I'm so confused. Breastfeed, Formula, Mixed...

[OnNaturesCourse]

So, back story first. There's a history of breast cancer in my family and this is weighing heavily on my mind when making this decision. I've read that to get the maximum benefit you have to breastfeed direct for a year, which is really putting me off.

I've looked into formula feeding briefly but in no great depth as I'm really looking for a way to use my breastmilk.

The mixed feeding sounds ideal but again I think I need to only breastfeed direct from the breast for the first 6 weeks? I wouldn't mind this for a week or so and I would then look to express only...personal reasons but I really don't want baby on the breast and reliant directly on me for too long. I want to use my breast milk but get baby on to feeding from bottles.

There's just so much information out there, and my midwife just keeps giving me leaflets. I just don't know what to do 😟

So I am basically looking for a way to use my breast milk but have baby on a bottle as soon as possible... And I think I'd be quicker looking for a magic unicorn 😟 Is there anywhere out there that's good for clear, direct advice / help?

I expressed for 12 months with the occasional direct breast feed. It wasn't so bad, you definitely need a hospital grade double pump. NCT or some hospitals rent these out for about £40 a month.

To pump for a sustained period of time you just have to commit to a schedule. I was regimented with mine and was much more successful than friends that were more relaxed about it. During the first 4-5 months I literally had a freezer full pretty much all the time. I could have gone on holiday for 2 weeks without him and he'd have been fined or milk! I found it very easy to manage my supply with more or less pump sessions etc. It became harder after that but certainly not impossible.

As others have said, see how you feel. I hadn't considered expressing until at the hospital a midwife let me try a pump as my son had bad jaundice and wasn't feeding well enough to clear the toxins.

Clare. If you don't mind, what made you stick to/choose expressing?