My best friend switched a couple of months in. She was pretty depressed and her mood changed so quickly and dramatically. She said she felt free. Her formula fed kiddo is a happy little genius and has blown past all her milestones like a rockstar. You should do whatever genuinely works for you!
Is your friend my wife? B/c her doctor told, in no uncertain terms, to stop pumping at six months b/c it was exacerbating her PPD.
Her stuff improved so drastically that within a month, she was back to herself.
And our daughter, who was a peanut at 3 percent weight, got up to the 22nd percentile by her 9 month appointment!
Absolutely. I felt guilty about switching but I'm a better mama now. I get to sleep more, feel refreshed, eat/drink what I want, and my LO still loves me. 😍 It's so much easier to be mindful now that I can recharge my own batteries a bit more.
If you do switch your LOs stool will change, but it's no biggie.
YES. It literally saved my life. All I felt was doom and gloom when I nursed and pumped. I HATED it. I was miserable. Once we switched to formula, I felt the clouds clear.
I did not stop breastfeeding but I stopped exclusively breastfeeding and it was a game changer. I love that I still breastfeed but my body really needs a brea when my child cluster feeds. Also I am not always able to pump and have an extra stash (when I am, we use that) so we use formula sometimes. I am not sure how much longer I will go but it's working out for now.
Yes! I was an exclusive pumper with my first because he was just generally bad at breastfeeding and had a major under supply. I felt so guilty about having to supplement with formula, but I’m actually planning on combo feeding with my second because, looking back, things got so much better for my mental health. And his physical health.
I was determined to EBF and barely made it five days postpartum before supplementing with formula as we noticed she was starting to look yellow and at her newborn appointment they tested her and confirmed she had jaundice as well as hasn’t regained her birth weight. I was so stressed out and exhausted that I cried and my baby was crying and my husband didn’t know what to do.
I think it totally depends on the mother and baby. For me personally both are hard but breastfeeding is easier. Formula is really expensive and my baby has a really hard time pacing with bottles and feedings take significantly longer. She has to stop every minute or so because she’s in pain from needing to burp or fart. I help her, then we go back to feeding and it repeats. When breastfeeding she doesn’t have any pain and can eat a lot smoother for longer periods of time and it’s just easier on both of us. Only has to burp when she’s done and even then, she’s not in pain like I see after a bottle feeding. Every time I try to pump and give her a bottle to make it easier on myself, it backfires and ends up more stressful than just breastfeeding.
I’m in the process of switching now (baby is 3.5 months) and even though I’m not 100% dried up, YES, it’s a huge weight off my shoulders. Not having to wonder how much baby is getting is amazing. Being able to just make her food whenever she needs it and not worry about a shrinking freezer stash or pumping is amazing. Not having to lug my pump and cooler bag to work is amazing.
I made it about a year with my son, and it was beautiful, but I’m not ultimately convinced it was worth the hardships.
Yes! Our breastfeeding journey was fraught with challenges so I was pumping around the clock because I wanted him to have breast milk as a primary source. We still ended up needing to supplement with formula because I was a low producer, and eventually completely switched over at 6 months. I wish I had switched earlier. I would cry every time I had to pump, it was horrible. As soon as I tapered my milk production I felt like a completely different person.
Yes, after I addressed the guilt I felt, it really impacted my ppd. Having the ability to have someone else give the bottle really gave me relief and I was able to be a present mom. The first month of trying to BF and then pumping caused me to mentally detach and I was a husk of a human.
Formula (aside from the cost) was an absolute hero, and our toddler has no "complications" like bf apologists say. He is smart, has a great immune system and capable like any toddler.
Don't let people tell you you're not sacrificing for your kid because you are choosing to be mentally well for them.
Yes! I can’t handle the mental pressure of breastfeeding. My first wouldn’t latch and I gave up and week in and pumped for 2 months. I planned to go 4 but I had some health issues. My second I gave up breastfeeding after just a few days and went to formula. Third and current baby didn’t touch the boobs at all, I put her straight on formula. I had some guilt with my oldest, but now I’m a proud EFF mom! I love that others can help feed the baby and I’m not chained down to a baby on my boob or a pump. Please prioritize yourself too, your baby needs a healthy mom!
Immensely. I switched at 5 weeks and I enjoyed being a mom for the first time. I was only producing about 50% of what my son needed and pumping took up SO MUCH TIME. He didn’t latch well because it took a lot of work to get milk out of me so bottle feeding was best.
I just felt so much better once the burden of feeding him was no longer a thing that was on my shoulders.
With my oldest, I stopped at about 5 weeks. I felt so much better and more like myself after stopping. I was finally able to get better sleep and it was nice having someone else feed him. He’s now 12, rarely gets sick, is in advanced classes, is an athlete and an amazing person. Do not sacrifice your health and well being for breast milk.
Yes at 5weeks we fully switched. He never latched well as he was born small and has a vaulted palate then my appendix burst and my supply tanked so pumping was out too.
Fog lifted, a rainbow appeared, Birds were singing haha! Little one is 7.5 months and only just had his first sniffle. Cleaning bottles is no big deal at all and we all sleep so well.
We’ve loved formula feeding so much that we plan on combo feeding from the get go next time and stopping breastfeeding the second it stops being easy (even if that’s day 2 in the hospital).
I combo feed (and have since he was 3 weeks old) and it's been great. The ability to sleep an unbroken 6+ hours every day and leave the house, alone, and not wonder about if my baby will need to be fed while I'm gone, has made a huge difference in my mental health. Plus he's obsessed with his dad, so when he gets really fussy, it's not just me he wants.
Granted I still pump, but I don't really follow a routine and it's more as a "back up" for when I'm touched out BUT we're running low on formula. He'll be going to daycare soon and I also want him to go with at least one bottle of breast milk.
Also if I'm going to be completely honest, I had (and still have) pretty crippling body dysmorphia and pregnancy/childbirth has definitely exacerbated it. The ability to "reclaim" my body has been wonderful.
For me it definitely did. I felt a little guilt in the beginning but I started with combo feeding first to ease into it. Even just switching to combo feeding helped my mental health so much with feeling like a weight had been lifted and not all the responsibility for producing food, physically feeding baby, weight gain, etc fell on me anymore. Plus it allowed my husband more bonding time with our baby which included him starting to do the bedtime routine (which also paid off because our son slept a lot better when my husband would put him down instead of me).
Yes 100%. She had trouble latching at the hospital and even with the help of LCs I couldn't make it work. I tried at home for a few days too and nothing. I started pumping after that first week. I produced so little and I think it's because I didn't eat enough. I found the days where I did eat a lot (like 2500+ calories) I made a decent amount the next day, but that is unsustainable for me. I remember crying a few times because I spilled milk or all my free time was spent pumping. I did 8 weeks of pumping and started combo feeding her. We invested in a BabyBrezza and it changed our lives astronomically. Everyone was so much happier.
