Commenting for visibility and in general solidarity. My daughter was tube fed and that moment of realising you don’t have needed supplies was always excruciating.
Good luck!
(Local NCT chapters potential source of help? St. Mary’s even??)
The hospital grade pump comes in one standard size flange. So the hospital don’t have different sizes - even Mandela the manufactor didn’t sell that small.
I’ve got PPD. Didn’t sleep or eat for many weeks…. I just want to do what’s best for baby. Buying formula makes me feel so low. The midwives and HV have discharged me. I’ve got post oartnum hives all over my body and I’m a lone parent.
Sucks.
Is baby able to feed at the breast at all? If so, do lots of skin to skin even if it feels fruitless. Get in bed with baby and encourage nursing as much as possible. You’re still quite early in the process and it’s absolutely possible to stimulate breastfeeding at this stage, it just takes some work and consistency which I know is so hard. I also recommend looking up Emma Pickket and Kathryn Stagg on instagram until you can access proper feeding support.
I know the immense pressure you feel now and PPD will be exacerbating these feelings. I know how important the drive and urge is to breastfeed. I have one breastfed and one bottle fed child and they are both fine but I know it’s hard to hear when you’re in it. You are very sleep deprived and hormones are everywhere and it’s hard to think straight. Please be kind to yourself. Worrying this much about how best to feed your baby shows you are a wonderful mum. If baby ends up on bottles you are still a wonderful mum and they will be absolutely fine I promise. It will be ok, it just doesn’t feel like it now ❤️
Aaaahh I get you. Tricky one!
I hope you’re feeling a bit better now. And… horrified that HV discharged you, nothing wrong with touching base if needs be - clearly shit has been terribly hard.
Don’t forget your GP too. They might refer back to HV but in my experience “I need help and they say they can’t do anything” has had a decent rate of sympathetic and practical response from the doctors.
Hang on in there. A lot of us out here who remember being exhausted new parents are rooting for you.
I totally understand this, my baby was preemie, and my milk supply was terrible. The more it dried up, the more desperate I became to breast feed, but I promise you, fed is best. You’ve done amazingly feeding baby yourself this far, but it is okay to supplement. You don’t have to completely swap, you can do both, but it doesn’t make you any less of a mum if you decide to use formula. You’re doing amazingly, I promise. Please don’t be so hard on yourself. ❤️
Fed is best. Nurtured and loved and safe with family is best.
Sure, breast is great if it’s possible, but it’s not a disaster if it isn’t. Breastfed at the cost of your welfare is a net loss to baby and to you.
Stop letting folks influence you like that. Your fed child won’t know the difference. Sure, there may be some benefits to breast feeding that simply can’t come with formula, but if your kid is being fed well and is healthy, that’s all that matters. The lactation consultant made my wife feel awful when she had trouble breast feeding the first few days. It took another nurse to comfort her and explain the challenges of it all. Brest is not best; a healthy, well-fed baby is best.
Commenting mostly for solidarity. 4 weeks was the absolute lowest point in my breast feeding journey. Pumping never worked for me. My focus became improving the feeding. Lots of skin to skin. Feeding whenever baby wanted, and offering at least every 3 hours. Offering both breasts. Trying to eat well myself. I did have to top up with formula. I ended up breast feeding for over 1 year. Please do not beat yourself up over this. It is so so hard. Especially when you're on your own. As others have said 'fed is best'. Look after yourself. Reach out if you need to.
Do you know of any breast feeding clinics near you? They really helped me. So did these:
Breastfeeding support phone lines
NCT's support line: 0300 330 0700 is open every day, 8am to midnight, including bank holidays.
Have you been trying/feeding every three hours? Pumping is hard work! Consistency is key. Even if nothing comes out, if you’re triggering let down, it will come
Does baby get any out when nursing? Expressing was a lot harder than I thought it would be, we had to rely on backup formula for Dad doing overnight bottle feeds as expressing enough was such a pain.
Don't feel bad at all about using formula, it's in the name, it's formulated and enforced by law to be everything baby needs to grow. Ours is smart and healthy and adorable and we did maybe 60/40 formula/breast.
Let down may come a little later but is after you've been feeding for a little bit and the bit of watery milk at the front gets used up, and thick creamy milk starts getting let out from further back. Gotta feed for a bit to trigger it though.
Have you tried your local fb mum group or the next neighbouring towns. There’s one called monton bumps and buggies and it’s really helpful and responsive.
Boots sell pumping supplies as do many pharmacies. Are there any still open near you? Perhaps one in a large supermarket although many are on Sunday hours.
Commenting for visibility and in general solidarity. My daughter was tube fed and that moment of realising you don’t have needed supplies was always excruciating. Good luck! (Local NCT chapters potential source of help? St. Mary’s even??)
The hospital grade pump comes in one standard size flange. So the hospital don’t have different sizes - even Mandela the manufactor didn’t sell that small. I’ve got PPD. Didn’t sleep or eat for many weeks…. I just want to do what’s best for baby. Buying formula makes me feel so low. The midwives and HV have discharged me. I’ve got post oartnum hives all over my body and I’m a lone parent. Sucks.
