Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed I had a supply issues with my first. He lost 12% of his weight in the hospital. I pumped my little heart out and tried every home remedy I could to make more milk. I fed him whatever I made and supplemented the rest. Once he was getting more formula I switched permanently. But not without the pain of clogged ducts and mastitis. Not to mention the mommy guilt. Oh the guilt.
Im choosing to formula feed this time around to avoid all that. I want to enjoy this postpartum (as best I could sleep deprived). This is our last and I don't want to be chasing after a toddler and care for a newborn while trying to nurse/ pump. The stress won't do any of us good. I like how my husband can help with the middle of the night feeds and it's not all on me and what my body is producing.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) We used similac from the start and he took to it right away. No allergies or issues. Plus the coupons and rebates you can find really helped!
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery I used cabbage leaves daily to dry up the tanks. Since I never really had much milk or suffered from engorgement, I think it dried up quicker.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt I feel like the guilt will rear its ugly head come delivery but just a few hours ago I texted my husband to say I think I just want to formula feed from the start this time around. I felt a sense of relief just admitting that. I don't want to say I was dreading baby's arrival but I was stressing over the milk aspect of it and I'm only 14 weeks!!! I just want to take the stress off now.
Love this post! Full disclosure: I actually plan to *try* to BF this time, but if it causes me even 1/10 of the stress it did last time I'm calling it quits ASAP. In all likelihood that will be the case and I'm mentally preparing myself now for FF from very early on. Hopefully I can still join this post knowing I'm going to attempt BF?
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed BF with DS did not go well at all. He lost a lot of weight and we tried everything but I ended up on a basically 24/7 BF/supplement/pump schedule that nearly cost me my sanity. We were both so much happier after the switch to formula and if the same issues come up this time then I refuse to go down that road again. Tbh I'm only attempting BF this LO in the first place because it's cheaper. What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) DS did best with Enfamil or the Target brand that's the same as Enfamil. Barring any allergies I'll probably use that again. STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery Sorry, I can't help with this one as drying up was part of the problem the first go-round. Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt Not going to lie, it can be tough. For guilt, the mantra "keep him fed and HAPPY" helped a lot because I knew how miserable we both were with BF. And now that he's nearly 6 and doing amazingly well in school and everything else, this time I plan to remind myself that if FF did so well for him then it's obviously perfectly good for baby. In terms of judgment, just focus on your baby while you're feeding him/her in public and ignore anyone looking at you. They're probably just jealous of how cute your baby is anyway
@btm013 Sounds like you and I were in the same boat. I've already talked to DH and told him I'm not doing that again and fortunately he's really supportive of my decision. It's pure hell, isn't it?
@btm013 thank you for starting this thread! I have so much to say but I'm in the middle of putting together dinner for the kids and then getting them to bed. Once I have a quiet house I'll come back!!
@btm013 this is an awesome thread! I will be lurking for tips on drying up since I almost (figuratively) died while trying to dry out last time. So painful.
Thanks for this thread! I'm still not sure if I will attempt to breastfeed this baby or not. My last baby lost a lot of weight around 13%. He loved nursing the first two months but soon got frustrated and angry. Even with pumping every 3 hours, I only made 3 oz a day and that was on a good day. We kept nursing until 4 months and he was so over it. I would try to latch him but he wanted nothing to do with it anymore. This was truly one of the hardest things I have ever gone through. But my baby was so happy to no longer nurse.
I told my ob I was thinking of not nursing this time around and she was definitely suggesting to try for 6 weeks. I saw several different lactation consultants and they both gave me a very realstic and bleak reality of what my chances were at a full supply. That helped some but the guilt was still there.
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed Honestly there's not much of a choice. There are a whole bunch of issues that cause BFing to be nearly impossible for me, but flat nipples (sorry, TMI) plus basically zero supply are the biggest reasons. Like @btm013 I pump and pump and pump, but I'm lucky to get 2 feedings per day out of that. This baby is my third in three years and I know how difficult it can be to pump while simultaneously looking after small kids, so I'm going to cut myself a break and pump when I can and not worry about it. When supply runs out (which I'm assuming will be after a few weeks), I'll transition to 100% formula.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) Both of my kids have needed Enfamil Gentlease due to reflux. I'll start this one on that from the get-go.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery I've never been in that position, my supply is so bad to begin with.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt Sorry in advance, I've got lots of feels on this one so I'm sure I'll be long winded!
With my first, it had never occurred to me that BFing wouldn't work out. It seemed like I was surrounded by women who had very little trouble at all with it, and NOBODY talked about formula feeding in a positive light. Nobody. I turned myself inside out those first few weeks with guilt, it felt like torture. Finally one day I just couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't do one more pumping session that yielded zero results, I couldn't struggle one more time with a damn nipple shield that the baby hated. I called my husband at work and said we were formula feeding 100% from that moment on. He was COMPLETELY supportive, and it's funny, the moment that switch was flipped in my head, the guilt was gone. Thinking about formula feeding was way harder than actually implementing it. After that I felt like a new person: I enjoyed my baby, I embraced his infancy.
For those worried about baby #2, in my experience the guilt was waaaaay less. Like, it was nonexistent. I still pumped in the beginning, but I always say "I formula feed but supplement with breast milk." I give zero fucks what anyone thinks. My daughter is just turning one this week and we switched her to cow's milk only a few days ago, so this formula journey is still really fresh in my mind.
Regarding judgement from others: I've found that being super upfront about formula feeding and showing absolutely no shame about it has been my best defense. I'm extremely open about formula feeding and I really believe that people back off due to my confidence. I'm not some lazy, uneducated parent that either didn't feel like putting in the work to breastfeed or didn't realize the benefits of it (not that I believe ANY of that for a second, but those are the most common stereotypes I've heard), but I'm a parent making the best choice for her children.
ANYWAY, congrats to anyone who got through that novel! I'll be pumping whatever meager amount I can in the beginning again, but I fully expect to be 100% formula very quickly with baby #3. When this one arrives my older two will only be just-barely 3 and 1.5, so time for pumping will also be an issue. Bottom line, though: my baby will be fed however way it needs to happen.
I am planning to BF, but with previous kiddos I have had to formula feed as that was best for baby and momma.
To dry up supply I have heard taking a decongestant like Musinex (sp?) helps. With my first I had no issues drying up (didn’t have supply) and with my second I made the terrible mistake of stopping cold turkey and relying only on cabbage leaves. Don’t do that. It Was terrible.