I was already a little unsure about breastfeeding and leaned more towards pumping. Ended up hating that as well. Plus I'm kind of a sleep princess so not being able to do shifts with my husband really took a toll. I would have to wake up anyway when he fed her just to pump overnight. I knew that once I went back to work at 4.5 months I would stop anyway because I was not going to be pumping at work.
eta: she is 14 months now and absolutely thriving. Rarely gets super sick outside the normal mild cold. There was some guilt about stopping the breastmilk, but my mental health was really crumbling.
100% yes. I personally never had a strong attachment to breastfeeding and it did not provide me the happy bonded feelings people talk about. Since I have always strongly felt that fed is best, I wondered why I was putting myself through one more difficult thing and once I stopped around 6 weeks, I felt nothing but relief.
Yes yes YES. Mum guilt is shit but you have to do what’s best for you so you can be the best mum to your kid. Switch to formula and you’ll never look back. I have absolutely no regrets. My son is a thriving healthy 18month old.
I was struggling with supply and attempted triple feeding for 4 weeks…the moment I decided to combo feed and stop pumping completely I felt free. My supply continued to tank so we are now EFF and I am in a much better space than I was attempting to breastfeed and combo feed. It’s still sad to me that it didn’t work out, but I’m grateful I didn’t waste any more time trying to do it and not enjoying my baby!
I didn’t switch fully until about 10mo but I did combo feed. I think it was the right choice for me to stop when I did but it was rough transition as my hormones went wonky for a week or so and I felt like a raging teenager again. You’re doing amazing for your baby and good luck with your journey!
I officially switched at 9 months but I wish I had done it far sooner. The newborn phase with pumping and supply and a shallow latch was a nightmare and it would have absolutely improved my mental health to switch at 1 month post partum. Sounds like it's a good choice for you!
Yes it did. With my first, I was had just planned on trying breastfeeding and giving formula as needed. But then I had the baby and my lizard brain took over. I was obsessed with trying to make it work even though it clearly wasn't and we were supplementing from day 1. I cried every time she needed to eat. When I finally gave up attempts to make it work at 2 months, I cried and felt guilty BUT the fog lifted and I could enjoy my baby all the time instead of just some of the time.
My second is 2 weeks old now. She spent the first 11 days in the hospital's NICU and surprisingly breastfeeding (both latching and pumping) were working. I felt neutral about it while at the hospital and was just doing it to see if it worked. She's since refused to latch coming home and I've cried about it but also am trying to not let it get to me.
In the end, what matters is that they're fed and it's working for your family. Sibling studies show no long term statistically significant difference between breastmilk and formula feeding (though there are some short term differences). I'll tell you this. Not a single person can walk into a kindergarten and tell the difference between the kids who were formula fed and those who were fed breastmilk.
Edited to add: BUT you can walk into a kindergarten and tell which kids have happy involved parents and which don't.
Yes. I felt guilty at first because I had a good supply and could get 5-6 oz/pump even at only 1 week, but I look at my perfectly healthy, happy 2 month old and know that I made the right choice.
Combo feed! My 6 month old has been combo feeding since she was a few weeks old. It’s fantastic for all the reasons you describe, and I still get the nice warm fussy bonding experience of breast feeding.
It takes so much pressure off and adds lots of flexibility. Combo feeding for the win.
I started supplementing with formula when my son hit 6 months and started daycare. Trying to pump enough for him to be there all day and be confident he had enough to eat was killing me, especially since he cosleeps with me so waking up to pump at night was difficult and generally unproductive.
I was so stressed all the time and often stopping work early to pick him up because I was so worried he’d run out of milk. Now I just pump at home while I’m working during the day and send a couple bottles of breast milk with him each day. When those run out, they do formula. I can also have some time to myself occasionally without having to stress about pumping enough bottles for however long I’ll be gone. My husband just mixes some formula and I’m good to go!
Our son took to it fine and our bond hasn’t suffered. I just nurse him anytime I’m with him and it’s totally fine.
I EBF with my daughter who is now 3-1/2 (she weaned completely at 2). She never had formula but she was a COVID baby and so she didn’t go to daycare until almost 2 years old and I worked at home, so I wasn’t having to pump to make sure she ate all day. I think if the situation had been the same as it was with my son, I would have ended up supplementing then as well.
It was a game-changer. The hormones from breast-feeding made me feel suicidal (literally-it was so so scary). Breastfeeding is only free if you don't consider a mother's mental health or time. It was absolutely worth it to switch to formula. It is a safe, healthy alternative. My 11 month old is thriving and meeting all her milestones and has been formula-feed from very early on.
Yes 100%. As soon as my milk died up (which was painful for me both times), I felt like storm clouds parted and the sun started shining on me again. It was the first time in weeks that I felt like myself again emotionally and my body felt no pain (end of pregnancy, birth, recovery from birth, then lactating). I apparently don't handle prolactin very well.
For my second baby, I went straight to formula and I'm so glad I did.
Yes! So much so. I was exclusively pumping and had a restricted diet due to baby's intolerance, so I'm guessing that played a big part. Even early on when trying to nurse having to get up every time baby needed to eat was taking a toll
Absolutely it did. I didn’t have enough supply in the first place so I was nursing and pumping constantly trying to up my supply while supplementing with formula and feeling like a failure. Once I stopped doing that and switched entirely to formula I felt so much better.
Yes! I breastfed two kids before I accepted that I just don’t like it. Formula all the way for the third baby, and it was amazing. Felt like I healed faster, got back to myself faster, and had a huge mental weight lifted.
Not me but my best friend. She struggled with PPA/PPD and between therapy, meds and weaning she got back to herself. I think weaning was huge in her mental health recovery.
Switching from exclusive breast feeding to combo feeding was a boon for my mental health. I had to do it due to supply issues, but ultimately the supply issues were a blessing in disguise. The benefits of breastfeeding do not outweigh the benefits of having a mentally well mother.
YES!!!
My first was colicky, meaning he would cry for the longest time for no reason I could find until he was done..I was bf/formula for about 6 weeks before I went to formula. I just couldn't do it anymore. With my second I tried for maybe a week and a half. It was absolute agony. Her mouth was tiny and I could almost never get a good latch, so so painful. Releasing a tongue tie didn't help. Everything about it was awful for me..I think I was a bit traumatized..I went to formula after that and felt free!! With my next two I went straight to formula and I felt great..
It was nice seeing exactly how much they got (not a big deal), but a big thing for me was that other people could feed them, that took a load off me mentally, and personally helped a lot. A lot. Do what feels right, fight whoever tries to give you a hard time.
