Breastfeeding vs. Bottle Feeding

All the fuss surrounding what Hilary Rosen said about working moms vs. stay-at-home moms made me think of another "debate" that seems to stir up a lot of emotions between moms.   Breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding your baby. This is a subject that I can truly say I have been on both sides of.  When I was pregnant with Lauren, one of the things I thought about a lot was that I wanted to breastfeed her.  Since this was the first time I was pregnant, I really had no clue what it involved.  I thought your baby just put their mouth on and started sucking away.  When Lauren was born after a very long labor, I was exhausted.  The nurses (to their credit), really tried hard to show me what to do. After we brought Lauren home from the hospital, I kept trying, but it really hurt and I was incredibly frustrated!! I gave up after a couple more days. Once Lauren got on formula,  she and I were much happier with each other.  Dominic, on the other hand, took to breastfeeding like a duck to water and I nursed him for 18 months :)  Some moms use formula, others like to pump their breast milk.  I think moms should be supportive of each other no matter which they choose, some moms have no choice because of medical or other reasons.  It bugs the you know what out of me when I hear moms get up on their high horses to discuss which is "better" for your baby.   Those first couple of weeks bringing home a new baby, whether it's your first or your last are non-stop between them crying, pooping, changing diapers, etc.  The last thing an exhausted new mom needs is someone in their face telling them what they should or shouldn't be doing.  Try instead to bring a meal or offer to watch the baby for a little bit so the mom can rest!!  I would love to hear other mom's experiences with this subject, please feel free to weigh in!