A MUM has revealed some of the “selfish” reasons she chose not to breastfeed her baby.
First time mum Beckey Gallivan said that she has seen so many mums judging those who chose not to breastfeed, but said that she believes that their judgement is “stupid”.
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Breastfeeding has many benefits, including meeting all of your baby’s nutritional needs, protecting them from infections and diseases and helping to build a strong emotional bond between mother and baby.
Taking to TikTok, Beckey revealed that she chose not to breastfeed as she didn’t want her boobs to sag, or look any different to how they did before she became pregnant.
She added that the idea of breastfeeding made her feel “weird and uncomfortable.”
“The thought of it felt very unnatural to me, even though it is the most natural thing”, she said.
“It grossed me out”.
The mum-of one added that, after hearing how hard and painful it can be to breastfeed, she didn’t want to deal with the mental load that comes with it.
Beckey shared that she also chose to use formula so that her partner could help her with night feeds.
“I’m lazy and I ain’t doing it myself”, she said.
Beckey said that she has never wanted to breastfeed and doesn’t care that her reasoning only benefits her, and not her baby.
“To put it simply, I just don’t want to”, she said.
Her video, which was posted under the username @becksgallivan, has gone viral, racking up 375,000 views on the video sharing platform.
TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to share their thoughts, and opinions were divided.
One person said: “I think the biggest gift I could have given my daughter is breastmilk.
“In my personal opinion, it’s such a small sacrifice for the huge health benefits.”
What are the recommendations around breastfeeding?
The NHS recommends breastfeeding your baby exclusively (feeding them breast milk only) for the first six months, but it’s completely up to you to decide when you want to bring it to an end – and there’s really no right or wrong way to do it.
The NHS says weaning often happens gradually as your baby begins to eat more solid foods.
They note that solid food shouldn’t replace breast milk, as there is evidence to suggest breast milk helps a baby’s digestive system when processing solid food for the first time.
“Once they are eating solids, your baby will still need to have breast milk or formula as their main drink up to at least their first birthday,” recommends the NHS.
“Cows’ milk isn’t suitable as a main drink for babies under one, although it can be added to foods, such as mashed potatoes.”
You can also combine breastfeeding with formula, too and the NHS says “phasing out” of breastfeeding is often the easiest way.
For example, dropping one feed in the day or at night time.
After around a week, you can begin to think about dropping another.
“If your baby is younger than one year, you’ll need to replace the dropped breastfeed with a formula feed from a bottle or (if they are over six months) a cup or beaker, instead,” they say.
You can breastfeed for as long as you want, and while the NHS recommends breastfeeding your baby exclusively for the first six months, you shouldn’t feel like you cannot continue for longer.
The World Health Organization says: “Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.”
A second person said: “Everyone can decide their own priorities.
“I read the evidence of the health benefits of breastfeeding and that was the priority for me.”
A third person said: “As a midwife, I honestly do not care how you feed your baby. whatever works best for your family.”
A fourth person added: “As long as your baby is happy and healthy it shouldn’t matter how you feed them.”
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