Formula vs Breast feeding

Do babies really like the taste of this stuff? It smells bad and tastes bad, at least to me, but Tara seems to like the stuff, and who am I to tell her any different. I can't drink the stuff. I had hoped to be able to breast feed her for an entire year, but things did not work out in my favor and I had to continue to feed her the formula. But it did come in handy when we went to Shad's moms house for Thanksgiving. In a house full of people, it is hard to find a place to breast feed a baby and be left completely alone.
So it was just easier to give her formula only while we were away from home and then breast feed her when we got home later in the evening. I read all the books about why breast feeding is good for the baby and for mom too. And I loved breast feeding. The smell of the baby, having her close to me while she was nursing, hearing all the sounds she made while nursing. But knowing that she was not gaining weight as she should be was my main concern and I would do anything to make sure she was healthy.
Those first few weeks where I was breast feeding only were great. I noticed a change in my body almost immediately. I lost some weight quickly, but also knew that I had to keep eating well and make sure I was getting enough calories in order to keep up my milk. That was hard. If I fell asleep after nursing Tara, I would sleep as long as she did and if she woke up and it was time to feed her again, I didn't even think about trying to eat something.
As for the baby, it helps them get important immunities from the mother as they are nursing. This helps them build up their immune systems. I know that there are some moms who would rather breast feed and there are some who absolutely refuse to breast feed. I know that I will do it again with any other children I have because the experience is one that I will cherish. That first bond between mom and baby is important and the way it helped me bond with Tara those first few weeks is unforgettable.