Exclusively pumping

[StolenTeapots]

Anyone else pretty much exclusively pumping?

My 5 month old rarely latches well. So early on we switched to exclusive pumping as he lost so much weight.

We've had all the professionals and no ones been able to help so the ship has sailed for getting him 100% back on boob directly. I've found sometimes recently he will take more of a feed but not reliably.

I'd love to carry on as am but I'm physically exhausted with it. Mainly as he's having issues with sleep at night and so the needing to pump too is just becoming something I'm resenting.

But then I feel really upset at making the switch to introducing formula again. He had a little bit of aptamil in early days as my supply got established as he was losing so much weight etc

Tbh isn't a miracle we've got this far. I have multiple autoimmune issues and am menopausal (also autoimmune) so the fact I've been able to give him this is wild. And yet I feel so sad about stopping/reducing. I do have pnd so this may be why I'm a bit irrational about it.

I have no issues with formula at all and no judgement on it. I just am sad for us. He's an ivf baby and breastfeeding is something I feel I've been robbed of having a nice experience of. Although am v proud of the pumping.

I'm considering doing some combination feeding now and adding even a little bit. Would likely use kendamil as all the aptamil recalls worry me. But 3 reasons am hesitant-

1. Measles will reducing then reduce passive immunity
2. Eczema he now has this and am worried a change in his milk might make it worse. Been told he's higher risk for allergies and know bf helps this.
3. All the recall stuff has made me quite apprehensive.

I'm exhausted and have pnd so please don't take offence to anything I've said. Please be gentle with me. I'm aware forumls is absolutely fine. I'm just really struggling with how I feel about where we've got to possibly ending.

Mine are older now but I exclusively pumped for 13 months for my oldest. It is exhausting and I often found myself chasing my tail with having only just enough supply which was stressful, I wouldn’t do it again. I think you should feel great about how well you have done, and you shouldn’t feel bad about introducing more formula. I have MS and wish I’d prioritised my own wellbeing more.
If you aren’t already I’d request help for your PND wherever you can, it’s clear you care very deeply and that is what matters.

What’s causing the eczema @StolenTeapots? Usually it is allergy related and the main culprit being Cow’s Milk.

And it might be worth ringing one of the BFing Support Helplines. They’re not just there when you have a problem, you can tell the BFC hpw you’re feeling and she should talk you through it and help you to decide

At 6 months, you start introducing solids. By 7/8 months he'll be on 2 meals a day, by 9 months definitely on 3 meals a day. So you are looking at reducing some of this pumping quite soon. 3 months might feel like an eternity but it really isn't.

My baby had CMPA so I really feel your dilemma and it's why I am not jumping at saying go to formula.

I ended up breastfeeding/pumping for a lot longer than planned. I'm still breastfeeding at 18 months but I pumped 6-11 months almost exclusively as I went back to work full time at 6 months.

I would wait to confirm if he has CMPA when weaning as formula for CMPA is a nightmare, babies hate it, you have to put Nesquik in it to convince them to have it and even then they don't love it.