Frustration!

Brittlamarche · May 2014

My little guy will be 7 weeks tomorrow and is EBF and eats every 1.5-2 hours. It's really starting to wear on me. Some days it goes ok but others I just feel like I can't do anything. I can't hardly leave the house on my own because he will be hungry again in no time. I do have some frozen but haven't gotten into it yet because I'm saving it for going back to work. I don't want to have to switch to formula but I won't make it if this keeps up. Any advice? I have thought about just pumping and feeding with bottles to see if that helps..?

htk1113 · May 2014

I went through the same feelings and know that it will get better. If you have someone to watch your lo for a little bit do it. Some days I would have hubby watch baby so I could go to Target and walk around by myself, even if it was just for 20 minutes, they were the best 20 minutes. I would nurse then leave immediately so I could have as much time to myself as possible.

It takes time to adjust to the demands a baby has on you as mom.

babym6705 · May 2014

I switched to formula with my daughter and for me it wasn't much better. You get a few extra minutes in between feedings but I ended up using those to clean bottles usually. I later realized I was just adjusting to life with a kid and that whether I BF or FF, my schedule, availability, free time, etc. had permanently changed. "Me time" is important every once in awhile but FF doesn't automatically mean you are going to get tons of "me time" back all of sudden. I hope this doesn't come off harsh, it just what I learned with my first kiddo.

StephandMatt2012 · May 2014

Never quit on a bad day ! I had to adjust to my new life as a mom and I thought I wasn't going to have a problem with it .... And I totally did! It's hard not having yourself as a priority anymore and having this awesome little person attached to you at all times but give it some time it does get much better and soon little one will space out feedings and become more efficient so you will get some of your time back. Even try and sneak out after you put LO to bed for the evening or hop in the bath with some music and glass of wine. The days I struggled I set little goals for myself like shave my legs, paint my nails, have a shower, change my clothes, seems silly but those little things helped me feel like me

best of luck !

Brittlamarche · May 2014

I BF my first son until about 6 weeks because of this same frustration. We switched him to formula and it was a little better because then my husband could help out too. I could go for longer and not worry about the baby needing to be fed. And he are every 4 hours.. Not 2. I guess I'm asking if maybe anyone has tips or tricks to make this easier. I do really want to stick with this. Just hope I can stay sane

Brittlamarche · May 2014

He gets a small bottle 3 times a day because he has to take a heart medication. I do pump but don't have much stock piled yet. Also trying to get us ready for me to go back to work so I haven't wanted to use any of that yet. Because I don't get to pump very often because he eats so much then I have been fearful of using that stuff yet. I think I'm looking more for someone to say "yes it gets better soon and he won't be so demanding of the boob" lol

Brittlamarche · May 2014

It I'm just having a rough day and am just whining.

jamie.beasley@gmail.com · May 2014

Yes, it gets better and he won't be so demanding on the boob

Breastfeeding is the most wonderful, fantastic...isolating and difficult experience ever. Maybe everyone doesn't feel that way, but everyone I've ever talked to has. For me, knowing that I'm never really off was hard: I either was pumping or working around feedings. Pumping is isolating because I'd never do that in front of anyone but my husband. When I was at where you are, I felt the same way. My baby has a high/bubble palette, so BFing was flat out painful. I remember thinking, "if I can just make it to 6 months..." I was at 2 months at the time.

I'm at just under 7 months now, and no plans to stop soon. As someone else mentioned, the best thing for me was getting over my own personal discomfort with feeding in public. I no longer feel like there's a clock hanging over my head when we go out. And for time when the baby isn't with you, pump small. You're not going to pump multiple full extra bottles a day. You aren't supposed to: it's supply and demand! Save little bit by little bit.

Most importantly, breathe! You are doing the best you can to do what you believe is best for your baby. You're doing a great job! We all have times of struggle, but it will get better! This too shal pass

Brittlamarche · May 2014

That brightened my day a bit

thank you! I think I am just having a rough day. I do breast feed in public so I'm good there. I just have to keep giving myself goals. I have been saying "make it to 1 year" but I think I will set smaller goals so it's not so overwhelming. I love breast feeding my baby not only for health benefits but he loves it so much too. Thank you for your kind words!

eggmankate · May 2014

I felt this way many times in the beginning! I have been a breastfeeding advocate so it was a bit of a shock for me to learn early on that I didn't always enjoy it. It got easier when I returned to work at 12 weeks because she started eating every 3 hours and it just became more predictable. She also latches easily and it's pretty much hands-free so there's not so much time devoted to getting the perfect latch because she just does it herself. I'm almost 5 months EBF and I hate pumping because I worry the day is going to come where I have to start dipping into my freezer stash to make the next day's daycare bottles and that's going to stress me out. My goal is to make it a year, but that is overwhelming so I agree with PPs-I have to set smaller goals. My next goal is to make it 6 months EBF. But yes, you're at the point where sooner rather than later it's going to start getting easier!

mommatotwo2 · May 2014

@babym6705, I completely agree with you.

OP- I formula fed my first and breastfed this baby, and I can speak to that experience as well. It's not the nursing that takes up more time, its the baby! Formula feeding is not easier, you have to prepare every bottle, wash every bottle, and pack bottles, water, and formula up every time you leave the house with baby. Not to mention the expense! Formula is on average about 20 dollars a week, more for a name brand like Similac or Enfamil. If you BF for even 12 weeks, you'll save yourself at least 240 dollars, over a thousand dollars if you make it the whole year

You also mentioned pumping and bottle feeding instead of nursing. This is not going to save you any time. I wish I never had to pump, ever. It's a huge pain, hugely time consuming, and can add a cost to breastfeeding, for the pump itself (sometimes) and for storage bags (most common) or bottles. I do have to pump, because I work fulltime. At 7 weeks, things are still hard and your on the tail end of a big growth spurt (average baby around 6 weeks). It gets so much easier as time goes on, baby gets more efficient, you'll get more comfortable nursing in public and you won't feel so tied to the house. Definitely don't be afraid to use that freezer milk occasionally to give you a break, pumping first thing in the morning opposite side baby feeds from worked best for me to get more ounces, and use that as milk for DH for someone else to give baby while you get out of the house for a an hour or two. Go grocery shopping, go for a drive, etc.

I second what others have said, don't quit on a bad day. On the flip side- If you do end up quitting, don't beat yourself up, formula is fine. Like I said, my first baby was formula fed, and she's a completely healthy, happy, and intelligent almost 6 year old. But this experience of breastfeeding this baby for (almost!) a year has been one I wouldn't trade for anything.

edit: to make more sense. edited again after I reread your post.

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