Is it worth trying to bf at all if I intend to ff from a few weeks old?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Pg with my 3rd dc,very pro bf. I desperately tried to bf with both my dc but it didn't work out both times. I'm usually quite anemic, I don't know if this had any bearing on it. With my first, he was jaundiced and had to go under the hot lights, he got really dehydrated and hungry so we had to start supplementing with ff (he genuinely wasn't getting enough from me, you could see his fontanelle pulsing, I tried and tried) and carried on feeding both ways for a good few weeks til it made no sense for me to be so sore, and him so hungry and cross when I could just feed him a bottle. He was much happier when we did ff full time, bless him.

My second, I tried again, determined to make it work as she wasn't jaundiced. I read loads, I let her just feed and feed, she cluster fed for hours every evening. The weight fell off her, she went from 7lb to 6lb in just over a week, the hospital were worried. I started supplementing with a hospital grade electric breastpump and the medela supplemental nursing system which was a great concept but a lot of faff, and I just wasn't producing much. It got to the point where it was obvious it wasn't going to work and I just needed her fed.

This time round, I know I will ff, I know that for whatever reason, supply, maternal health, whatever, I can't bf successfully. So is there any point in trying to establish bf for the first few weeks just to pass on the antibodies (bearing in mind I'll have two other dc to see to, and will also have to supplement) or should I just sod it all and start with bottles immediately? Is it worth it?

I think it's really important not to put yourself under pressure to bf. If you are planning on ff why not set a limit on bf that feels doable?
Maybe 1 day, 3 days, a week? That way if you then switch to formula then you will have met your target but if its going well you can just take it day by day.

There is far more to parenting than where the milk comes from.

Thanks EMS, that's a lovely idea. I'd still like to find a place (and keep thinking of posting here to ask but get a but scared) to come to terms with and really process my bf experience last time, I don't know if there are physiological checks that can be done in advance to see what my chances of success are second time round. I don't want all the "every woman can bf", "have you tried terrifying exotic herbs" or "badgered your dr for a prescription.". Rationally I don't think it's important enough to take things that far myself, although I completely understand why people do.

And sorry I realise that could look like a dig at the very heart felt, well meaning ideas here, that really isn't how it's intended. Thank you for posting.

Yes, sipper has a good point on jaw issues - they can often be mixed up with tongue tie. Both my DS's bf'ing (and my older DS's dribble problem) improved after having their tongue tie snipped, but we saw much, much more improvement after seeing an osteopath who helped release some of the tension around the jaw/chest which went along with the tongue tie. For us both were necessary, but it's worth investigating if you have cause for concern.