Formula guilt? *Update page 3*

[NG09]

TBH I can't understand why anyone would feel guilty about FF Feel guilty if you are starving your child to death but not for giving formula, sorry just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

 

[bathbabe]

TBH I can't understand why anyone would feel guilty about FF Feel guilty if you are starving your child to death but not for giving formula, sorry just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

 

[ShanandBoc]

TBH I can't understand why anyone would feel guilty about FF Feel guilty if you are starving your child to death but not for giving formula, sorry just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

Thanks hun ur so right. I guess us women tend to put such high expectations on ourselves as mothers and when things dont go to plan, we feel as if we have failed Even tho we havent. I agree with what u said. I just need to repeat it over and over in my head x

 

[NG09]

TBH I can't understand why anyone would feel guilty about FF Feel guilty if you are starving your child to death but not for giving formula, sorry just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

Thanks hun ur so right. I guess us women tend to put such high expectations on ourselves as mothers and when things dont go to plan, we feel as if we have failed Even tho we havent. I agree with what u said. I just need to repeat it over and over in my head x

 

[Seity]

There is a great thread in the parenting-groups section called breastfeeding grief support. There are quite a few of us moms who really wanted to breastfeed and couldn't for one reason or another. The guilt is real and not something to be scoffed at.
I'm a combo feeder and hate that I have to give him formula when it's not the choice I wanted.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Well after another two days of discomfort ive started giving one bottle of formula a day

I want her to still be getting some breastfeeds by the time she starts solids, so am gonna combi feed for a while.

She is just having one bottle of Bellamys organic formula in the middle of the day (love this formula!) and after a few weeks ill introduce another bottle (maybe) so im looking at slowly swapping over, taking around 2 months, maybe even longer. I feel better knowing i can do this for as long as i need to to but give my boobies a break now by replacing one feed, hopefully that will ease the discomfort.

Im very happy with my decision and am trying to let go of any guilt. I ended up having a panic attack the night before last after my last post on this thread (never happened to me before) and in tears after feeding her again and thought enough is enough. Im not doing me or my daughter any good being so miserable and stressed all the time.

Thanks for all ur comments. Im glad i will be giving my girl Breast milk for as long as i have.x

....If i find having one less feed in the middle of the day helps with the pain, i may continue on like this just giving her one bottle of formula a day for months and months im just gonna see how it goes.

I feel much happier already!

 

[Essjay]

Hun I know how some people make you feel about formula but you really shouldn't feel guilty, I know some people may frown apoun it but I never bf neither of my boys and the are perfectly healthy big strong boys, and my was formula fed and so were all my brothers and were fine., I think people are harsh on formula feeding mums for no reason. It's your choice and the fact that you've done the breast feeding for that long is great and it's not a big deal that you've switched. Either way is fine. Bottle fed babies are healthy too!

 

[Tierney]

I know exactly how you feel hun, ive just had to swap gradually from breast to formula due to mastitus and thrush on my nipples it just became too painful and my little girl got so frustrated bless her when i had to keep taking her off the boob because of the pain. i used to dread the next feed and this is when i knew i wasnt doing myself any favours or my lo by making myself feel guilty about swapping over. its so strange because i wasnt breastfed and i dont have a problem about it at all but you just cant help but feel guilty about it and i know so many people cant understand it. hope everything works out for you hun xx

 

[ShanandBoc]

Thanks hun xox

 

[monets_garden]

TBH I can't understand why anyone would feel guilty about FF Feel guilty if you are starving your child to death but not for giving formula, sorry just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

Thanks hun ur so right. I guess us women tend to put such high expectations on ourselves as mothers and when things dont go to plan, we feel as if we have failed Even tho we havent. I agree with what u said. I just need to repeat it over and over in my head x

