Deciding to go exclusively to formula?

My b/g twins are just over 3 months and I have been pumping what I can and supplementing with formula. Only my DS will breastfeed, so I feed them both together by bottle almost every feeding. My production has been slowing down and pumping just seems to be consuming me. Lately it is getting harder and harder to find the time to pump and sometimes I only get 4 ounces total. Over and over I have decided to stop pumping and just when I think I have my mind made up, the guilt comes. I just can't decide if it is worth it or not. Are the few ounces a feeding worth the time I spend pumping rather than playing with the babies or rocking them etc. Just seems so hard to make the right call on this one. Anyone else go through this??

Steph

 

I went through the exact same thing. Neither one of mine would latch and so I pumped as much as possible. After my DH went back to work and I was home alone, it was such a struggle to find time to pump and take care of the kids. I got where I was only pumping twice a day because it would break my heart to try to pump while they were crying. My supply started to quickly diminish. I only made it 9 weeks and I thought I would feel so guilty the day I quit - but I felt relief. I do wish I would have tried harder at latching, but I don't regret stopping pumping. You have to do what you feel is right, but I was so much happier after I quit. On the flip side, I am sure you will get lots of responses encouraging you to continue.

 

I had kind of the opposite problem - lots of milk, but I was pumping all the time too, and we were bottle feeding too, so that people could help me. I drew the line when I was by myself, crying while massaging out plugged ducts every single day, getting only 45 minutes of sleep at a time because I would feed them, pump, sterlize the pump, make bottles, then go back to bed. Only to repeat it 45 minutes later. I also had a medical issue and my doctor and I decided together I was through pumping and breast feeding. Have you asked for advice on the breastfeeding forum? They are so supportive there. But since you are already doing bottles (i.e. cleaning bottles) since one of yours won't bf, it sounds like you are doing what I did - everything from pumping and nursing to formula and EBM in bottles. I was relieved when I stopped, and I only made it to 2.5 months. I do feel a bit guilty once in a while, but honestly, it made my life so much easier, very quickly, and I got a lot more sleep. Soon mine were sleeping through the night. For my sanity, it was totally worth it. It is a hard decision, but many moms do it. The price of formula feeding exclusively was a shocker, so that's something to consider, but if you are only getting 4 oz. (have you tried the oatmeal, fenugrek, all the stuff that helps produce more milk?) it may not make much of a difference. It definitely frees up time to play with them and to spend time with your spouse/SO, and at least for me, gave me much-needed sleep. There are a lot of success stories on the breast feeding board, and I am envious of those who found it easy just to pull up their shirt and feed both tandem (which I tried to do very hard, but only did successfully a few times), for me, even with all of the bottle washing, it was less work. Good luck in making your decision. Know that there are loads of people here who will support you no matter what you choose to do.

 

I had to always go 50/50 in the bottles with EBM and formula. I quit pumping totally after 4.5 months.

 

I just wanted to say :bow2: for making it this long! Whatever you decide, you have done a great job for your babies!! :hug99:

 

You have done an amazing job getting your little ones off to a great start on BM! Pat yourself on the back no matter what you decide to do going forward! :yahoo:

I had the same situation with my little ones. DS took to the breast right away, but DD who was in the NICU longer really never did. I pumped for her and BF DS. At 2 months, I quit pumping for my DD and switched to formula. I continued to let DS BF on demand but he continued to be supplimented with formula (my supply never seemed to keep up with his demand!) Anyway, he hit a growth spurt at about 3 and 1/2 months and he weened himself from the Breast. He just couldn't get what he needed fast enough and it was so frustrating to him that I would give him the bottle before the breast. After about a week of declining BFing, he just stopped all together. I missed it for a little while, but I made up for that bonding time at the breast with more snuggling, talking, playing and one-on-one time for both my DD and DS.

 

Have you tried nursing DS and pumping on the other side? From what I hear, you pump a lot more out when you're nursing on the other side. Maybe that way you wouldn't have to mess with so many bottles?

It is really awesome that you have given your babies 3 months of EBM and you should be very proud of yourself for that, whatever you decide.

 

I wanted to congratulate you on making it 3 months with EBM. I have just quit after only 2.5 WEEKS of breastfeeding, pumping, and formula. I had to make a decision for our family - 4 kids total to quit BF and use my time doing other things. I too am still feeling guilt but I know it has been the right decision, since I am so much less stressed and all 4 kids are getting more individual time(Now, they last 3 hours between feedings vs 1.5 hours)

I admire all the moms out there that make it work, but like I kept reading when I made a similar post - you have to make the right decision for you and your family, then accept it , and move on. It is a lot easier to say then do it, but you made it 3 MONTHS - GREAT JOB!!! YOU are also one of the moms I admire. Vicki

 

I gave my girls EBM with formula for 4 months. It was the hardest 4 months EVER! Neither would latch on so I had to pump around the clock it seemed. Plus they were both very colicky and screamed from 7pm-2am every nite and were very fussy throughout the day. Many days I didnt get to even lay down until 6am after pulling an all nighter. I remember many nites of crying hysterically while pumping b/c I was so tired and stressed from the babies crying all day and nite. I was only able to express 2-3 oz total. I finally started to dry up and I decided to give it up. It was such a hard decison and I feel guilty still for stopping but looking back, I really feel I didnt have a choice. Even my body was telling me that I couldnt handle the stress anymore.

I feel for you having to make this decision. It is a hard one but one only you can make. Good luck in whatever you choose, but you are not a bad mother either way...

 

I pumped the 2 months mine were in the hospital and then for a little over 3 weeks once they were home. My supply never picked up to match their demand once they begain eating more. (I took fenugreek, drank tons of water - nothing worked.) My guys had issues with sucking since they were born at 30 weeks, so they never really caught on well. I finally was too physically and mentally run down to BF, follow up with a bottle, and put them down so I could pump. It wasn't guilt that I felt when I stopped because I knew I had gotten them through the roughest time, but what I felt was saddness at not being able to breastfeed, and I wanted to so badly. The sadness stayed with me for a while, but I can tell you with my boys about to turn 1 that it's not something I think much about anymore. I am proud that I gave them breastmilk for the time I did, and they are healthy and happy. Whatever decision you make, it won't be easy, but as long as you base it on what you can physically and mentally handle, you'll look back and know you made the right decision.

 

do what you need to do!! don't feel guilty - look at what you have done for them!! nothing will change you are still a great momma!!

 

Thanks for the responses! I appreciate the support, it is so nice to be commended on making it this far rather than getting put down for considering anything other than breastmilk as a source of nutrition for the babies. I think I am going to begin to stop pumping this next week. Thanks again and congrats to all of you that tried it too!