Did anyone convert to formula because they couldn't take it

QUOTE(Lesley Anne @ Feb 13 2008, 12:48 PM) [snapback]620191[/snapback]
First of all not everyone is the same-I feel like people dont understand that it takes A LOT of time to breast feed, and not everyone has these perfect breast feeding nipples and babies that just latch right on, not everyone has a 3yo to tend to and cant just sit in a recliner and nurse all day and night.


Wow, this really upset me. If you read on the bfing forum the success stories I think you will find that most bfing moms had quite the struggle in the beginning. No one said it was easy, but it DOES get easier. Babies that used to bf for 45-1hr every 2hrs suddenly start bfing for 5-10mins every 3hrs. Lots of bfing moms had HUGE struggles with latching, NICU, etc.

There is alot more I want to say but will refrain because I know it will cause a stir.

 

QUOTE(excitedk @ Feb 13 2008, 12:18 PM) [snapback]620236[/snapback]
Wow, this really upset me. If you read on the bfing forum the success stories I think you will find that most bfing moms had quite the struggle in the beginning. No one said it was easy, but it DOES get easier. Babies that used to bf for 45-1hr every 2hrs suddenly start bfing for 5-10mins every 3hrs. Lots of bfing moms had HUGE struggles with latching, NICU, etc.

There is alot more I want to say but will refrain because I know it will cause a stir.

I do have to agree that the TODDLER factor is HUGE. If I just had twins, I would still be breastfeeding today. But the two year old changes everything and literally can make it impossible for me to pump and feed...etc.

 

QUOTE(becky5 @ Feb 12 2008, 08:11 PM) [snapback]618841[/snapback]
:hug99: I did switch at a week old, and had a lot of guilt over not hanging in there longer. But, looking back, I think I did what was best for our WHOLE family at the time, including mommy. If you are feeding your babies, that is all that matters, not the method! :hug99:


I'm going to agree with Becky here. I really could continue to handle bfing twins-- my sanity was at stake and that was more important to my family, since I am the mommy. Definitely do not beat yourself up over it! I know I did and it was not worth it in the long run, all three of my kids are happy healthy and grew like weeds! :hug99: Formula did make them fussy too--- we had acid reflux and gassiness, so its not all roses with formula either. I didn't find that making bottles was more difficult for me though. I hope you find what works best for you. :hug99:

 

I hung in there for 11 monhts but I nursed Ella and pumped exclusively for Addison (she had seriously latching issues).

Dont' be afraid to supplement here or there or let DH help with a bottle of EBM every once in a while.

YOU CAN DO IT!!

Check out the breastfeeding board. They are awesome over there!

Good Luck!

Remember, if it doesn't work out, that's fine too!! You did your best!

 

QUOTE
Wow, this really upset me. If you read on the bfing forum the success stories I think you will find that most bfing moms had quite the struggle in the beginning. No one said it was easy, but it DOES get easier. Babies that used to bf for 45-1hr every 2hrs suddenly start bfing for 5-10mins every 3hrs. Lots of bfing moms had HUGE struggles with latching, NICU, etc.


Having a toddler does make a HUGE difference! Plus the purpose for this topic to begin with is that some women find BF very stressful! No one said it wasn't possible, but it is extremely difficult for some women. I wish I was able to relax while bf, but I was always worried about my baby getting enough, my nipples were bleeding, I couldn't stand for my house to be mess, my dh went back to work 4 days after we came home from the hospital and I had a 2 1/2 year old throwing major tantrums for attention because we just brought home 2 new babies that needed tons of atttention! I felt horribly guilty when I gave it up, but I have awesome happy twins that could care less what I fed them as long as I did!