Like @kmalls stated, don’t apologize for your choice. Stand tall and know you are doing what is best for your family. People don’t know you or your situation.
I am planning to BF, but with previous kiddos I have had to formula feed as that was best for baby and momma.
@angiek1 I think the part of your sentence that I bolded is such an important point to make, thank you for making it. I firmly believe that your sanity as a mother is just as important as anything else. If formula feeding makes you a better parent, thats a valid reason in and of itself.
I am planning to BF, but with previous kiddos I have had to formula feed as that was best for baby and momma.
@angiek1 I think the part of your sentence that I bolded is such an important point to make, thank you for making it. I firmly believe that your sanity as a mother is just as important as anything else. If formula feeding makes you a better parent, thats a valid reason in and of itself.
Yes! I like structure and order in my world. The unknown with breastfeeding really stresses me out. For my mental stability I have learned my limits in life and moving to formula gave me a peace of mind and control I felt I didn’t get with BF-ing.
As new moms we have to learn a new life balance. I am a big proponent of self reflection and learning at your limits. Everyone has them and usually they are all different.
LOVE THIS THREAD @btm013 Thank you for starting it
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed Before ever getting pregnant with my first BF freaked me out. I figured future me would deal with it when time came. Well first appointment the NP brings out info on BFing and I freak out and have a panic attack because I don't know if I can bring myself to do it. She just says if you don't want to do it don't. She said she had three kids and each time they were BF less and less. So decided we are just going to be FF from day one because like my NP and even my Dr it's not worth the extra stress.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) we used enfamil, will probably use it again.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery I didn't use the cabbage leaves but I did wear 2 sports bras to bind my boobs down. Also when you shower keep your back to the water the whole time the warm water seems to help flow. It took a few days for my boobs to go back to normal and stop hurting.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt Research! A book a read called Bottled Up was great in helping give you some tips on dealing with judgement and guilt. I also follow her blog and website Fearless Formula Feeders. Other women share their stories and she also shares studies and how they don't really fit every type of way to feed a infant. I really didn't have guilt I just didn't like the way people tried to make me feel guilt. It seems they all want to tell you that you aren't doing right for your baby. To me I am doing right by baby by giving her formula because if I tried to BF it would take at least an hour for me to just work up the nerve to actually attempt to feed her. What good would that have been for her? Which the normal response to that from others would be "well you could always pump" Which that seemed just as stressful as BFing so why would I put myself through that? I am all for feeding your baby the way you want as long as you are doing whats good for you too. Like @kmalls your health is just as important as your baby's. If all else fails best response I have started using is "I bet you couldn't walk into a school and point out how every kid was feed as an infant"
@kmalls I absolutely LOVE how you say, I formula feed and supplement with breast milk. So often you hear the reversal. My fear with pumping with the second is the schedule of it - every 2-3 hours including overnight. At least that's what I had to do with my first. It's less daunting to think about pumping only when you can and feeding baby whatever it is you make without obsessively pumping. Yes the taps will run dry earlier because of the supply and demand but who cares! The baby is fine with formula.
I'm hoping to be able to BF baby2 but I'm also being realistic. I found out with baby1 that I have chronic thrush because of the immunosuppressive medication I have to take. We tried everything under the sun to get rid of the trush but it was all the way up to my ducts and I had over 20 episodes of clogged ducts in 3 months. It was physically pure torture (I cried so much from pain and would have taken 3 extra Csection compared to the pain I experienced while BF) and the guilt/psychological impact was so strong that I'm pretty sure I was on the edge of PP depression when my husband said that's enough we are FF. Ill be starting a low carb diet + GSE therapy to try to get rid of the thrush about mid pregnancy but we'll see.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
this is why I'm hoping to BF because my son had to be on Alimentum but he wasn't fitting our insurances criteria so we had to pay everything out of pocket and it was REALLY expensive. We tried everything, gentleease, no lactose formula,soy formula but only the alimentum worked for him
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I had to take peppermint capsules 4 times a day for 1 week and it dried up everything. I didn't had any mastitis which was my doctor's biggest concerns because of all my clogged ducts issues. Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt I don't really have advices for that one. It still makes me really sad and guilty when I read about BF/BM and everything related. My son is super healthy, way more than a lot of my BF friends babies and he's a very happy baby, but I come from a culture where BF is pushed on every women (they don't even offer formula in the hospital, if you want some you have to bring it) so I heard a lot of "but have your tired this or that" like me saying I couldn't take it anymore was not enough. I worked with 3 LC and a breastfeeding medicine specialist for months without any success so I know I did everything I could.
@danjoly stories like yours break my heart. I hate seeing women push themselves over the the edge all to please a stereotype brought on by society. Just like giving birth it's great to have a plan but you also need to know the reality and know the plan isn't going to happen the way you want it to and once you hit a certain point it's time to go to the next plan. I wish everyone could feed their babies the way the want to with no issues or judgement but sadly that will never happen. I'm sorry your journey didn't happen the way you wanted but like you said your son is happy and healthy and that should be the ultimate goal. Also remember we are here for you and no matter what journey your new LO once takes know we are here as another support system for you.
I'm reading this as a FTM and I am super grateful to all of you for your wisdom and honesty. My parents are French and culturally, it was not just accepted but almost encouraged to formula feed. I was born there and except for the first few days, entirely formula fed. I was a super healthy baby and my mom noted it helped get me to sleep through the night by the time I was 3 months old. My youngest brother was the only baby she breastfed bc we had moved here and her doctor pressured her. He was constantly sick and it took forever to get him to sleep through the night.
That's certainly not a comprehensive sample size, but I think for me, it's given me the emotional space to say if the breast feeding isn't working, I have alternatives. I just wish that culturally we didn't put as much pressure on new mothers. The first few months are plenty difficult, can we not force them to suffer in silent agony to meet an ideal that might not be necessary to healthy development. In France, there is a much bigger emphasis on the health of the mom postpartum and programs designed to help survive those first few months. I wish we had more of that attitude here, I really do think a happy healthy mom makes a better parent.
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed Really, I just don't want to BF. I didn't want to with my first either. I'll give my honest reasons: I don't want a baby sucking on my boob. I don't want to wake up more often to feed. I want to equally share the waking up with H for feeding. I don't want to get sore/cracked nipples, etc. I don't want to worry about whether they'd take a bottle or not because a lot of babies of friends refused bottles. So basically, it comes down to me being happy.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) I plan on using Similac again.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery I don't have any. I didn't do anything special. I just used breast pads until they stopped leaking, which I don't think was very long...I can't remember, lol.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt I had zero guilt because I knew it's what kept me happy, and DS was a very happy baby. If anyone judged it, I don't know because no one ever said anything to me. I'd probably tell them I don't care because he was/is happy and healthy and had zero issues, nothing at all compared to friends BF babies. (Not saying anything about it, just in general).
