Relactation, anyone else trying?
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You've had a tough day and emotions can play a big part. I've had a very up and down relationship with BF, to this day im still using nipple shields. Sometimes I can get a latch without but the stars have to align! Without it she cries and I also feel so defeated, at the beginning I cried a lot thinking I was failing because I didn't have that 'natural latch or comnection'. I had a really good chat with the National Breastfeeding Helpline on Facebook and it really boosted my spirits. Please don't feel like a failure, the most important thing is a happy mum happy baby and if that's bottle fed then that's what's best.
I completely understand this feeling. I too was adamant I wanted to breastfeed. I beat myself up everyday for not being able to do it & it really upsets me still.
@Chloe I keep going back and fore on whether to give up. I can have quite a temper, I’m worried I will end up shouting at my boy from frustration. We’ve spent so much money on getting things to help breastfeeding, he just hates me when I try. I’m sorry you’ve had similar troubles, but at the same time I’m glad I’m not alone ❤️
I felt exactly the same. My baby had a lip tie, so by night three I was running on 2 hours sleep in 72 hours and gave him a bottle not knowing he had a lip tie and couldn’t feed properly. Poor thing was hungry! Little did I know that his lip tie in combination with me feeding him formula meant that my supply was so low I couldn’t exclusively pump and I struggled to pump and look after him too. I was so determined to breast feed that I didn’t want to buy any formula for his birth even as a back up! (We did) but anyway, I was devastated my supply wouldn’t allow me to exclusively pump because my baby has CMPA, so imagine, the only food you can feed your baby you know will hurt them. I was a right wreck! He also didn’t want to latch from me in the end. I went to a specialist class, tracked down a NICU feeding specialist (even though my baby wasn’t in NICU), asked everyone I knew for help and was even thinking of buying a hospital grade breast pump 1/2
2/2 - what I’ve now learned is that, damn, we go through SO MUCH. And we want the best for our babies. Give yourself a break and some grace. You did your best physically and mentally and maybe with your second you will breastfeed, maybe you won’t. I’m 31 with 6 siblings and couldn’t care less if my mum breastfed the others and not me 🤷♀️ My baby is formula fed, very happy, growing beautifully and advanced for his age. Your baby needs to be fed, not breast fed and you’re a brilliant mum for trying so hard when it’s easy to give up. I’m also sorry about your cat 😔 sending lots of love! X
Gosh you’ve had a tough day! Sending a big hug your way. I have no experience of relactation so can’t support there but it might be helpful to look to NCT or La Lèche League for support as I think you might be best helped by a qualified lactation consultant. It must have been hard when you were being pushed towards bottle feeding after the birth. It’s a very vulnerable time and I’m sure you were taking the advice because you wanted to do your best for your son - I hope you can give yourself credit for that! Wishing you luck 🍀