When I fell pregnant my partner told me that I had to breastfeed or he would be very disappointed in me. Some of his family said something similar. This made me feel quite uncomfortable. I was going to try, of course, but to be told it wasn't my choice to make felt..I don't know..quite oppressive. They spoke about formula fed babies with a real sense of pity, shame even. Formula seems to be, in their eyes, poison.
Anyway - I did try, persevering through bouts of mastitis, a poor latch, a fast let down that meant DS was uncomfortable feeding and bad reflux that meant he could only comfortably feed upright, which was near impossible a lot of the time. I saw several breastfeeding advisors to get help but even they couldn't get me feeding well. Eventually, when bf was clearly not working, I tried giving expressed milk every feed for several weeks but was completely exhausted pumping and feeding non-stop to the point where I had to introduce some formula. DS is now mix fed EBM and formula.
I got quite depressed about feeding not working out, but as I come out of that fog of sadness, I am starting to feel so fucking angry about the things DP and fam said to me about formula. I'm a young mother, my own family aren't involved, and none of my friends have babies so my partner and his family were my only source of advice. I don't know what I'm asking really, just needed to rant.