I know how this feels. My LO (1st baby) will be 6 weeks old tomorrow. All the ante-natal classes etc promoted BF - and there was more pressure to go with this rather than FF. However when I was in hospital after having Orla I should have known I was in for a hard time as I was the only one in the ward BFing!!! 
Not once in my ante-natal classes did they mention cluster feeding, how sore my nipples would be, how she would want to be attached to my boob on and off for almost 24 hours of the day and how even trying to get to the loo would be a nightmare! OH was very supportive and wanted me to quit but I was too stubborn and felt too guilty about stopping (something else that no-one warns you about). After 10 days of this and me being in tears every day my fantastic midwife said that if she was advising a friend she would advise switching to formula - or to at least combi-feed to get a break. She pointed out that I had EBF for 10 days and given LO a great start. She didnt care about EBF like some of the midwives - only that I felt better in myself and that LO was more content as she always seemed hungry. So I took her advice and have been combi-feeding ever since.
Any concerns and guilt I had about this have gone as LO is thriving - she was 5lbs 10ozs at birth and 6 weeks later has gone up to 8lbs 8 & a half ozs. I BF once during the day, and at her feeds during the night, and thats it. This I will be stopping in the next few weeks as BF just doesnt seem to fill her now. At night she will sleep for 4-5 hours after her last bottle, but only 2 hours after her being BF.
I am much happier, LO is doing great and we can plan to leave the house without her wanting fed every 20 minutes!
Although on Friday, my HV (after weighing LO) said how well she was doing etc - and then said ' so will you give EBF another go then'??? She is all about the EBF - but was told by me in no uncertain terms that I was happy with what I was doing and so was LO - and NO WAY would I be going back to EBF!!!
to you as I know how stopping or even reducing BF feels.
Not once in my ante-natal classes did they mention cluster feeding, how sore my nipples would be, how she would want to be attached to my boob on and off for almost 24 hours of the day and how even trying to get to the loo would be a nightmare! OH was very supportive and wanted me to quit but I was too stubborn and felt too guilty about stopping (something else that no-one warns you about). After 10 days of this and me being in tears every day my fantastic midwife said that if she was advising a friend she would advise switching to formula - or to at least combi-feed to get a break. She pointed out that I had EBF for 10 days and given LO a great start. She didnt care about EBF like some of the midwives - only that I felt better in myself and that LO was more content as she always seemed hungry. So I took her advice and have been combi-feeding ever since.
Any concerns and guilt I had about this have gone as LO is thriving - she was 5lbs 10ozs at birth and 6 weeks later has gone up to 8lbs 8 & a half ozs. I BF once during the day, and at her feeds during the night, and thats it. This I will be stopping in the next few weeks as BF just doesnt seem to fill her now. At night she will sleep for 4-5 hours after her last bottle, but only 2 hours after her being BF.
I am much happier, LO is doing great and we can plan to leave the house without her wanting fed every 20 minutes!
Although on Friday, my HV (after weighing LO) said how well she was doing etc - and then said ' so will you give EBF another go then'??? She is all about the EBF - but was told by me in no uncertain terms that I was happy with what I was doing and so was LO - and NO WAY would I be going back to EBF!!!
to you as I know how stopping or even reducing BF feels.