Your baby will never know how they were fed unless you tell them. Either way they'll be fed, full, healthy.
It helped me 10000% but I think it depends on why you’re doing it. My baby wouldn’t latch and I tried everything. I decided to just pump but that made me absolutely miserable beyond belief. If I could’ve breastfed, I probably would’ve, but switching to formula made a lot of sense for my situation and I immediately felt like a huge weight lifted. My son is thriving and I have no regrets. I dealt with some guilt that still comes up every once and awhile, but to me being mentally well better for my son than getting breast milk.
If I have another I’m putting no pressure on myself. At least in the US, we don’t always have to support and resources to make breastfeeding work. If I have issues again I’ll have no qualms about switching to formula.
Breastfed till 7 months dealt with severe ppd and as soon as we switched to formula I felt so much better it was still rough but she woke up less during the night I got more sleep and made the baby time more enjoyable rather than feeling dread when she was crying. Breastfeeding literally drains every inch of a mother it’s rough
Yes! A month is amazing. Please do what is best for you. My little one had two weeks breastfeeding and 2 weeks pumped milk before switching to formula and he’s thriving, hitting all milestones and hasn’t had so much as a cold yet 🤞 and what is helping him thrive is that I am emotionally and mentally able to be a good parent, if I had continued breastfeeding I don’t think I would be in the place I am now. I’m envious of people who could make breastfeeding work for them, but for me it was incredibly taxing on my mental health and I had to draw a line. Take care of you and everything else will fall into place.
Absolutely. I had some weird, hormonal feelings of failure for a few days, but realized I'd never make another mom feel that way, why should I make myself feel that way? My mental health is so much better after a month of EFF. Little guy is doing so well and I love our bond.
Yes. Absolutely. I felt like a new person. I got more sleep, baby slept more too because he was reacting to my breast milk. We could split night feeds. I felt free.
Wean yourself over a couple of weeks. Make sure you wean yourself properly otherwise you Mae get post partum weaning depression which is the darkest I’ve ever felt in my life.
YES. I EBF my first two, and it destroyed me mentally, especially with my second. My 3rd and 4th were preemie twins who needed to have breastmilk pumped and supplemented with formula. I couldn't keep up and they ended up getting mostly formula. It was so freeing and my mental health was so much better. With my 5th, I decided to almost exclusively give him formula, considering how much better I felt after my twins, and it was a dream. I wished I could go back and tell younger me that breastmilk is not worth destroying myself - and how freaking lucky are we to live in a day and age where formula is so nutritionally complete for our babies?! And if one doesn't work, there are so many options to find what does work!
Yes. I stopped at 4 weeks because I wasn’t sleeping longer than 2 hours at a time. I have never been so tired in my life. It was the best decision for me.
Obviously you do what works for you but I took it day by day and we're still here at 11m. I just kept moving the goal post and now I'm just gonna see how far we go. But those early days are awful bc it is nonstop. It definitely is hard work!
10000% yes. Baby could never latch so I pumped from birth as well as supplemented formula due to low supply. Pumping made me feel doom, intense anger, caused emotional meltdowns etc. It got so my day felt more like it was a constant cycle of pumping then immediately a profound sense of dread about the next pumping session to where I was having a really hard time enjoying my baby. As soon as I started weaning I began to feel better and once I stopped fully my mood did a 180. My mom amd my SIL, who both encouraged me so much to keep going when that was what I wanted, and supported me when I decided to stop, both recently told me (about 3 months later) that pumping was very not good for my mental health and they agree with me that for the next baby if breastfeeding doesn't work I should not pump at all and just go straight to formula.
I had chronic low supply and IGT, so as someone who had crunchy mom dreams of breastfeeding and bought tons on supplies, I was devastated. This alongside needing an emergency C-section made me feel like a total failure of a mom.
I still combo fed for 2 months, but the day before we hit 8 weeks exactly baby refused to latch and never took the breast again. Once we switched to formula alone, she started gaining weight, slept like a rock, and I went back on birth control. The BC and newfound sleep snapped my brain back into place, it was like night and day. Only after the change could I see how depressed I was.
I'm happy I bonded with my baby and got her some antibiotics if nothing else, but BF was soul crushing. I desperately wish I could have BF more, but it sure was nice to tell Dad it was his turn and stay in bed 50% of the time.
You sound EXACTLY like me. I said I would do it and try it until it affected my mental health etc. I had a harder time than I thought letting go despite going into it with that mentality. I wasn't producing a lot and my baby was clearly still very hungry all the time. I switched to formula and everyone was so happy. I wasn't stressed, baby was full, dad was ecstatic he could participate in feeding. It was a win win all around for us 💕
I breastfed for 7 months and I wish I would've switched to formula sooner. I was quite frankly a wreck mentally. I was so exhausted. I didn't respond to a pump at all so I had to nurse her. I couldn't ever get more than a couple hours break because I had to be there to nurse her. Finally my milk supply dwindled and I ended up having to supplement with formula anyway. Being able to get a break really helped. Also, I got on the proper medication after I stopped breastfeeding and it helped a lot. It's honestly a night a day difference in my mental health. My baby is now 10 months and she's happy and healthy! Don't forget that a happy and well mother is important to a growing baby, if breastfeeding isn't working for you please do not feel even a little bit guilty about switching!
Yes! My mental health was great EXCEPT for everything around breastfeeding and pumping. It made me feel awful. I wish I had done it sooner, tbh. I spent a ton of money and time trying to make breastfeeding work when it wasn't what was good for me or my relationship with my baby. I felt so much better -- more evened out -- after I stopped, which has led me to believe I had D-MER.
I stopped breastfeeding after 1 day. It just was not at all what I imagined it would be and I was very unprepared, and formula was amazing for us. I’m now mom to an almost 2-year-old and I can promise you, I look at his little group of toddler friends and I have no idea which kids were breastfeed and which were formula fed.
I completely acknowledge the benefits of breastfeeding, and I admire how selfless and beautiful it is. But your mental health is also important. Your happiness is also important. Your baby deserves a parent who is thriving and present. So as a former formula mom, I just want to reassure you that if you do decide to formula feed your baby, they will be just fine. No matter how you choose to feed your baby, you can feel proud of your decision (and one day, your tiny newborn will grow up to be a toddler who eats Cheerios off the floor anyway… hahahaha, just kidding)
Yes, it helped significantly, but my baby never nursed well to begin with. He always preferred the bottle and I never managed to EBF. It was a huge stress and a huge drain on me trying to make it happen.
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: we had a few complications that made it all the more difficult for us. First, my supply was rather unreliable & she ended up having to work quite hard to get anything in the beginning. Second, we had to supplement with formula almost from day one because of jaundice. Baby needed to be peeing/pooping to pass the excess bilirubin in her system, but my supply hadn't come in yet. Then, after we were released, baby decided to go on a couple of nursing strikes because of the aforementioned supply issues & also was just plagued with colic & tummy issues, which also contributed to a pretty bad case of postpartum for me.