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt I don't really have advices for that one. It still makes me really sad and guilty when I read about BF/BM and everything related. My son is super healthy, way more than a lot of my BF friends babies and he's a very happy baby, but I come from a culture where BF is pushed on every women (they don't even offer formula in the hospital, if you want some you have to bring it) so I heard a lot of "but have your tired this or that" like me saying I couldn't take it anymore was not enough. I worked with 3 LC and a breastfeeding medicine specialist for months without any success so I know I did everything I could.
@danjoly so sorry for everything you went through, I hate that you still feel so much guilt after the effort you put in. I wish there was an easy solution to it, like a magic phrase that makes it all better. I hope with your second child that BFing comes easier, and if it doesn't, that you're able to come to terms with the fact that you're doing the absolute best thing for your baby: you're feeding him/her! However it has to happen, that's what matters.
As to the bolded: I wanted to delve into this topic and see what everyone else's hospital experience has been. I deliver at a local hospital that I love: the nurses are fantastic and the amenities are wonderful. Plus it's 7 minutes from my house, so that's great. When I had my son, which was a complicated birth, I felt supported when formula feeding became necessary (he had an extended stay and my milk never came in).
Fast forward one year to my daughter's delivery, and things had drastically changed. They were attempting to get "baby-friendly hospital" status, and for me it was a fairly traumatic experience. There were posters all over the L&D floor that listed "The 10 rules for Successful Breastfeeding." I walked by those damn posters about 300 times while in labor, and each time I got more frustrated. I ended up needing a c-section and while I would have loved to send DD to the nursery for just a few hours to give me a moment to recover from major surgery, they had closed the nursery permanently, forcing all parents to keep babies in-room at all times.
The worst part, for me, was the meticulous recording of any and all formula that I gave my daughter. They didn't withhold formula from me, but I had to ask for it at each and every feeding. They gave me a clipboard and had my husband write down the exact time and the amount of formula my daughter consumed -- which a nurse then logged into the computer system. I had LCs (who I didn't ask to see) "check in" on me every day.
Whike I understand all of this was ostensibly to "help" me be successful at breastfeeding, the underlying message was clear: you're feeding your baby wrong. Having this experience again is literally the single-biggest cause of anxiety this pregnancy. I really don't want to go through that again!
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed Really, I just don't want to BF. I didn't want to with my first either. I'll give my honest reasons: I don't want a baby sucking on my boob. I don't want to wake up more often to feed. I want to equally share the waking up with H for feeding. I don't want to get sore/cracked nipples, etc. I don't want to worry about whether they'd take a bottle or not because a lot of babies of friends refused bottles. So basically, it comes down to me being happy.
In all honesty I didn’t realize how much pressure there was on new mothers to BF. I’m sorry for all the crappy experiences some of you have had. Being a new mom is hard enough without external pressure on you (and personal guilt in some cases). Society in general is judgemental, but most don’t worry about their own shortcomings which frustrates the hell out of me. I’m a big fan of ‘I’ll worry about me, you worry about you.’ If you are taking good care of your LO and yourself, that’s all that matters! I BF my son (20 years ago) until 6 weeks, which was when I went back to work. I didn’t have many problems after we got it figured out. I plan on BF for a while this time too, but I am a little nervous about keeping up with feeding 2 babies and taking care of myself too (ie, sleep, personal hygene lol). Ultimately I will do what I can to ensure the best situation for all of us (and DH too).
wow @kmalls that is awful! My hospital experience was great. They had 3 different types of formula and the nurses always made sure we had enough. We also had to record when we feed and how much but we also had to record her diaper changes too. We never had a LC visit our room because we put that we were formula feeding. I only had one nurse ask me if I wanted to try BFing and that was right after the birth and when I told her I was going to formula feed she asked what formula she could get me and never asked me again about trying to BF.
I really don't understand the whole "baby friendly" hospital movement. How is it baby friendly to close the nursery and force a women to feed her child one way. Before I had my DD I was with my best friend when she had her baby. She very much wanted to BF while at the hospital she had a lot of trouble with her supply and her baby had issues with latching. There were LC's helping and just telling her keep trying it will happen and when I said something about maybe trying formula while still trying with the BFing all the LCs in the room gave me a death stare and said that is not acceptable to use formula. It just doesn't seem good for the baby to put that can of stress on a mom, who is not only caring for the baby but recovering from whatever birth experience they just went through.
Sorry, long post. This topic is close to my heart and I appreciate the ability to share. I'm a STM and like some others on this post, I will try to BF first.
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed With my first I had a C-section due to breech baby. My milk didn't come in right away without me knowing. I didn't think baby was getting enough or latching properly but the nurses saw the baby on the boob and said "great!". But I knew something was wrong. Next thing I know baby was loosing too much weight and they wanted me to supplement. I asked if I could pump and that worked. But they made me syringe feed instead of bottle. I saw two lactation specialists at the hospital. One session went okay and was reassuring and the next was not. I left the hospital freaking out and it went downhill from there. I could never get a good latch without four hands on the baby. And he would fall asleep after a couple minutes. I saw a lactation specialist 4 times. I obsessed about how much milk the baby was getting. It was terrible and led to me having awful postpartum anxiety. I made the switch to exclusively pump and bottle feed. But my anxiety had already taken a hold of me and I had to get on medication. So we switched to formula. I had terrible guilt because I knew my mom and husband wanted the baby to BF. I wanted the baby to be BF. This time I am not going through any of that. The second I feel it's not working I am going to try pumping. But I will not hesitate to formula feed if I have anxiety again.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) Enfamil
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery I had over supply but thankfully my milk dried up easily without problems. What I did was keep pumping but would do less and less and less each day until it seemed okay to stop. For example, when I was pumping and feeding my son, I would pump every three hours. So the first day that I knew I didn't want my breast milk anymore I went every four hours. Then every five hours. I think my body could notice there was less demand so the supply went down.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt One of the hardest things especially as a FTM is that BF is drilled in your head and that is what you do. Its the nutrition, the bond...it's NATURE at it's finest. My mother had no issue breast feeding her kids so I thought it would be fine. I felt that I could figure it out if there was trouble. It is very hard to undo what is "best." So here are my thoughts: 1. Fed is best is really the mantra that should be drilled in every mother's head. More honesty about the troubles women can face need to be taught in birthing class and books. But since it is not, my hope is that someday it will be.
