"Some women can't breastfeed"

[amandae21]

I always hear this on cafemom breastfeeding posts (like the food stamps one today). I understand some women have medical issues, but seriously, how many women aren't capable of breastfeeding?

I'm not judging/debating anyones decision to not breastfeed. I'm just wondering how much truth their is to this claim. From what I've read, it is uncommon for women to be unable to breastfeed and some issues can be resolved or worked around with a feeding system.

[Jessica_Esqueda]

Quoting Anonymous:

My daughter had colic so I ended up giving up on bfing. Her pedi kept thinking that it was something I was eating causing her discomfort. It's a good thing though because she turned out to be intolerant to milk, soy, and most meat products until she was 2 and she is allergic to peaches and citrus fruits. In order to keep bfing her I would have had to eat nothing but veggies, and that's unhealthy

Psh, that's not unhealthy! That's being vegan ;) 
But yes... dealing with food allergies while breastfeeding is HARD!!! I've been nursing my son for almost 19 months now, and he has NINE food allergies :(  

[AVSpecWife4]

 OTHER - I don't have BREASTS to breastfeed~! I had breast cancer.

[briansmommy2010]

I chose other. I weaned at 8 months because of my job. Not because my milk dried up, but because I was travelling for work, and it just wasn't feasible to continue at that point. I'm sure I could have continued for quite a while longer though.

But it is true that some women are simply unable to breastfeed. My sister's milk NEVER came in (which broke her heart). And as much as I feel that breast is best, and everybody should at least give it a shot, I recognize that it is a personal choice. As long as baby is fed, I don't really care.

[Anonymous]

Bahaha. I could NEVER be a vegan. God bless those who can, but I love me some steak and milk! Lol

Quoting Jessica_Esqueda:

Quoting Anonymous:

My daughter had colic so I ended up giving up on bfing. Her pedi kept thinking that it was something I was eating causing her discomfort. It's a good thing though because she turned out to be intolerant to milk, soy, and most meat products until she was 2 and she is allergic to peaches and citrus fruits. In order to keep bfing her I would have had to eat nothing but veggies, and that's unhealthy

Psh, that's not unhealthy! That's being vegan ;) 
But yes... dealing with food allergies while breastfeeding is HARD!!! I've been nursing my son for almost 19 months now, and he has NINE food allergies :(  

[Anonymous]

I tried with DD but she wouldn't take. Come to find out later my body was poisoning it's self. I didn't with DS because I was going to be on anti depressants and I didn't want that in his system at all.

[Anonymous]

Where in the other reply does it mention anything about chemotherapy, cancer, or chronic illness? The response talks about low supply, and feeding issues not a severely ill mother.

Quoting Anonymous:

Hmmmm guess you would like my child to starve as I'm on CHEMO. Ok I understand I should of saw into the future that they'd find that I had cancer while I was prego. 

Quoting divinedimension:

I dunno OP. I did it four times. FOUR times. What happened back in the day when women's supply ran out (before formula was in the picture)? There was no OPTION of not breastfeeding. You did it and you made it work. That is what happened in our family. We dealt with thrush a zillion times, mastitis, low supply, bad latches. You name it, we've survived it. 

I think if a woman had no other choice, she'd feed her baby the way nature intended to. It's just easy to give up quickly if you have bottles to run to.

[briansmommy2010]

Im sorry you had so much trouble mama. And it seems like you really did try your hardest. I think you absolutely made the right choice in switching.

Quoting Anonymous:

I was unable to successfully breastfeed. I was devastated. I loved doing it and felt so defeated when I had to stop. My problem was the fat content in my milk. I worked with WIC, lactation consultants, and my doctor. I tried so hard, but I can't make my boobs do something they don't want to. At 2 months old my son, who was born a little over 7 lbs, was in preemie clothes. He had just gotten up to his birthweight after I started to supplement with formula. Once I switched completely to formula, he thrived for the first time ever! Since that point he made it to, and stayed at, the 50th percentile at every check-up.



I love my baby boy and wanted to give him the best, for him that meant drinking formula. I produced large quantities also, it was just all the watery foremilk.

[kaybri2012]

I couldn't. I pumped, but only got an ounce or two a day. Even after 7 pumpings a day. My body just did not respond. Actually, my breasts never increased in size during the whole pregnancy. It just never happened for me.

[elfling811]

I had a very hard time nursing. We made it 4 months. Even though she was a good nurser, I had supply issues in the left side. Later I found out that the problems I had were because I had brest cancer in the breast I had such trouble with :-(

[Jessica_Esqueda]

Quoting Anonymous:

Bahaha. I could NEVER be a vegan. God bless those who can, but I love me some steak and milk! Lol

Quoting Jessica_Esqueda:

Quoting Anonymous:

My daughter had colic so I ended up giving up on bfing. Her pedi kept thinking that it was something I was eating causing her discomfort. It's a good thing though because she turned out to be intolerant to milk, soy, and most meat products until she was 2 and she is allergic to peaches and citrus fruits. In order to keep bfing her I would have had to eat nothing but veggies, and that's unhealthy

Psh, that's not unhealthy! That's being vegan ;) 
But yes... dealing with food allergies while breastfeeding is HARD!!! I've been nursing my son for almost 19 months now, and he has NINE food allergies :(  

Good God, me too!! Lol!! I have to limit my meat intake, especially beef (boo). It looks like this: 

No: 

Dairy

Soy

Eggs

Peanuts

Peas

Lentils

Red dye

Peppermint

Carob

All goat products

Limit: 

Beef

tree nuts

like 25 fruits and vegetables

legumes

AHH!!!!!