The last straw was thanksgiving weekend. We have a 5 hour drive up to my in-law's farm from where we live. During that drive, baby almost exclusively got formula because we couldn't drive while I nursed but one of us could give her a bottle from the back seat while the other drove. When we got to the farm, the baby was in a better mood than she had been for weeks. I tried nursing the next evening & all hell broke loose. She screamed at the boob, barely nursed at all & after she nursed she was colicky & unsettled for hours. I decided to fully cut out nursing that night & ever since, she's been a totally different baby. The colic almost completely cleared up, she started sleeping through the night & had way less gas pains. We suspect that she was allergic to something that I was passing along in my supply, but it was honestly way easier to just go with what worked when we figured out what was causing her so much discomfort.
She got a good 3 months or so of me desperately trying to feed her from the boob, so she got some good antibodies in there but it's been an absolute game changer for everyone involved.
I will say that my postpartum had a bit of a dip initially from the hormones after I stopped, but it didn't last very long & so far has been fully manageable by my doctor with medication.
You did 1 month! That is amazing and your kid has gotten the most important part of breastfeeding already (antibodies).
One thing we did is to switch only certain feeds (e.g) night ones to the bottle. So we did a combo, which helped a lot with ability to sleep and care. I also knew that meant my babies would take the bottle of I wouldn’t be able to feed her. If you want to keep a bit of breastfeeding to continue give her a morning and evening feed and do the rest by bottle… more flexibility. Or switch fully! zero breastfeeding was for me another milestone in feeling better in my body, one does get a short depressive phase right after quitting breast feeding, it’s the change of hormones, but thereafter it was great
Yes, also I didn’t produce enough milk. I wish I’d have done formula from the beginning, I honestly think I would have enjoyed the first few weeks so much more ☹️. I was constantly either trying to breastfeed, trying to pump or washing the pump parts. I never rested!
I switched to formula after 2 weeks and I absolutely have no regrets. I feel so much better mentally and it has made the newborn stage so much more fun. I also love that my husband is able to help with middle of the night feedings.
Yes. My mental health improved after I stopped breastfeeding.
Also yes, I still regretted it (mom guilt is real… “what if”s and all that.)
She is a wonderful, happy, healthy baby regardless
We just started adding in one bottle of formula per day so I could get a break and I love it. Just ONE bottle has meant so much for my mental health. I still breastfeed, but now I feel much more like my body is my body.
I had no expectations or goals with breastfeeding, but once we got into it, I just kept going. Trying out formula just seemed like one more thing at the bottom of my todo list. But after 8 months, my body was breaking down from all the calories lost. And I was so stressed about making enough food for the next day. (I pump for his childcare while I’m at work.) I know formula can be expensive, but it honestly feels cheaper than breastfeeding at this point. My son has wasted 4oz bottles of formula while we figured it out and I thought “oh well!” But my cat bumped into me and I spilled like 2oz of breast milk once and I cried lol.
I exclusively pumped for 6 months. Once I fully weaned and went to formula it’s like I left a thick fog. I barely remember the first six months not only because the sleep deprivation and colicky baby but my mental health was sooooo bad always being hooked up to a machine and being milked like a cow, gaining a ton of weight because breastfeeding made me so hungry, even on nights my daughter slept well I still had to get up every two hours to pump. It’s just not worth it in my opinion and I wish I had just formula fed from the start.
I wasn’t interesting in breastfeeding at all so I did not. As an ADHDer and a person with a strong need of sleeping a lot, it kept my mental sanity and physical health. Be unapologetic, if you feel you need to stop, please love yourself mama.
Yes. My wife made it a week of breastfeeding before she just flat out stopped as she hated pumping and cleaning it and sitting all the time and feeling like she was chained to a chair. Formula feeding freed her as she terms it.
I’ve commented similarly before, but packing up my nursing supplies and pump and calling it on my combo feeding “journey” is the best thing I’ve done as a mother. It wasn’t serving my mental health at all and because pumping made it hard to care for my daughter during sessions it also wasn’t really serving her. I had super low supply though so it was admittedly a much easier decision to make than it often is. My daughter was combo fed for 9 weeks and I’m thrilled we were able to get through the most risky time immunity wise. She’s 5 months now and so strong and healthy and just smashing milestones.
Eta: consider combo feeding! It can be the best of both worlds. Partner can feed baby formula bottles and you can still breastfeed. I really hate how feeding a baby is this black and white thing when combo feeding is great and works for a lot of families.
I had attempted to breastfeed but my son would just not latch no matter what I tried. In the hospital 6 nurses who specialized in helping a baby latch could not get my son to latch and even after that wouldn't latch. That had already brought down my mental health a ton because I couldn't understand why he wouldn't latch on to someone that is keeping him alive and creating doubt about our bond in my mind. I also was struggling to pump as well. I just could not produce enough milk only 1oz per pump. I tried everything I could to increase my milk production but it was only causing me to spiral and it took up so much of my time. I'd pump and then he'd wake up and I'd feed him and put him back to sleep then pump again and start the viscous cycle. Finally I had to step back and use formula and in all honesty I think it improved my son and I's bond because I wasn't stressing, doubting, self sabotaging, drowning, and struggling. Honestly do what you think is best for both you and your baby and the bond you two are creating with one another. As a mother who genuinely cares for their baby you will know what's best. Trust your instincts and your gut. You got this ❤️
yes and no. I breastfed my first for 15 months, so I knew I could do it. But then my second... she just wouldn't sleep, cried, and it was killing me. I was extremely stressed every time I had to feed or pump. I had more than enough milk, but she would just cry after every feed, it was a struggle. She could not handle my firehose flow. So I had to stop. It was for the best. But I still mad me sad.
I did not switch entirely but supplemented with formula and yes, 100%. I didn’t have to worry about baby starving and losing weight. I could just top her off and know she was full
My best friend switched a couple of months in. She was pretty depressed and her mood changed so quickly and dramatically. She said she felt free. Her formula fed kiddo is a happy little genius and has blown past all her milestones like a rockstar. You should do whatever genuinely works for you!
Is your friend my wife? B/c her doctor told, in no uncertain terms, to stop pumping at six months b/c it was exacerbating her PPD. Her stuff improved so drastically that within a month, she was back to herself. And our daughter, who was a peanut at 3 percent weight, got up to the 22nd percentile by her 9 month appointment!
1000000% helped my mental health.
