formula without guilt - help !

[babyhopes2010]

i ff my first and now ff and pump for my lo. i didnt like bf. well tbh he never really latched. both my kids r healthy

 

[jd83]

At the end of the day you have to do whatever suits you and your family best, whether that be bfing or ffing. However, having done both I can hand on heart say that I have much preferred breastfeeding.

It's really really tough in the early weeks. Baby cluster feeds, feeds take ages, they're not satisfied and they want to go back on constantly and so on. Your nipples are sore and all you want is some time with a baby not on your breast. I understand completely because I've been there. But that's the thing, you really are in the early weeks.

My son is 3 months old now and breastfeeding is so so easy. He feeds for about 5 minutes and then he's done. I never have to faff around with bottles or sterilising, worry about where I'm going to be and how I'm going to warm a bottle up.

First time around I FF. I switched because I didn't understand what was normal for a BF baby and because I was struggling with a lot of emotional 'crap' in my life and couldn't cope with breastfeeding on top. I do not regret it. I never beat myself up over it. I did what was right for me at the time and my eldest is a happy, healthy boy.

Bottom line - do what is right for both of you and if that is formula that's absolutely fine.

But I just want to re-iterate something that someone on here said once (can't remember for sure who it was!). Never quit breastfeeding on a bad day. Because the next day might have been better. Take time to think about it logically and without too much emotion. Then switch when you're sure. It's a decision you most likely won't be able to change once you've done it, so make sure you're certain.

Completely agree with this entire post, well said. I much preferred breastfeeding as once you get past the initial newborn stage, it really is loads easier than bottle feeding. Its definitely HARD at first. cluster feeds are exhausting, sore breasts are irritating, wondering whether you are making enough is stressful. But then they get a little older, and it suddenly gets loads easier. They go longer between feeds, feeds are much quicker adn efficient, there's no clean up afterwards for bottles, etc (unless you are pumping while working, of course).

I breastfed DS1 for 4 months, and ended up switching to formula once back to work because my supply dipped so low that it just ended up causing too much stress. Nothing I tried increased my supply. I felt guilty at first, but then I realized he was just as happy as he ever was, and he was still a healthy little boy.

DS2 I breastfed for 6 months, and had another month worth of milk in freezer so ended up being 7 months of breast milk. I had to quit because my coworker moved out of state, and I just literally did not have the time to pump at work anymore. It wasn't that they didn't allow me to, it was that if I had actually taken the time to pump every day I would have had to work that much overtime everyday to get the work done. I felt incredibly guilty quitting with DS2, because it wasn't even a supply issue and we were doing so great with breastfeeding. But at the end of the day, I just didn't want to sacrifice time with my boys to work overtime so that I could pump at work. So although I felt guilty for a while, looking back on it now, I am happy with my decision. I wouldn't trade that time with my boys for the world.

In the end, you have to be confident with your decision. Take a good amount of time to think it through and make sure what you decide is really what you want to do. There is no wrong answer here, but you DO need to be okay with what you choose.

Also, just wanted to add that the weight gain she has made seems fine to me. She could have been a small baby full term anyways, you have no way of knowing. DS2 was only 6lb, 12 oz born at 36 weeks, lost 12 oz first week, then gained back birth weight 2 weeks later (he was jaundice though so weight gain slow due to that. But still, he was gaining). there is no right amount of weight gain, either, its just making sure they are gaining weight. Some gain slowly, some gain super fast. Don't worry too much about the numbers as long as she is gaining.

 

[Lulu]

There are tons of reasons to both kinds of feeding. But you have to do what works for you, your baby and your family.

Whatever you decide please don't feel guilty. Being a mother is hard enough at times without beating yourself up over your choices.

I struggled to bf my son and changed to ff, I felt guilty for the decision but the relief at seeing him feed was enormous. With my daughter I had an open mind, I would give bf another go but was happy to switch if it didn't work out again. She is now ff. It's what works for us. Yes I sometimes feel l'd be a better mum if I'd persevered but at the same time both my children are thriving. They are happy, healthy kids. How if feed them in the first year of their lives is one small part (in the timescale of their lives) of how I parent them. It's not the only thing about how them will be cared for.

Whatever you decide I hope its the right decision for you

 

[eulmh82]

I expressed for a month Andy husband works away and I
Literally couldn't do it anymore as lo had bad colic I literally did t find time to express every three hours Abd lost my milk. I felt awful
But ultimately at 19
Mths he's extremely healthy Abd happy. You'll get people telling you not to
Give up
But do what's best for you Abd lo that's all that matters. At five in the school yard nobody cares how lo was fed long as he was fed! Once I started weaning I took full control back Abd my lo has never had a jar in his life he has wholesome home cooked food Abd I know he's healthy