Breast or bottle - how did you decide?

'I was determined to breastfeed my daughter, despite coming from a family of six girls who hadn't been breastfed. None of my sisters even entertained the idea of breastfeeding. My mother actually had some bizarre idea that breastfeeding would increase my chance of breast cancer. I had a very hard time at first, again because of poor advice from the hospital staff and, by the time I left hospital, my nipples were sore, cracked, scabby, and I was in tears every time my daughter suckled (every two hours). Sounds nightmarish, I know, but that only lasted for about seven days, and then I used nipple shields for a few feeds to give me time to heal. (This was also frowned on by the staff who hadn't given me proper help in the first place.) After that, everything fell into place, and my daughter and I enjoyed 16 months of trouble-free feeding. The problem is that there's no culture of breastfeeding in this country, and even the health professionals don't always give the best advice. For many women, breastfeeding doesn't come naturally, and has to be worked at by mother and child, but it's definitely worth the effort.'

How sanctimonious you all sound!

'My baby was bottle-fed and is perfectly healthy. Because we were using a bottle, he was not only fed by me, but by his dad, grandparents, cousin, my friends, etc. Not only did I bond with him, so did numerous friends who came to visit and give me support in the first few weeks and months. He's a happy, healthy toddler who is well balanced and loves company. Perhaps because he bonded with so many people in his early days? He also has a great relationship with me - maybe because I was able to get some time to myself when I was feeling low, and could ask someone else to look after him while I looked after myself? Is that selfish? Hardly, it's called getting a sense of balance in your life.