Feel like a let down :(

[kirstyolivia]

Hi ladies

I recently had my little girl 2 weeks ago and after the 4th day of breast feeding I had to move onto bottle feeding because my nipples became to sore and began to crack and bleed and ever since I feel like I've let her down. She's gaining weight like she should be and doesn't seem to have a problem with bottle feeding but I just can't shake the feeling that I've failed.

Anyone else felt like this before?

 

[sammiexsue]

i do.... im using a pump right now but i have to also use MOSTLY forumla and im debating about going completely formula... i have flat nipples and low milk production. and baby wont latch.. so ya i know how u feel completely..

 

[pinklightbulb]

You did the best you could You aren't a failure at all.

 

[detterose]

Every day

 

[JMB1992]

There's so much pressure to breastfeed. Sometimes it just doesnt work out. Your baby wont know any different. All they think is its milk yum! lol. 4 days is still enough to get colustrum so you did great. Dont feel bad! aslong as baby is happy and healthy. There are more important things to worry about than breastfeeding! x

 

[kirstyolivia]

I'm glad I'm not the only one but its still such a horrible feeling

 

[AnxiousAnnie]

I know exactly how you are feeling! My little man wouldn't latch properly and I ended up with mastitis. Then decided that I was going to exclusively pump but he had mangled my nipples so much that the blood was going into the breast pump. After 3 weeks of both of us crying during every feed and of spending my days dreading feeding instead of enjoying him I made the decision to switch to ff. It was the hardest decision I've ever made and I still feel guilty about it but I couldn't have bf any longer. Chin up honey, you're not on your own xxx

 

[melfy77]

You are NOT a failure!!! She is thriving and this is all what matters. Do you enjoy feeding her? Do you feel like you're bonding with her? If yes, then you did NOT fail!!! And you're giving her colostrum. I spoke to a lactation consultant, who told me: ''If anything, give the colostrum, it's the most important!!'' I breastfed for 2 weeks. I was dreading feeding time. She would wake up every 30-45 minutes at night. I looked like sh*t and felt like sh*t. DH felt hopeless because there was nothing he could do She lost 10% off her birthweight and hadn't gained any of it back 14 days later, so they told me to supplement, which I did. So I started mix-feeding (breast and bottle). I would also pump and give formula. She was finally gaining. Because she would never drink long enough to get the hindmilk, she would always get hungry soon after. I used medium flow nipples for the bottle and she much prefered the bottle, so I gave up breastfeeding. Until a week ago, I was pumping 3 times a day, but am now slowly stopping because I'm fed up and my milk supply dropped (which is normal), and i have a decent amount of BM in the freezer. I now enjoy feeding her. DH gets to feed her and loves it. My mom also gets to feed her and she loves it. I still feel like I'm bonding with my daughter, so I'm a happy mom. And happy mom means happy baby.

IMO, there's too much pressure to breastfeed and make moms who formula-feed feel like they failed It's wrong. I was formula fed and turned out fine. No allergies, went to university, I'm not fat (if anything I have a low BMI), so I don't really see the point of having this fight between breast milk and formula

 

[Missy86]

Don't feel bad, I stopped bf Rhys after 5 days as he has seriously mangled my nipples
I mean they were bleeding, bruised and cracked and he wasn't feeding for long as I had to take him off as it was so painful but I felt so so guilty over stopping
The same thing happened with Liam but I didn't feel the huge guilt that time as I knew I had given him the colostrum and Rhys had done fine on formula and they are both thriving

 

[pinklightbulb]

for all you ladies

 

[dgirllamius]

I felt like that. I breastfed for about 4 days and my nipples were so sore and bleeding etc I dreaded the time it was to feed her!

I don't feel guilty about it though and I'm not going to let people make me feel guilty. I've had people ram it down my throat about not breastfeeding LO and I basically just tell them to eff off. My baby is thriving, happy, ahead on milestones and sleeps through the night. Never been ill either except for a little cold she had at 6 months. All the breastfed babies I know round here have been constantly ill, not sleeping through and are not happy babies.

Don't feel guilty and don't let people make you feel that way either. You are not a failure.

 

[melfy77]

I felt like that. I breastfed for about 4 days and my nipples were so sore and bleeding etc I dreaded the time it was to feed her!

I don't feel guilty about it though and I'm not going to let people make me feel guilty. I've had people ram it down my throat about not breastfeeding LO and I basically just tell them to eff off. My baby is thriving, happy, ahead on milestones and sleeps through the night. Never been ill either except for a little cold she had at 6 months. All the breastfed babies I know round here have been constantly ill, not sleeping through and are not happy babies.

Don't feel guilty and don't let people make you feel that way either. You are not a failure.

Agreed!! DD is already rolling from her back onto her stomach and vice-versa, and she's only 1 1/2 month!!

My husband was breastfed and is allergic to penicillin. He's also lactose intolerant.

 

[horseybird]

I felt like this, LO had lost a whole pound by day 5 and was almost admitted to hospital for dehydration. Despite telling myself I would nt be pressured to BF, I felt like a complete failure when I couldnt. I felt guilty, a bad mother, I hated feeding time, I sobbed uncontrollably, my boobs are huge double GG's and I needed both hands to support LO when feeding, I also needed hubby to tickle LO's feet to keep her awake. My mum was really worried about my emotional state, as I felt like I had no bond with my LO.

The turning point came, when I expressed what I could, and accepted the FF is the best for us, LO is so much happier using bottles, and her weight is fine now, I love the fact that hubby can feed her as well which = more sleep!

You ve done great, your little one will be protected by all the antibodies you ve given her through the colostrum. Dont beat yourself up, enjoy being a mummy!