Does it make me a bad mother??

MaximumImpact

Just felt like I needed to tell someone...since DS was born i have been breastfeeding him, expressing when he was in SCBU for over a month after he was born. I have been fighting to stay breastfeeding but tonight it all got on top of me, DS hasn't stopped crying for 2 days and I feel like a zombie!!

He has been poorly with a cold, as have I and we're both run down. He seems to be feeding more and more. On top of this I have been trying to express milk to get a supply together for days that I am out.

In desperation tonight, to get him settled, I gave him 2ozs of formula. It's against everything I have been doing but I didnt know what else to so?? I am now worried that i've committed the cardinal sin. I keep reading on the net and in all the health books that you cant do breastfeeding and formula!!!

Is it wrong to give him formula now and again????

mandragora_2

No - and you shouldn't worry about it. Not for a moment. Go and get some sleep, have a rest and it will all be so much better in the morning.

mrcow

Why are you reading books on how to bring up a baby? It's your child. You know what's best for both them and you.

Trust yourself.

Of course you can mix feed. It doesn't make any difference. Just do what's right for you and get some sleep as you sound knackered!

bestpud

Absolutely not!

You would not be a bad mother if you changed to formula altogether - it's a choice and plenty have survived without breast milk.

You count as well - please don't forget to look after your own needs too, easy though it is.

bonar

you are a very good mother so agree you need to go to bed and get some sleep. just a little tip you mention he is snuffly, try going into a steamy bathroom 10 minutes before he is due to feed, obviously stay with him, it will help unblock his nose and he will feed for longer.

Money_maker

Everyones right, get some sleep. One bottle wont change your supply too much if you want to continue bf. If not, then change to formula. I know this is a really emotional thing - I cried buckets when my 3 eventually went on to bottles. Just do whats best for you.

We use karvol capsules for our little un. If yours is too young, you can get saline drops for the nose from any chemist.

Dont be hard on yourself, the first three months can be a nightmare but it gets easier!!

cosyc

Oh I remember this well. When my first was 5 months and I had the cold from hell. It was breast feed or take the lemsip/night nurse. I took the night nurse and felt guilty for a few days but sometimes you have to put your self first!

With 2nd I went back to work and couldn't express so it was formula during the day at childminders and BF at home which worked for a couple of months until she needed solids.

So just give it a try, you know best and you know your baaby no matter what we all say.

Hope you feel better soon.

rachnbri

Right - if you want to continue breastfeeding then the occasional bottle won't hurt. You can take paracetamol/lemsip etc and it won't hurt baby. What you've not said is how you feel about the breastfeeding relationship and whether you want to continue. Can I just say though - to continue giving your baby breastmilk while he was in SCBU must have been so much hard work and you have given your baby the very best start in life and done such a good job. Let me know where you want to go from here (PM if you like) and I can give you the right advice according to what you want to do now.

Fran

Perhaps he has had a temperature with his cold and just needs more water. You need to discuss this with your doctor or health visitor.

rachnbri

Fran wrote: »

Perhaps he has had a temperature with his cold and just needs more water. You need to discuss this with your doctor or health visitor.

A breastfed baby never needs more water - just more breastmilk.

pinkcandyflossprincess

hi
im breastfeeding no 5:eek:
i had the same problem with my 3rd child as we were both ill so i ended up giving a bottle at about 3 months as i felt sucked dry and it did no harm, i used to give her a bottle at night after that so i had a decent sleep and gave my body a rest.
if you decide not to carry on with a bottle after then no harm will be done either way, you are only doing whats best for baby.

my youngest is a nightmare, 7 months and shes got a cold also but wont even drink juice from a bottle so has been constipated and crying bless her and feeding off me for 2 days solid so i will be glad when she gets better as i feel drained myself now.
hope little one gets better soon
x