Finding joy postpartum - really struggling

I’m so sorry you are struggling.
Remember that these 6 weeks are the hardest part. Prolactin can make you feel really low and depressed. Please make sure you are getting sleep and if you need feeding support or adjustments do it without shame. Is your partner being supportive?

I had a very similar experience, mines 4weeks and she feeds all day and had to get a tongue tie release and still working on improving her latch. I hate to say it but it does get better - I know it’s annoying everyone says it but don’t think of the big milestones, every single day I feel slightly more me and a little better and she smiled for the first time today- totally worth it, she even slept 9 hours last night 🎉.

It's pretty hideous to start with if you ask me 🙈 my only suggestion would be if you'd be happy expressing so you could share some feeds?

My little one loved a cluster feed in the evening but I couldn't cope with it so my mum would come over (single IVF mumma!) and we'd get him fed then long him out for as long as possible to get a larger feed in him, few nights of that and he was feeding well every three hours.

It's the trenches and don't feel guilty about feeling that way! I cried for about 4 weeks I think 🫠

If you don't fancy expressing then try where you can to just get a little bit of time to yourself...a bath or something you enjoy even if it's just an hour. It's all consuming.

I know (because I never believed or cared when people said it) it's hard but it does get better I promise!

I'm sorry you are struggling. I had a similar experience with my first and I can honestly say it will get better, although I know that it doesn't always help.
I remember when he first smiled at 5/6 weeks and that was a really turning point and I started to feel like it was worthwhile.
Keep talking about your feelings and seek help as much as possible. Feeding is the most difficult thing but when it finally clicks it becomes so much easier and worthwhile.
Sending love xx

Sending you lots of love xxx

Honestly the first 6 weeks is just really hard, I cried every day.
But while they're cluster feeding try and do something you enjoy, read a book, watch your favourite show, play games on the switch, crochet etc.
They will start to look at you and interact after that first 6 weeks and start to smile. They're just a hungry screaming sleepy potato until then.

I think it’s normal to feel a lot of disappointment with motherhood when things aren’t matching your expectations after all the extra hard worked poured into IVF to bring your child to this world 😤. I formula fed my IVF baby but he also cluster fed in the first 4 months and it was relentless 🫠! You need sleep (at least 4 hours) to improve your mental health, do you have anyone to help you with doing one night feed per night?

I didn’t start to feel more connected to my baby until I start taking him out to baby sensory play groups from 4 months. If I knew about it earlier I would have gone there earlier. It’s good to chat with other mums and good for the baby’s development too.

I struggled massively with my son. He had tongue tie also and was constantly on the breast it felt relentless… those first 6-8 weeks i would say i remember being in the trenches woth him not leaving the house… but please dont feel like a bad mother or dosheartened because it does get easier i promise you ! I ended up switching to part bottles part breast after 6 weeks i figured he had gotten enough goodness from the colustrum by that point and he continued to gain weight so figured what the hell must be doing something right 😂honestly dont feel pressure to always be happy cos its bloody hard work those first weeks and hormones all over too x