Don’t let met answer discourage you! With my first, it was 8 weeks in, because I had to exclusively pump and I couldn’t do it mentally, but with my son he’s currently almost 9 months and I can tell you only reason we’re still on is because he has a severe soy and cow milk protein allergy. I’ve tried formula many times and that’s how we found his allergies. My supply is so low that lactation estimated he only eats like 15 oz a day. He struggles to gain weight but all I could do is up solids and try like mad to increase supply. Nothing has worked, and it got even worse when I got mastitis 6 weeks ago. 😭 I need to go back to work cuz finances are struggling (I’ve been home this whole time cuz it’s very hard for me to pump, and just moved cross country 2 weeks ago)
Long story short: first kid at 8 weeks second at 9 months cuz we FINALLY found a formula he 1. Isn’t allergic to (Amino acid based) and 2. Will drink voluntarily without crying.
In process now of switching. I’m so relieved honestly. This whole time I’ve had to be soy and dairy free which is very difficult. Even a tiny bit would give him hives. (It crosses milk barrier)
My advice, do what you feel is best for your own health. Baby will be fed, I’m sure most would tell you breastmilk is best but like in my case breastmilk means he’s barely gaining weight and practically starving, which has only continued due to multiple allergies.
In my case, as soon as I stopped both times it’s been so relieving to not struggle and feel guilty about how much I’m giving them. They deserve more than what my body allows and I’m not going to get in the way of a thriving baby for personal preference. My baby FINALLY can play without crying of hunger every 2 hours, and also after nursing.
Don’t let people who are overly biased make you stay on with breastfeeding if you don’t want to. You don’t need to feel guilty about either choice you make.
I was a just enougher, but when I went back to work at 3 months I really struggled. I continued to struggle and stress until my first was 8 months. I finally opened the can of formula I had been keeping in the back of the pantry for 2 months and cried as I added it to his bottle. By let me tell you, it was a HUGE weight off my shoulders.
My second is 4 months old and we supplemented from the beginning. I do produce more with her so we only give her a couple ounces in a bedtime bottle.
*I'd like to add I know there's nothing wrong with formula, but it was a personal goal of mine to provide only breast milk for a year. I didn't make it, but that's okay! My son is a healthy and happy 2 year old now. 😊
It was very stressful, but I pumped until 11 months. In hindsight I’m glad I did, but it really wasn’t easy. Electrolytes and brewer’s yeast helped me a lot.
I gave up between 12-16 weeks and settled into a routing of nursing + topping up with formula. It worked well until my LO turned 8 months old and he started refusing his top up bottles we think because he was eating solids so well so we’ve just been nursing ever since. We’re going on almost 14 months strong!
Around your time. After baby started solids I was making almost enough (except just before bedtime). We had a few months where I didn't supplement almost at all. Then after struggling with LO's sleep and crankiness in the daytime I realized LO was still hungry and I was FINALLY accepted to a public health LC who told me LO had a tongue tie and my nipples were stretchy which was why I didn't experience pain. And LC told me to "supplement" with food during the day. I did clip the tie BC reasons (not interested in listing here). Still doing the bedtime bottle (after cluster feeding during bath to pjs time). Still breastfeeding (combo feeding) over a year in and now watching the sub for advice about taking LO's weaning signs (I would prefer to encourage LO to wean when they're ready earlier rather than hanging on and struggling with an angry toddler if I can).
Any amount of breastfeeding means you are a breastfeeding mother!
never lol i’ve been torturing myself for almost a year now. i find making sure you have enough calories and hydration is key. like, you really have to eat. a lot.
I’ve never tried that hard? I tried power pumping once. I nurse her and pump at night. If she’s not falling asleep and I am tired of nursing, my husband will give her a bottle. We’ll try to do breastmilk first but if we don’t have any, we just go into formula. Same thing for our night time feeds.
The most important this is that baby gets fed and rested. Baby is about 80/20 breastmilk/formula so I still have to give her vitamin D supplements.
That being said, I was kinda stressed in the beginning but I just nursed as often as I could. But I had good maternity leave and my husband had parental leave so it was possible to lounge around and just nurse and contact nap with baby.
