I feel bad for feeding my baby formula

[Ladybugz]

My son is 1 month old. I pump breast milk for him about 75% of the time and the rest of the time he has powdered formula when i haven't had time to pump.
There is so much pressure from doctors, lactation consultants, other parents, and society in general to breastfeed that I feel guilty every time i have to give him formula. I know many people that formula feed their babies and I know that kids will grow up healthy despite being formula fed or breast fed, but with so much pressure from the outside world I feel like I am not doing good enough when i have to formula feed. I know I am being ridiculous to think this way, but I am part of a state-funded program that promotes breast feeding and they are so "on my ass" about it that they are causing me to stress out more.
Advice from moms who have formula fed their infants is needed!

Withdraw from the programme if it’s not helping you.

75% BM is loads! But even if you switch fully to formula all will be well. I drove myself nuts trying to breastfeed, then pumped for 4 months and then switched over to 100% formula and I can tell you everything looked up once I left all if that stress and nonsense behind. It means NOTHING. Do whatever you find easiest. Good luck x

I had to witch to formula when my lil one was 2weeks old (an I pumped and combo fed till she was about 1month) I was devastating and still am she's not 12 months old and is amazing but I still get so upset about it crying my eyes out for hours sometime I had a visit from the HV and she asked me how I was I wasn't having a very good day and I just started crying telling all different things that had been going through my head and I spoke to her about the hole breastfeeding thing and cryed the hardest I had ever cryed in my life I felt abit sorry for her and she said at the end of the day all we ask is that you do one just one beastfeed and that's it some mums don't even do one so for you to do 2 weeks and then to still pump and feed her both is amazing you did what was best for YOU and your baby and it did help a lot, you have to think about both because a happy mum is a happy baby but I do still get very upset when I thing about it all and don't think I will ever not but I know I'm a good mum I love her the world she is my every thing so it doesn't matter at the end of the day she's happy I'm happy

I’d step away from the programme. I was in bits about feeding my baby formula and ‘failing’ at breastfeeding but when my daughter was 8 weeks, I joined a baby massage class and found loadsa mums happily formula feeding unapologetically! I suddenly realised it was perfectly OK and I need to stop worrying! After that, I was unapologetic about it. BF didn’t work out.

I am extremely pro BF and think having lots of support is good if you really want to persevere HOWEVER, fed is best. End of story. Do not allow the guilt/difficulties over breast/formula ruin the first few months with your baby! I nearly did and looking back 2.5 years later, thank goodness I saw sense early on! I was a much happier mum and thus everyone was happier!

Ladybugz I'm so sorry to hear you're under so much pressure to breastfeed your DS 😔 Please speak to your your health visitor about all the pressure you're feeling under!! My DS is 5 months old & im combination feeding him because I'm not producing enough milk to solely breastfeed him any more!! I've been combination feeding him since he was 2 & half month old & he's a healthy, happy baby & it gaining the weight he should for his age. Please don't feel guilty about feeding your DS formula, from what you've said, he's getting plenty of breast milk anyway. I hope this advice helps. I'm wishing you well 💕