dont know how much more i can take.

[Mummymoo_x]

I'm having a bad day.. I haven't felt this ill in a long time. I ache ALL over, I'm weak, shivvering like crazy (im not cold) my head feels like its going to explode.

I just feel like I need to sleep & close my eyes.. its now 3am and I'm exsausted. I just feel like giving up with breast feeding him so my OH can feed him formula? Please dont judge I do enjoy breastfeeding I just feel worn out!

 

[kung_pao mama]

I know how you feel. I have been thinking about asking my husband to take over just for ONE night on his next day off. I feel like one night of good sleep will totally recharge me.

 

[kung_pao mama]

oh, i feel for you even more. i just realized that you just had your little one less than two weeks ago. I was so burnt out during the first month, but i will tell you, it gets better...

 

[staralfur]

Those first few weeks are killer. Have you thought about cosleeping? I started when my LO was around 2 weeks old and it was a game changer.

 

[rachelleigh]

Hang in there, those first few weeks are so, so tough. I would just sob throughout the day out of exhaustion. It does get better! Are you maybe able to express during the day or before you go to bed so your OH can do some feeds?

 

[Xpecta]

Like the previous poster said, maybe try expressing or pumping? If not, honestly, formula isn't so bad for your baby. I would say that having a well rested and stress free mother is more important. With all my children, if I needed to give them a bottle, I did. You'll know what's best.

 

[Mummy Bean]

Cosleeping deff saved my sanity as I could dose while he was feeding, if not as other have said try express a bottle for Oh to give so you can get a good few hours sleep and recharge those batteries.

I FF my first and BF this one and I can say once you get past the first 4 weeks it get SO much easier.

 

[missk1989]

I would suggest staying in bed for a day. Your lo is likely sleeping much of the day anyway. I found when i felt ill in the early days that this was the best cure. You can feed your lo lying down and both get as much sleep as you need for the day.

 

[kung_pao mama]

Yes! There's absolutely NOTHING wrong with giving a bottle here and there. Doing it too much without expressing may hurt your milk supply early on, so be careful with that.

and yes! cosleeping made a big difference for me. I still don't sleep long periods at a time, but it's easy to go back to sleep after a feed when you don't have to get out of bed :0)

 

[lanaross]

give it 40 days hun, take a calendar cross the days out, after 40 days, it'll be much easier than with formula x If need be, pump some milk so you can have some rest.

 

[eve89]

HUgs... I hope you feel better now. We are here to support you.

 

[Mummymoo_x]

Well I went out and brought an electric pump so exleast OH can help out every now and then with feeds.

Hopefully it will be a lifesaver!

What is cosleeping? X

 

[rachelleigh]

Well I went out and brought an electric pump so exleast OH can help out every now and then with feeds.

Hopefully it will be a lifesaver!

What is cosleeping? X

I think you will love having a pump! It is so nice to be able to give your LO your milk but with the luxury of someone else getting to feed it to them.

Co-sleeping is having the baby sleep in the same room as you. Some people are comfortable with the baby in a crib in the same room, others bed share (baby in your bed). I use the Arm's Reach co-sleeper which is a small portable bassinet that attaches to the side of the bed, which I love because I don't have to get up.

Hope today is a good day! Let us know if you have any questions about pumping.

 

[Mummymoo_x]

Thankyou! It will be nice to have a break every now and then & also being able to feed him in public from a bottle without feeling nervous

& my LO sleeps in a cot next to my bed but I'd daren't let him sleep in the same bed as me lol x

 

[staralfur]

Sorry, by cosleeping I meant bed sharing. You can essentially feed baby without fully waking up.

 

[rachy01]

Cosleeping worked for me, helped me continue bfing and let me get proper sleep. Try pumping a bottle per day so OH can do a night feed if you don't want to cosleep.

 

[rachy01]

Whoops I mean bedsharing! And I found my manual pump wasnt great so I hand express. Keep going for about a hour, looking at baby while you do it and do each breast and you will find you may start out with just drops but after half an hour it starts flowing out in spurts

 

[Mummymoo_x]

Thanks for advice ladies. I made up a bottle and after 30 mins approx I produced 2oz or so and baby tends to still be hungry after.

been pointless expressing so far, I still dont think I'll have any extra help....
How many oz's should I be expressing into one bottle? I was only doing 30 min or so because he doesn't feed longer than that. X

 

[kung_pao mama]

Pumping gets easier with time. At first, I only pumped about 2oz in 20 minutes if i was lucky. Now I get at least 5-6 in less than 15 minutes (if it's not right after a feed).

Keep in mind, your baby gets out more than the pump does. so you may need to pump more/longer than feeds typically last. I've found that pumping shorter amounts of time more frequently works best for me.