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I couldnt latch so i needed to pump or hand express if i want to give my baby breastmilk. I thought it was easy. But i had emergency csect, in sooo much pain, baby crying 24/7, barely sleep, i cried multiple times a day, hated pumping. I stopped and got engorgement, went to hospital to get medication to stop my breastmilk, had breast massage to relieve my engorgement. I gave up pumping only few days old. I couldnt handle it, its taking a toll on me and my mental health. I was going crazy. And honestly, giving baby FM was the best decision ever! A huge burden lifted off my shoulder. I dont even care what people say about me giving up breastfeeding. I knew my baby needed a happy mummy and i needed to be mentally stable and happy in order to care for baby. As long as baby is fed, its all good. Be it FM or BM.
Hi, I am a low supplier as well, and I had latching problem too. So currently I do pump, try to latch whenever I can but I do mix feed my baby with formula if I haven't pumped, baby being fussy and not latching or not getting any supply. I do understand pumping can be a hassle but you can try to schedule it as per your comfort but if its still affecting your mental health then switching over to FM is no issue at all. There are plenty of good FM with all the necessary nutrients available, like others said in this post a happy Mum and happy baby is worth more than anything :) You will do just fine mama, trust your instincts :)
First one month postpartum, I pumped every 4-6 hours instead of 3 hours cos I was too tired. I pumped at 11pm, slept at 12am and woke up at 6am to pump again. If breasts are too full, then I woke up at 4am to pump. With this schedule, my breasts are trained to last overnight without getting blocked. On month 2, I saw a lactation consultant to learn latching and practiced a lot… I must say, it’s the best decision I’ve made as it simplifies the whole thing, especially when travelling! I don’t really pump anymore ever since and continue to feed on demand.
Tbh, the first few weeks of pumping, I just pump very little, as I had low supply anyways, and engorgement wasn't so painful.. gradually as the weeks turned into months, the milk supply became more naturally, even when I pumped very irregulary. It's ok to catch up on the pumping in later weeks and just keep it chill for.now. even 10ml is bm is enough nutrients for the bb 💪
Fed is best! I half gave up on pumping too and baby girl cannot latch. Now i am on 100% FM and i feel so much happier that i can spend more time with my newborn rather then endless pumping & washing the pumps after. Listen to your needs and don’t be too influenced by others who might pressure u to continue pumping for BM just because they had a successful BM journey!
You can try giving both bm and fm and see how it goes. I’m a low supply bm FTM and I only pump 3 times a day (power pump and increasing the times I pump don’t help me) and it’s manageable
If it’s affecting your mental health then you can just go for FM :) if you want to give breast milk then you can try to slowly extend the night pumping time, that’s what I did :)
I had barely any time to pump. Therefore i only latch as its easiest and no prep needed. U can mix feed or just stick to FM. Do whatever keeps u sane(:
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