 

Hi,
My twins were born at 33 weeks and 2 days and were in the NICU for 3 weeks. During that time I was pumping every 2-3 hours around the clock to try to make enough milk for the them. It was absolutely EXHAUSTING! No matter what I did I could not ever make enough milk for them. They were supplemented with formula in the NICU from the beginning but I really felt strongly about trying to give them as much breast milk as possible. Finally after 2 months of pumping like a mad woman (that is literally all I did all day besides feed the babies, wash the pump stuff, wash bottles and change diapers) and feeling like I was going to lose my mind I decided that it was better for the babies to get formula and have a happy mommy than breastmilk and a crazy, depleated mommy. I felt guilty but I knew that it was the best decision for me.
We found that making up batches of formula for the day was really helpful and a timesaver. My son and daughter are on different formulas because my son has severe acid reflux but we still made it work. My husband is in charge of washing the bottles and we made sure that we had enough bottles for both babies to make it through a full day so that we only had to wash once a day.
It is a totally personal decision, you must do what is best for you and your family. A happy mommy is a BIG DEAL!! My twins are now almost 8 months old and doing really well on the formula. They are also eating cereal and solids and loving it! Take care of yourself and know that your babies will be just fine, breastmilk or not! Good luck!

 

QUOTE(excitedk @ Feb 13 2008, 04:18 PM) [snapback]620236[/snapback]
Wow, this really upset me. If you read on the bfing forum the success stories I think you will find that most bfing moms had quite the struggle in the beginning. No one said it was easy, but it DOES get easier. Babies that used to bf for 45-1hr every 2hrs suddenly start bfing for 5-10mins every 3hrs. Lots of bfing moms had HUGE struggles with latching, NICU, etc.

There is alot more I want to say but will refrain because I know it will cause a stir.


I WANT to be like you but I am not-I said it can be disappointing and it is, thanks for refraining because I feel bad enough as it is. I am doing what I can to be a good mother...all I was saying is that not EVERYONE has a success story like people on the breast feeding forum. I quit going to that forum because every suggestion was bringing the babies to my breast and they didnt get that wasnt working for me, but I still wanted to feed my babies breast milk, and am doing what I can with what I got. Please dont be upset by my situation. I know that there are many different ways to bond and take care of your children and I do not judge.

 

QUOTE(HT @ Feb 13 2008, 05:03 PM) [snapback]620323[/snapback]
Having a toddler does make a HUGE difference! Plus the purpose for this topic to begin with is that some women find BF very stressful! No one said it wasn't possible, but it is extremely difficult for some women. I wish I was able to relax while bf, but I was always worried about my baby getting enough, my nipples were bleeding, I couldn't stand for my house to be mess, my dh went back to work 4 days after we came home from the hospital and I had a 2 1/2 year old throwing major tantrums for attention because we just brought home 2 new babies that needed tons of atttention! I felt horribly guilty when I gave it up, but I have awesome happy twins that could care less what I fed them as long as I did!


This was my situation at home exactly, I had to use shields to get my babies to latch and then they would always pull it off just as soon as it was working and we would have to start all over again. I was spending hours alone trying to feed while the rest of my family was living life and I felt alone and frustrated. Now I pump for 10 min and feed a bottle and have help. This IS my success story

 

First, big hug to you. Those first few weeks with twinfants are KILLER difficult!

I haven't read all the previous posts, but want to say this: BFing is an enormously emotional thing. There is SO much attached to it, and for me one of the biggest lessons of parenthood is that i am not in control. I had one who latched perfectly (they were three weeks in the NICU and i too pumped around teh clock every three hours to establish my supply because i was REALLY committed ot BFng them. But i had one who never latched; no matter what i tried; nipple shields, ever possiton known to womankind, etc.. So i pumped for her for months.

And ultimately, they weaned themselves, which was really difficult for me. What i will say it - although the BFing part is incredibly difficult in the beginning, and some babies NEVER get it, i do find formula feeding MUCH more difficult; there is the time of prepping and washing bottles, always worring about npples, having bolttes wiht me whenever we go out, etc..

and there is the cost; my girls are on the most expensive formula adn we spend literally about $500/MONTH on it.

That said, there is no right or wrong. The best advice i ever got was

a) get a lactation consultant; the reason your nipples hurt is taht the baby isn't latching corectly. Once they learn how, it should NOT be paintful. Even though an L/C is expensive, it was SOOO worth it for me.

