Forcing myself to breastfeed out of fear

[Anonymous]

I don’t like breastfeeding and baby is not that good at it. I do have a good supply and can make what he eats in a day. I was going to switch to formula soon but the formula shortage is very concerning to me. I have read many stories of people unable to get formula and the formula my baby takes is almost always out of stock or I can only get a small portion of it. I went to try another formula and the company is no longer accepting new parents because of high demand. I hate breastfeeding but I feel like I have no other choice because I can’t let my any starve. I hate this.

[Anonymous]

The shortage is a real problem so I’m sorry you are experiencing it. How old is your baby? Have you met with a lactation consultant (or two!) - they can be really helpful but sometimes it takes a few appointments to find the right match. And have you considered pumping (even exclusively)?

[Anonymous]

It takes a few weeks to wean your supply anyway. I would say each time you feed baby, use a hakaa on the other breast. It should catch 1-3oz per feed and you can freeze that. It really adds up quickly and then you can have that freezer stash as a safety net. You could either dip into it if you run out of formula or do half formula half BM.

I'm sorry

[Anonymous]

I can only offer sympathy. I’m in the same boat as you but I exclusively pump. We couldn’t breastfeed and I naturally gravitated towards pumping while we figured things out. I planned to switch to formula but the supply chain crisis and limitations on formula has made me continue to pump. It sucks but I would rather pump than run out of formula for my baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It takes a few weeks to wean your supply anyway. I would say each time you feed baby, use a hakaa on the other breast. It should catch 1-3oz per feed and you can freeze that. It really adds up quickly and then you can have that freezer stash as a safety net. You could either dip into it if you run out of formula or do half formula half BM.

I'm sorry

Milk from the Haakaa doesn’t contain any fatty milk. That’s basically just sugar and won’t fill up your baby like a full feed will.

[Anonymous]

The toughest time to breastfeed while mom and baby figure it out is up until 4-6 weeks and typically by 3rd month, it’s really easy (comparatively). I’d also check for tongue and/or lip tie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The shortage is a real problem so I’m sorry you are experiencing it. How old is your baby? Have you met with a lactation consultant (or two!) - they can be really helpful but sometimes it takes a few appointments to find the right match. And have you considered pumping (even exclusively)?

OP here. He just turned 9 week old yesterday. We have been to many lactation visits. He is fine with breastfeeding but he takes a long to eat and is very impatient at the breast because he doesn’t like to work hard for the milk. This causes him to become mad and breastfeeding because this 30-45 minute ordeal of him eating and crying. I do pump two times a day right now and we feed him two bottles ( 1 formula, 1 breastmilk) and he loves the bottle. We do have a slow flow nipple but he never cries and he is done with 4oz in 10-15 minutes. The lactation consultant told me that some babies are just lazy eaters and it might get better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It takes a few weeks to wean your supply anyway. I would say each time you feed baby, use a hakaa on the other breast. It should catch 1-3oz per feed and you can freeze that. It really adds up quickly and then you can have that freezer stash as a safety net. You could either dip into it if you run out of formula or do half formula half BM.

I'm sorry

OP here. I been able to freeze one bag of pumped milk ( 4oz) a day.

[Anonymous]

It’s more work but maybe you should switch to exclusively pumping and bottle feed.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The other issue is he eats more frequently with the breast. He will eat every two hours with breastfeeding but goes 2.5-3 hours when he gets a bottle. One day I had help and pumped most of the day and he was able to go longer between feedings and seemed happier with the bottle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It takes a few weeks to wean your supply anyway. I would say each time you feed baby, use a hakaa on the other breast. It should catch 1-3oz per feed and you can freeze that. It really adds up quickly and then you can have that freezer stash as a safety net. You could either dip into it if you run out of formula or do half formula half BM.

I'm sorry

Milk from the Haakaa doesn’t contain any fatty milk. That’s basically just sugar and won’t fill up your baby like a full feed will.

This is absolutely not true per my IBCLC

[Anonymous]

I have exclusively formula fed since my child was born last August. There have been times we’ve needed to look a bit harder to find his formula, but certainly not so much that I regret choosing to formula feed.

[Anonymous]

If you decide to pump more (I understand it can be difficult finding the time), I would invest in a portable pump like the Elvie. My friend raved about it after having to EP because her baby refused the nipple and formula. She started off with the Spectra 1 which is a great machine but not as convenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It takes a few weeks to wean your supply anyway. I would say each time you feed baby, use a hakaa on the other breast. It should catch 1-3oz per feed and you can freeze that. It really adds up quickly and then you can have that freezer stash as a safety net. You could either dip into it if you run out of formula or do half formula half BM.

I'm sorry

Milk from the Haakaa doesn’t contain any fatty milk. That’s basically just sugar and won’t fill up your baby like a full feed will.

This is absolutely not true per my IBCLC

Agree. And I reported that posted and asked for this dangerously false information to be deleted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It takes a few weeks to wean your supply anyway. I would say each time you feed baby, use a hakaa on the other breast. It should catch 1-3oz per feed and you can freeze that. It really adds up quickly and then you can have that freezer stash as a safety net. You could either dip into it if you run out of formula or do half formula half BM.

I'm sorry

Milk from the Haakaa doesn’t contain any fatty milk. That’s basically just sugar and won’t fill up your baby like a full feed will.

This is absolutely not true per my IBCLC

Agree. And I reported that posted and asked for this dangerously false information to be deleted.

How is it not true? You’re just getting the letdown which is the foremilk.