2. Do not let anybody else's opinion cloud your judgement. Others don't understand the struggle you are having. The responsibility of breastfeeding falls completely on the mother. So the mom's mom, husband, in-laws can say what they want. BUT MOM KNOWS BEST!!
2. A happy, relaxed, mom is what is needed especially in those first few weeks. If breastfeeding is causing problems, formula is the way to go!
I love this thread. I wish I would have seen some of the responses while I was expecting the first time and then post partum while I was struggling with BF.
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed. I plan to try to BF again. With DS, my milk just never came in. He lost 2 lbs and I was at the pediatrician doing weight checks every other day. DS actually turned yellow because he couldn't poop. I started to supplement but was in the hell schedule @kaymaroo mentioned.. try to BF baby, finish with bottle, pump. DS would scream because he was hungry and I would cry because I didn't know what to do.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) We used similac but it was the gentle on the tummy kind.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery? I made it to 6 weeks and we just stopped. No engorgement or anything.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt.
This was the hardest part for me. The pediatrician made me feel TERRIBLE. Women at work who never had kids told me they would never formula feed. The education from the OB is a little harsh. I felt so horrible and guilty. Now I think it's such a short amount of time. I don't know how to say this is a way that doesn't come off wrong, but it's not like I was feeding DS skittles for a year. Like, yeah your kid might have had breastmilk for a year, but he hasn't eaten anything green in his life so is that really healthier?
@kmalls the "baby friendly" hospitals are tough. I also am delivering at a baby friendly hospital and they do bash you over the head with the BF info. I don't look at the packets I get from the OB anymore because they are all about BF and comparing it to FF.
TW for this BF education because I think it's really offensive and it made me cry.
The one I got on Tuesday literally lists all the bad things that will happen to baby if you use formula: "Belly aches and gas... ear aches, allergies, and sick visits to the doctor... overweight baby during childhood... mom has more of a risk of ovarian and breast cancer". /TW
@peppersmith22 seriously?! That is one of the dumbest things ever. They didn't give me anything like that when I had my son there. The only true part of what that said is that BF aids in lowering the risk of breast cancer. Manson had none of those issues and was FF from the start in NICU.
My son doesn't have them either, and if he does I'm sure that it'll be a genetic thing since my husband has bad allergies.
I just think it's worded poorly, like "here's what can happen to mom... ovarian and breast cancer are more common among women who use formula". Well that's not really raising the risk you already have, it's just not lowering it right? It's a little dark but I put the whole thing in the spoiler.
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed I have issues with my babies latching. I had to use a nipple shield with both of my boys. It's a pain in the booty. Not too mention, milk allergies run in the family. My boys both had tummy issues while on my breastmilk. Id rather just start with formula and know my baby is being fed.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) I'm sure Similac sensitive but will probably change to Alimentum due to our allergy history.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery Sports bra all day. Gently hand express to relieve discomfort. It takes time to let it dry.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt None. Thankfully I never had the judgement or guilt. All that matters is your baby is fed.
@peppersmith22 that flyer makes me cringe. Which I do believe women who don't BF may be more a risk for Breast cancer I don't think it means you will get it for sure, so it might not even be that accurate. All that other crap is bullsh*t and it's horrible that put that stuff out there.
I know I'm very hormonal today, but I just wanted to pipe back in to say that reading all these responses is making me cry. I felt so very alone when BF wasn't working and I was going to such extreme measures to try to make it work. My my mom group at the time, the LCs, even my ex-husband (especially him) were all putting so much pressure on me to BF and to somehow make it work. None of them could see that I was drowning and needed help.
That experience still haunts me and reading all of these posts makes me feel so much less alone and less guilty. Sorry this is so emotional, this is really uncharacteristic of me, but I just want to say thank you to all of you for sharing. I'm so sorry for all of your difficult experiences, but I'm so glad to hear that I'm not alone in this.
@kmalls@danjoly I think it's really terrible that the hospitals you were at didn't support formula feeding! My supply was non-existent for the first few days, so they gave us formula while we were at the hospital and they gave a us a couple days supply of formula for us to take home too! I was so grateful for that because I assumed breastfeeding would be a piece of cake.
@peppersmith22 I'm so angry for you too. DS was only formula fed starting at 2 weeks, he's 2 now and still in the 10th percentile for height and weight, so much for the overweight theory! Also he never had gas or belly ache issues while on formula. No allergies, and he's only been sick a handful of times since he started daycare, and the things he caught were things that many of the kids at daycare had, including a friend's 2 year old who I know was breastfed. Not to mention DS hasn't caught all the bugs that have made their way around daycare, so I'm pretty sure his immune system is normal for a 2 year old. That paper you got makes me angry, I dealt with so much guilt when I stopped breastfeeding, I certainly didn't need something like that to add to my feelings of shame around my choice!
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed It's not an official choice just yet, I'm gong to try breastfeeding again with the new LO. I had problems breastfeeding DS and switched to formula at 2 weeks. My supply didn't come in until a few days post-partum (which I didn't know was pretty normal), but we struggled with breastfeeding, and the struggles continued even after meeting with multiple lactation consultants. I got mastitis after a week or so and it was just awful, I was so miserable. I decided breastfeeding wasn't worth my sanity. There are enough struggles when you're post-partum, feeding your baby doesn't need to be another one.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) I used the basic Similac formula with DS and would use it again if I decide to formula feed again. No particular reason for the choice, it was what the hospital gave us and we stuck with it.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery I stopped cold turkey after the mastitis cleared, had leakage for a day or two, and then was done. In hindsight, maybe I had supply issues the whole time?
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt This is a hard one. I think the biggest thing that helped me was googling/reading about other moms' struggles with breastfeeding and why they stopped. It made me feel less alone. Also my BMB had moved to a facebook group by that time and there were other moms going through the same thing. We all kind of helped each other with the guilt, and even the breastfeeding moms were supportive too. After my maternity leave was done, and I started interacting with adults again, I was surprised by how many people assumed I was breastfeeding, but I got it. I didn't know any moms in real life who didn't breastfeed. I felt like an anomaly. Telling people that we weren't breastfeeding because it didn't work out felt weird the first few times I did it, but I got used to it. I didn't get a lot of judgement about it, as far as I'm aware.
