Setting one's self up for failure?

Breastfeeding hurt for almost the first two weeks. I had to really
clench my teeth whenever my son latched on. One nipple even bled in
the first week when he bit down accidentally when I was trying to
withdraw, and my sister-pediatrician said, keep on breastfeeding
through the pain. When my son had a stomach virus and kept pooing after
each feed, my sister said, keep it up, breastfeeding is his first line
of defense. So I had been conditioned to breastfeed and there was no
alternative. I think that because of that, I continued. Now
breastfeeding is the best part of my day. He has just turned one and I
can't pump enough milk at work to feed him so I am trying formula out
of necessity. But I will still pump and then BF when I get home. I
really enjoy it!

cjra wrote:
I am curious to hear other's perspectives. On another parenting board,
where most of the members are young and first time moms, I read so
often that they will 'try breastfeeding and if it doesn't go well,
stop."

Now, normally I'm all for trying and being realistic. But at least for
me, such an attitude would have doomed us to failure. Thanks to being a
lurker here for years, I was fully prepared for the difficulties. My
attitude was "it WILL work. We WILL work through the difficult parts."
Anything else seemed to be accepting defeat before even trying.

Is that just me? Did you find the 'I will try and see" attitude worked
for you? Especially when it was difficult at first?

Now, I will add this group also h as a lot of people who say they will
bf for 4 weeks then switch to formula. And many who say they tried and
couldn' tbecause they didn't have enough milk, baby wasn't gaining
weight, all-knowing doc/nurse told them to supplement, milk didn't come
in until day 5 so the nurses said they had to supplement with formula
so baby won't starve. etc.