Thinking of switching to formula, but getting pressure/guilt from everyone!

[Shadowcat]

I've been pumping for the last month. My LO is nearly five weeks old now, and I'm finding it really hard to care for him, the house, my other children, and find time to pump as well. We've tried everything to get him to latch and breastfeed, but he just will not do it.

I told my DH that I wanted to wean from the pump, and he gave me a big guilt trip about it - that formula is expensive, that I'm taking all of the health benefits away from our LO, etc. I told some of my friends, and they all pressured me to keep trying to bf - one even suggested that I just stop feeding LO for the day until he takes the breast - I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to go that far.

Am I proud of myself that I've managed to give my LO breastmilk for the first month? Yes! However, it has been SOOOOO hard. I think that I'd be a LOT happier and less stressed if we switched to ff. Also, my middle child never got any breastmilk at all, and my oldest only got it for about two weeks, and they are perfectly healthy. My DH never pressured me about them...why now?

Am I being selfish for wanting to stop pumping? Are they right?

 

[skunkpixie]

Maybe your DH is putting the pressure on to make sure that you are 100% comfortable with your decision, and he doesnt want you to quit and then end up regretting it?
Just sit him down for a chat and let him know that it will be a huge weight off your shoulders to FF and that you have though it through and think it would be more beneficial to FF than to continue pumping.
I would just ignore your friends point of view to be honest. The only people that it concerns is yourself and to some extent your husband. xx

 

[ktod]

Don't let anyone pressure you! It's funny though because all I ever had was pressure to quit breastfeeding from everyone. I swear people just try to contradict your decision whatever it is. Just do what makes you happy

 

[Katy Bug]

You aren't being selfish. Ask your dh if he would be willing to stop buying food for himself because it is also expensive. Your baby is a person and your family and deserves food too, no matter how much it costs. Your dh is being selfish not you. Do what you feel is best. I couldn't bf either, I was too depressed and sleep deprived bit congrats that you could give your baby bm for so long!

 

[youngwife20]

You are not being selfish. I exclusivly pumped for 6 months and it was so hard but it did get easier. My advice for you is too stop unless your sure you wont feel bad. i stopepd wwhen i was about 6 weeks pregnant because i felt it was the right time if i had stopped anytime before that i would have been a wreck with guilt. you have done the best you can for your child and you should be very proud of yourself. I carried on that long because i felt id be a failure if i stopped. but now i see that i did aswell as i could have and im not a failure. my husband did say that about it being expensive but he doesnt know how it feels so ignore him! xx just do whats best for u and ur baby how about pumpin and storing? so you have some to give you rbaby thats been frozen that way they still get the benifits my daughter is still getimg ebm from my freezer and i havent pumped in a month xx

 

[youngwife20]

Maybe your DH is putting the pressure on to make sure that you are 100% comfortable with your decision, and he doesnt want you to quit and then end up regretting it?
Just sit him down for a chat and let him know that it will be a huge weight off your shoulders to FF and that you have though it through and think it would be more beneficial to FF than to continue pumping.
I would just ignore your friends point of view to be honest. The only people that it concerns is yourself and to some extent your husband. xx

I bellieve this is the case for my hubby i used to threaten to quit when i had a bad day lol then he would give me a lecture and id change my mind i am glad he didnt let me quit those times as i wasnt ready xx

 

[youngwife20]

Don't let anyone pressure you! It's funny though because all I ever had was pressure to quit breastfeeding from everyone. I swear people just try to contradict your decision whatever it is. Just do what makes you happy

may i ask why they tried to get u to stop?