The whole feeding debate is such a mind game and hormones really screw with you postpartum. It makes perfect sense now to formula feed when the baby is not getting enough food. But nothing about postpartum is logical. You already have so many doubts about being a good mother that when you throw in the fact your body isn't providing enough food for baby, you begin the downward spiral of guilt and shame. I'm hoping this second time around I will see things a bit clearer!
@peppersmith22 that pamphlet is a huge pile of BS. I eventually was able to solely BF my kiddo (after a long road of supplimenting and diet modifications for me), but that didn't stop my kiddo from having severe colic due to dairy intolerance and repeat ear infections. BFing didn't stop her from getting tubes, and it actually caused her colic until I caught a clue that my diet was the problem. Jesus, it is scary that the BFing movement has gotten so poisonous
Thank you for this thread! I'm a FTM and still trying to figure out how I feel about feeding. I have never had the desire to BF and always assumed I would formula feed (my mother did the same with my brother and I). Now that I'm pg I figure I'll try BF at first to see how it goes but will switch to formula if I feel it's needed. I've watched too many friends beat themselves up to the point of a breakdown when BF wasn't working and I don't want to put myself, my baby or my H in that position. I appreciate hearing everyone's stories and this is probably one of my fave threads on this board so far! Judgement free and doing what is best for you AND baby is why I like this crew
@kmalls - can I ask what hospital you're at? I feel like all the big Boston hospitals are going for baby-friendly certification and it really makes me want to run in the opposite direction. My hospital (Mt Auburn) is super supportive of whatever is best for mom and encourages you to make your own choices, which I love. We are touring the Brigham this weekend just to see our options and I'm kind of dreading it bc I'm pretty sure they are strictly "baby-friendly". Everyone in H's family was born there and it's important to him to at least check it out, so I'm kind of placating him but we both know it's 100% my decision. So sorry for what you experienced with yours - I hope you get a reasonable nurse this time who is willing to bend the rules a little bit if you need a break. I just think the whole thing is so unnecessarily judgmental towards moms and it seriously pisses me off.
@frenchiekinplusone I'm at Emerson in Concord. It's tough because I love the hospital and had such a wonderful experience there with my first, but things had changed a lot with my second. The nurses were still so great and were apologetic for all the changes, but they also stuck to what was mandated to them.
Its funny you mention Mt. Auburn, that was the one hospital I considered switching to for this birth. I did a lot of research on baby friendly hospitals so I could avoid them, and Mt. Auburn seemed to be the best bet. Ultimately, though, driving 45 minutes for each appointment and then being that far away from our kids when we're at the hospital for delivery was the deciding factor. We just can't beat the convenience of Emerson plus all the sweet amenities they offer.
Regarding the Brig: my SIL works there and delivered both her babies there. It's a baby factory. The rooms were tiny and it just seemed very impersonal to me. I honestly don't know if they're "baby-friendly" or not because she never even asked about the nursery, but from the sheer volume of babies being delivered there I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a nursery. They'd need a ton of space for it.
That being said: she unexpectedly went into labor early and delivered her second baby at 33 weeks this summer. The care she and her baby received was second to none. If you need to be in Boston for a medical reason, I'd go there without hesitation. Otherwise, meh.
@frenchiekinplusone I delivered at beth israel last time around and they definitely offered nursery and suppot for whatever feeding I would have chosen. I knew I wanted to try and BF and their LC were great but you could tell it was judgement free and they were happy to have DD in the nursery if I needed the time. Mind you this was almost 5 years ago and I'm sure things can change. I've switched practices otherwise would love to deliver there again. They are my back up hospital if I go into labor at work and can't get out of the city/don't feel I can safely get out via train.
@kmalls@ekendall09 thank you both! Your insights are much appreciated! @kmalls I agree if it's an emergency type situation I wouldn't want to be anywhere else (and Mt Auburn doesn't have a NICU) so that would be the backup in case something happens. But for a low-risk pregnancy that goes to term where I have the luxury of deciding where I want to be, I was assuming the Brigham would be baby-factory like (tried explaining to H that a LOT has changed since his mother gave birth there 30+ years ago, lol) ... so I think I'm gonna stick to Mt A. I did the same research in trying to find a non-baby friendly hospital (which sounds insane if you don't know what it is!)
I find this thread so helpful as a FTM. Thank you for starting this. I am so sorry to hear about the experiences some of you went through. It is not acceptable, and healthcare providers should respect and support the mother and baby no matter what. I appreciate you all sharing your stories.
Re: Formula Feeding Guide
I had a supply issues with my first. He lost 12% of his weight in the hospital. I pumped my little heart out and tried every home remedy I could to make more milk. I fed him whatever I made and supplemented the rest. Once he was getting more formula I switched permanently. But not without the pain of clogged ducts and mastitis. Not to mention the mommy guilt. Oh the guilt.
Im choosing to formula feed this time around to avoid all that. I want to enjoy this postpartum (as best I could sleep deprived). This is our last and I don't want to be chasing after a toddler and care for a newborn while trying to nurse/ pump. The stress won't do any of us good. I like how my husband can help with the middle of the night feeds and it's not all on me and what my body is producing.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
We used similac from the start and he took to it right away. No allergies or issues. Plus the coupons and rebates you can find really helped!
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I used cabbage leaves daily to dry up the tanks. Since I never really had much milk or suffered from engorgement, I think it dried up quicker.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
I feel like the guilt will rear its ugly head come delivery but just a few hours ago I texted my husband to say I think I just want to formula feed from the start this time around. I felt a sense of relief just admitting that. I don't want to say I was dreading baby's arrival but I was stressing over the milk aspect of it and I'm only 14 weeks!!! I just want to take the stress off now.
Full disclosure: I actually plan to *try* to BF this time, but if it causes me even 1/10 of the stress it did last time I'm calling it quits ASAP. In all likelihood that will be the case and I'm mentally preparing myself now for FF from very early on. Hopefully I can still join this post knowing I'm going to attempt BF?
