I'm interested in hearing some UNselfish reasons why a healthy woman perfectly capable of breastfeeding her child would choose NOT to...

It is a personal decision. It is not mine to judge how someone feeds their baby.

Regardless of how a mother chooses to feed her babies does not make her selfish. As long as the babies are loved, fed and cared for should be the most important thing. It's really a personal choice which shouldn't be judged by others.

Simple, some where, some weren't. There isn't a black and white answer here. To say UNselfish is neglecting the feelings of the mother or maybe what is going on in her life. Who is she being UNselfish to...herself or the baby? What determines this?Who determines this?

I made the determination based off of what was right for me at the time, when I take care of my needs I can take care of my child/childrens needs. That is UNselfish, so yes some of mine were breastfed/some weren't although all were for at least 2 months.

I did breastfeed all my babies, but I know women who are just really uncomfortable with it. Your question comes off as very judgemental, like you get to sit and decide if people's reasons are adequate enough or not, and tell people they were selfish for not breastfeeding. I don't blame FreeForAll. I actually enjoyed her response.

I was undereducated. I breast fed for 2 months before returning to work. I was told there was no way I could work 40 hours and breastfeed without an expensive pump and I could not afford one. I was young and stupid and took it as truth never looked it up. It may not be a good excuse but it is what it is. I learned with my second there were ways around my obstacles. I can't speak for anyone else.

This may not have much to do with your question, but I remember before my first was born, being SOOO scared? I guess, about breastfeeding, as none of the women in my family have ever done it. So, having little support(aside from friends who have) i just read as much as i could. I never thought i could/would...but I did, and it was (and still is) a great accomplishment for me as a parent. Both kids were breastfed for 22 months each. So my thought was, you just have to try, and not let anyone tell you you cant. I wonder as well, what some moms reasons for ff'ing are, but could never look down on a mom who couldnt BF.

and when I went back to work, it was hard to get the time to pump...so when I stopped getting as much, I thought I was starting to dry up. In reality, I had an oversupply, and that was decreasing to a "regular" supply...I know this because of how painful my breasts were when I was unable to pump or feed. After months of the bottle, she didn't latch well, and feeding from the breast was an ordeal. There is no other word for it. Ordeal. The only reason I was able to continue to a year was because I made it to 6 months and was able to relax a bit when she was able to have food and juice for some of the feedings.

Unfortunately, it is more "normal" to bottle feed in our society, and it turns a lot of women off to nursing, or affects the support system they have. Now that I have successfully nursed two additional children after my hellish first experience, I know what I didn't know I didn't know...if that makes sense.

I bottle fed my daughter, and breastfed my son for three months. I chose not to breastfeed my daughter just because I really didn't want to. Not too lazy. Not selfish. I just didn't want to. With my son, after three months, he refused to take breastmilk, from either me or a bottle, so he went to formula then.

Isn't it a personal choice? Why does everyone get so judgmental when a mother who can breastfeed but doesn't choose to? Does that mean she's not a good mother? She is taking care of her baby right? Mothers who do breastfeed, hats off to them. But who don't, for no reason at all, why do they get bashed? Some who stopped breastfeeding or didn't breastfeed at all have legitimate reason, while some don't. Again it's a personal choice and that doesn't make them bad mothers