Anyone else need this moan?
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100% understand and feel the same. Partner is amazing and helps out in so many other ways but I feel as much more pressure when wanting to do things as little girl won’t take the bottle so similarly whenever I plan to go somewhere with my little girl, hair appointment, Pilates it always feel as though I’m on a tight schedule as I have a window of time before I need to get back. Whereas my partner it he wants to go somewhere he can go and stay out for however long he wants. I completely get how you feel
100% same thing here. It's the downside of breastfeeding for me and even though I chose to do it knowing fully what I was getting myself into, it is frustrating at times. It's mine and my bestie's 40th this year and we had planned things (luxury afternoon tea, cooking class...) that we won't be able to do. I'm not even talking about going out for an evening! 😩 All I can say is, it IS going to pass and baby will be able to do longer stretches without you! xx
Same here. I felt so much resentment towards my husband because his life barely changed due to EBF with night feeds and just every day to day life. I’ve just leant to accept that our little boy needs me more than he needs him at this age and that’s ok- although it’s F****ing hard and don’t get me wrong it’s EXHAUSTING, but that’s just how it is. Our time will return and one day we will look back and be so proud of ourselves. Have you tried the MAM bottles? We tried so many and even bought an emulait bottle for £40 (which did work actually) but he much prefers the MAM one, still hates it but will drink from it slowly. I hope you find a bottle that works for you lovely and you get some well needed respite. X
Ah phew so glad I’m not some monster on this haha. You’ve all totally hit the nail on the head. You’re right, our time will come again and I’ll be desperate wishing for my boy to need me again I’m sure! I have a MAM bottle so will try one of those
As someone who has been through this with their first baby, my god you miss it when they don’t need you as much anymore. My little boy is coming up to 4 now and he’s only interested in dad now, I’m chopped liver 🤣🤣 He was EBF and breastfed for 3+ years!! He completely refused bottles. My husband couldn’t do much with him as he was all for me and my life was very restricted for a couple of years. I remember I had to go to a work meeting in London and I had to catch a late train in the evening the night before because no one else could put my LB to bed (he must have been over 2 at this point). I remember my husband following us round on my hen do when he was 9 months old so I could feed him With my second January baby, I learnt my lesson and introduced a bottle straight away 🤣 she’s taking it really well so far and I really hope she doesn’t stop 🤞 it’s been such a different experience this time and my husband has been able to do so much more to help me!
Have a look at Nanobebe bottles - I don’t see a lot of people suggesting these but they are designed for breastfed babies. They are called breastmilk bottles and shaped like a boob. You’re doing an amazing job and it’s absolutely valid to feel how you are feeling. The feeding will space out longer and slowly you will get some time back. Also when they start weaning and drinking from a cup you could try giving breastmilk this way if they still won’t take a bottle xx
@Ellie thanks I’ve just ordered some off Vinted to try! Yeah I was freaking out about him starting nursery/me going back to work in October until my friend validly mentioned a cup lol
@Ellie oh bless you that sounds hard! Well done mummy. My mum told me to introduce the bottle straight away and I thought she was being old fashioned because the advice is to wait until feeding is established so I was really scared to mess it up 😬 silly me, absolutely 0 problems with feeding thankfully but I suspect that prob would’ve been the case either way! Will never know I guess.
You are definitely not alone, it's so difficult for us to have all the adjustments, physically, mentally and routinely whilst watching their lives barely change. My husband is exactly the same, desperate to help and be involved but my little boy only wants me, but I absolutely adore the bond that EBF gives us, when they're unwell, need reassurance, need nourishing both in the stomach and the soul ❤️ they're only this little once so if it means he's my little boobie barnacle for a period of time, then for me, I'm okay with that but you can guarantee I will moan about it aswell when I'm overstimulated and stuck to the sofa for 3 hours back to back. Also, if it makes you feel better, I was adamant I wanted the good established feeding and gave him a bottle of expressed milk and he took it perfectly at 6 weeks so I'd gathered he'd be happy with my husband helping......he's not taken a bottle since, he lulled me, so I feel your pain with the pumping, sterilising and general waste of energy 🫠
I have plenty of friends who introduced one early and their babies ended up rejecting it later on so it’s absolutely not a guarantee they will. Also bottle preference is a real risk. The difference was, I was willing to take that risk this time and exclusively pump if I needed to. I have a nearly 4 year old to run after and have to return to work between 6-9 months part time so I couldn’t end up in the situation I had last time! I do wish there was more information given to mums about introducing bottles and breastfeeding in general!! You’re doing amazing. Just know those feelings are absolutely normal. There is honestly no better feeling than looking down when they’ve fallen asleep on the boob and they are all content 🥹🥹 nothing beats it xx
@Naomi you summed it up so well haha, I absolutely love it but yes I will have the odd moan! Already feel differently again this morning phew
@Ellie thank you ❤️
I’m with you 100%. My partner is amazing and does the same as yours in terms of burps and nappy changes etc. I just miss being just Donna and not Mum. I feel like my partner gets to be just Jack - at work Monday to Friday and then he goes to pool 2 evenings a week (we all go to one of them but baby and I leave at 8pm and he stays until he’s done around 11pm). He can make plans when he likes but I have to limit them in terms of vicinity and time. In the nearly 15 weeks that we’ve been parents, I’ve managed a hair appointment and a lash appointment- both less than 2 hours and are military operations of me feeding her just before I leave and as soon as I got home. I appreciate him so much and he does as much as he can but he escapes and gets to just be him. Whereas I feel tethered to the baby at all times. I love her with all my being and wished for her for a very long time but would just like to be able to have a break every once in a while.