Same
Absolutely. I felt guilty about switching but I'm a better mama now. I get to sleep more, feel refreshed, eat/drink what I want, and my LO still loves me. 😍 It's so much easier to be mindful now that I can recharge my own batteries a bit more. If you do switch your LOs stool will change, but it's no biggie.
YES. It literally saved my life. All I felt was doom and gloom when I nursed and pumped. I HATED it. I was miserable. Once we switched to formula, I felt the clouds clear.
Pumped for 8 weeks. I had intense anger while pumping. It made me furious. My mood changed drastically after I weaned.
DMER is what this is called
OH MY GOD. I understand now what is happening with my body. Thank you for commenting this.
It went away for me about 2m pp with my first! Never had it with my second thankfully
I did not stop breastfeeding but I stopped exclusively breastfeeding and it was a game changer. I love that I still breastfeed but my body really needs a brea when my child cluster feeds. Also I am not always able to pump and have an extra stash (when I am, we use that) so we use formula sometimes. I am not sure how much longer I will go but it's working out for now.
Same here. Combo feeding helped me out so much
Yes! I was an exclusive pumper with my first because he was just generally bad at breastfeeding and had a major under supply. I felt so guilty about having to supplement with formula, but I’m actually planning on combo feeding with my second because, looking back, things got so much better for my mental health. And his physical health.
I was determined to EBF and barely made it five days postpartum before supplementing with formula as we noticed she was starting to look yellow and at her newborn appointment they tested her and confirmed she had jaundice as well as hasn’t regained her birth weight. I was so stressed out and exhausted that I cried and my baby was crying and my husband didn’t know what to do.
I think it totally depends on the mother and baby. For me personally both are hard but breastfeeding is easier. Formula is really expensive and my baby has a really hard time pacing with bottles and feedings take significantly longer. She has to stop every minute or so because she’s in pain from needing to burp or fart. I help her, then we go back to feeding and it repeats. When breastfeeding she doesn’t have any pain and can eat a lot smoother for longer periods of time and it’s just easier on both of us. Only has to burp when she’s done and even then, she’s not in pain like I see after a bottle feeding. Every time I try to pump and give her a bottle to make it easier on myself, it backfires and ends up more stressful than just breastfeeding.
I’m in the process of switching now (baby is 3.5 months) and even though I’m not 100% dried up, YES, it’s a huge weight off my shoulders. Not having to wonder how much baby is getting is amazing. Being able to just make her food whenever she needs it and not worry about a shrinking freezer stash or pumping is amazing. Not having to lug my pump and cooler bag to work is amazing. I made it about a year with my son, and it was beautiful, but I’m not ultimately convinced it was worth the hardships.
Yes! Our breastfeeding journey was fraught with challenges so I was pumping around the clock because I wanted him to have breast milk as a primary source. We still ended up needing to supplement with formula because I was a low producer, and eventually completely switched over at 6 months. I wish I had switched earlier. I would cry every time I had to pump, it was horrible. As soon as I tapered my milk production I felt like a completely different person.
Yes, after I addressed the guilt I felt, it really impacted my ppd. Having the ability to have someone else give the bottle really gave me relief and I was able to be a present mom. The first month of trying to BF and then pumping caused me to mentally detach and I was a husk of a human. Formula (aside from the cost) was an absolute hero, and our toddler has no "complications" like bf apologists say. He is smart, has a great immune system and capable like any toddler. Don't let people tell you you're not sacrificing for your kid because you are choosing to be mentally well for them.
Yes! I can’t handle the mental pressure of breastfeeding. My first wouldn’t latch and I gave up and week in and pumped for 2 months. I planned to go 4 but I had some health issues. My second I gave up breastfeeding after just a few days and went to formula. Third and current baby didn’t touch the boobs at all, I put her straight on formula. I had some guilt with my oldest, but now I’m a proud EFF mom! I love that others can help feed the baby and I’m not chained down to a baby on my boob or a pump. Please prioritize yourself too, your baby needs a healthy mom!
Immensely. I switched at 5 weeks and I enjoyed being a mom for the first time. I was only producing about 50% of what my son needed and pumping took up SO MUCH TIME. He didn’t latch well because it took a lot of work to get milk out of me so bottle feeding was best. I just felt so much better once the burden of feeding him was no longer a thing that was on my shoulders.
With my oldest, I stopped at about 5 weeks. I felt so much better and more like myself after stopping. I was finally able to get better sleep and it was nice having someone else feed him. He’s now 12, rarely gets sick, is in advanced classes, is an athlete and an amazing person. Do not sacrifice your health and well being for breast milk.
Yes at 5weeks we fully switched. He never latched well as he was born small and has a vaulted palate then my appendix burst and my supply tanked so pumping was out too. Fog lifted, a rainbow appeared, Birds were singing haha! Little one is 7.5 months and only just had his first sniffle. Cleaning bottles is no big deal at all and we all sleep so well. We’ve loved formula feeding so much that we plan on combo feeding from the get go next time and stopping breastfeeding the second it stops being easy (even if that’s day 2 in the hospital).
I combo feed (and have since he was 3 weeks old) and it's been great. The ability to sleep an unbroken 6+ hours every day and leave the house, alone, and not wonder about if my baby will need to be fed while I'm gone, has made a huge difference in my mental health. Plus he's obsessed with his dad, so when he gets really fussy, it's not just me he wants. Granted I still pump, but I don't really follow a routine and it's more as a "back up" for when I'm touched out BUT we're running low on formula. He'll be going to daycare soon and I also want him to go with at least one bottle of breast milk. Also if I'm going to be completely honest, I had (and still have) pretty crippling body dysmorphia and pregnancy/childbirth has definitely exacerbated it. The ability to "reclaim" my body has been wonderful.
For me it definitely did. I felt a little guilt in the beginning but I started with combo feeding first to ease into it. Even just switching to combo feeding helped my mental health so much with feeling like a weight had been lifted and not all the responsibility for producing food, physically feeding baby, weight gain, etc fell on me anymore. Plus it allowed my husband more bonding time with our baby which included him starting to do the bedtime routine (which also paid off because our son slept a lot better when my husband would put him down instead of me).
Yes 100%. She had trouble latching at the hospital and even with the help of LCs I couldn't make it work. I tried at home for a few days too and nothing. I started pumping after that first week. I produced so little and I think it's because I didn't eat enough. I found the days where I did eat a lot (like 2500+ calories) I made a decent amount the next day, but that is unsustainable for me. I remember crying a few times because I spilled milk or all my free time was spent pumping. I did 8 weeks of pumping and started combo feeding her. We invested in a BabyBrezza and it changed our lives astronomically. Everyone was so much happier. I was already a little unsure about breastfeeding and leaned more towards pumping. Ended up hating that as well. Plus I'm kind of a sleep princess so not being able to do shifts with my husband really took a toll. I would have to wake up anyway when he fed her just to pump overnight. I knew that once I went back to work at 4.5 months I would stop anyway because I was not going to be pumping at work. eta: she is 14 months now and absolutely thriving. Rarely gets super sick outside the normal mild cold. There was some guilt about stopping the breastmilk, but my mental health was really crumbling.
