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feeling so down because I can't breastfeed anymore

Jem - posted on 02/14/2010 ( 2 moms have responded )

33

7

I feel so frustrated that nobody seems to understand why I feel so sad about not breastfeeding my little girl anymore, everyone keeps telling me that it's better for her to be on the bottle now that she's 9 months old and walking around the furniture, and that I should be greatful for 'getting my body back' but I just don't agree with them.



Up until 2 weeks ago, Angel was enjoying solids and loving being breastfed, we had no problems with anything, then I got flu and so did she. I couldn't control my temp and every time she wanted feeding I would go so hot I was shivering so violently that she couldn't stay latched on, she was screaming which was making her hotter, so reluctantly I agreed that a friend could give her a bottle, I didn't even have the energy to lift her up or hold her to feed and had to have her passed to me every time she wanted me.



Having breastfed at various times over the last 10 years and having to give the odd bottle with no problems with my supply, I thought it would be ok and this would be the same as the others. How wrong could I be. I have tried everything to get my milk back up again but Angel just wasn't getting anything, she was really trying hard to get the milk out, but the milk just wouldn't come in.



The final straw was when my friend came round with her baby and she gave her little one her bottle in her car seat (grr) and Angel took the bottle off this baby and started drinking it.



So now she is bottle fed and I hate every minute of it, I resent having to wash up bottles and make up formula milk, and just wish I could still be breastfeeding her, it's breaking my heart, but she seems happy and I guess that's what matters.

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April - posted on 02/14/2010

3,419

16

it's okay to be sad. there's more to breastfeeding than feeding your child. i was thinking to myself yesterday that breastfeeding is also a way of life. it's not just how you feed your little one.



if others were to give up a big part of their lives (whatever that might be), they might feel sad too!



just keep on reminding yourself that you did give Angel the very best! and maybe you could pick a special time of day for you two to just cuddle and be together.

Yvette - posted on 02/14/2010

87

24

When my oldest was 6 weeks old I had to go back to work. Here in the Detroit area jobs are hard and even harder to come by so I was in a hurry to get back. I was working in a non-union shop and I had no choice but to go to formula because working 4-5 hours and not getting to pump until my lunch, followed by another 3-4 hours meant my milk was not doing so hot. I had a hard time pumping, getting fewer and fewer ounces per session. It got to be too much. So I just went straight formula. I hated it too. But you've done a great job getting that far with your child. Don't beat yourself up because it's recommeded that babies are breast fed for 6 months as a minimum from most of the sources I've read. You've given your baby the best start in life you could, and as long as she's doing great on the bottle you shouldn't worry too much. Yes, it's easier to find a breast in the middle of the night, and there is a lot less to wash cause I know how bad it is to wash bottles, but you're a great mom. Don't let anything else tell you otherwise.

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