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Quitting BFing - can you help me?

ILoveShoes

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Hi ladies,
My LO is 11 weeks old. He's been BFed since he was about 3 weeks old (before this, he had EBM) but it has always been a struggle.
We use nipple shields as he can't latch, but recently he's got very fussy and feeding is very stressful. We both get stressed and upset.
I'm thinking of switching to FF. My problem is, he's never had formula or a bottle!
My HV is coming round tomorrow to talk to me.
Has anyone else had a similar situation?
Can anyone help?
Thanks.
xx
 
Yes, I did hun.

Remember there is also an in-between option: exclusive expressing. It is difficult (although at 11 weeks with an established supply it will be a bit easier), but it can be done. Do you have a pump? Can you rent a Medela Symphony hospital grade from a pharmacy?

This is what I did before I made the complete switch (I lost my supply but I did expressing from day 1 as my baby could not be put to the breast -ever).

If you choose to go straight to formula let me know, but if you are BFing anyways, you might as well start with expressing anyways to help relieve your breast pain. If you don't have any bottles yet, I would recommend purchasing some Dr Browns, although the Medela hospital pump will come with some bottles.
 
Thanks, Aliss.
I've actually already got a Symphony pump that's been lent to me by our PCT, coz of the problems I had in the start.
I'm not sure about expressing (that's what I did for the first 3 weeks) as I found it really time consuming. I don't think I'll be able to pump enough, and look after LO while OH is at work. What do you think?
I was thinking of replacing one BF with a FF until he's fully weaned. What do you reckon?
xx
 
It IS time consuming, but at the same time, at 11 weeks, it is not as bad as when he was a newborn (because they don't cluster feed as often and you've had at least some rest after the labour). Your LO was preemie as well so at the first 3 weeks, it must've been exhausting due to the low mL of feeds.

Here's the problem with replacing a BF with FF: You still need to express. Your supply will be dramatically effected. So if you choose to give an FF feed instead of a BF feed, you still need to pump.

Now, what you can do is give him his FF feed, and then pump after, so your body thinks it has still BF'd. But if you do not pump at all (and I did this often because I was just so exhausted), your supply will be lost.

If you have the pump, how about giving it a shot? You will want to use it anyways if you go to FF (to slowly reduce your supply as the engorging at the switch is horribly painful).

I say give it a try if you want, you can always go to FF if you decide it is not for you.
 
I had a friend of mine pump for over 4 months and did great! Took her maybe 15 minutes to pump and she would get 12-16oz each time! It can be done :) I pumped, breastfed and bottle fed with EBM alone while OH was at work all day, once in a routine it's not bad at all. I had to pump off the right breast after each feed until I bought a nipple shield as LO didn't like the shape... after 3 weeks we got rid of the shield and been problem free ever since. It was time consuming at first but my body got used to it (I had only a manual pump in which I sterilized every time btw lol) then it was nothing. Just wanted to give you a positive story here, with a good outcome. Either way, pumping or FF like aliss said, you will need to transition kind of deal as you don't want to get too engorged and in pain, or end up with blocked ducts, or mastitis.
 

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