Feeling guilty for switching from breast to formual after 4 weeks...anyone else in same situation?

[Deaby]

hi all, I have a 5 week old now who I exclusively breast fed for the first month but am now finding it difficult to do so as it just doesn't fit in with my family life and situation. I breast fed my first child exclusively for 6 months and now feel like a bad mother for not doing the same for my second, but I just am not enjoying it this time and I find it hard to dedicate so much time breast-feeding the second when I also have another 3 year old child to look after and spend time with. Anyone else felt like this? And how did you cope with the guilt? I am currently now doing 3 breast feeds and 3 formula feeds a day and hoping to fully formula feed in a few weeks.

Do you want to full formula feed or have you considered mixed feeding? It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

I fed both mine and to be homist don't think forumla would have been easier with a toddler then BF was. But DS was a very seateled baby, you need to do what works best for your whole family.

meh, guilt is over-rated

do what best for your family

Try not to feel guilty, u have given your baby a really good start. I began mixed feeding at 4 week for same reason. My 7 year old dd was feeling left out and I just couldn't give her the attention she deserved. Mixed feeding suits us all much better. I think its much easier to feed a first and I really wish the practicalities of bf would be discussed openly by professionals and in leaflets etc. Bf should be promoted as a positive thing but the fact its difficult and can have an impact on family life should be acknowledged too. I think so many woman feel upset and inadequate (myself included) when they struggle to bf a second child after feeding a 1st easily. Anyway good luck and think of the positives, no more ugly bras, leaky boobs other people can give a bottle while u play with your other child!

Hi, I am in a situation where I am switching to bottle feeding and I was wondering how you did it? Dropping a feed at a time a week? My baby is 6 weeks old now so similar age to yours.

Also I have dropped a breast feed late afternoon and replaced with a bottle but he still needs a feed 2 hours after this - is this normal, I thought they could go for longer on the bottle.....

Hi again thanks for your comments. Phi Jane yes I have been dropping a breastfeed a week so now just got two more to drop and I will be breastfeeding free. Have also been manually pumping breast to ease soreness and using the milk to feed baby via bottle and topping up with formula.

They should really go longer with formula, around three hours or more. How many ounces of milk did you give your little one? Maybe increase it by another ounce and see if that helps?

Some do go longer with formula, some don't. Some only want to feed little and often, every baby is different and you'll have to work out what your lo is like.

Your still meant to feed on demand even with formula they don't really recomend sechduals anymore, although because you know how much they are having your' probably going to be able to predicte feeds a bit more actuartly.

Deaby I was in exactly the same position as you....my DS was 3.5 when DD was born last May. I found breast-feeding inconvenient with caring for both DD and DS and switched to formula after the first month. On the breast DD wanted it every 45mins-1hr and we just couldn't do anything or go anywhere. I thought I can either BF baby and ignore the needs of DS or FF and have the ability to go to parks, musuems, farms basically enjoy the summer weather and be there for both of them. I dont have any guilt, my decision suited me and my circumstances

Good for you baking addict! its good to hear a guilt free tale of stopping feeding. In the early days when your baby is constantly feeding people say "it will pass" and "it won't be like this forever" but that means nothing to an older child who is feeling pushed out! Yes breastfeeding does take 6-8 weeks to get established but sometimes that's just too long for the wider needs of your family to wait.

Don't feel guilty you have done well!

No guilt please. You do what suits you and yours.

I went over to ff for the reasons you say - dd2 was feeding so frequently that I found it hard to go anywhere with ds1 (2.5) and as he is a bit of a bolter, I can't let him roam while I feed. Now we can plan visits out much better. You need to be a good mum to both dcs, not just the second by breast feeding. Don't feel guilty.

i had 2 stop at 4 weeks aswell, my boy just didnt seem satisfied with my breastmilk, so i tried doing both (bottle in the day, breast at night), but my milk dried up, was really upsetting, but i just try and think i gave him the important bit at the start, dont feel bad :)