Should I stop breastfeeding?

[Lorrymac]

Hi all, long time no post. Isobel is just passed the 3 month mark and is doing really well. She's having a bad week which we're thinking is because she had her jabs on monday.

Anyway, my post is about breastfeeding. I'm still going although it's becoming more and more of a chore and although I do still love it, enjoy the bonding and everything, Isobel still takes about an hour per feed and is feeding every 2-3 hours, sometimes i get away with 4. She is however sleeping well at night and feeds around 7, then 11 then generally goes thru till 7am which I know is amazing, especially for a breast fed baby. Thing is, the feeds are taking so much time off me I hardly ever get chance to do anything. Thankfully my husband is still off work otherwise god knows what state the house would be in. I'm going back to work in about a month and depending on how flexible my next employer is I will have to use a degree of child care - maybe a few days a week, possibly 5. The plan was to express and feed when i'm with her. But so far I just can't find time to express because she's feeding so often and for so long and I'm starting to feel like a human cow. Any advice? I'm torn - am I being selfish, or should I maybe think about getting her onto forumla because she' probably need to have it at day care anyway? She will take a bottle and has had some formula already because my supply dropped for a while. Thanks, Lorraine

[nku]

Hi Lorraine, I think you need to do what you feel is best for you. You have given your baby the best start by feeding her for 3 months. I found it a real struggle to express enough for when baby's in childcare, and ultimately it stresses you out. I found it easier to combine breast with bottle (formula). I breast fed mornings & at bed time, but formula throughout the day.

hth

[Lorrymac]

Thank you. I have tried expressing and it did get me very stressed out - even with an electric one from the health visitor i was getting about 2 oz per time and felt permanently attached to it! I also work in construction - i.e. a building site full of men - the idea of getting time and privacy to express while I'm at work seems slim although i know it's a legal entitlement of mine, i'm just not sure I fancy doing it - plus, i'd probably need about 1.5-2 hours a day to be able to do it which I'm not sure will fly with management. It must come out of me slowly or something because both expressing and Isobels feeds take ages!

[natalie_1982]

Obviously I can't answer as to whether you should stop breastfeeding or not, but just to let you know you are definitely not alone when it comes to having no luck with expressing! I tried the AVENT manual pump and the Medela electric pump, both were good at the start then after about 1-2oz it would slow to a drip. On a good day, and these were few and far between, and after several long bouts of expressing, I would end up with one 6oz bottle! Usually I might get 2oz or so, which was fine when she was wee but obviously as her feeds increased I could not keep up (breast or bottle) and eventually switched to formula.

Anyway, like I said, I can't help about knowing whether you should stop or not (you know only you can answer that), but don't feel alone because when I posted about the problems I was having it seems very common with expressing and something I wasn't aware of prior to breastfeeding, I thought it would be easy expressing and it isn't! Don't feel pressured into continuing breastfeeding through guilt, but, as you probably know, you probably need to decide soon as if you decide to go with formula then you will need to start weaning Isobel.

Goodsoulette always has excellent advice re breastfeeding so keep an eye for her and point her in this question's direction :-)

P.S. I am now laughing hysterically as before I postedmy answer I went through to to check for typos and realised I had been using the (Nelson) Mandela pump! PMSL