How to deal with breastfeeding guilt?
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Wow wow . You have done brilliant. It’s so hard. Almost 7 months breast milk is a dream for some people. Mine was the same because the nurse gave formula after birth because my daughter was on antibiotics . I used nipple shield and then she latched when she was one month and one week till four months and then she got fussy at breast and not taking bottle too. So frustrating journey. I am feeling bad about our journey
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It's sooo frustrating. I wish I just got more bf support in the hospital and everything would have probably worked out. My baby is very strong and had a beautiful latch but after the bottle she just refused the breast 😪
Hi Juliana, first of all great job! Since the baby is over 6months now, you must have started semi solids. She is getting food other thank your milk. Now, pls stop giving her milk bottle for few minutes (in usual time) while she starts becoming fuzzy, take her and try to breast feed. It may not work immediately but pls keep trying. I know pumping is a pain.
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Yes we have started solids. She's doing great but we are doing BLW so not a whole lot land's in the stomach. Honestly I've given up with giving her the breast. She doesn't want it and last time I offered it to her, she bit me and my nipple was bleeding. She has 2 teeth. I think this ship has sailed.
I remember the look of the nurse when I didn't allow her to give my baby a bottle just after birth. My baby was a bit underweight, but otherwise healthy. Luckily I had my midwife on my side, and she made sure baby latched and had his first good feed just after being born. Breastfeeding was very important to me. I still can't understand why they get so pushy about formula... I can only think it's the easiest way for them
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It must be the easiest way for them. Prior that bottle I was constantly asking for help because I had a c section and couldn't properly get up to latch her and covid times, so no partners were allowed to stay. I am still so so so upset about that bottle and I wish that they would have just respected my attempts to breastfeed. I didn't even get to see a LC and I was there for 5 days. Next time I'll know better and i will jump on nurses which even just mention bottles 😅 Also, if there is a weight gain issue or the milk takes too long to come in, there is always SNS you could use! Unfortunately I found this out way later
I think I was just very lucky with my midwife. I was exhausted and everything was a bit blurry after a 30 hours labor. When the nurse came to check the baby and to say about the bottle and that they were taking the baby because he was small, my midwife saw the panic in my face and told the nurse to leave. Then she told me to tell her that the were ONLY allowed to give him a bottle if baby wasn't able to keep his body temperature or if his sugars dropped dramatically, otherwise they had to call me to breastfeed him every time. Baby spent his first night in the special care unit to make sure he was fine, I spent the night going to feed him every 2 hours, and next morning I could take him with me. The night feeds were hard because I was by myself and had no idea what I was doing, I asked for help to the nurses at the scu, they weren't the nicest, but they helped me a little. I can imagine how hard it must be after a C-section... You should have had help!
Honestly the crash of hormones when you stop breastfeeding is real! And should be talked about more It took me so long to stop, and I only pumped for two months! I cried so hard every time I made the decision that I kept going another week! But I HATED pumping so bad and my baby had reflux and screamed when not in my arms it's was just a lot. Once I stopped and the hormone crash levelled off I was delighted with the extra time for my baby. Really most of the guilt is actually hormones You will feel so much better on the other side ✨
Sorry. Sometimes things are not in our control. I always thought breastfeeding comes natural and end after one year but sadly it’s not