Breastfeeding and formula

laurenmcquay

My little girl is 5 weeks old. I've been breastfeeding and only supplementing here and there a little at a time. But since she's started getting a bottle I've noticed her not latching on as well which causes a little frustration. I've debated on switching her to strictly formula when I start back to work in a couple weeks. Until then I want to keep trying to breastfeed. I feel guilty though for not wanting to continue on with the breastfeeding. Is it normal to feel this way or is it just my hormones?

t8keepr03

I think it's normal. With both of mine I have exclusively fed them formula from when they were about a week old. I was so frustrated and so was DD and she dropped more than a lb since her birth weight. Long story short I wasn't producing (they think it was the pain meds I was taking that dried me up). I cried because I felt I let her down but after the first day of formula and no frustration from either of us, I realized it was better. It took me a few weeks to get over it and I felt guilty saying she was formula fed when people asked. When I was pregnant with my son I thought it would be better. I didn't take the pain meds and I tried everything again. It was the same pattern as with DD. I was in tears at the hospital and at the pediatrician office a few days after he was born. I felt so guilty but their pediatrician reminded me I tried. She told me to not feel guilty and if mommy is happy and not frustrated then baby will be much happier too. I noticed with both once I felt better about myself then both of my babies seems much more calm and less frustrated too. Don't feel guilty, do what you feel is best and remember you did it for awhile. As long as your baby is eating, gaining weight and is healthy. A happy momma makes a happy baby too!

rbw299

Im so glad you posted this bc I'm having similar issue. I've been exclusively breastfeeding since my LO was born, he's 4 weeks old now and I've started to pump and feed him by bottle more so my hubby could feed him and help me a little more. Since then I have noticed him taking longer to latch on which causes some frustration. However, my LO suffers from real bad gas and/or reflux. He will be asleep and wake up screaming, tightening his belly, arching his back, and is just constantly swallowing and sounds like he's drowning when I lay him down to sleep, which is in a RnP sleeper so it's inclined. But I'm wanting to switch to formula bc of all the stress of his discomfort and us Not being able to help him. It's so frustrating!!! I have shed so many tears of trying to figure out what's best and I do feel very guilty for wanting to switch to formula. My hubby is 100% supportive of whichever but I do think he wants me to switch to formula to reduce the added stress. So let me know how it goes, and what you do to help with the guilt and switch. And good luck!! Remember- mamma knows best!