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed
BF with DS did not go well at all. He lost a lot of weight and we tried everything but I ended up on a basically 24/7 BF/supplement/pump schedule that nearly cost me my sanity. We were both so much happier after the switch to formula and if the same issues come up this time then I refuse to go down that road again. Tbh I'm only attempting BF this LO in the first place because it's cheaper.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
DS did best with Enfamil or the Target brand that's the same as Enfamil. Barring any allergies I'll probably use that again.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
Sorry, I can't help with this one as drying up was part of the problem the first go-round.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
Not going to lie, it can be tough. For guilt, the mantra "keep him fed and HAPPY" helped a lot because I knew how miserable we both were with BF. And now that he's nearly 6 and doing amazingly well in school and everything else, this time I plan to remind myself that if FF did so well for him then it's obviously perfectly good for baby. In terms of judgment, just focus on your baby while you're feeding him/her in public and ignore anyone looking at you. They're probably just jealous of how cute your baby is anyway
I told my ob I was thinking of not nursing this time around and she was definitely suggesting to try for 6 weeks. I saw several different lactation consultants and they both gave me a very realstic and bleak reality of what my chances were at a full supply. That helped some but the guilt was still there.
Honestly there's not much of a choice. There are a whole bunch of issues that cause BFing to be nearly impossible for me, but flat nipples (sorry, TMI) plus basically zero supply are the biggest reasons. Like @btm013 I pump and pump and pump, but I'm lucky to get 2 feedings per day out of that. This baby is my third in three years and I know how difficult it can be to pump while simultaneously looking after small kids, so I'm going to cut myself a break and pump when I can and not worry about it. When supply runs out (which I'm assuming will be after a few weeks), I'll transition to 100% formula.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
Both of my kids have needed Enfamil Gentlease due to reflux. I'll start this one on that from the get-go.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I've never been in that position, my supply is so bad to begin with.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
Sorry in advance, I've got lots of feels on this one so I'm sure I'll be long winded!
With my first, it had never occurred to me that BFing wouldn't work out. It seemed like I was surrounded by women who had very little trouble at all with it, and NOBODY talked about formula feeding in a positive light. Nobody. I turned myself inside out those first few weeks with guilt, it felt like torture. Finally one day I just couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't do one more pumping session that yielded zero results, I couldn't struggle one more time with a damn nipple shield that the baby hated. I called my husband at work and said we were formula feeding 100% from that moment on. He was COMPLETELY supportive, and it's funny, the moment that switch was flipped in my head, the guilt was gone. Thinking about formula feeding was way harder than actually implementing it. After that I felt like a new person: I enjoyed my baby, I embraced his infancy.
For those worried about baby #2, in my experience the guilt was waaaaay less. Like, it was nonexistent. I still pumped in the beginning, but I always say "I formula feed but supplement with breast milk." I give zero fucks what anyone thinks. My daughter is just turning one this week and we switched her to cow's milk only a few days ago, so this formula journey is still really fresh in my mind.
Regarding judgement from others: I've found that being super upfront about formula feeding and showing absolutely no shame about it has been my best defense. I'm extremely open about formula feeding and I really believe that people back off due to my confidence. I'm not some lazy, uneducated parent that either didn't feel like putting in the work to breastfeed or didn't realize the benefits of it (not that I believe ANY of that for a second, but those are the most common stereotypes I've heard), but I'm a parent making the best choice for her children.
ANYWAY, congrats to anyone who got through that novel! I'll be pumping whatever meager amount I can in the beginning again, but I fully expect to be 100% formula very quickly with baby #3. When this one arrives my older two will only be just-barely 3 and 1.5, so time for pumping will also be an issue. Bottom line, though: my baby will be fed however way it needs to happen.
To dry up supply I have heard taking a decongestant like Musinex (sp?) helps. With my first I had no issues drying up (didn’t have supply) and with my second I made the terrible mistake of stopping cold turkey and relying only on cabbage leaves. Don’t do that. It Was terrible.
Like @kmalls stated, don’t apologize for your choice. Stand tall and know you are doing what is best for your family. People don’t know you or your situation.
As new moms we have to learn a new life balance. I am a big proponent of self reflection and learning at your limits. Everyone has them and usually they are all different.
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed
Before ever getting pregnant with my first BF freaked me out. I figured future me would deal with it when time came. Well first appointment the NP brings out info on BFing and I freak out and have a panic attack because I don't know if I can bring myself to do it. She just says if you don't want to do it don't. She said she had three kids and each time they were BF less and less. So decided we are just going to be FF from day one because like my NP and even my Dr it's not worth the extra stress.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
we used enfamil, will probably use it again.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I didn't use the cabbage leaves but I did wear 2 sports bras to bind my boobs down. Also when you shower keep your back to the water the whole time the warm water seems to help flow. It took a few days for my boobs to go back to normal and stop hurting.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
Research! A book a read called Bottled Up was great in helping give you some tips on dealing with judgement and guilt. I also follow her blog and website Fearless Formula Feeders. Other women share their stories and she also shares studies and how they don't really fit every type of way to feed a infant.
I really didn't have guilt I just didn't like the way people tried to make me feel guilt. It seems they all want to tell you that you aren't doing right for your baby. To me I am doing right by baby by giving her formula because if I tried to BF it would take at least an hour for me to just work up the nerve to actually attempt to feed her. What good would that have been for her? Which the normal response to that from others would be "well you could always pump" Which that seemed just as stressful as BFing so why would I put myself through that? I am all for feeding your baby the way you want as long as you are doing whats good for you too. Like @kmalls your health is just as important as your baby's. If all else fails best response I have started using is "I bet you couldn't walk into a school and point out how every kid was feed as an infant"
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed
I'm hoping to be able to BF baby2 but I'm also being realistic. I found out with baby1 that I have chronic thrush because of the immunosuppressive medication I have to take. We tried everything under the sun to get rid of the trush but it was all the way up to my ducts and I had over 20 episodes of clogged ducts in 3 months. It was physically pure torture (I cried so much from pain and would have taken 3 extra Csection compared to the pain I experienced while BF) and the guilt/psychological impact was so strong that I'm pretty sure I was on the edge of PP depression when my husband said that's enough we are FF.
Ill be starting a low carb diet + GSE therapy to try to get rid of the thrush about mid pregnancy but we'll see.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
this is why I'm hoping to BF because my son had to be on Alimentum but he wasn't fitting our insurances criteria so we had to pay everything out of pocket and it was REALLY expensive. We tried everything, gentleease, no lactose formula,soy formula but only the alimentum worked for him
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I had to take peppermint capsules 4
times a day for 1 week and it dried up everything. I didn't had any mastitis which was my doctor's biggest concerns because of all
my clogged ducts issues.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
I don't really have advices for that one. It still makes me really sad and guilty when I read about BF/BM and everything related. My son is super healthy, way more than a lot of my BF friends babies and he's a very happy baby, but I come from a culture where BF is pushed on every women (they don't even offer formula in the hospital, if you want some you have to bring it) so I heard a lot of "but have your tired this or that" like me saying I couldn't take it anymore was not enough. I worked with 3 LC and a breastfeeding medicine specialist for months without any success so I know I did everything I could.
