feel so guilty for wanting to stop breastfeeding

[babyfromgod]

I have breastfed for 5 1/2 weeks and have just found out my wee man has reflux so i have put him on a thickened formula to help it stay down better and it seems to be working, he also seems happier in general and sleeps so much better in the day and especially at night. I want to make the switch but can't bring myself to stop expressing and let my milk dry up because i feel so guilty for not giving him what is meant to be best for him.

 

[NG09]

Don't feel bad hun, you are changing to formula with your LO's best interests at heart, you have nothing to feel guilty for x

 

[bubbles123]

5.5 weeks Bf'ing is fab - well done! Please don't feel guilty if you move to formula. Do what feels right for you. X

 

[BabyK'sMam]

I felt exactly the same as you, I breastfed for7 weeks and I cried the first time I gav Evan formula but my nipples were so sore and bleeding I had no choice.

I felt so guilty as well and I really felt as though I was letting Evan down and was being a bad mam.

Evan had no idea, and he's just as happy on formula as he was Bf. The way I looked at it was that I'd breastfed for a 7 weeks which is better than nothing and gave him the best start in life.

Don't worry, at the end of the day changing to formula is a good thing for your LO.

Sending you hugs

 

[ILoveShoes]

I know how you feel...
I BF'd for 11 weeks, and struggled with it every single day! I eventually decided (after LOTS of tears) that I would change to FFing and guess what... I'm so glad I did!
LO and I are much happier now and much less stressed. LO seems to really enjoy drinking out of his bottle, and he is much more content now.
It was definitely the right decision for my family.
Xx

 

[babyfromgod]

Thanks ladies, i finally made my decision and i'm letting my milk dry up and by god it is painful. I feel sad but relieved at the same time. I even had a wine tonight. It is like having a new baby now he is on formula. Where has my screaming non sleeping baby gone lol

 

[ILoveShoes]

That's exactly how I felt; sad, but relieved at the same time.
With regards to your boobs... I just expressed a tiny bit off in the mornings and at night, just so they weren't mega painful. I think mine are starting to get a little softer now - almost a week later. I took ibuprofen too when they got too sore.
Xx

 

[Justagirlxx]

Well it sounds like a huge part of you doesn't want to stop. Is there any other way you could help his reflux? Have you tried asking them in the breastfeeding section?? Whatever you decide to do you are a good mommy and are doing whats best for your baby. x

 

[cherryglitter]

You are doing what is best for your baby.
With regards to the expressing it really sounds like you don't want to stop breastfeeding.
Have you looked for any help regarding the reflux hun?!

 

[GossipGirly]

i felt the same but we have done right thing for us.. ur baby has had the best start nd thats fab u did it for that long x

 

[a_c]

You are doing the best thing for your baby so don't feel an ounce if guilt & you've managed a wonderful amount of time bfeeding you should be proud.

 

[babyfromgod]

baby has started becoming unsettled and screaming after feeds again, i really thought the formula was helping his reflux as he was so settled for a few days, now i am thinking of going back to breastfeeding but my milk has mostly dried up so i will have to relactate which is really hard work. If he is unsettled with breast and bottle i think i would rather breastfeed as the only reason i changed to formula was for his reflux.

This is so stressful and confusing, just when i was happy with my decision he goes backwards and now i don't know what to do

 

[Islas_mummy]

I didn't breastfeed except for the first day, but my LO has reflux and I went to the doctors who prescribed Gaviscon infant for her, which really helped!! You can mix it in with a tiny bit of water and give it to them by syringe before their feed and then breastfeed if you want, or mix it in with the formula.

If you want to keep breastfeeding or are even a little bit unsure, then if I were you I'd continue because I regret stopping so much and really feel like I have missed out. But that's just my opinion and my story.

I hope this helps a little bit and good luck! xxx

 

[GossipGirly]

get urself to gp for gaviscon u only have to mix in an ounce of formula xx

 

[babyfromgod]

We tried gaviscon but didn't help, now he is on ranitadine. Which did seem to be helping along with the formula but he has been unsettled the last 2 days. He is pretty happy today though so i don't know what works and what doesn't anymore

 

[Delamere19]

Ah Hun! I felt exactly the same as you. I bf for 5 days and had problems with my supply and neither me or my son were happy so I made the switch and I felt soooo bad about it for ages and actually still do a bit now but he is so much happier and content and I just couldn't continue as it was. X you should do what is right for your baby and for you x x x

 

[summer rain]

if you want to, relactation is possible, my mum did it after about 3 months with my youngest sister because formula had completely taken over and she felt so sad as my sister was her last baby; also she was very unsettled, at the stage your baby is at now it should be considerably easier and more than possible to get your supply fully back, if you offer only the breast for 48 hours and have a 'nursing vacation' and rest most of that time; that can often be enough to get back on track.

 

[babyfromgod]

Well he is back to being settled, i was trying to relactate but he is used to the bottles now so is too lazy to suck and get my milk out cause it flows out the bottle so easily, i also can only express 10mls out of each breast so i may just give the relactation a miss as i think his 2 unsettled days were because of constipation now as he did a big poo yesterday and has been pretty happy since

 

[monets_garden]

I feel guilty for wanting to use formula as well as BFing because I have epilepsy, and the lack of sleep has caused my seizures to act up. I have pumped to make bottles for night time, but it doesn't seem like enough...

I hate myself for thinking about it, but isn't it better for us both to be happy and healthy?

 

[babyfromgod]

I definately agree that it is important for mum and baby to be happy and healthy, me and OH are getting more sleep now which means we fight less and i also have time to study as he isn't constantly on my boobs and he seems happier too. So it seem to be working out quite well most days, i guess with reflux he will have good days and bad days