Anxious about breastfeeding 3rd...do I just bottle feed..help please...!!

[susiedon38]

Due DS in 6 weeks and had decided until yesterday that I would bottle feed....now I feel undecided and quite anxious..mainly due to fears of chronic post natal dep coming back again, mastitis, baby not gaining weight, feelings of being trapped and having 2 other young children to look after and get to school/nursery etc....

BF DD1 with success....she gained weight very well....moderate PND for me
DD2 was an awful experience...apart from v painful mastitis, thrush (which we both had) she didn't gain weight...then refused a bottle. Chronic PND

I wasn't honest about the PND until she was about 9 mths old and by that point I was really ill...felt totally trapped as she didnt really eat solids either and in honesty I hated that time with my baby.

I dont know if BF will increase my risk of PND if I do get it again..and if I will be able to take antidep while BF.....and I keep thinking my mental state of health may be more important in caring for my children rather than pushing ahead with the BF. Also v fearful if I start to BF he will not take a bottle.....and again I have those feeling of being trapped......just now thinking about the benefits to baby and mum in BF....

Sorry if this seems all over the place...any input or advice would be really appreciated.

Perhaps you might find mixed feeding a good compromise? Sme formula and some expressed breast milk, that way you can know that your baby is getting lots of great antibodies from you and the right amount of nutrition from what you're giving?
I hope you find the way that is right for you so you can enjoy your growing family as best possible.

I FF both of mine and they are both healthy, rarely sick etc.

Honestly, I believe that the benefits of BF do not out weigh the benefits of you being happier in yourself. You may still get PND but as you say, you will be able to take ADs and you might not feel as trapped.

BF is great, but only when its working for both mum and baby.

You can definitely take antidepressants when breastfeeding, I did so for a year when I had nasty PND with DS1 - Lustral/sertraline is the usual recommended one, followed by the other SSRIs.

I hope you don't get PND again, as I know it's really horrible, but just so you know that there are various treatment options there if you do decide to BF. Also dunno if BF could worsen PND, but PND can definitely make anxiety/stress/bad feelings about BF go through the roof so possibly treating the depression could make it easier? Best of luck whatever you decide to do.