B) if you want to keep BFing, make a SMALL commitment to yourself: "I'm going to BF for one more week, or one more month, and give yourself the option to re-evaluate.

THe truth is, mama's milk is the perfect food for babies -AND millions of babies thrive on formula. You also really have to give yourself a break; you are in the middle of the hormonal flood, you just had TWO babies, you probably haven't slept....so - get whatever help you can and remember that it isn't an all or nothing deal. And yes, he may be having a growth spurt and it DOES sometimes feel like you constant ly have someone attached to your boob because you do!

I will say that i miss nursing INCREDIBLY: it was one of the most magical tmes of my life (and yes, i do miss those lovely 38DD's, too!)

Any way it goes, just try and give yourself some emotional space around it (MUCH easier said than done!

 

QUOTE(first time mom at 34 @ Feb 12 2008, 09:00 PM) [snapback]618950[/snapback]
http://www.littlewonders.com/index.html

We used these and LOVED them.

I gave up the fight two weeks in, for very personal reasons. I think you have gotten a lot of advice here, on both sides of the fence. I think one huge deciding factor is what is best for you and those babies. Go with your gut and do what you think is right. :hug99:

 

QUOTE
First of all not everyone is the same-I feel like people dont understand that it takes A LOT of time to breast feed, and not everyone has these perfect breast feeding nipples and babies that just latch right on, not everyone has a 3yo to tend to and cant just sit in a recliner and nurse all day and night. It can be a very frustrating and disappointing experience for some moms. This is how I feel, I want so badly to be one of those moms where it just comes naturally and "easily" but it isnt working out.


I don't think BFing twins comes easily to ANYONE in the beginning! All of us, whether we've given it a try and then switched to formula or stuck with BFing (or pumping), know how incredibly time-consuming it is in the beginning.

I'm sure you didn't intend it this way, but I think some moms who've overcome incredible difficulties BFing in the beginning might be a bit miffed by your post. Those success stories over in the BF forum are full of moms who've battled circumstances like poor latches, initial poor weight gain, older kids running amok, NICU babies, lack of support from family & friends, thrush, mastitis, PPD, etc - and won. The implication that you can only succeed at nursing twins if it comes easily in the beginning does a real disservice to moms who've fought tooth and nail to make it work.

And Lesley Anne, I would TOTALLY call you a success story! Pumping is not easy, it's a big commitment, and you're really going the extra mile to keep giving the babies your milk. That's awesome! :clapping:

 

here's a different side of the coin - I never put either of my kids to the breast - I had no intentions from the minute I found out I was pregnant and when I found out it was twins that sealed the deal....and you know what my kids are fine - they even had soy formula which is the "new" bad thing if you read certain studies...my twins are 21 months old - they've had 3 colds and 1 bout of rotovirus in their lives...they're incredibly smart (they tested on a 24 month level for fine motor skills), and know about 1/3 of the alphabet, all their Sesame Street characters, and my daughter has about 60-75 words already...I just wanted to let you know that while breast may be "best" its not the be all end all....I'm very anti-guilt when it comes to breastfeeding...YOU have to do what is best for YOUR family situation...

I would buy powdered formula and make up a batch and pour out enough for 24 hours - so all I had to do was grab a bottle out of the fridge for a hungry baby - no slower than whipping out a boob! I used Playtex drop ins - I'd only have to wash the actual bottle holder part every other day (or if it got nasty if formula spilled on it) but the nipples and rings I'd wash daily...I looked forward to it - it was my "me" time while DH bonded with the kids for a half hour (I don't have a dishwasher)...

if you want to continue to breastfeed - I agree with small goals - heck even make them hourly goals! I'm not anti-breastfeeding in any way - I have enormous amounts of respect and awe for those that can - but for those that choose not to - its ok too...

Keep this in mind - your twins will thrive whether that food comes from your breasts or a can - the most important part is you're feeding your babies with love!