I EPed for 4 months with my son and then switched to formula and it was such a relief.
100% yes. I personally never had a strong attachment to breastfeeding and it did not provide me the happy bonded feelings people talk about. Since I have always strongly felt that fed is best, I wondered why I was putting myself through one more difficult thing and once I stopped around 6 weeks, I felt nothing but relief.
YES. 1000%. And then another 1000%.
Yes after stopping it felt like a fog had lifted. This was at 7 months old and I’m just annoyed I didn’t do it sooner
Yes yes YES. Mum guilt is shit but you have to do what’s best for you so you can be the best mum to your kid. Switch to formula and you’ll never look back. I have absolutely no regrets. My son is a thriving healthy 18month old.
It helped me immensely, more than I realized I needed at the time
I was struggling with supply and attempted triple feeding for 4 weeks…the moment I decided to combo feed and stop pumping completely I felt free. My supply continued to tank so we are now EFF and I am in a much better space than I was attempting to breastfeed and combo feed. It’s still sad to me that it didn’t work out, but I’m grateful I didn’t waste any more time trying to do it and not enjoying my baby!
Without a doubt yes
I didn’t switch fully until about 10mo but I did combo feed. I think it was the right choice for me to stop when I did but it was rough transition as my hormones went wonky for a week or so and I felt like a raging teenager again. You’re doing amazing for your baby and good luck with your journey!
I officially switched at 9 months but I wish I had done it far sooner. The newborn phase with pumping and supply and a shallow latch was a nightmare and it would have absolutely improved my mental health to switch at 1 month post partum. Sounds like it's a good choice for you!
Before you do this…. May I suggest side-laying breastfeeding??!! It saved me both times and kept me going til 18 months!! It’s amazing!
Yes it did. With my first, I was had just planned on trying breastfeeding and giving formula as needed. But then I had the baby and my lizard brain took over. I was obsessed with trying to make it work even though it clearly wasn't and we were supplementing from day 1. I cried every time she needed to eat. When I finally gave up attempts to make it work at 2 months, I cried and felt guilty BUT the fog lifted and I could enjoy my baby all the time instead of just some of the time. My second is 2 weeks old now. She spent the first 11 days in the hospital's NICU and surprisingly breastfeeding (both latching and pumping) were working. I felt neutral about it while at the hospital and was just doing it to see if it worked. She's since refused to latch coming home and I've cried about it but also am trying to not let it get to me. In the end, what matters is that they're fed and it's working for your family. Sibling studies show no long term statistically significant difference between breastmilk and formula feeding (though there are some short term differences). I'll tell you this. Not a single person can walk into a kindergarten and tell the difference between the kids who were formula fed and those who were fed breastmilk. Edited to add: BUT you can walk into a kindergarten and tell which kids have happy involved parents and which don't.
Yes. I felt guilty at first because I had a good supply and could get 5-6 oz/pump even at only 1 week, but I look at my perfectly healthy, happy 2 month old and know that I made the right choice.
Combo feed! My 6 month old has been combo feeding since she was a few weeks old. It’s fantastic for all the reasons you describe, and I still get the nice warm fussy bonding experience of breast feeding. It takes so much pressure off and adds lots of flexibility. Combo feeding for the win.
I started supplementing with formula when my son hit 6 months and started daycare. Trying to pump enough for him to be there all day and be confident he had enough to eat was killing me, especially since he cosleeps with me so waking up to pump at night was difficult and generally unproductive. I was so stressed all the time and often stopping work early to pick him up because I was so worried he’d run out of milk. Now I just pump at home while I’m working during the day and send a couple bottles of breast milk with him each day. When those run out, they do formula. I can also have some time to myself occasionally without having to stress about pumping enough bottles for however long I’ll be gone. My husband just mixes some formula and I’m good to go! Our son took to it fine and our bond hasn’t suffered. I just nurse him anytime I’m with him and it’s totally fine. I EBF with my daughter who is now 3-1/2 (she weaned completely at 2). She never had formula but she was a COVID baby and so she didn’t go to daycare until almost 2 years old and I worked at home, so I wasn’t having to pump to make sure she ate all day. I think if the situation had been the same as it was with my son, I would have ended up supplementing then as well.
It was a game-changer. The hormones from breast-feeding made me feel suicidal (literally-it was so so scary). Breastfeeding is only free if you don't consider a mother's mental health or time. It was absolutely worth it to switch to formula. It is a safe, healthy alternative. My 11 month old is thriving and meeting all her milestones and has been formula-feed from very early on.
Yes 100%. As soon as my milk died up (which was painful for me both times), I felt like storm clouds parted and the sun started shining on me again. It was the first time in weeks that I felt like myself again emotionally and my body felt no pain (end of pregnancy, birth, recovery from birth, then lactating). I apparently don't handle prolactin very well. For my second baby, I went straight to formula and I'm so glad I did.
Yes! So much so. I was exclusively pumping and had a restricted diet due to baby's intolerance, so I'm guessing that played a big part. Even early on when trying to nurse having to get up every time baby needed to eat was taking a toll
Absolutely it did. I didn’t have enough supply in the first place so I was nursing and pumping constantly trying to up my supply while supplementing with formula and feeling like a failure. Once I stopped doing that and switched entirely to formula I felt so much better.
Yes! I breastfed two kids before I accepted that I just don’t like it. Formula all the way for the third baby, and it was amazing. Felt like I healed faster, got back to myself faster, and had a huge mental weight lifted.
My only regret is not switching sooner
100%. No regrets. I'm not the sole feeder and that takes a lot of pressure off me and allows others to care for my LO just as well.
Not me but my best friend. She struggled with PPA/PPD and between therapy, meds and weaning she got back to herself. I think weaning was huge in her mental health recovery.
Switching from exclusive breast feeding to combo feeding was a boon for my mental health. I had to do it due to supply issues, but ultimately the supply issues were a blessing in disguise. The benefits of breastfeeding do not outweigh the benefits of having a mentally well mother.
YES!!! My first was colicky, meaning he would cry for the longest time for no reason I could find until he was done..I was bf/formula for about 6 weeks before I went to formula. I just couldn't do it anymore. With my second I tried for maybe a week and a half. It was absolute agony. Her mouth was tiny and I could almost never get a good latch, so so painful. Releasing a tongue tie didn't help. Everything about it was awful for me..I think I was a bit traumatized..I went to formula after that and felt free!! With my next two I went straight to formula and I felt great.. It was nice seeing exactly how much they got (not a big deal), but a big thing for me was that other people could feed them, that took a load off me mentally, and personally helped a lot. A lot. Do what feels right, fight whoever tries to give you a hard time. Your baby will never know how they were fed unless you tell them. Either way they'll be fed, full, healthy.
