I get so stressed over being the sole provider of food. Sometimes it even impacts the amount I'm able to pump at work for her the next day. She's been exclusively bf for almost 5 months so its not a legit concern or reason to stress but I was wondering if any other bfing moms feel the same way?
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I was very stressed out while breastfeeding. So I stopped. LO is just as healthy being on formula. After a lot of mommy guilt, I decided it was just better for everyone if I stopped BFing. I was miserable when feeding her, and therefor she was miserable. Life is a lot happier now.
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It can be stressful. I have to calm myself down sometimes. I have a good 100 ounce stash but am always afraid to use it. I have to remember that is what its there for.
Do as much as you can but going to formula is not terrible.
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You are NOT alone. Some moms and babies out there absolutely love breastfeeding and it comes naturally. Some do not. I had no milk supply issues and RJ latched on from day 1, so it was such an ideal situation, and yet I was still miserable breastfeeding. I think you hit the nail right on the head-- I felt so much pressure being the sole provider of food. I remember Rob Sr. would bring RJ to me in the middle of the night and I would just be like "no. he JUST ate an hour ago!!!!" and I would cry. Seriously. Looking back I feel so guilty... but honestly, those were my emotions at the time and I was so overwhelmed. It didn't help that I was a SAHM and I felt the pressure to be the one and only caretaker as well as food provider. I'm so much happier being a working mom now-- and i know for the next one I will be happier working and pumping, and also providing formula as well as breastmilk.
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I was planning to pump so that my husband can feed the baby too, so that way feeding the baby will be a shared responsiblity
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I felt this way!! People laugh when they hear how large my freezer stash is but I just couldn't pump enough I felt like. You are NOT alone! Congrats on breastfeeding successfully for 5 months
It IS an accomplishment!!
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@Thehistoryofus: I'm sooo stingy with my stash! I have to remember to cycle it through to avoid having it go bad but something about thawing that liquid gold (even if I am replacing it...) makes me feel sad.
Thanks, all! I plan to start solids around 6 months so that will take some of the stress away. I am proud to say that through all of our feeding issues we've never had to use formula.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one stressing
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LO is a year old this month and I still get stressed about breastfeeding! So far my supply's been okay, but the thought of drying up stresses me out!
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UGH. this was the singlemost difficult thing for me! Not labor/delivery, sleep deprivation, etc. Breastfeeding was the most stressful thing, partly b/c I had supply issues (agonizing) and constant clogging! I wanted to give up at 2 months but somehow pushed through to 9 months, when my supply completely dropped off and I said enough was enough.
I am hoping the next baby's breastfeeding experience is better. For now, i'm enjoying LO so much more now that he is on formula.
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Breastfeeding and pumping stress me out too! I had low supply issues and now oversupply but I can't stop pumping after every feeding because i am terrified i will dry out. My stash filled my freezer so I am storing excess milk in my MIL's deep freezer. I am definitely looking forward to starting solids...hopefully it will relieve some of my feeding anxiety!
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I hear ya! The supply thing was always really stressful for me too. In my mind, I just kept thinking that I can only feed breastmilk to my LO (formula wasn't an option for me) and I kept stressing about how little I was making. I would constantly count how many ounces I had in my freezer stash and worry that it wouldn't be enough if I suddenly stopped producing milk. Finally after tons of mother's milk, eating pig's feet, and 2 bouts of mastitis I stopped BFing/pumping at 12 months. HOnestly though, I don't think I'd put myself through that stress again with baby #2. I just didn't know better and I realize that formula is TOTALLY an option. Most of my friends BF'd and that's all I knew so I thought I was failing as a mother for not having enough supply. Man...the lessons we learn!
It IS an accomplishment!!
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