Switching from breast to bottle

[helenness]

I have breastfed my 3 week old daughter exclusively since birth and it has been a struggle! I have had very little support from my midwife and health visitor despite breast feeding being "the right thing to do". After another night of crying and not being able to get my daughter to feed at all so far today I have decided to give in and start giving her bottles.

I am so upset about this decision I have made, I feel like a failure as a mummy and guilty that I am not giving Isla the best start in life (oh the pressures put on us by healthcare professionals!). I have not taken the decision lightly and I feel the breastfeeding is driving a wedge between Isla and I and ruining the bond we've made. What I am looking for here are some words of encouragement and advice from other people who have done the same thing!

Many thanks x

 

[Naterjack]

i did this last week hun and i know how hard it is and how guilty you end up feeling but please don't worry
Just remember that you have given her a fantastic start in life by BF for 3 weeks and very well done for doing it for as long as you have Many women don't manage that long at all and their babies never suffered !

Please remember though that naturally you will feel really low for a few days, ive felt really depressed and i didn't know why, i've never been so miserable - but HV explained that its the sudden change in hormones which is natural - and a couple of days on i feel much better now and know i did the right thing as Josh is happy and healthy and i'm coping much much easier.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I stopped at about 4 weeks.
My little girl is now nearly 8 months, she is healthy and happy and thriving - which to me is proof that formula is just fine for babies I was a formula fed baby and I've never had any problems.

To me it's most important that you and your LO bond and I found my troubles with breast feeding made me resent her and so we became so much closer when i stopped

xxxxx

 

[loz]

You are not a failure - you have to do what is best for you and bab at the time.

 

[1588]

Do what's best for you and LO hun, and b*ll*xs to the profs, IMO they all offer conflicting advice anyway. I was bottle fed in the 70s when I doubt that formula was as advanced as it is now and I'm as fit as a fiddle. (so far)

Crack on hun you're doing a great job