Anonymous wrote:Just curious what your job is and why pumping isn't possible? There are a few types of pumps now that fit discretely under your clothes.

If you want to breastfeed, you should try. Baby will get lots of benefit even if you fully wean after the four months are up.

OP here. I’m a nurse practitioner and work in a wellness clinic. I get 5-10 minutes between patients and a 30 minute lunch. It will be very hard to pump only once and maintain a supply. It sounds like a hassle and not something I want to do.

Anonymous wrote:If I could, sure. I comfort nursed my children to sleep despite never having supply sufficient to feed them. It’s worth it for that bedtime routine alone (for me).

Do not comfort nurse your child OP. Your child will become dependent on this in order to fall asleep. It will be a nightmare once you stop breastfeeding and for anyone else that has to put your baby down to sleep. Teach your child to sleep independently. One of the best gifts a parent can give to their child is the gift of sleep.

Anonymous wrote:No I would not.

+1. You shouldn’t put yourself through it if you will only breastfeed for 4 months. It’s not worth it. There is no point. I would just start with formula from birth.

I would definitely breastfeed. People have said if it hurts you can stop. But know that if often hurts at the beginning and you might need to work with a lactation consultant. So I wouldn’t stop just because it hurts. I would work a little harder.

No I would not.

OP here. I think I will try to breastfeed but we will still give 1-2 bottles of formula a day for baby to get used to the bottle and formula.

Definitely. It protects against so many things even if only for three months.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Start as you mean to go on. Friend of mine was in your situation and when it was time to go back to work the baby wouldn’t take a bottle. She screamed and starved during the day. Friend ended up having to ask for a bunch more time off until they could sort it out. Took months and was a stressful disaster that pushed their marriage to the brink.

This is one of those situations where you have to give baby a bottle daily. It was stupid of your friend not to do this.

Yes, do this. The bottle can be expressed breast milk, if you prefer, but if you intend to switch to formula completely, start incorporating formula about a month before you "have to." That gives you time to sort out more reliably if your baby is going to take to it easily, or if it will be a challenge to switch.

There’s no reason not to try but since you won’t be pumping if supplement liberally to make your life easier from the get go. Comfort nursing and nursing overnight has been great for me, but my husband or au pair will use formula when out and about as easier or well give a topic before bed somwtimes

Do what you think is best and don't pressure yourself to do something you don't want to do.

I breastfed for a year but had to star t supplementing around 6 months due to supply issues. After a couple of months battling the &#$@* pump I nursed first thing in the morning and before bed and sent formula during the day. It worked great until I was ready to wean. I'm pregnant now and have a new job that involves weekly travel. I plan to breastfeed during my mat leave and then just see what happens when I go back. I found it easier to pop a boob out for overnight feeds so hoping to do that during those first few round-the-clock months.

Anonymous wrote:Yes! The most benefit from breastfeeding is in the first six months and especially the first few weeks. I was only able to nurse my first for three months and my second for one month due to a medication I needed to go back on. I even though I had a huge supply, stopping nursing was no big deal. I did it with my second cold turkey.

And neither kid had an issue taking a bottle! Yes, we gave each one bottle a day and did have to try a couple different nipples but both kids soon readily accepted it.

Yes! The most benefit from breastfeeding is in the first six months and especially the first few weeks. I was only able to nurse my first for three months and my second for one month due to a medication I needed to go back on. I even though I had a huge supply, stopping nursing was no big deal. I did it with my second cold turkey.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Start as you mean to go on. Friend of mine was in your situation and when it was time to go back to work the baby wouldn’t take a bottle. She screamed and starved during the day. Friend ended up having to ask for a bunch more time off until they could sort it out. Took months and was a stressful disaster that pushed their marriage to the brink.

This is one of those situations where you have to give baby a bottle daily. It was stupid of your friend not to do this.

I totally believe it too. My first born refused a bottle after only a week of bf’ing. We never got him to drink even half an oz from a bottle. My second happily accepted both but not my first, ever.

Anonymous wrote:Start as you mean to go on. Friend of mine was in your situation and when it was time to go back to work the baby wouldn’t take a bottle. She screamed and starved during the day. Friend ended up having to ask for a bunch more time off until they could sort it out. Took months and was a stressful disaster that pushed their marriage to the brink.

This is one of those situations where you have to give baby a bottle daily. It was stupid of your friend not to do this.

No. Fed is best and what is best for you is of utmost importance. Do not let the breastfeeding a crazies make you feel guilty.