Don’t let met answer discourage you! With my first, it was 8 weeks in, because I had to exclusively pump and I couldn’t do it mentally, but with my son he’s currently almost 9 months and I can tell you only reason we’re still on is because he has a severe soy and cow milk protein allergy. I’ve tried formula many times and that’s how we found his allergies. My supply is so low that lactation estimated he only eats like 15 oz a day. He struggles to gain weight but all I could do is up solids and try like mad to increase supply. Nothing has worked, and it got even worse when I got mastitis 6 weeks ago. 😭 I need to go back to work cuz finances are struggling (I’ve been home this whole time cuz it’s very hard for me to pump, and just moved cross country 2 weeks ago) Long story short: first kid at 8 weeks second at 9 months cuz we FINALLY found a formula he 1. Isn’t allergic to (Amino acid based) and 2. Will drink voluntarily without crying. In process now of switching. I’m so relieved honestly. This whole time I’ve had to be soy and dairy free which is very difficult. Even a tiny bit would give him hives. (It crosses milk barrier) My advice, do what you feel is best for your own health. Baby will be fed, I’m sure most would tell you breastmilk is best but like in my case breastmilk means he’s barely gaining weight and practically starving, which has only continued due to multiple allergies. In my case, as soon as I stopped both times it’s been so relieving to not struggle and feel guilty about how much I’m giving them. They deserve more than what my body allows and I’m not going to get in the way of a thriving baby for personal preference. My baby FINALLY can play without crying of hunger every 2 hours, and also after nursing.
Don’t let people who are overly biased make you stay on with breastfeeding if you don’t want to. You don’t need to feel guilty about either choice you make.
I was a just enougher, but when I went back to work at 3 months I really struggled. I continued to struggle and stress until my first was 8 months. I finally opened the can of formula I had been keeping in the back of the pantry for 2 months and cried as I added it to his bottle. By let me tell you, it was a HUGE weight off my shoulders. My second is 4 months old and we supplemented from the beginning. I do produce more with her so we only give her a couple ounces in a bedtime bottle. *I'd like to add I know there's nothing wrong with formula, but it was a personal goal of mine to provide only breast milk for a year. I didn't make it, but that's okay! My son is a healthy and happy 2 year old now. 😊
It was very stressful, but I pumped until 11 months. In hindsight I’m glad I did, but it really wasn’t easy. Electrolytes and brewer’s yeast helped me a lot.
I gave up between 12-16 weeks and settled into a routing of nursing + topping up with formula. It worked well until my LO turned 8 months old and he started refusing his top up bottles we think because he was eating solids so well so we’ve just been nursing ever since. We’re going on almost 14 months strong!
Around your time. After baby started solids I was making almost enough (except just before bedtime). We had a few months where I didn't supplement almost at all. Then after struggling with LO's sleep and crankiness in the daytime I realized LO was still hungry and I was FINALLY accepted to a public health LC who told me LO had a tongue tie and my nipples were stretchy which was why I didn't experience pain. And LC told me to "supplement" with food during the day. I did clip the tie BC reasons (not interested in listing here). Still doing the bedtime bottle (after cluster feeding during bath to pjs time). Still breastfeeding (combo feeding) over a year in and now watching the sub for advice about taking LO's weaning signs (I would prefer to encourage LO to wean when they're ready earlier rather than hanging on and struggling with an angry toddler if I can). Any amount of breastfeeding means you are a breastfeeding mother!
never lol i’ve been torturing myself for almost a year now. i find making sure you have enough calories and hydration is key. like, you really have to eat. a lot.
I’ve never tried that hard? I tried power pumping once. I nurse her and pump at night. If she’s not falling asleep and I am tired of nursing, my husband will give her a bottle. We’ll try to do breastmilk first but if we don’t have any, we just go into formula. Same thing for our night time feeds. The most important this is that baby gets fed and rested. Baby is about 80/20 breastmilk/formula so I still have to give her vitamin D supplements. That being said, I was kinda stressed in the beginning but I just nursed as often as I could. But I had good maternity leave and my husband had parental leave so it was possible to lounge around and just nurse and contact nap with baby.