Giving up breastfeeding at 3 months

[Yellowtopaz]

Since my baby was born I feel like feeding her has just been one big stress.
I was in hospital a few days after the birth due to high blood pressure and other things and she wouldn’t latch. I had a lot of one to one help from midwives but she just wouldn’t. I hand expressed colostrum and then asked for formula because she was clearly hungry. So we came home and I kept on trying to get her to latch but nothing so for the first seven weeks I pumped because I really wanted her to have my milk, so she bottle fed breast milk, then I got her privately assessed for tongue tie after a friend commented it could be due to that and she was and that was cut, but she will only breastfeed with a nipple shield and I worry she’s not getting enough. Yesterday she was screaming straight after I fed her for ages and then her nappy was bone dry which is really unlike her. Unfortunately not having any luck getting her off the shield I think it’s because she spent those early weeks feeding from a bottle so the breast without the shield is alien to her. I’m sick of worrying about it all.

@Yellowtopaz Don’t feel terrible!! Easier said than done, I know 🙈 I’m sure she’s just fine 😊 I’m quickly finding out that there will always be something to stress over with these little ones 😅🤣

@mrsminiegg thank you I appreciate you taking the time to write to me. GP has given me Gaviscon for reflux already. I think if I’d been able to get in person support I could have done it after her tongue tie but now she’s had bottles for three months and nipple shields at the breast me spending all day in bed isn’t going to do anything except make me frustrated. I’ve tried so hard, watched all the videos, know what a good technique should look like but it just hasn’t worked long term for me and I think I’m going to be okay with that.

I totally understand. If it is reflux it is just so hard. The gaviscon is ok but not brilliant longer term. If you're continuing to have problems push for nutramigen AA because that was the only thing that settled it for us. It took about two weeks of substituting it ounce for ounce as they don't like the taste to start wjth. Good luck 😉

I feel like I’ve tried my best and it wasn’t meant to be for us. Perhaps if I’d been able to have proper support after the tongue tie but I’m now just so anxious about what she’s getting I think for my mental health I will relax knowing she’s having enough.

Try not to see it as giving up, rephrase it as you breastfed for 3 months and that's fine. Baby will be just fine on formula.

@shouldistop that’s very kind and I think you’re right about looking at it from that angle. Given our difficult start to bf I am proud I managed it at all and three months worth of milk is good.