Just gave formula to ds for 1st time, devastated doesn't come close

[smk84]

Just so gutted and feel so alone cos everyone around me thinks formula is fine, but my heart is broken. Ds is 18weeks. I didn't want to do it but I haven't been coping well. Feeding has been so difficult and was at end of line with support and his weight gain wasn't good, struggling to track .0.4, seeming permanently hungry.,hoping it will be just 1 bottle a day, but I just feel like I,ve put a massive dent in a new Ferrari. Now will be waiting for his poo to change. Feel devastated and in floods of tears :(

Sorry for all the mistakes, can't get used to this keyboard !

Swivel I don't think I have done any better. Dh would probably tell you that we should have done this long before.
Juneau I think I am going to print out what you said, it is something that hadn't even crossed my mind as have been so absorbed with all the negatives. Thank you :)
Hefner, which times did you give the bottles?
Everyone who has done this, did you pump when you gave the bottles? Not sure if I should be doing this? I have been, but really could do with a break from the whole business!

I'm so glad you've found some reassurance on this thread. Ignore your nan, you gave ds the best possible start by breastfeeding him, and you added formula when it became clear that he needed more, you've done a brilliant job. Oh and ignore the midwife too - it is definitely worth mix feeding if you can manage it, your baby will still get lots of benefits from breastfeeding.

I gave formula as a top up straight after the first bf in the morning, and the bedtime bf. I think I pumped while dh gave the evening bottle for a while but soon gave up, like you I needed a break.

Whoever said there's no point mix feeding is so wrong. There's so much focus on this 'virgin gut' thing these days and how it's only there if you ebf, that people forget the really important things that breast milk gives, irrespective of that gut thing. Your milk gives antibodies and lymphocytes to fight against infection, so protecting your child against anything you have come into contact with. It also is easily digestible so easy on the tummy, and contains exactly the right nutrients etc for your baby. As far as I know there haven't been long-term studies on mix fed babies anyway. They know that the formula changes the gut, but not the long-term effects of mix feeding vs formula feeding.

I'm happy mix feeding. DS'd starve if I tried to ebf, but with top-ups is a happy, thriving baby that still has most of the benefits of the breast milk. Yours will be too :).

Every breastfeed counts. So whoever told you there's no point in mixed feeding is talking bollocks. They still get the benefits from breastmilk :)

You're doing brilliantly, hope you're being a little easier on yourself today.

Thanks Hefner :) Aamia that's a good point.
Sir boo thank you, I am trying to be, but really struggling with change in his poo and that bf seems such hard work for him in comparison to the bottle. Wish I could buy my own breastmilk to go in bottles for him, bf has been such a struggle :(

Do you mean each feed is a struggle for him? What's he doing?

Not every feed spbb, but he spends quite a lot of time moaning or grunting or sleeping, and I feels like not much swallowing these days. He sometimes only stays on for the initial let down, on the other hand he might spend 30 mins doing long deep sucks very 5 mins. He seems to slip off as feed goes on often. It's all flipping stressful!