Edit 5/8: Thank you all so much for your support, it means everything to me. I got the confidence to start taking steps towards weaning and becoming a happier mom for my baby. 
Hi everyone,
My LO turns one month old today. I have been exclusively pumping since the beginning, which hasn’t been going great. I’m super prone to clogged ducts. I already have had quite a few (I’ve tried everything to prevent them), and developed mastitis last week. Today, instead of pumping every 2 or 3 hours, I went to lunch with my friends. I got home back in time to make it for a pump 4 hours after the last one, and guess what? Another clogged duct. While I’m on antibiotics for mastitis (which I know doesn’t prevent clogged ducts, but the irony of it all is killing me). I’m just feeling miserable and tied to a machine, and my mastitis has already caused my supply to be less than half of what it was.
I want the best for my baby, and while sitting here pumping in the middle of the night, I get the feeling that formula would make me and my mental health happier in the long run. I’ve been going back and forth on it for weeks. Unfortunately, I’m the type to feel like guilty for “quitting” or “giving up” and turning away from pumping. I know that I need to make this decision for myself, but I think it would help me to hear stories from moms who felt guilty in the beginning but eventually didn’t, who formula fed from the beginning and everything turned out great, or at least ultimately knew that they made the right decision switching to formula.
If I decide to quit, I’d love to be able to look back at this subreddit post and remember those who stand by me and remind me that so made the right choice. Thank you all in advance.
Hi everyone,
My LO turns one month old today. I have been exclusively pumping since the beginning, which hasn’t been going great. I’m super prone to clogged ducts. I already have had quite a few (I’ve tried everything to prevent them), and developed mastitis last week. Today, instead of pumping every 2 or 3 hours, I went to lunch with my friends. I got home back in time to make it for a pump 4 hours after the last one, and guess what? Another clogged duct. While I’m on antibiotics for mastitis (which I know doesn’t prevent clogged ducts, but the irony of it all is killing me). I’m just feeling miserable and tied to a machine, and my mastitis has already caused my supply to be less than half of what it was.
I want the best for my baby, and while sitting here pumping in the middle of the night, I get the feeling that formula would make me and my mental health happier in the long run. I’ve been going back and forth on it for weeks. Unfortunately, I’m the type to feel like guilty for “quitting” or “giving up” and turning away from pumping. I know that I need to make this decision for myself, but I think it would help me to hear stories from moms who felt guilty in the beginning but eventually didn’t, who formula fed from the beginning and everything turned out great, or at least ultimately knew that they made the right decision switching to formula.
If I decide to quit, I’d love to be able to look back at this subreddit post and remember those who stand by me and remind me that so made the right choice. Thank you all in advance.