How Did You Decide to EFF?

[u/Time-Milk-5377]

FTM, 35 weeks so preparing for all things baby.

I’m wondering how people decided to EFF? Or combo feed? I am not terribly inclined to BF, pregnancy has been really hard on me mentally and I want to have my bodily autonomy back as much as possible. Also the thought of BF gives me the creeps in a way I can’t describe. However, I’m not 100% sure and am open minded so I’m wondering if I should just try in the first days and see how it goes.

I guess I’m looking for perspective on how folks decided to formula feed if you were on the fence going into labor. My hospital really pushes breastfeeding so I feel like I need some idea of what I want to do before going in.

Is it possible to just breastfeed for like a month to establish immunity benefits, then fully switch? Or is it advisable to just go formula straight from the start?

Thanks for any input- this has been giving me a lot of anxiety.

[u/Aggressive_Day_6574]

I listened to people who breastfed and knew it wasn’t for me. It sounded exhausting, isolating, and miserable.

Also, not to sound bad - but none of their kids were like bastions of health or intelligence. So their reasons for doing what they did, didn’t add up for me. I figure a lot of that is up to genetics and chance.

So I saw no need to torture myself for basically little to no benefit.

[u/MMTardis → u/Aggressive_Day_6574]

My first child (who was exclusively breastfed) had terrible recurrent ear infections, cavities on their baby teeth, and devloped type 1 diabetes in childhood.

Now i dont think they have those issues because of being breastfed, but breastfeeding wasnt protective against those things, which people often claim it is.