 

I haven't read all of the replies, but I had a day like you're describing and I was sitting on the floor of my family room in my pajamas crying. I called my neighbor and asked her to come over and help me. At the time I was pumping and feeding them every 3 hours and trying to get them to BF (which they did finally at 3 months and nursed for a year). It was SOOO nice on a rough day to have someone come help me just for an hour. I was able to take a deep breath, have a shower, brush my teeth and regroup. I think you just need a break!!! I wouldn't make a decision until you've had a little sleep and a small break (even an hour to yourself). Also, if you can find an LC to help you I would HIGHLY suggest it. I had one at my local hospital who saw me and my babies weekly FOR FREE until I got them to BF and she was a lifesaver. I could call her anytime, etc. You can also call the local LLL chapter for your area and they can help you. Someone may even come to your house. Feel free to PM me if I can help. It is hard!!! :hug99: If you would like to come over to the BF forum sometime there are a lot of very supportive, helpful, encouraging women who are happy to help there. I hope you get a break and can make the best decision for you and your babies!

 

QUOTE(fuchsiagroan @ Feb 13 2008, 07:09 PM) [snapback]620638[/snapback]
I don't think BFing twins comes easily to ANYONE in the beginning! All of us, whether we've given it a try and then switched to formula or stuck with BFing (or pumping), know how incredibly time-consuming it is in the beginning.

I'm sure you didn't intend it this way, but I think some moms who've overcome incredible difficulties BFing in the beginning might be a bit miffed by your post. Those success stories over in the BF forum are full of moms who've battled circumstances like poor latches, initial poor weight gain, older kids running amok, NICU babies, lack of support from family & friends, thrush, mastitis, PPD, etc - and won. The implication that you can only succeed at nursing twins if it comes easily in the beginning does a real disservice to moms who've fought tooth and nail to make it work.

And Lesley Anne, I would TOTALLY call you a success story! Pumping is not easy, it's a big commitment, and you're really going the extra mile to keep giving the babies your milk. That's awesome! :clapping:



Ditto - what she said.

Also, I don't sit on the couch for hours nursing my girls. BF is WAY faster now, but in the beginning...sheer will power and a dose of insanity kept me nursing. They were crazy cluster feeders and I did almost nothing but breastfeed for weeks. Looking back I can't believe I got through it...but I did and BF is a breeze now.

 

I think this thread went in the wrong direction and I just want to apologize if I offended anyone, that was not my intent. I was mearly empathizing with the mom who posted, in the fact that other moms find breast feeding very stressful.
I commend all of you moms who overcame the challenges and admire you. I didnt mean to belittle what you have done. On the other side though, it is kind of sad that almost every mom that replied that they decided to forego breastfeeding because of many valid reasons felt guilt and sadness-those moms should be commended as well for being the best moms they can be, everyone meets different challenges and we have to put our babies first.
I hope this clears things up and we can get back to giving support and advice to the mom that posted.
Thanks, and again sorry to have upset anyone.

 

I'm surprised some people feel like this posting was trying to take something away from the women who have been successful at BF. If I read correctly what many of the respondents wrote, they are saddened they didn't have the willpower to be successful at BF for whatever reason. I'm one of them! I think it's awesome that some women have been able to achieve this! I do think BF is better for my child and it would have saved us a lot of money! I did attend a bf class at the hospital, I did ask for extra help after the twins, I did visit a La Leche person after I came home and I rented a pump, but it just didn't work out for me. I think the original post was just to see if other people have felt this way and to get a little support. Women who have decided to give it up should not be made to feel guilty by anyone including people on this board. Our kids will be fine whether they are BF or formula-fed!

