Combi feeding/ending BF

Hiya, this might be a long one sorry but looking for any advice please I wanted to BF but had issues from the start with my little one's latch. He did have a tongue tie which we had divided but we still struggled and were in hospital for a few days due to weightloss which led to us moving to combi feeding (BF/expressed/formula) when he was a few days old. I had some support but even with this could only BF using nipple shields and never felt confident doing this in public so always bottle fed when out and about and BF at home. At 14 weeks we had him weighed and my already teeny baby had dropped centiles, so I got panicky that my supply was poor and he wasn't getting enough, so since then he has been almost exclusively formula fed (as I was finding it really difficult physically and mentally to maintain the pumping). I have always BF his first feed of the day (still using the shields) - if I'm honest this has probably been more for him than for me as I haven't been ready to completely end our BF journey. The last couple of days my 5 month old has just been really unhappy when I've tried to BF him in the morning as usual, he's come off really quickly and just cried. This morning he only fed for 30 seconds and then just wouldn't go back on. I've given him a bottle instead so he is fed, but I can't help worrying this might be the end of our BF journey which makes me sad because I really wanted to get to at least 6 months. I don't want to push it if it's upsetting him but I'm also scared my already rubbish supply will dry up completely if we have a few days missing this feed. I do try and pump most evenings if I'm able to but I'm only getting 10-20ml where I used to get 100-150 when I was BF more. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has been in a similar position with this breast refusal, or the combi feeding and ending BF and can give me any advice? Or make me feel better if this is the end of BF 🥲 Also just to say I have no issues at all with using formula - before he was born I was sure I was going to try BF but if there were any issues go straight to formula, I've surprised myself that I'm bothered by it (I was formula fed myself). Also please no comments that I should have tried harder in the early days because a) I tried really hard and b) the mum guilt is there already so please don't add to it 🙃 Sorry this is so long!
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Totally with you on this one! Our son has been combi fed since day 3 and it's worked soooo well but over the past month he's taken a disliking to one of my breasts and now straight up refuses it, meaning I'm now taking steps to dry it up so he just feeds off the one he likes. I'm dreading the day he starts to dislike that one because that'll be the end of our journey and I'm soooo not ready. Feel free to pop me a message if you're comfortable to. Zero judgement here and it sounds like we're in similar positions x

No advice, just here to say you've done amazing and given it your absolute all and if this is the end of your bf journey then your LO has been very lucky to have it for nearly 5 months. 🤍🩷 Don't be hard on yourself. Xx

Is so hard, my LO refused to breastfeed at 3.5 months and I expressed since then. She was never only BF (bottle feed at night time with express milk) and it worked so well those first months and then she decided bottle feed is her favourite. I still express caz I want her to have as long as possible but I have relaxed schedule now and I use formula when I need. You’re doing great work and you should be proud xx

Thank you all ❤️ it's hard and always find I'm second guessing myself and wondering if I should be doing something different - I guess that's just mum life 😅 xx

It’s really hard I had to stop breastfeeding my little one at 5 months. I was combi feeding and he just refused the boob when teething began and i felt so disappointed initially. But you should feel really proud of yourself! I actually feel at peace now he’s fully formula fed knowing I’ve done my best and that’s all you can do :) x

@Mims thank you ❤️

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