Talk Me Out of Quiting

[Biotechick829]

So after our little girl was born I kept the mindset that I'd breastfeed as long as possible, up to 12 months, taking it one day at a time. Now, I feel like I'm at a breaking point and I'm thinking about quitting.

I work full-time and this morning while getting her bottles ready for daycare, I accidentally knocked over one - 5oz GONE. I just started crying. I have a frozen stash of 35oz (which I haven't contributed to since last month) so all wasn't lost for today, but it still put things in perspective - WHY do I need to be so stressed out about breastfeeding? I mean, I struggle every day to pump the 20 oz she needs for daycare (I pump 4x at work and in the evenings), she eats every 2.5-3 hrs, so I can't go anywhere without her for more than an hour or two, I have to wake up 2-4x a night for feeds (I realize this can be a lot worse), and I have a really fast letdown, which she struggles with most of the time and causes her to have massive spit-ups (I've tried inclined feeds and pumping less is not an option since I can barely keep up the supply I have).

I want to make my 12 month goal but I'm just tired and tired of being stressed out Advice?

 

[Claudia83]

Start small.
Instead of your original 12 month mark, tell yourself you will do what you can to guarantee 6 months. This was my goal. I had supply issues; I WISH I could've pumped more than 5oz total while I was at work 8am-5pm M-F so I supplemented. I told myself I would just try to make it to 6 months. When I got to 6 months, it was A LOT easier than it was at 3 months. At 6 months I was able to give him mashed avocados, mashed sweet potato and mashed bananas with a little bit of breast milk mixed in. Nursing just got easier, so then I told myself I'd re-visit how I felt about nursing at 9 months. When he hit 9 months, he was eating some oatmeal, more mashed fruits and veggies and those little fruit/veggie puffs. I told myself it was VERY possible to get to 12 months. At his 1st birthday, I knew it was only going to get WAY easier because we started introducing milk and other foods and I felt LESS pressure on me to provide him with all his nutrients. My son is now 2wks shy of 25 months old and we nurse twice a day and are doing gentle weaning (not offering, distractions). It seriously gets easier, just like everything else. Hang in there mama! You will be so PROUD of yourself, just you watch.

 

[MoldyVoldy]

I agree with what claudia83 has said.

Your let down WILL slow. Mine was very very bad in the beginning, took close to 5 months for it to be "normal". It takes time and in my experience I needed to nurse A LOT to help normalize my let down.

I feel for you, because having to go to work and also have the worry about your milk is a lot to handle. Remember that you are an amazing mother - not all mothers take the time to even think twice about breastmilk and they immediately go to formula because they assume it's easier. You're doing the best you can!

Does your baby sleep in bed with you? If not, I suggest giving it a go (safely of course). When nursing your baby while in bed you will get more rest during the night.

Hang in there - you're doing great. As claudia83 said, you will look back and be so proud of yourself!

 

[MoldyVoldy]

Oh but I have to add that I don't look down upon formula feeding mamas!! I'm a formula baby, without it I would have died lol. I'm just meaning that you see that breast is best (for now at least ) and you're doing all you can do to keep nursing.

 

[Calif]

Around your baby's age my baby started eating less. Hang in there! Once 6 months comes along you will pump less because your baby will have solids too.

 

[febbride2012]

by 6 months baby will need less in daycare - izzy drinks just 10 oz while I'm away from her xx

 

[Biotechick829]

Thank you very much for the advice and support ladies!!! I told my husband that I'll be deciding every Sunday whether or not to continue breastfeeding and if I want to keep going I have to go until the following Sunday (thanks, Claudia!). I have to remember, mini-milestones.

I almost feel like she's starting to eat more (when she has a bottle of expressed milk). She finishes the whole 5oz and keeps sucking for more, but she doesn't get fussy. To have her take bigger feeds more spaced a part would be fantastic!! I can only hope

She doesn't sleep with me. I wanted her to sleep in her own crib out of fear she'd get too used to sleeping with/near DH and I and that it would be that much harder when she gets older. I did tell DH this morning (as I was whining about getting up yet again to feed her) that I'd like him to help with the late night feeds. He agreed and so he'll be bringing her to me in bed every other day to feed at night

I'm running on such little energy I kept trying to turn off the alarm clock this morning only to realize it was the baby monitor!

 

[fieryphoenix]

I just wanted to say that 20 oz for daycare is a ton! Baby should only need 1-1.5 oz per hour away from you. So if she is there eight hours, you only should need 8-12 oz for daycare, are they doing paced feedings? Are they trying other ways of soothing her before feeding? Just something else for you to consider!

 

[Biotechick829]

Thanks, Fiery! Unfortunately she just eats that much, which is definitely a lot!!! We had done trial days with the bottle before sending her to daycare and she eats anywhere from 17-20oz Daycare has told me they've tried to soothe first and that they even stop feeding her if she loses interest.

I had to nurse her after her last bottle at daycare the past week so I thought it might be time to up her oz and stretch out the time in between feeds- I bottle fed her today and sure enough she ate 6.5oz every 3 hrs! Comforting only bought us 10-15min before she got super cranky

 

[monte3375]

WOW that is alot. I nurse on my lunchhour, other than that he takes 2 three ounce bottles so far.