 

To the OP, I just wanted to say I'm sorry you are stressed. Like someone mentioned, I decided against even attempting to breastfeed as soon as I found out I was having twins. I was worried that it would be just too much for me to handle. So I can't give any breastfeeding advice. All I can say is that because it's all I know, I don't think bottles is that hard. I make a pitcher of formula once a day, and pour out bottles as needed. You can buy the ready feed bottles if you are going to be away from the house to bring with you. My kids very early switched to eating every 4 hours. So once I managed the "double feed", feedings went much quicker in the house. I'm sure it's different for everyone, but my friend breastfeeds her son that is 1 month younger than my twins. And he won't take a bottle. So she can never be away from him for long. They were at our house one day (he was about 6 months old) and she must have fed him 5 times in the 5 hours they were there. We fed ours once. So that may be a bad example, but for me it seemed like just too much. Plus, we like to go out sometimes and we have lots of family to babysit, and I would hate to be the sole source of food. Seems like a lot of BF babies won't take the bottle, so you really can't give EBM via bottle.

Whatever you decide, offering hugs. I can only give my perspective from the formula/bottle side. I'm sure there are many benefits to not giving formula (foods always ready to go, etc). But my kids are healthy and happy and thriving. Try to do what is best for you. And whatever you do, NO GUILT!!!! We are all doing the best we can.

 

QUOTE
I'm sure it's different for everyone, but my friend breastfeeds her son that is 1 month younger than my twins. And he won't take a bottle. So she can never be away from him for long. They were at our house one day (he was about 6 months old) and she must have fed him 5 times in the 5 hours they were there. We fed ours once. So that may be a bad example, but for me it seemed like just too much. Plus, we like to go out sometimes and we have lots of family to babysit, and I would hate to be the sole source of food. Seems like a lot of BF babies won't take the bottle, so you really can't give EBM via bottle.


Just to give some perspective from the other side -

I think most BF babies will take a bottle, especially if the parents make a point of offering it regularly (at least a couple times a week) so they stay used to it. Most stories I've heard of BF babies flat-out refusing a bottle are if they've never had one before, or haven't had one in a long time. In most cases, a BFing mom does NOT have to be the sole source of food.

Also, most BF babies don't eat 5x in 5 hrs, unless that's their cluster feeding time of day (and not all babies are cluster feeders). It's pretty typical for them to eat every 2-3 hrs.

But about it seeming like "just too much" - as a BFing mom, it is honestly no big deal to feed my kids every hour, if that's what they want. I'm wading into the realm of VAST overgeneralization here, so take this with a grain of salt, but it seems like many bottle-feeding moms see feedings as more of a chore than a pleasure, or equal parts chore and pleasure, and are eager to see their babies take fewer feedings and space them out more. And it seems like many BFing moms view feedings as more pleasure than chore, and don't really give a hoot how often their babies get hungry. A BFing mom I know said "I don't count feedings any more than I count kisses," and that's exactly how I feel. And I think the reason for this is that BFing is just SO DARN EASY! (Once you get past the first difficult weeks, which are REALLY difficult, no way around it.) No matter how perfect a system for mixing formula, making bottles, warming them, and washing up is, it's still just so much more work, IMO.

I'm NOT making any value judgments or saying that one thing is better than another or that anybody is right or wrong, just wanted to tell the OP that BFing really, REALLY gets easier, and you REALLY don't have to be tied down by it.

 

I know this thread is getting pretty long, but you asked if anyone nursed and didn't do the middle of the night feeding.

That's what I've done. I usually pump right before I go to bed, give them that + formula if there's not enough, feed them and sometimes pump right afterwards at the 8 AM/9 AM feeding to keep my supply up. I thought I was going nuts, and having my DH help with that feeding helped so much. Here's a short story on how we started using formula supplements.

I had an unexpected c-section. I had a bad reaction to percoset, and didn't realize what was causing it. I was only sleeping for 30 seconds to five minutes at a time for the first week/week and a half after I had them. I was so exhausted, my milk didn't completely come into for nearly two weeks. After a week, both babies had lost weight with feeding on demand. My ped. told me to feed them every two hours or sooner according to demand, around the clock, with one break at night. Plus pumping. After a week of that, they had lost more weight. I started supplementing with formula, and I felt really guilty, both that they lost weight and that I was using formula. Having babies lose weight like that is terrifying. After the formula, they started to pick up weight. When my milk finally really came in, my DD choked on it and turned blue. She had to be on a monitor for two and a half weeks (thankfully it turned out to be a one-time thing). The monitor had sometimes up to 100 false alarms a day. We were all stressed out, and my DS sensed our stress and wanted to feed all the time. I wanted to make sure I wasn't starving him. So I fed him on demand. Plus my DD's latch was pretty bad. I pumped one day, and saw blood all over the funnel.

