Breastfeeding

You’re not a failure, you’ve done it for 2 and a half weeks which is amazing - do what’s right for you

I’m struggling with EBF but I have such bad brain fog that I can’t get my head around formula so continuing with BF but it’s taking it’s toll (10 days today) xx

Thank you, it’s just so hard to try figure out what’s for the best, my partner supports me stopping breastfeeding even thought he would like me to carry on for the health benefits xx

Have you thought about pumping instead? That way you can give her a bottle but she is still getting the health benefits that your husband wants x

I’m only on day 5 and I’ve decided today for the sake of my mental health I need to stop breastfeeding, I feel like I’ve failed but at the same time I know it’s what’s best for me and in turn my little one. He just wasn’t getting enough from the breast so I’d be formula feeding to top up anyway but I feel a lot lighter since making that decision x

I have been feeling exactly the same as you. I’ve been crying since 5am, feeling like rubbish mother but I’m finding breastfeeding so hard on my mental health. My husband wants us to do formula so he can help me. I don’t know why I’m resisting so much.

I wanted to breastfeed my baby so badly but he just screams when I try, this caused him to be severely jaundice and the toll it was taking on my MH was harsh so I switched to exclusively pumping, that way I know how much he is having and it also allows my partner to do night feeds ❤️
It is still difficult, but we are doing so so much better xx

There is so much pressure on mums to breastfeed but ultimately you have to think of yourself and your health as well, I've always been a firm believer in fed is best! Whether that is formula or breastmilk, a fed baby is a happy baby ❤️❤️

My daughter is currently fully breastfed but I’ll be introducing a bottle in a few months (I’ll be pumping) she’ll be a month old tomorrow ☺️ If you feel like it’s too much for you just stick with what works best for you and baby…Breastfed or not, as long as baby is fed is all it matter 🥰 Please don’t put too much pressure on yourself 🤍

I’m one month in, mostly breastfed but has at least one formula overnight.
My baby has suddenly decided they’ve forgotten how to latch properly so feeding has become stressful and frustrating. Cried all day yesterday and just considering switching to formula.
My son was fully formula fed from birth so I have no issue with formula but still unsure if I want to completely give up bf yet. It’s tough all round.

I'm giving up today - it's too much on my body and mental health. She's taken some formula this morning and I'll express some milk until getting off it. It's made me so miserable that it's not worth it. Just hoping she continues to drink formula but I'm sure if she's hungry enough she will. ❤️

I am pumping but barely producing anything, I’m lucky if I manage to pump 2oz as I’ve been feeding her off one boob and pumping off the other to give her in-between the formula so she’s still getting some nutrients from me. Both my partner and the health visitor are and have been really supportive of my choice but I just can’t help but feel I’m letting her down if I give her just formula and that’s probably why I’m carrying on xx

It’s such a conflicting time and decision as I want what’s best for the both of us which I don’t really know what is xx

There are no mum points for being miserable x

I managed 3 days, it’s very intense. I felt like a failure myself but I spoke about this with my midwife and have still mentioned it to my health visitor. We are not failures, a fed baby is a happy baby, your mental health is so so bloody important. You’ve managed 2 and a half weeks you should be super proud of yourself! Babies can be bottle fed and if taking that step means you are looking after your own mental health then do it mama! You’re just as important to be looked after 🫶

I'm 6 weeks in and I can say it does get easier. The first few weeks were extremely tough, especially with all the pressure for her to gain weight but I now breastfeed all day and give her 1 bottle of formula at night when she's insatiable. The initial latch still hurts but once she's on, it doesn't hurt anymore. I'm so glad I'm persevered but I was so close to give up so many times.

I only made it 4 days but knew it was best for my mental health x

She’s been breastfed today but I don’t think there was much there as she wasn’t on for long and when there’s enough she’ll be on for quite a while. I just feel so conflicted with it and feel so guilty and I don’t know why xx

Feel free to message me if you want to chat as it sounds like we’re going through the same thing. I’ve been in tears a lot today trying to decide what to do. I’m worried she’s not getting enough from me but I feel so much pressure (from myself) to breastfeed

I’m struggling too.😓 my baby is 9days old and initially it was hurting so much I couldn’t bare the pain- everyone was saying her latch was fine- but I think my nipples are too flat. I had to use nipple shields and now she won’t go into the boob without them. Its hit and miss whether shell have the actual boob with out the shield and that in itself makes me feel like a failure. She doesn’t have a tounge tie.
I’m finding it hard, emotionally it’s so hard on me. I cry so much cos it’s so emotionally and physically demanding and I feel worried she’s not getting enough from me.
Also I’m just not enjoying it as i thought. I am hoping that she has gained the weight she needs to when the health visitor comes tomorrow so it’s just making me anxious. I thought it would be easier than it is. Considering combi feeding but not sure.

I feel exactly the same as you, I used nipple shields in the hospital as I’ve got flat nipples as well but she’s now latching on without them, it hurts at first but then it’s fine. I thought breastfeeding would be easy and I was happy when I started lactating as that was my milk coming in but the more the times gone on the more I’ve really struggled with it and keeping up with the demand of it. We’ve combi fed from the start as she had the ready made formula bottles in the hospital as my milk hadn’t fully come in yet and it was convenient and I knew she was getting fed as well x

Literally me right now. Our little one is 12 days old (born 19 days early) and has been re-weighed every other day since last Friday. She initially lost 8.8% of her birth weight which is on the higher end, so it's been a task getting her to regain it. As well as trying to breastfeed (I don't think she's getting enough from me), the midwife said to pump and add that to each 3-hourly feed on top of BF, and since Tuesday I've also had to try and get her to have 60ml formula at the end of these feeds as well. I actually feel like it's cruel - force feeding her tiny little stomach where she's throwing some of it back up just seems counterintuitive. Sometimes I feel like she's so full that when it gets to the next scheduled 3-hour feed, she's barely having anything and so the worry kicks in again that she's going to lose more weight. In between all of that, I have to clean and sterilise the pumps and bottles. Hardly get half an hour to relax before the whole cycle starts again. Don't think I can cope much longer 😭

Its so hard having to keep up to everything, I feel like I’m constantly sterilising bottles and whatever else we use ready for the next time she needs a feed, she’s so unsettled at the moment and we’re not really sure why which is putting extra pressure on me and I don’t know how much she’s taking from the breast either no one tells you how draining it could be, it’s just put on us that breast is best. We combi feed she’s more formula than breast but she’s still getting the nutrients from me for now as I’m still in two minds on what to do x

It really is a lot to juggle as well as a lot of pressure - adding sleep deprivation to the mix as well! They're like, "remember to look after mummy because a happy mummy is a happy baby" - which seems impossible when you have a million and one things to do 😅 I'm very fortunate that my partner is very hands on and helpful with literally everything, but the one thing he can't help with unfortunately is the one that's been taking a toll. I'm the same as you and think I'll end up combi feeding, sticking to just 2 and not 3 methods of feeding! X

it’s never ending the list of things to do! I’m forever doing a load or two of washing a day and when she’s fussing it seems impossible to do anything else and it can be for an hour or two at a time that she’s fussy for it’s so hard and no one really prepares us for it no matter how many antenatal classes we can go to it’s completely different when they’re actually here. But they are so worth it to see the smile on their faces x