@zoznoz I felt the exact same way as you. Reading the breastfeeding section in Emily Oster’s book Cribsheet made me feel so much better about switching to formula. Here’s the excerpt which also references a really helpful study that looks at sibling data (which also made me feel way less guilty as well!): https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/everybody-calm-down-about-breastfeeding/
I’ve been slowly weaning off pumping (supplementing with formula more and more) and will be fully stopping once my baby hits 4 months. I’m so excited to be done with it!!
@zoznoz I agonized over stopping too. It seems there are many moms who do! My baby is almost 8 months now and if I could go back and talk to myself at 3 weeks pp I would tell myself to stop and that my baby will be healthy and happy on formula.
One thing I was worried about was the judgment of others, the internet makes you feel like everyone is breastfeeding and if you’re having a hard time you need to just tough it out to be a good mom. This is absolutely untrue and the more people I talked to irl about it, the more I realized many of them stopped after the first few weeks/months. I even had this glorified picture of my mom who breastfed me - I was so sure that she’d breastfed for like the first whole year and everything went perfectly. When I was struggling she told me she only did it for a few months and I was shocked. Same with my MIL. And my SIL only did it the first 4 weeks.
There are so many moms who are formula feeding. And they are great moms! And their children are great! You are not alone - wanting to stop and feeling guilty about it are very common. Take your time to make your decision but just know it is normal to feel this way
@zoznoz I was/am also exclusively pumping, currently almost 10 weeks pp. I quickly dropped down to 4ppd and was able to keep my supply. Then dropped to 3ppd and started to combo feed at 8 weeks. I’m slowly weaning hoping to be done at 12 weeks pp. I felt the same as you. I wanted to keep going for my LO but the stress of pumping and not being able to spend those hours with my LO were awful. You have to do what’s mentally best for you, Formula or pumping, or a combo. Whatever you decide is the best for your mental health is 100% right.
@ninocashes I guess just could continue pumping a bit when he naps to help save some money. but I don’t know how that works, I’m currently pumping 8 times per day. Do you just decrease the amount of times you pump and your body adjusts?
@zoznoz Yes I drop pumps over 1-2 weeks. Dropping from 8 to 5 didn’t really change much or cause clogs or issues. But dropping after that I would have to wear ice packs and take ibuprofen around the clock. Dropping from 4 to 3 really caused some issues - almost got mastitis, so now when I drop I drop each session in minutes over days then drop a pump.
@zoznoz Switching from EP to EFF saved my life and allowed me to be a sane, present, and loving mother to my baby. It was the most important parenting decision I’ve made. The guilt faded very fast once I saw how much better life was for baby, me, and my husband.
@zoznoz I went through this exact same thing last month! Pumping was mentally draining and made me so depressed. I felt bad about switching to formula but that first day where I didn’t have to be hooked up to a pump all day and to feel like I have my body back was amazing! You got this If you still want to pump and feel like you aren’t getting enough combo feeding is also an option
@zoznoz Ideally every 2-3 hours my supply was terrible from the beginning so when I cut back on pumping my supply dropped and I just stopped producing. So that’s 100% up to you!
@zoznoz I could have written this. I’m just under 4wpp and stopped pumping this past Sunday. No electric pumps worked for me (I tried 3), so I was hand pumping 7+ hours a day. Not present. It was horrible.
Yes I grieving giving my girl my milk and I grieved nursing as well. But I haven’t looked back. The amount of time I’ve spent with her the past 4 days absolutely make up for not pumping. She’s fed and healthy. I’m healthy and present. That’s what matters!
@zoznoz Thank you! I hope whatever you choose leads you to more happiness as well!
I am doing the not encouraged way I had clogged ducts, milk blebs, and currently have thrush as well so I was DONE. Currently still have engorgement that seems to have come back after a lot of relief yesterday but I heard it takes about 1-2 weeks to completely dry up.
I tried cabbage leaves on my breasts but the smell was awful so I got the Frida mom weaning stick. Not sure if it works but the aloe in it feels nice!! I’m taking sudafed, ibuprofen, icing my breasts, and trying really hard not to hand express but sometimes my milk just falls out. The first 2 days SUCKED but like I said it starts to feel better!
I had a very difficult birth — PPROM, induction, five hours of pushing, obstructed delivery, several failed inversions, an emergency C-section, and then my daughter was in the NICU for two weeks.
None of that compares to the trauma of exclusively pumping. Nothing is as horrible as spending your day strapped to your pump while trying to feed a screaming baby you can’t even hold properly because of that pump. It’s just horrible.
The best thing I have EVER done for my mental health was quit pumping and switch to formula.
I stick around this group just to respond to posts like this from the other side. My baby is now older. She reads in two languages and is sturdy and happy and healthy and has a wonderful bond with both her parents. I was scared I was hurting her by stopping, but honestly, she is perfect.
@zoznoz Don't feel guilty, I managed to breastfeed for 3.5 months and after like 3-4 weeks of exclusively pumping for my baby I ended up swapping to formula, pumping is honestly soul destroying in my experience.
@zoznoz What helped me was doing half breastmilk half formula for a long time and it took a lot of the pressure off to pump so often. I eventually stopped pumping at three months postpartum.
how did you wean off pumping?
I had clogged ducts, milk blebs, and currently have thrush as well so I was DONE. Currently still have engorgement that seems to have come back after a lot of relief yesterday but I heard it takes about 1-2 weeks to completely dry up.