Finally, someone told me I didn't have to demand feed him all the time, and I found other ways to comfort him. Meanwhile, I was supplementing nearly a third of their intake in formula. I pumped on one side to help my breast heal, and finally things resolved itself.

But now that I'm less stressed, I took a week (two weeks ago), just concentrated on bfing, and got my supply up. Now I just give 1-2 supplements a day, and that's mainly to get a break (the middle of the night feeding) and not because it's absolutely necessary.

So, I'm not saying you have to do this, but if you need to take a break through formula or other means to save your sanity, do it! I was able to get my supply back up later on when life was less crazy.

 

QUOTE(fuchsiagroan @ Feb 14 2008, 03:06 PM) [snapback]622281[/snapback]
But about it seeming like "just too much" - as a BFing mom, it is honestly no big deal to feed my kids every hour, if that's what they want. I'm wading into the realm of VAST overgeneralization here, so take this with a grain of salt, but it seems like many bottle-feeding moms see feedings as more of a chore than a pleasure, or equal parts chore and pleasure, and are eager to see their babies take fewer feedings and space them out more. And it seems like many BFing moms view feedings as more pleasure than chore, and don't really give a hoot how often their babies get hungry. A BFing mom I know said "I don't count feedings any more than I count kisses," and that's exactly how I feel. And I think the reason for this is that BFing is just SO DARN EASY! (Once you get past the first difficult weeks, which are REALLY difficult, no way around it.) No matter how perfect a system for mixing formula, making bottles, warming them, and washing up is, it's still just so much more work, IMO.


I would actually agree with you on this, I never even considered breast feeding and I would definitely say that I am about half and half as far as considering feedings a chore. In the mornings when I am refreshed I do enjoy feeding, but by the evenings when I am worn out I definitely consider it more of a chore. Maybe breastfeeding moms love it all the time, I don't know, but I am tired by the end of the day! It's not because feeding a bottle is difficult (it only takes my babies about 10 minutes to take the bottle) - it's because I am tired! But like I said, maybe breastfeeding moms are always glad to do it, I wouldn't know!

However, as you posted earlier in this thread that you would kill yourself if you had to wash bottles every day - I would kill myself if I had to breastfeed two babies every day! I know that is terribly politically incorrect, but it's the truth, bottle feeding was really my only option, I couldn't have done breastfeeding with these two as I was alone even in the hospital, because of my husband's job he was only allowed to stay with me at the hospital for 1 night when I was there, and then when I came home with two new babies he was not able to be here, so I needed a lot of outside help and I am way too modest to have had my breasts out all the time with people here that aren't my DH. So it doesn't work for everyone and there's nothing wrong with that and I don't feel guilty at all about it - my babies have never been sick in their lives! (knock on wood)

 

First, don't feel bad I think that every breastfeeding mom goes through this even if they are feeding one baby! Second, it is time for you to call your hospital's lactation consultant. Even though you aren't there anymore you can still call them and ask for support. They really can be just what you need to keep you going in the right direction. I will also say that the breastfeeding forum here is a great place to go for advice, venting and just about anything!