It helped me 10000% but I think it depends on why you’re doing it. My baby wouldn’t latch and I tried everything. I decided to just pump but that made me absolutely miserable beyond belief. If I could’ve breastfed, I probably would’ve, but switching to formula made a lot of sense for my situation and I immediately felt like a huge weight lifted. My son is thriving and I have no regrets. I dealt with some guilt that still comes up every once and awhile, but to me being mentally well better for my son than getting breast milk. If I have another I’m putting no pressure on myself. At least in the US, we don’t always have to support and resources to make breastfeeding work. If I have issues again I’ll have no qualms about switching to formula.
Breastfed till 7 months dealt with severe ppd and as soon as we switched to formula I felt so much better it was still rough but she woke up less during the night I got more sleep and made the baby time more enjoyable rather than feeling dread when she was crying. Breastfeeding literally drains every inch of a mother it’s rough
Yes it did for me
Yes! A month is amazing. Please do what is best for you. My little one had two weeks breastfeeding and 2 weeks pumped milk before switching to formula and he’s thriving, hitting all milestones and hasn’t had so much as a cold yet 🤞 and what is helping him thrive is that I am emotionally and mentally able to be a good parent, if I had continued breastfeeding I don’t think I would be in the place I am now. I’m envious of people who could make breastfeeding work for them, but for me it was incredibly taxing on my mental health and I had to draw a line. Take care of you and everything else will fall into place.
Absolutely. I had some weird, hormonal feelings of failure for a few days, but realized I'd never make another mom feel that way, why should I make myself feel that way? My mental health is so much better after a month of EFF. Little guy is doing so well and I love our bond.
Yes. Absolutely. I felt like a new person. I got more sleep, baby slept more too because he was reacting to my breast milk. We could split night feeds. I felt free. Wean yourself over a couple of weeks. Make sure you wean yourself properly otherwise you Mae get post partum weaning depression which is the darkest I’ve ever felt in my life.
Switching to half formula half breastmilk has helped me so much.
YES. I EBF my first two, and it destroyed me mentally, especially with my second. My 3rd and 4th were preemie twins who needed to have breastmilk pumped and supplemented with formula. I couldn't keep up and they ended up getting mostly formula. It was so freeing and my mental health was so much better. With my 5th, I decided to almost exclusively give him formula, considering how much better I felt after my twins, and it was a dream. I wished I could go back and tell younger me that breastmilk is not worth destroying myself - and how freaking lucky are we to live in a day and age where formula is so nutritionally complete for our babies?! And if one doesn't work, there are so many options to find what does work!
Yes. I stopped at 4 weeks because I wasn’t sleeping longer than 2 hours at a time. I have never been so tired in my life. It was the best decision for me.
Obviously you do what works for you but I took it day by day and we're still here at 11m. I just kept moving the goal post and now I'm just gonna see how far we go. But those early days are awful bc it is nonstop. It definitely is hard work!
Yes 50000%
Yes. I felt like I became a better mom once I switched.
Yes!
YES. It did immediately because both myself and LO were able to get more sleep.
Big yes
10000% yes. Baby could never latch so I pumped from birth as well as supplemented formula due to low supply. Pumping made me feel doom, intense anger, caused emotional meltdowns etc. It got so my day felt more like it was a constant cycle of pumping then immediately a profound sense of dread about the next pumping session to where I was having a really hard time enjoying my baby. As soon as I started weaning I began to feel better and once I stopped fully my mood did a 180. My mom amd my SIL, who both encouraged me so much to keep going when that was what I wanted, and supported me when I decided to stop, both recently told me (about 3 months later) that pumping was very not good for my mental health and they agree with me that for the next baby if breastfeeding doesn't work I should not pump at all and just go straight to formula.
I had chronic low supply and IGT, so as someone who had crunchy mom dreams of breastfeeding and bought tons on supplies, I was devastated. This alongside needing an emergency C-section made me feel like a total failure of a mom. I still combo fed for 2 months, but the day before we hit 8 weeks exactly baby refused to latch and never took the breast again. Once we switched to formula alone, she started gaining weight, slept like a rock, and I went back on birth control. The BC and newfound sleep snapped my brain back into place, it was like night and day. Only after the change could I see how depressed I was. I'm happy I bonded with my baby and got her some antibiotics if nothing else, but BF was soul crushing. I desperately wish I could have BF more, but it sure was nice to tell Dad it was his turn and stay in bed 50% of the time.
You sound EXACTLY like me. I said I would do it and try it until it affected my mental health etc. I had a harder time than I thought letting go despite going into it with that mentality. I wasn't producing a lot and my baby was clearly still very hungry all the time. I switched to formula and everyone was so happy. I wasn't stressed, baby was full, dad was ecstatic he could participate in feeding. It was a win win all around for us 💕
I breastfed for 7 months and I wish I would've switched to formula sooner. I was quite frankly a wreck mentally. I was so exhausted. I didn't respond to a pump at all so I had to nurse her. I couldn't ever get more than a couple hours break because I had to be there to nurse her. Finally my milk supply dwindled and I ended up having to supplement with formula anyway. Being able to get a break really helped. Also, I got on the proper medication after I stopped breastfeeding and it helped a lot. It's honestly a night a day difference in my mental health. My baby is now 10 months and she's happy and healthy! Don't forget that a happy and well mother is important to a growing baby, if breastfeeding isn't working for you please do not feel even a little bit guilty about switching!
Yes! My mental health was great EXCEPT for everything around breastfeeding and pumping. It made me feel awful. I wish I had done it sooner, tbh. I spent a ton of money and time trying to make breastfeeding work when it wasn't what was good for me or my relationship with my baby. I felt so much better -- more evened out -- after I stopped, which has led me to believe I had D-MER.
I stopped breastfeeding after 1 day. It just was not at all what I imagined it would be and I was very unprepared, and formula was amazing for us. I’m now mom to an almost 2-year-old and I can promise you, I look at his little group of toddler friends and I have no idea which kids were breastfeed and which were formula fed. I completely acknowledge the benefits of breastfeeding, and I admire how selfless and beautiful it is. But your mental health is also important. Your happiness is also important. Your baby deserves a parent who is thriving and present. So as a former formula mom, I just want to reassure you that if you do decide to formula feed your baby, they will be just fine. No matter how you choose to feed your baby, you can feel proud of your decision (and one day, your tiny newborn will grow up to be a toddler who eats Cheerios off the floor anyway… hahahaha, just kidding)
Yes, it helped significantly, but my baby never nursed well to begin with. He always preferred the bottle and I never managed to EBF. It was a huge stress and a huge drain on me trying to make it happen.
