really hard!) job!

source

Mark and I took a parenting class at the local hospital.  There were 9 couples.  Six were pregnant and three of us were adopting!  It was so neat to be in there with other adoptive couples.  Even so, the teacher went on and ON about breastfeeding and made us feel like inferior parents for formula feeding.  Eek!  It was not fun.  Now I know why they do that.  It's hard!!  

As of this week, I've made it through 12 months of formula feeding with Landrie, and 12 months of breastfeeding with Tatem.  I read all the books, and if you've read them (or even the back of a formula can!), you know that breastfeeding has LOTS of benefits.  Here's a few that they don't write on the can. :)

cute nursing covers from here

1.  Breast milk never ever spoils.  Ever.  I once pumped a bottle when we were going somewhere and accidentally left half of it in the car.  When we got back in the car a few days later, (we didn't get out much at first!) it still looked and smelled fine!  Of course I didn't use it, but I was amazed! I have heard that organic milk lasts a lot longer than regular milk.  Obviously, I'm not suggesting that you leave your pumped bottles out indefinitely, but I LOVED not dealing with gross formula bottles I forgot in the diaper bag.  Ewww.

2.  Breast milk doesn't stink!  Formula smells really bad.  Really, really bad.

3.  Breast milk doesn't stain clothes!  Landrie spit up a LOT.  Her cute little clothes got so stained.  Tatem doesn't spit up much, but when she does, it washes right out!

4.  It burns an average of 500 calories a day!  WOW!  I can't think of anything else that burns that many calories while sitting still. :)  That's like doing 1 hour of Zumba a day!

5.  Speaking of #4, breastfeeding is like exercise.  For a lot of people, it's really hard in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, it's amazing and much easier than bottles!  So, now I get why the people at the hospital were so forceful about it and why the people in the books list a million reasons why you should.  Just like all the exercise gurus, they know that if you'll just push through the first, hard part, then you'll love it!

on the other hand...

1.  If you bottle feed, you never will experience the awkward moment of being in the middle of feeding (well-covered, of course) and realize that you should have gone in another room!  haha!

2.  Your husband can never say, "I would get up in the middle of the night, but there's nothing I can do!"

3.  While I love the closeness of feeding Tatem, it's complete HOGWASH to say that you'll be closer to your baby if you breast feed her!!  I loved snuggling Landrie when I gave her a bottle.  As a matter of fact, I had a huge problem with quitting the bottle and kept it up until Landrie was 13 months.  :)  I had to put this one on here, because I read it more than once.  :/

13 month old Landrie still snuggling with me and having a bottle. :)

After reading all those books and reading my oh-so-informative lists, (haha!) you are still on the fence?  Just adopt your baby and have your friends give you their frozen milk!  I know lots of people who do it!  :)  It's actually been done for thousands of years, well, minus the Medela pump-in-style and the freezer!  Remember in the Bible how Moses' mom put him in the basket in the river so he wouldn't be killed?  When the daughter of the pharaoh found him floating along, the royal family sent for a woman who could feed their newly adopted son!  (In an only- God-could-do-this twist, Moses' bio mom was actually the one who fed him!)  

Of course, there are many other options if you adopt too.  You can even take herbs and some medicines, pump and start up milk production without ever being pregnant!  Isn't that amazing?