I want to tell you that with my first baby I learned very quickly that breastfeeding is not as sweet, natural and nice as I thought and that it was going to be a lot of work! It was and it took about 3-4 weeks before things started going smoothly. I thought that with the twins it would be harder (and it was/is), but I thought that since I had breastfed before I would have no problem with the actual mechanics of the process... I was wrong! My boys were both toungue tied and they could not latch well at all. While in the hospital they said, "it looks like you know what you are doing, they will catch on," They didn't! Every day from weeks 1-3 they came to the breast less & less and I was pumpimg and feeding. At 3 weeks I thought I would go crazy!!! I was pumping, feeding, washing bottles and then it was time to start the whole process over again. I was exactly where you are now thinking I could not possibly do this and stay sane and that I would have to give them formula. Because I have been totally against formula since I was pregnant w/ my daughter, I called a lactation consultant and she came to the house to help us get things going. I also want to say that I have no judgement about people who have to use formula whether by choice or necesity, I just really felt that breastmilk was the best thing for my babies. I definately don't want to offend any FF moms since no matter how you feed your babies you love them and are doing what is best for them! We did get them both on and feeding well within a week. I will say that getting them on the breast instead of pumping & feeding was 1000 times easier. I will also say that when they were little like your babies they really did feed all of the time. It was still hard, reallly hard. It did get a lot easier around 6 weeks. I know that at 2 weeks that seems like an eternity, but it will go by quickly. Even if you are not haveing problems with the actual mechanics of feeding call a lactation consultant anyway, they are a great source of support. Also, call your hospital to see if there is a breastfeeding support group. They do help a lot. In addition to the fact that they are normally held by a lactation consultant you will get to meet all kinds of moms at varied stages of BFing. If you can find one I can tell you for sure it will be a great source of support and inspiration. It is amazing what some of these women have endured! Not to mention it gives you a chance to get out of the house and talk to other adults for at least an hour or two!

Remember, whatever you choose, Breastfeeding or formula feeding it has nothing to do with how you feel about your babies. Feeding is a personal and individual choice. I notice that you have an older child, I do too. I think for a long time I felt that since I breastfed her for 2+ years I had to breastfeed them for at least a year and up to two. I no longer feel that way. I feel that each child is different and has different needs and although I plan to breastfeed for at least a year if something happens to make that impossible I will know I tried and so did they! I would try to stick it out for at least 6-8 weeks since that is when they start to get into a rhythm, but set goals for yourself and each time you meet one celebrate. Breastfeeding one is hard and breastfeeding 2 is sooo much harder!!! Good luck and please call your hospital and talk to a lactation consultant before you make any decisions to change feeding.

Also, on the bottlefeeding breastilk front... Mine do take a bottle and will take one without a problem. I give them expressed breastmilk and no one including me has ever had trouble getting them to take a bottle. So, please at least give that a try if you need a break once in a while, and if they don't take it at first offer it again another time they will take it eventually.

 

I threw in the towel too - all I was doing is crying, and my 18 month old was being completely ignored. I feel a tiny bit guilty, but looking at the big picture, I know I did what was right for me and my entire family. If mama ain't functioning, NO ONE CAN.

Best of luck to all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I did give it up at 5 weeks. But even from 2 weeks to 5 weeks, it did get easier -- just not easier enough for me to be able to deal with it.

It's such a personal decision and so complicated. Don't feel guilty whatever you do. But I do encourage you to stick it out even for just another week if you can possibly stand it, because if you do quit, you want to feel that you gave it the best try you possibly could. :hug99:

 

QUOTE
Maybe breastfeeding moms love it all the time, I don't know, but I am tired by the end of the day!


I don't think there's ANY part of a being a mom that I 100% love 100% of the time! :lol: And we're all tired by the end of the day. (Or the middle. Or the beginning... :crazy: )

It's just that the balance tends to be more toward fun than chore, that's all. Different from loving it all the time!

Anyway, ditto pps again and again: OP - you'll love those babies and be a good mom no matter what, and nobody in their right mind will have snarky thoughts about you either way. I hope that while we've all been clickety clacking away here, that your DH or someone has stepped in and you've been able to get a little rest! You need a good break! :hug99:

 

QUOTE(fuchsiagroan @ Feb 14 2008, 07:15 PM) [snapback]622525[/snapback]
Anyway, ditto pps again and again: OP - you'll love those babies and be a good mom no matter what, and nobody in their right mind will have snarky thoughts about you either way. I hope that while we've all been clickety clacking away here, that your DH or someone has stepped in and you've been able to get a little rest! You need a good break! :hug99:
:clapping: I agree! :hug99: