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[quote=Anonymous]My biggest advice is (1) pumping and bottles aren't bad for the baby -- do what makes you happiest, and (2) feeding in general gets easier as the baby ages because they feed less frequently.

My personal experience was that I almost exclusively breastfed until my kid decided she was done at about 13 months. I did pump sometimes so that I could leave bottles with my husband or a sitter, and that's a huge benefit of pumping. Even with the pandemic, you can take walks alone or go for a drive and read a book. Again, ignore the people who say that it will impact your bond with your baby. This is BS. You can bond with your baby a million different ways, and women who don't BF for many different reasons (low supply, medical issues, work schedules, mental health -- all valid!) still bond with and have good relationships with their babies. What your baby needs is a mom who is getting her needs met, and that might mean pumping or using formula. Your needs matter.

Having said all that -- as with most things with infants, give it a week or two. Everything changes quicker than you expect it to (feeding, sleeping, mobility, etc.). I look back at how exhausted I was when my daughter was 8 mo old, when I was thinking she'd never sleep through the night and that I'd be doing 2am feedings forever. Cut to three months later, and she was sleeping 12 hours a night in her own room, and I was actually quite sad when she decided she was done nursing. But that's how quickly things change.

You don't have to make a big change. If you feel captive, make a little change and see what happens. Maybe that means pumping in the evening so your partner can do at least one of the night time feeds. Maybe it's working formula and bottles into your baby's routine so that you can get away sometimes. Maybe you just need to change how you approach nursing (see if there's is a place or a way to do it that you actually look forward to -- I relished being able to take the baby to a quiet place to nurse while I read a book, and escape house guests and family for a little while). If a little change doesn't work, try something more. Prioritize your own happiness and know your baby needs you to be happy too![/quote]

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