advice please - Stopping BF & moving to formula

[WilliamItWasReallyNothing]

I've managed 6 weeks BF but I've realised it is never going to stop hurting and I need to stop. Has anyone else moved to formula at this stage? I'd like some advice on how to move to formula - as BF is hurting I'd like to make the change quite rapidly. Can I just stop or is this asking for mastitis?

Sorry to hear that you are in pain with bfing William, love the name BTW.

Have you thought about ringing the NCT bfing line to talk through how to do it without getting Mastitis?

After 6 weeks things got a lot better for me painwise, my boobs just turned into marshmallows and I realised I could stay out all day as I wouldn't run out of of formula and I didn't have to sterialise in the middle of the night, have you checked with your heath visitor or midwife for support?

Like Malachy, the first 6 weeks were the worst for me with both DC and you've managed that.

It seems a shame to give up when you done the hardest bit and you won't get to enjoy the convenience of bfing. If you give up now you'll have had the difficult bit of bfing and then the inconvenience of ff.

In no way am I judging your decision though William.

Thanks for the advice both of you:)

I keep hoping that things will improve but there is still no change. DS has a Tongue tie which has been divided but the lactation consultant now says there is a further tie behind which will need dividing in hospital. Not sure I can face hoping for a further improvement only to be disappointed again. I will miss the convenience of BF:(

Poor you. Have you got an appointment for the next divide? Could you keep going until then?

Glad you have got the support of a Lactation Consultant too.

Haven't been referred to the hospital yet so no appointment date yet. Might be able to keep going but BF taking all my mental & physical energy and feel I need to start to re-join the real world again. I feel like I'm neglecting my DD too - she's just turned 2 and deserves more of my time than she's getting.

Perhaps my nipples will toughen up but they're still getting grazed at every feed so I don't think so

Could you talk to the LC about getting an appointment and also about how to cope in the meantime?

Thought I'd bump this for you to see if you can get someone with experience or training

Williamitwasreallynothing - you can call any of the bf lines and talk this through. They will accept you have decided to switch and should not try to question this, though they may go through the options you have to check you have ruled them out. I am a bfc and this is not an uncommon request at all.

Moving to formula is best done gradually - if your baby has predicatable feed times, more or less, you can replace one bf a day every few days with a formula feed. It's not something to do rapidly, sorry, but you can prob speed up a bit once you have dropped, say, three bf in a day. This is not the only way to do things - some women keep the night feeds going for a while, and some top up with formula at every feed and reduce their bf that way.

Hope you find a way that feels right for you, and sorry bf has been so difficult for you :(

Sorry if I came over as questioning your decision WilliamItWasReallyNothing, I really didn't mean to. Hope you find a way that suits you all .

William I made it to 6 weeks with one of my 3 dc's, for 4 of these I had mastitis and was on antibiotics and felt dreadful. Like you I decided I'd had enough and felt it was a miracle I'd carried on that long.

The gp was great at giving out the prescriptions but that was about it.

How I stopped (which worked for me as I have never had a problem expressing) was to put dd on formula and express when I needed to, gradually reducing the amount.

The bm didn't go to waste as I saved it up until it made a whole feed (within 12 hours in the fridge)!

It was a bit faffy with all the sterilising of pumps, bottles etc, but I didn't regret it as I'd been feeling simply awful.

Try to get some help and advice and if in the end you do decide to switch do take care of yourself as the last thing you want is mastitis.