Breastfeeding

The beginning sucks no pun intended. Especially if there’s a poor latch, baby is still learning. If you can order the silverette cups, they bring so much relief, just don’t wear them all day.

The latch may not be good, there’s nipple butter and heating/cooling you could try for pain, it’s still new and you will adjust to it…. All that said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with throwing in the towel! If it’s not right for you it’s not right for you, and your baby will thrive just fine on formula. This may be your first decision between what’s best for you and what society tells you is best for your baby, but it’s important to remember for this and all the future decisions…. What’s best for your baby is what’s best for YOU. You can’t take care of someone else without taking care of you first. If you’re not at the top of your game, your best self, how can you fully be there for someone else? If you need encouragement then you can do this, the pain will pass, you can do this. If you need to feel okay about throwing in the towel, your baby is healthy and will get everything they need from formula, you’re allowed to take care of you too.

I didn’t get far with my first, maybe a couple months of breastfeeding tops. My second I made it almost to six months! But still, when I needed to stop I did. And I was a better mother for it.

It’s just the beginning, my guy is almost 4 months old now and the issues latching and sore nipples are gone.
They were almost immediately. The nutrition from the boob is like a meal with all the macros and minerals formula is like fast food. Developmentally breast is the best thing for baby.. and mum. Think of the feeding deflating your baby bump. It’s true it does 🩵

I lasted 6 weeks, After I switched tò formula we were both so much happier

If you mentally and physically can’t do it, it’s understandable and okay! However I can tell you that my baby is about 4 weeks old and the pain goes away! Mine peaked at about 2 weeks but now there isn’t really any pain or latch issues. I got nipple pads and nipple shields to help me get past the really rough stage, and I put on nipple butter ALL the time. Before feeds, after, after shower, randomly in bed. It helped a lot. You could also consider pumping instead if breast feeding doesn’t work out. There are many many options for you and if you’re still at the hospital, they will have amazing lactation consultants you can meet with. If you are at home, I’m sure they sent you home with paperwork to contact a lactation consultant, most are covered by insurance and you can meet with them irl or over the phone to ask questions. Either way, good luck and remember FED is BEST!

Nipple shields and these little medela patches helped me, but as Morgan says, you do what is right for you - happy mama happy baby xxx

I exclusively pumped and I was happy we went that route. My husband was able to do feedings and she still got all the benefits of breast milk. But it was hard still and I made it 8 months before we switched to formula. Fed is best though so make sure you are good.

I felt the same way. It got better after the first week! You got this, you can do it!

Like all previous comments, you need to do what is right for you, happy mumma happy baby. However it is tough at the start but it does get easier, concentrate on the latch, there is so much help on YouTube / Facebook pages for information. Both times I’ve breastfed ,the beginning is always rough, lansinoh HPA nipple cream saved me! The silver cups for the nipples - I’ve also heard great things about! It really does get easier and the bond is beautiful x

Yeah I remember when I first started Brest feeding I had to do so much to make it bearable. Baby is learning how to Brest feed and your body isn’t used to it. What kept me going was using nipple shield to keep my bra from rubbing in them (the metal ones hurt the plasticines where really nice) I also lived in nipple butter i applied it after every feed and any time my nipples hurt. I still had to grit my teeth for a few weeks but feeding baby in a foot ball hold and pinching the boob to get as much of my nipple in his mouth as possible helped a lot to get a good latch nothing hurts worse then when he got a bad latch. Now I’m almost 5 months pp my baby refuses to take bottles so he and I have gotten really good at this Brest feeding thing to where I nearly don’t even feel him when he’s attached. If this is what you want to do stay strong and I wish you all the best!!! You got this!!! Do what’s best for your sanity and your baby!!!

I felt the same way. The first week or two was painful. I ended up with a blister. Now we are at 3 mo and I’m glad I kept breastfeeding. I barely feel him on the boob now lol. I couldn’t imagine preparing bottles or cleaning them everyday…or the cost!

It was rough the first few weeks but I'm so thankful I didn't give myself the option of stopping. I've been exclusively breastfeeding for 7 months now and it's been an amazing gift and bonding experience. I couldn't imagine missing out on all this if I decided to just use formula. It'll get better!

Honestly at 2 days pp I was saying the same thing, I knew it was possible to breastfeed. It doesn't always work for everyone but you just go to keep trying I started pumping first and that started up my supply. I know its hard at first trust me it gets better. Im 4 months pp now and im so glad I never quit but fed is best so if it doesn't workout for you then that's okay youre doing your best mama.

It is so rough for the first few months, but it does get better! I am 12 weeks in and so glad we persevered. I found the advice that it shouldn’t hurt if you’re doing it right SO unhelpful, and luckily my cousin who had a baby 6 months before me assured me that it gets better. I used silver cups, coconut oil, hand expressing in the shower twice a day to relieve engorgement. I also think once her mouth got bigger, she was able to latch much better and now we have hardly any trouble. But it is so hard with a tiny newborn mouth and hard full boobs!! I’ve calculated how much money we’re saving by not using formula, so will treat myself with that at the end of it. And it is so easy in the middle of the night to just feed her without having to prepare a bottle.

I don't really get all the hype on breast feeding. For me, it got easier but it's still hard and painful, and I think it always will be (14 weeks). So much more painful than pregnancy and c section recovery combined. I have a beautiful bond with my baby that has nothing to do with how I feed him. I supplement with formula and he looks me in the eye and smiles at me while I bottle feed him even more so than when I breast feed him. Pumping didn't increase my supply, only made me miserable, so I stopped. Lactation consultants were not helpful. The health benefits of breast milk are only short term, not long. Breast feeding is not the magic I was promised it would be, but motherhood is. The first year goes by so quickly, so do what you need to do to enjoy it however works for you.

Breastfeeding was excruciating for me the first week but I’m glad i stuck with it!! Make sure your little one is latching correctly (you can talk to a lactation consultant or watch some videos on it) and that they aren’t tongue tied and if it’s still painful then maybe you could just pump but u need to do what’s right for u!!!🤍 just remember your baby would want you to be happy too🥹

I had the exact same thoughts and I promise you it does get better and the long health benefits for baby & mom were what pushed me to get through those first few weeks 🤍 I am now month 2 and I am so glad I stuck to it

I remember crying feeding my baby the first week/two . But we’re almost 3 months postpartum and everything is amazing !