Where are formula feeding mammas at

[makingdecisionsforme]

Decided today I will throw in the towel for breastfeeding for the second time. With DC1 I ended up pumping exclusively as it didn't work out and day in day out I pumped, until 21 weeks (just shy of 5 months).

I couldn't face the pumps again, from 7 weeks if DH wanted to help with a night feed I stopped pumping a feed and told him to make formula. And from there with each feed dropped I've felt so much better as a mum.

Down to just 7am feed now and it's not going well. From tomorrow I will hand express it until a few weeks when I drop it. DC2 is 12 weeks, will be 15 weeks when I drop it.

Looking for some solidarity from mammas who have walked my shoes to tell me it's ok! And everything will be ok! I feel so happy in my decision but need some extra cheer.

I was unable to breastfeed and DD had formula - she’s no a happy, healthy, bright 4 year old. At the time I felt guilty as sin about it; with hindsight that was a ridiculous reaction.

Absolutely nothing wrong with switching to formula!

I expressed for my premature twins for 2 months and it just about broke me. I hated it from the first day to the last but felt I had no other option because they couldn't have formula so would have been given donated breastmilk. People don't realise how relentless and time consuming it is on top of everything else. They were still less than 5lbs and over a month from their due date when I decided to throw in the towel. The hospital weaned them onto formula and they were totally fine. They're 5 now and very healthy. I also have 2 other children who have only ever had formula and I don't feel the slightest bit of guilt about it. The mental health and wellbeing of a Mother is more important 😊

If you're still expressing I recommend putting some in the freezer to save for when baby has an illness

Ps I also exclusively pumped (topped up with formula) for 6 months and it was hard work and I missed out on a lot being chained to the breast pump. There's not a chance I could have done that with a toddler to look after too

I remember bringing my baby home from hospital. She'd cried while we were there trying to establish breast feeding, she cried when we got home, I was so tired, she wouldn't sleep, she just screamed. I gave her the emergency formula we had got just in case and voila, sweet relief.

After that I tortured myself trying to combi feed for a few weeks, doing bottles but also pumping so the worst of both worlds. I remember posting on here desperately trying to justify why I was considering throwing in the towel. I just needed someone to tell me it was ok and I hadn't failed my baby (by this point she'd had a good 2 weeks of breast milk alongside formula). I was so relieved when some random MNer told me it was ok and I'd done a good job.

Never looked back. She thrived. I slept. We were both so much happier.

I swapped with dd1 about a week in and was the best thing I ever did. I was going rapidly down hill mood wise and it really helped. Dd1 just would not latch on and it was awful. I didn't even try with dd2. Fed is best op 👌🏻