That's certainly not a comprehensive sample size, but I think for me, it's given me the emotional space to say if the breast feeding isn't working, I have alternatives. I just wish that culturally we didn't put as much pressure on new mothers. The first few months are plenty difficult, can we not force them to suffer in silent agony to meet an ideal that might not be necessary to healthy development. In France, there is a much bigger emphasis on the health of the mom postpartum and programs designed to help survive those first few months. I wish we had more of that attitude here, I really do think a happy healthy mom makes a better parent.
Really, I just don't want to BF. I didn't want to with my first either. I'll give my honest reasons: I don't want a baby sucking on my boob. I don't want to wake up more often to feed. I want to equally share the waking up with H for feeding. I don't want to get sore/cracked nipples, etc. I don't want to worry about whether they'd take a bottle or not because a lot of babies of friends refused bottles. So basically, it comes down to me being happy.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
I plan on using Similac again.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I don't have any. I didn't do anything special. I just used breast pads until they stopped leaking, which I don't think was very long...I can't remember, lol.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
I had zero guilt because I knew it's what kept me happy, and DS was a very happy baby. If anyone judged it, I don't know because no one ever said anything to me. I'd probably tell them I don't care because he was/is happy and healthy and had zero issues, nothing at all compared to friends BF babies. (Not saying anything about it, just in general).
As to the bolded: I wanted to delve into this topic and see what everyone else's hospital experience has been. I deliver at a local hospital that I love: the nurses are fantastic and the amenities are wonderful. Plus it's 7 minutes from my house, so that's great. When I had my son, which was a complicated birth, I felt supported when formula feeding became necessary (he had an extended stay and my milk never came in).
Fast forward one year to my daughter's delivery, and things had drastically changed. They were attempting to get "baby-friendly hospital" status, and for me it was a fairly traumatic experience. There were posters all over the L&D floor that listed "The 10 rules for Successful Breastfeeding." I walked by those damn posters about 300 times while in labor, and each time I got more frustrated. I ended up needing a c-section and while I would have loved to send DD to the nursery for just a few hours to give me a moment to recover from major surgery, they had closed the nursery permanently, forcing all parents to keep babies in-room at all times.
The worst part, for me, was the meticulous recording of any and all formula that I gave my daughter. They didn't withhold formula from me, but I had to ask for it at each and every feeding. They gave me a clipboard and had my husband write down the exact time and the amount of formula my daughter consumed -- which a nurse then logged into the computer system. I had LCs (who I didn't ask to see) "check in" on me every day.
Whike I understand all of this was ostensibly to "help" me be successful at breastfeeding, the underlying message was clear: you're feeding your baby wrong. Having this experience again is literally the single-biggest cause of anxiety this pregnancy. I really don't want to go through that again!
I BF my son (20 years ago) until 6 weeks, which was when I went back to work. I didn’t have many problems after we got it figured out. I plan on BF for a while this time too, but I am a little nervous about keeping up with feeding 2 babies and taking care of myself too (ie, sleep, personal hygene lol). Ultimately I will do what I can to ensure the best situation for all of us (and DH too).
I really don't understand the whole "baby friendly" hospital movement. How is it baby friendly to close the nursery and force a women to feed her child one way. Before I had my DD I was with my best friend when she had her baby. She very much wanted to BF while at the hospital she had a lot of trouble with her supply and her baby had issues with latching. There were LC's helping and just telling her keep trying it will happen and when I said something about maybe trying formula while still trying with the BFing all the LCs in the room gave me a death stare and said that is not acceptable to use formula. It just doesn't seem good for the baby to put that can of stress on a mom, who is not only caring for the baby but recovering from whatever birth experience they just went through.
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed
With my first I had a C-section due to breech baby. My milk didn't come in right away without me knowing. I didn't think baby was getting enough or latching properly but the nurses saw the baby on the boob and said "great!". But I knew something was wrong. Next thing I know baby was loosing too much weight and they wanted me to supplement. I asked if I could pump and that worked. But they made me syringe feed instead of bottle. I saw two lactation specialists at the hospital. One session went okay and was reassuring and the next was not. I left the hospital freaking out and it went downhill from there. I could never get a good latch without four hands on the baby. And he would fall asleep after a couple minutes. I saw a lactation specialist 4 times. I obsessed about how much milk the baby was getting. It was terrible and led to me having awful postpartum anxiety. I made the switch to exclusively pump and bottle feed. But my anxiety had already taken a hold of me and I had to get on medication. So we switched to formula. I had terrible guilt because I knew my mom and husband wanted the baby to BF. I wanted the baby to be BF. This time I am not going through any of that. The second I feel it's not working I am going to try pumping. But I will not hesitate to formula feed if I have anxiety again.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
Enfamil
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I had over supply but thankfully my milk dried up easily without problems. What I did was keep pumping but would do less and less and less each day until it seemed okay to stop. For example, when I was pumping and feeding my son, I would pump every three hours. So the first day that I knew I didn't want my breast milk anymore I went every four hours. Then every five hours. I think my body could notice there was less demand so the supply went down.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
One of the hardest things especially as a FTM is that BF is drilled in your head and that is what you do. Its the nutrition, the bond...it's NATURE at it's finest. My mother had no issue breast feeding her kids so I thought it would be fine. I felt that I could figure it out if there was trouble. It is very hard to undo what is "best." So here are my thoughts:
1. Fed is best is really the mantra that should be drilled in every mother's head. More honesty about the troubles women can face need to be taught in birthing class and books. But since it is not, my hope is that someday it will be.
2. Do not let anybody else's opinion cloud your judgement. Others don't understand the struggle you are having. The responsibility of breastfeeding falls completely on the mother. So the mom's mom, husband, in-laws can say what they want. BUT MOM KNOWS BEST!!
2. A happy, relaxed, mom is what is needed especially in those first few weeks. If breastfeeding is causing problems, formula is the way to go!