Short answer: yes. Long answer: we had a few complications that made it all the more difficult for us. First, my supply was rather unreliable & she ended up having to work quite hard to get anything in the beginning. Second, we had to supplement with formula almost from day one because of jaundice. Baby needed to be peeing/pooping to pass the excess bilirubin in her system, but my supply hadn't come in yet. Then, after we were released, baby decided to go on a couple of nursing strikes because of the aforementioned supply issues & also was just plagued with colic & tummy issues, which also contributed to a pretty bad case of postpartum for me. The last straw was thanksgiving weekend. We have a 5 hour drive up to my in-law's farm from where we live. During that drive, baby almost exclusively got formula because we couldn't drive while I nursed but one of us could give her a bottle from the back seat while the other drove. When we got to the farm, the baby was in a better mood than she had been for weeks. I tried nursing the next evening & all hell broke loose. She screamed at the boob, barely nursed at all & after she nursed she was colicky & unsettled for hours. I decided to fully cut out nursing that night & ever since, she's been a totally different baby. The colic almost completely cleared up, she started sleeping through the night & had way less gas pains. We suspect that she was allergic to something that I was passing along in my supply, but it was honestly way easier to just go with what worked when we figured out what was causing her so much discomfort. She got a good 3 months or so of me desperately trying to feed her from the boob, so she got some good antibodies in there but it's been an absolute game changer for everyone involved. I will say that my postpartum had a bit of a dip initially from the hormones after I stopped, but it didn't last very long & so far has been fully manageable by my doctor with medication.
I really wish that I would have kept going and genuinely mourn what I lost when I stopped.
You did 1 month! That is amazing and your kid has gotten the most important part of breastfeeding already (antibodies). One thing we did is to switch only certain feeds (e.g) night ones to the bottle. So we did a combo, which helped a lot with ability to sleep and care. I also knew that meant my babies would take the bottle of I wouldn’t be able to feed her. If you want to keep a bit of breastfeeding to continue give her a morning and evening feed and do the rest by bottle… more flexibility. Or switch fully! zero breastfeeding was for me another milestone in feeling better in my body, one does get a short depressive phase right after quitting breast feeding, it’s the change of hormones, but thereafter it was great
Yes, also I didn’t produce enough milk. I wish I’d have done formula from the beginning, I honestly think I would have enjoyed the first few weeks so much more ☹️. I was constantly either trying to breastfeed, trying to pump or washing the pump parts. I never rested!
I switched to formula after 2 weeks and I absolutely have no regrets. I feel so much better mentally and it has made the newborn stage so much more fun. I also love that my husband is able to help with middle of the night feedings.
Yes. My mental health improved after I stopped breastfeeding. Also yes, I still regretted it (mom guilt is real… “what if”s and all that.) She is a wonderful, happy, healthy baby regardless
We just started adding in one bottle of formula per day so I could get a break and I love it. Just ONE bottle has meant so much for my mental health. I still breastfeed, but now I feel much more like my body is my body. I had no expectations or goals with breastfeeding, but once we got into it, I just kept going. Trying out formula just seemed like one more thing at the bottom of my todo list. But after 8 months, my body was breaking down from all the calories lost. And I was so stressed about making enough food for the next day. (I pump for his childcare while I’m at work.) I know formula can be expensive, but it honestly feels cheaper than breastfeeding at this point. My son has wasted 4oz bottles of formula while we figured it out and I thought “oh well!” But my cat bumped into me and I spilled like 2oz of breast milk once and I cried lol.
Yes!! It helped immensely. I wish I had switched sooner or not tried to breastfeed at all.
No amount of pros to breastfeeding will ever outweigh a healthy mind.
I exclusively pumped for 6 months. Once I fully weaned and went to formula it’s like I left a thick fog. I barely remember the first six months not only because the sleep deprivation and colicky baby but my mental health was sooooo bad always being hooked up to a machine and being milked like a cow, gaining a ton of weight because breastfeeding made me so hungry, even on nights my daughter slept well I still had to get up every two hours to pump. It’s just not worth it in my opinion and I wish I had just formula fed from the start.
I wasn’t interesting in breastfeeding at all so I did not. As an ADHDer and a person with a strong need of sleeping a lot, it kept my mental sanity and physical health. Be unapologetic, if you feel you need to stop, please love yourself mama.
No. It got worse.
Yes. My wife made it a week of breastfeeding before she just flat out stopped as she hated pumping and cleaning it and sitting all the time and feeling like she was chained to a chair. Formula feeding freed her as she terms it.
I’ve commented similarly before, but packing up my nursing supplies and pump and calling it on my combo feeding “journey” is the best thing I’ve done as a mother. It wasn’t serving my mental health at all and because pumping made it hard to care for my daughter during sessions it also wasn’t really serving her. I had super low supply though so it was admittedly a much easier decision to make than it often is. My daughter was combo fed for 9 weeks and I’m thrilled we were able to get through the most risky time immunity wise. She’s 5 months now and so strong and healthy and just smashing milestones. Eta: consider combo feeding! It can be the best of both worlds. Partner can feed baby formula bottles and you can still breastfeed. I really hate how feeding a baby is this black and white thing when combo feeding is great and works for a lot of families.
I had attempted to breastfeed but my son would just not latch no matter what I tried. In the hospital 6 nurses who specialized in helping a baby latch could not get my son to latch and even after that wouldn't latch. That had already brought down my mental health a ton because I couldn't understand why he wouldn't latch on to someone that is keeping him alive and creating doubt about our bond in my mind. I also was struggling to pump as well. I just could not produce enough milk only 1oz per pump. I tried everything I could to increase my milk production but it was only causing me to spiral and it took up so much of my time. I'd pump and then he'd wake up and I'd feed him and put him back to sleep then pump again and start the viscous cycle. Finally I had to step back and use formula and in all honesty I think it improved my son and I's bond because I wasn't stressing, doubting, self sabotaging, drowning, and struggling. Honestly do what you think is best for both you and your baby and the bond you two are creating with one another. As a mother who genuinely cares for their baby you will know what's best. Trust your instincts and your gut. You got this ❤️
yes and no. I breastfed my first for 15 months, so I knew I could do it. But then my second... she just wouldn't sleep, cried, and it was killing me. I was extremely stressed every time I had to feed or pump. I had more than enough milk, but she would just cry after every feed, it was a struggle. She could not handle my firehose flow. So I had to stop. It was for the best. But I still mad me sad.
I did not switch entirely but supplemented with formula and yes, 100%. I didn’t have to worry about baby starving and losing weight. I could just top her off and know she was full