Detroit Babies
amynicoletta
member
BFing and FFing...
amynicoletta
member
Are you/Did you BFing? How long have/did you BF for?
What were the reasons you stopped BFing?
I'm having supply issues and hate pumping and FF is REALLY starting to look like a good option. I wanted to do at least 6 months of BFing...Just need to get over the stupid mom guilt about it all.
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Re: BFing and FFing...
Have you contacted a LC about it? Maybe they can help. Hang in there!
Yeah, they suggest I pump more to up my supply, but I feel like if I'm not BFing, I would be pumping non stop....ahhh the vicious cycle.
BF'd Roman for 9 months. I stopped because I was starting a new job & knew how stressful pumping was (I had done it while I was in hospital clinicals for school). Hope to BF Max (if he ever decides to show up!).
Definitely check out Kellymom.com, like pp suggested. With Fenugreek, it helps to take it w/ Blessed Thistle. Reglan worked wonders for me. Ooh & a dark beer- like Guiness. I flipping HATE beer but drank one one night & woke up drenched (sorry- TMI!).
Do what's right for YOU. Happy Mama= happy baby. (((hugs)))
I am still breastfeeding Owen. So far it has been 8.5 months.
It was SO hard in the beginning. Owen didn't latch right, and I had a bunch of other problems. There was LOTS of tears, by me and Owen! Since it was something I felt was really important to me, I set little goals to try to make it through. In the beginning my first goal was 6 weeks. Then I went to 3 months. Then 6, etc. I found that the closer I made the goals the more I was willing to strive for it.
In the beginning, the best thing for your supply is to nurse as often as possible. The first 6 weeks or so I swear it felt like I sat on the couch all day with my boob out. If you are still having issues, you can pump 30 or so minutes after she eats. You won't get a lot of pumped milk, but after doing it a few days your body will start to produce more milk.
Have you posted on the breastfeeding board? Those ladies are super helpful. There are a lot of natural remedies like fenugreek for supply. Oatmeal with real oats also increases supply.
As hard as it was in the beginning, I can definitely say it is more than worth it now. It is so fast and easy. But I do not think you should beat yourself up over it if you quit. Formula is NOT poison, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with formula feeding. I just suggest that if breastfeeding was something important to you, don't give up just yet. I would give it at least 6 weeks, and if it is still not for you, then stop. I have talked to so many women who told me they wished they would have tried it for a little bit longer before they stopped.
Good Luck! You can always page me on here with any questions, or just to vent! I would be happy to help
PS.... it's been 8 months and I STILL hate that damn pump.... every time I have to pump at work I envision throwing it through a window lol. Once your supply regulates (about 6 weeks) you will not have to pump at all if you don't want to!
I BFed both of my kids for 3 months and then stopped because I went back to work. I didn't even try to pump and continue BF because I just couldn't do it anymore. I din't enjoy it and had issues w/ supply, pumping was no fun, so in the end I just said well 3 months is enough. Looking back I feel bad that I dind't do it longer. Mom guilt will get you, I know how you feel. Just try to fo your best and do what you feel comfortable with. If you were a bad mom you would not be worrying about this, so you are doing great and don't be hard on yourself.
First ... no one every told me BFing would be difficult (other than latch issues). I tried for 10 days. I had nearly zero supply (an ounce here and there). My doctor said my milk never really came in. I had some complications from her birth and was on lots of meds, so that might have contributed to it. I saw a LC, tried natural remedies, etc. Nothing worked for me.
BF was important to me, but I was miserable and detached. If it weren't for my DH, I think I would have had issues with PPD, because I was consumed with guilt. Though it was tough to make the decision to stop sitting at a pump all day, I had a lot of relief when I did, because I could finally just take care of, and enjoy, our infant.
One of the reasons I didn't push it was because my best friend's DD ended up in the ICU for a week because she was pushed by her midwife/friends/etc. to continue. Her DD ended up severely dehydrated. So if you are trying to continue, it is very important to make sure your DD has enough wet diapers during the day. My DD wasn't, so I knew I had to supplement from the start.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Same here! My milk just would not come in. I felt really guilty at first, specially because we thought we'd be saving money by not being on formula, but we got over it very quickly. I feel your pain about the constant pumping. It just didn't work for me. Good luck!