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed. I plan to try to BF again. With DS, my milk just never came in. He lost 2 lbs and I was at the pediatrician doing weight checks every other day. DS actually turned yellow because he couldn't poop. I started to supplement but was in the hell schedule @kaymaroo mentioned.. try to BF baby, finish with bottle, pump. DS would scream because he was hungry and I would cry because I didn't know what to do.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself) We used similac but it was the gentle on the tummy kind. STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery? I made it to 6 weeks and we just stopped. No engorgement or anything.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt. This was the hardest part for me. The pediatrician made me feel TERRIBLE. Women at work who never had kids told me they would never formula feed. The education from the OB is a little harsh. I felt so horrible and guilty. Now I think it's such a short amount of time. I don't know how to say this is a way that doesn't come off wrong, but it's not like I was feeding DS skittles for a year. Like, yeah your kid might have had breastmilk for a year, but he hasn't eaten anything green in his life so is that really healthier?
Edit: formatting
TW for this BF education because I think it's really offensive and it made me cry.
The one I got on Tuesday literally lists all the bad things that will happen to baby if you use formula: "Belly aches and gas... ear aches, allergies, and sick visits to the doctor... overweight baby during childhood... mom has more of a risk of ovarian and breast cancer". /TW
Like please show me your sources
I just think it's worded poorly, like "here's what can happen to mom... ovarian and breast cancer are more common among women who use formula". Well that's not really raising the risk you already have, it's just not lowering it right? It's a little dark but I put the whole thing in the spoiler.
I have issues with my babies latching. I had to use a nipple shield with both of my boys. It's a pain in the booty. Not too mention, milk allergies run in the family. My boys both had tummy issues while on my breastmilk. Id rather just start with formula and know my baby is being fed.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
I'm sure Similac sensitive but will probably change to Alimentum due to our allergy history.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
Sports bra all day. Gently hand express to relieve discomfort. It takes time to let it dry.
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
None. Thankfully I never had the judgement or guilt. All that matters is your baby is fed.
That experience still haunts me and reading all of these posts makes me feel so much less alone and less guilty. Sorry this is so emotional, this is really uncharacteristic of me, but I just want to say thank you to all of you for sharing. I'm so sorry for all of your difficult experiences, but I'm so glad to hear that I'm not alone in this.
@peppersmith22 I'm so angry for you too. DS was only formula fed starting at 2 weeks, he's 2 now and still in the 10th percentile for height and weight, so much for the overweight theory! Also he never had gas or belly ache issues while on formula. No allergies, and he's only been sick a handful of times since he started daycare, and the things he caught were things that many of the kids at daycare had, including a friend's 2 year old who I know was breastfed. Not to mention DS hasn't caught all the bugs that have made their way around daycare, so I'm pretty sure his immune system is normal for a 2 year old. That paper you got makes me angry, I dealt with so much guilt when I stopped breastfeeding, I certainly didn't need something like that to add to my feelings of shame around my choice!
Tell us why you are choosing to formula feed
It's not an official choice just yet, I'm gong to try breastfeeding again with the new LO. I had problems breastfeeding DS and switched to formula at 2 weeks. My supply didn't come in until a few days post-partum (which I didn't know was pretty normal), but we struggled with breastfeeding, and the struggles continued even after meeting with multiple lactation consultants. I got mastitis after a week or so and it was just awful, I was so miserable. I decided breastfeeding wasn't worth my sanity. There are enough struggles when you're post-partum, feeding your baby doesn't need to be another one.
What formula do you plan on using? (Subject to change of course if allergies present itself)
I used the basic Similac formula with DS and would use it again if I decide to formula feed again. No particular reason for the choice, it was what the hospital gave us and we stuck with it.
STM/TTM - any tips on drying up your milk supply after delivery
I stopped cold turkey after the mastitis cleared, had leakage for a day or two, and then was done. In hindsight, maybe I had supply issues the whole time?
Tips on dealing with judgement and guilt
This is a hard one. I think the biggest thing that helped me was googling/reading about other moms' struggles with breastfeeding and why they stopped. It made me feel less alone. Also my BMB had moved to a facebook group by that time and there were other moms going through the same thing. We all kind of helped each other with the guilt, and even the breastfeeding moms were supportive too. After my maternity leave was done, and I started interacting with adults again, I was surprised by how many people assumed I was breastfeeding, but I got it. I didn't know any moms in real life who didn't breastfeed. I felt like an anomaly. Telling people that we weren't breastfeeding because it didn't work out felt weird the first few times I did it, but I got used to it. I didn't get a lot of judgement about it, as far as I'm aware.
@kmalls - can I ask what hospital you're at? I feel like all the big Boston hospitals are going for baby-friendly certification and it really makes me want to run in the opposite direction. My hospital (Mt Auburn) is super supportive of whatever is best for mom and encourages you to make your own choices, which I love. We are touring the Brigham this weekend just to see our options and I'm kind of dreading it bc I'm pretty sure they are strictly "baby-friendly". Everyone in H's family was born there and it's important to him to at least check it out, so I'm kind of placating him but we both know it's 100% my decision. So sorry for what you experienced with yours - I hope you get a reasonable nurse this time who is willing to bend the rules a little bit if you need a break. I just think the whole thing is so unnecessarily judgmental towards moms and it seriously pisses me off.
Married: 10/3/15
TTC: May 2017
BFP: 7/20/17
EDD: 3/29/18
Its funny you mention Mt. Auburn, that was the one hospital I considered switching to for this birth. I did a lot of research on baby friendly hospitals so I could avoid them, and Mt. Auburn seemed to be the best bet. Ultimately, though, driving 45 minutes for each appointment and then being that far away from our kids when we're at the hospital for delivery was the deciding factor. We just can't beat the convenience of Emerson plus all the sweet amenities they offer.
Regarding the Brig: my SIL works there and delivered both her babies there. It's a baby factory. The rooms were tiny and it just seemed very impersonal to me. I honestly don't know if they're "baby-friendly" or not because she never even asked about the nursery, but from the sheer volume of babies being delivered there I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a nursery. They'd need a ton of space for it.
That being said: she unexpectedly went into labor early and delivered her second baby at 33 weeks this summer. The care she and her baby received was second to none. If you need to be in Boston for a medical reason, I'd go there without hesitation. Otherwise, meh.
Married: 10/3/15
TTC: May 2017
BFP: 7/20/17
EDD: 3/29/18
This article is from almost 3 years ago, but it outlines the changes being made:
https://www.bidmc.org/Centers-and-Departments/Departments/Obstetrics-and-Gynecology/Your-Pregnancy/BabyKnowHow/2015/September/On-Our-Way-to-Baby-Friendly.aspx