Would you stop if you were in this situation?
DS is 6 weeks old - he was EBF for the first few days (born by Elective C Section), but would only feed from one side.
On Day 4, that breast became incredibly hot and painful, MW said it was blocked and to try expressing from it instead.
Obviously being ECS, my milk took a bit longer to come in and the non-blocked breast wasn't satisfying him either, so I decided to try mix feeding.
I've managed to keep this up now for six weeks. I BF at every opportunity, at least four out of six feeds but he is never satisfied for long.
I also express 15 minutes per breast every few hours (depending on when he's fed).
He can feed from one breast for up to an hour then the other, then back again - he's latching on fine and is clearly drinking/eating (I never know which!) throughout. He's calm and happy, so obviously his hunger pangs go.
But within minutes, literally, he will scream for more and down a 4oz bottle.
Only then is he full.
But he's also suffering badly with constipation and all the advice suggests formula makes it worse (what else could it be, tbf?)
To add to the mix, my OH has gone back to work this week on nights - he does 7 ina row - we usually alternate night feeds - so I have lost the chance to sleep while he does one of them.
I also have a 5yo DD, (who was ff due to health issues) so at the moment I am up pretty much all night (Bf then FF takes about an hour and a half, every 2-3hours) but also up all day. OH needs his sleep as he has a safety critical job and as I said, does 7 shifts back to back then two late shifts.
. He isn't off again for a week, then only for two days.
I can send 5yo out for the day occasionally but am conscious of not farming her out so I can concentrate on her brother.
On top of that, I've now been told I have very high blood pressure (first time ever) and am on beta-blockers, I'm so tired I am literally hallucinating (the other night, when the baby eventually settled, I GENUINELY thought a proper nanny had come in to my room while I was asleep. I couldn't SEE her, but I could imagine her IYSWIM) and I am feeling more and more inadequate at it.
So, after all that - WWYD in my situation.
A - Would you stop, pat yourself on the back and say "Well done, six weeks is a good effort, and formula never did DD any harm?"
Or B - stick with it as it is probably the only way to clear his constipation and it might get easier?
PLEASE don't start with the "breast is best" line - I don't need a guilt trip. I need practical advice and moral support.
BTW, I have spoken to HV, practice nurse and 2 BF advisers - they all say bm is better than fm but it's my decision.
So WDID?