Failed breastfeeder

pwurple

"Failed" breastfeeder here too. Did the expressing, it's a disaster. Hope you haven't knocked over the expressed milk yet!

My lactation consultant told me every single feed is a sucess, and even though i got to 6 weeks on first baby, and less on second, I now feel like that WAS a sucess for us. I didn't at the time god knows, but in hindsight it was. They both got more than plenty of babies do, even if it wasn't as i had planned. If you can just do one more feed... That's one more sucess! Go you!

Kauto0709

Thanks so much again to everybody for the support. It makes all the difference in a society which can be so judgemental.

I've decided to formula feed the baby. The pumping just wasn't working out for me. I was getting so stressed out about doing it every 3 hours and feeling guilty when I couldn't get it done on time, I was exhausted and crying every day. In the last 3 days I have cut down on the pumping and only done it 3/4 times a day. I have been getting more rest and more sleep and feeling much better for it.

The baby is just as happy getting formula as breastmilk. She is still getting both as I have to gradually decrease the pumping so as to avoid getting blocked ducts/mastitis but hopefully in a week or so I will be finished pumping altogether.

She was with the PHN this morning for a weight check and the PHN was happy with her weight and said she is thriving and was supportive of my decision to formula feed. She has had 2 weeks of breastmilk so hopefully that will stand to her.

Thanks again to everyone.

mirrorwall14

Kauto0709 wrote: »

Thanks so much again to everybody for the support. It makes all the difference in a society which can be so judgemental.

I've decided to formula feed the baby. The pumping just wasn't working out for me. I was getting so stressed out about doing it every 3 hours and feeling guilty when I couldn't get it done on time, I was exhausted and crying every day. In the last 3 days I have cut down on the pumping and only done it 3/4 times a day. I have been getting more rest and more sleep and feeling much better for it.

The baby is just as happy getting formula as breastmilk. She is still getting both as I have to gradually decrease the pumping so as to avoid getting blocked ducts/mastitis but hopefully in a week or so I will be finished pumping altogether.

She was with the PHN this morning for a weight check and the PHN was happy with her weight and said she is thriving and was supportive of my decision to formula feed. She has had 2 weeks of breastmilk so hopefully that will stand to her.

Thanks again to everyone.

I'm so. Glad you have made a decision. Even from the tone across the keyboard you sound like a less stressed mom. Look after yourself and the baba xxx

volchitsa

Kauto0709 wrote: »

Thanks so much again to everybody for the support. It makes all the difference in a society which can be so judgemental.

I've decided to formula feed the baby. The pumping just wasn't working out for me. I was getting so stressed out about doing it every 3 hours and feeling guilty when I couldn't get it done on time, I was exhausted and crying every day. In the last 3 days I have cut down on the pumping and only done it 3/4 times a day. I have been getting more rest and more sleep and feeling much better for it.

The baby is just as happy getting formula as breastmilk. She is still getting both as I have to gradually decrease the pumping so as to avoid getting blocked ducts/mastitis but hopefully in a week or so I will be finished pumping altogether.

She was with the PHN this morning for a weight check and the PHN was happy with her weight and said she is thriving and was supportive of my decision to formula feed. She has had 2 weeks of breastmilk so hopefully that will stand to her.

Thanks again to everyone.

She'll be absolutely fine, and all the happier for having a Mum who isn't stressed out and upset.

I would just say, if you have a second baby, maybe at least just think of giving the breast feeding a go again (hoping you haven't been too traumatised by what a nightmare the first time round was !) because it could be totally different, and honestly it's so handy when it does work.

I think it seems to be that we've had a couple of generations of women who were all bottle fed (including mine) and the skills have been lost, so every time the new mother has to try and find someone who knows how to help and is around enough to be there when actually needed. Luckily it's only with breast feeding - if we had to pay someone to teach us all the other things our mothers taught us society would probably be in meltdown!

All the best anyway!

Neyite

pwurple wrote: »

... every single feed is a success...

I like that phrase.