I am going thru a similar dilemma! I have medication that I take for seizures, and my neurologist told me to choose between 3 and 6 months to stop BF. I started to wean using Enfamil Newborn and ended up with a very unhappy baby with painful, painful gas! I switched to Enfamil Gentlease, still only 4-6 oz/day, but she seems to have such a hard time going back and forth. what should I do? just go full-on FF? I love BF so much, and it makes things easier at night to co-sleep, roll over, feed her, and get back to sleep. sleep is imperative for my medical condition

I feel so guilty because I feel like I shouldn't have been selfish enough to BF, but she had already been exposed to the meds in my womb... Dr told me it was fine. there's just so much pressure on us to BF, but some of us just CAN'T! I know breast is best, but I am sick of people making us feel bad! they wonder why there's so many cases of PPD... maybe its all the pressure on us to do the "right" thing..? *sigh*

off my soapbox now. I'm just glad I'm not the only new mum feeling hesitant about switching.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Awe hun its horrible isnt it?

Id try and BF as long as u can if u love it so much, but dont be hard on urself, if u have no choice u have done the very best u can and thats all that matters!!! I love giving my daughter breast milk but i dont really enjoy the act of breast feeding, esp when its painful.I just find it hard and uncomftable but have stuck it out for my LO, no other reason.

I didnt give her any formula today at all. My boobs were sore last night after missing 2 feeds over 2 days and i got up at 3am and expressed as i was just laying in bed thinking i should give it another try for another couple of weeks and if im still hating it to continue combi feeding and slowly switching her over.

I dont enjoy it, but i feel bad to stop, like im going against whats natural and feel riddled with guilt.

I thought i was at a point of moving on, overnight that has changed. I just dont know now.

Sigh.

 

[bobloblaw]

TBH I can't understand why anyone would feel guilty about FF Feel guilty if you are starving your child to death but not for giving formula, sorry just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

Easier said than done. I planned to breastfeed. I never even considered the possibility that I'd have problems. I had nothing against FF but I knew that I wanted to BF. When it didn't go to plan I felt I had let my baby down. That coupled with all the breast is best advice made me feel guilty.

In answer to your questions, Shanandboc, I am currently combi feeding. LO struggled to cope with BF and didn't regain her birthweight for a while. I started adding formula on the advice of two doctors.

Her poos changed, became more regular (every other day) and are a LOT smellier! She has slight constipation but not enough to really bother her.

As stated above, I felt guilty. What helped me get over it was the relief I felt! I now enjoy BF, as I don't have the pressure of trying & failing to give her sufficient food. We are both happier as a result.

Try not to be too hard on yourself x

 

[ShanandBoc]

Thanks im trying x

 

[charlotte-xo]

just wanted to say well done you for getting as far as you have thats an achievment in itself.
ive always ff so i cant give any advice but plenty of virtual hugs lol
dont let it make you feel guilty your doing nothing wrong by giving your lo formula.

 

[mixedmama]

You have done really well getting this far hun! I know how hard it is because BFing was extremely painful for me in for the first two weeks, so for you to get this far despite all the pain, is really good!

I'm going to start mix-feeding soon (just one bottle to settle her at nights). I hope she takes to the formula well.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Ive decided to stay exclusively breast feeding...again. Ill give it a little longer and see if it improves

 

[monets_garden]

Ive decided to stay exclusively breast feeding...again. Ill give it a little longer and see if it improves

me too!!!

 

[ShanandBoc]

Monets garden, can u be my support buddy? I think it would be good to have someone to whinge to and we can egg eachother on!

I think i need it! x

 

[ShanandBoc]

You have done really well getting this far hun! I know how hard it is because BFing was extremely painful for me in for the first two weeks, so for you to get this far despite all the pain, is really good!

I'm going to start mix-feeding soon (just one bottle to settle her at nights). I hope she takes to the formula well.

Let us know how u go Mixedmama......u have done great to make it this far too.

Just remember tho a bottle wont necessarily change her sleeping habits. My LO sleeps all the through the night being breast fed x

 

[monets_garden]

Monets garden, can u be my support buddy? I think it would be good to have someone to whinge to and we can egg eachother on!

I think i need it! x

I need it too!!! I will totally be your buddy!