Do mothers have to breastfeed? What if one doesn’t want to?

It is an unsaid rule that every mother should breastfeed her kids. But what if do not want to breastfeed? Will people despise me? Will I be a good mother if I do not breastfeed my kids? How will I connect with my child? Are these questions bothering you while you are weighing your options whether to breastfeed your infant or not?

When any mother says that her baby is formula fed, we as socially engineered products of the society automatically assume that she is unable to breastfeed due to some medical reason. However, if you are able to breastfeed and still choose not to do so, then it may be considered as a taboo in our society. But do not worry. In here, we do not judge you rather we support you as a mother.

There can be various reasons why a mother does not want to breastfeed, for example it may be painful and exhausting, or you do not want to breastfeed in public, or you want some time away from your baby. Whatever may be the reason, no mother is accountable to anyone and does not have to reason out their choice.

Yes there are innumerable advantages of breast milk and sufficient evidence prove it too. On the contrary, there is no evidence that shows that breastfed babies are better than formula-fed babies.

Some mothers do not breastfeed from the beginning while some change their mind after few months or days of breastfeeding. There are examples where mothers have later switched to breastfeeding. And kids raised without breast-feed have shown no signs of either mal-nutrition or under-development.

You can join pregnancy counseling classes where you will meet other expecting mothers. You can talk your heart out and might even meet mothers who share the same feeling and questions about breast-feeding. These classes will guide you and help you with pre- and post-pregnancy stress and queries.  

Breastfeeding is not the only factor for strengthening your bond with your kid. You can have skin-to-skin contact like massages and play time etc. to bond with your baby. If you are still in two minds about breastfeeding, talk to your midwife or doctor. To sum it up, as long as you are feeding your baby with the right kind of food commensurate with different developmental stages, it does not matter whether your baby is breastfed or formula fed.

Remember, people may judge you, but you should be your best judge.