Breastfeeding

I’ll probably get slated for asking this but is there a reason why you’re so determined to carry on breast feeding if it’s been a real struggle? I breast fed my first for 8 days before going into my midwife sobbing because I hated it, she literally was on me non stop from 4pm-12am and I couldn’t cope with it. I felt like it completely ruined them first 8 days of becoming a mum. The midwife just said ‘why are you still doing it then’, I went straight to Tesco and bought formula. I have a poor mental health history and I genuinely believe I would’ve ended up with PND if I would’ve carried on. She is now 4, in the past 2 years agent had a single day off nursery/school with sickness’, she’s never ever had a vomiting bug, she’s the tallest girl in her class, her intelligence is above average for her age… so tell me, why is breast best? I have nothing against breast feeding, and admire people who can do it and love it, but if you’re finding it this difficult why not switch to bottles?

Or expressing and giving bottles? Even combi feeding to give yourself more of a break. The only other thing I would say is, babies do tend to go off their milk when teething, in the warm weather and after their injections, and with the age our December babies are at they seem to be getting all 3 at the same time. Whatever you decide to do, I think you’ve done an absolute amazing job with everything you have been through! I refused point blank to breast feed this time round xx

So, just want to say well done for what you’ve done so far—it’s definitely not easy and any breastmilk your baby gets is good! But also reiterating what Coadie said: if you feel like it’s too much, don’t feel bad switching to formula or combi feeding. Fed is best! If you do want to power through with breastfeeding this has been my experience: my little guy went through a nursing strike a couple weeks ago that was super stressful—latching and unlatching and latching and unlatching and crying every time I even put him in the nursing position, etc. I’ve heard that a nursing strike is quite common at this age as our milk regulates and so the flow might change a bit. What I did to get through it was only fed him when he woke up from a nap or overnight as he was too drowsy to fight it. Eventually he got over whatever was bothering him and now he can’t get enough. He does still have a shallow latch which I think is because I have a strong letdown and that is his way of controlling it.

For the most part I let him just latch shallowly because my nipples can handle it. Other people have said that ear infections can cause babies to become very fussy nursing, too. In my baby’s case I think it was teething mostly.