Breastfeeding and anxiety

[Loops81]

My LO is 4 months old, and I feel like I’m in a permanent state of anxiety about feeding her. We got off to a really good start, but problems kicked in around 4 weeks with oversupply and a forceful letdown meaning feeds became quite stressful and she became fussy at the breast. I still make way too much milk and although she is better at handling the flow, I hate feeding her outside the house because I know she will fuss and I will get flustered and it won’t be a good long feed. She often has phases of feeding very little during the day, which messes with my supply and makes me feel strangely rejected and like I’m doing something wrong. She has now reached that very distractable age and I can barely feed her with anyone else in the room right now (including my toddler, which is a problem!!) The only time she feeds well and easily is at night. The latest setback is that she seems to have developed an aversion to my left breast, gah!!

Her weight gain is ok - she’s small, but happy and healthy so I know I should relax about it all. I just feel so stressed and worried about feeding constantly, like I can’t go out and do normal things in case it compromises her feeds that day.

So I’m wondering if I should just stop. She will take a bottle - my husband feeds her now and again if I go out - although she doesn’t drink huge amounts and I have no idea how night feeds would work. So I don’t necessarily think bottle feeding is the answer to everything. But at the same time, it can’t be good for either me or her to be this anxious about breastfeeding!

Sorry for the long post - I think I needed to write it all down, and some objective opinions would be helpful!

[tiktok]

:( :(

Everything you say about your baby's feeding is normal - especially for her age. The distractability, the fussing, the on-off-on-off, the irrational :) preference/rejection of one breast......grrrrrrrrr.

My suggestion: speak to a BFC about the over supply as there are ways to make this more manageable.

Then find some good talking therapy to help with your anxiety.

Your baby sounds fine and healthy, and normal....this phase will pass. In the meantime you need strategies to deal with the anxiety and to help you avoid focussing on the BF. The BF is an irritant, and a PITA, for sure, but it is not worth stopping if you can regulate your anxiety better.

Hope it works out soon :)

[rosiehull4]

Hi, I don't really have any advice but watching for replies as honestly I could've written this post myself.

When I'm feeling stressed out about it all I try to remind myself BF is tough, but as baby is happy and growing we must be doing something right!