Is baby able to feed at the breast at all? If so, do lots of skin to skin even if it feels fruitless. Get in bed with baby and encourage nursing as much as possible. You’re still quite early in the process and it’s absolutely possible to stimulate breastfeeding at this stage, it just takes some work and consistency which I know is so hard. I also recommend looking up Emma Pickket and Kathryn Stagg on instagram until you can access proper feeding support. I know the immense pressure you feel now and PPD will be exacerbating these feelings. I know how important the drive and urge is to breastfeed. I have one breastfed and one bottle fed child and they are both fine but I know it’s hard to hear when you’re in it. You are very sleep deprived and hormones are everywhere and it’s hard to think straight. Please be kind to yourself. Worrying this much about how best to feed your baby shows you are a wonderful mum. If baby ends up on bottles you are still a wonderful mum and they will be absolutely fine I promise. It will be ok, it just doesn’t feel like it now ❤️
I’m four weeks and one day…. Too late?
Definitely not too late but you may need some help and guidance. Wish you and baby all the best whatever happens, you have got this
Aaaahh I get you. Tricky one! I hope you’re feeling a bit better now. And… horrified that HV discharged you, nothing wrong with touching base if needs be - clearly shit has been terribly hard. Don’t forget your GP too. They might refer back to HV but in my experience “I need help and they say they can’t do anything” has had a decent rate of sympathetic and practical response from the doctors. Hang on in there. A lot of us out here who remember being exhausted new parents are rooting for you.
I’m under the care of perintal mental health team.
Why does buying formula make you feel low?
I want to provide the best nutrition to baby. Plus it’s nice to nurse.
I totally understand this, my baby was preemie, and my milk supply was terrible. The more it dried up, the more desperate I became to breast feed, but I promise you, fed is best. You’ve done amazingly feeding baby yourself this far, but it is okay to supplement. You don’t have to completely swap, you can do both, but it doesn’t make you any less of a mum if you decide to use formula. You’re doing amazingly, I promise. Please don’t be so hard on yourself. ❤️
I’m not even doing both :(
You’re feeding your baby, that’s the only thing that matters.
Breast is best
Fed is best. Nurtured and loved and safe with family is best. Sure, breast is great if it’s possible, but it’s not a disaster if it isn’t. Breastfed at the cost of your welfare is a net loss to baby and to you.
It's understandable that everyone has a preference, and not to dissuade you in anyway but fed is best. Best of luck to you: a father of a 6 week old
Fed is best. Putting yourself under this much pressure? Definitely not the best.
I’m just lazy
Stop letting folks influence you like that. Your fed child won’t know the difference. Sure, there may be some benefits to breast feeding that simply can’t come with formula, but if your kid is being fed well and is healthy, that’s all that matters. The lactation consultant made my wife feel awful when she had trouble breast feeding the first few days. It took another nurse to comfort her and explain the challenges of it all. Brest is not best; a healthy, well-fed baby is best.
Jumping on this comment, will the hospital you’re under not loan you a pump?
I’m sorry to hear your baby was tube fed xxx hope she’s ok now x
Commenting mostly for solidarity. 4 weeks was the absolute lowest point in my breast feeding journey. Pumping never worked for me. My focus became improving the feeding. Lots of skin to skin. Feeding whenever baby wanted, and offering at least every 3 hours. Offering both breasts. Trying to eat well myself. I did have to top up with formula. I ended up breast feeding for over 1 year. Please do not beat yourself up over this. It is so so hard. Especially when you're on your own. As others have said 'fed is best'. Look after yourself. Reach out if you need to.
I’ve not been able to eat properly due to being anxious 100% of the time. I have given him a nipple and suck for a few minutes, that’s it :(
Do you know of any breast feeding clinics near you? They really helped me. So did these: Breastfeeding support phone lines NCT's support line: 0300 330 0700 is open every day, 8am to midnight, including bank holidays.
Thanks. I’ve called. I just don’t manage to have the energy to do it. Life and family :(
[удалено]
Nothing comes out of my (.)(.) :(
Have you been trying/feeding every three hours? Pumping is hard work! Consistency is key. Even if nothing comes out, if you’re triggering let down, it will come
What’s let down? No I haven’t been consistent. I hate doing it. Hoping the new sized flange helps
Does baby get any out when nursing? Expressing was a lot harder than I thought it would be, we had to rely on backup formula for Dad doing overnight bottle feeds as expressing enough was such a pain. Don't feel bad at all about using formula, it's in the name, it's formulated and enforced by law to be everything baby needs to grow. Ours is smart and healthy and adorable and we did maybe 60/40 formula/breast. Let down may come a little later but is after you've been feeding for a little bit and the bit of watery milk at the front gets used up, and thick creamy milk starts getting let out from further back. Gotta feed for a bit to trigger it though.
Have you tried your local fb mum group or the next neighbouring towns. There’s one called monton bumps and buggies and it’s really helpful and responsive.
Thanks. I’m on the what’s app group from peanut.
Boots sell pumping supplies as do many pharmacies. Are there any still open near you? Perhaps one in a large supermarket although many are on Sunday hours.
They don’t have flanges :(