BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

When I pump at work I am not getting enough to meet my son's needs for the time that I am away from him (he is 9 1/2 months old)and my supply is dwindling (in my freezer). I have never given any of my children formula and have EBF'd them all for their 1st year, I need to decide what to do, do I pump like a mad woman whenever possible, or do i give formula. I need honest opinions here ladies. I truly do not want to give formula (not that there is anything wrong with it, BFing just feels like the right thing to do for me), I just feel like BFing has been such a huge accomplishment for me with my 3 children while working and being able to stay committed to BFing that I don't want to regret my decision if I choose formula since i feel as if i "gave my all" to the other kids and don't want to give up with my 3rd. TIA

Message edited 5/26/2006 9:39:16 PM.

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

Since you asked for only the opinions of bf advocates, and you truly do not want to give formula, I think you know what to do.

I only pumped for 4 weeks while I was still home and I know how hard it is. But you sound like it is really important to you and you are really committed.

So I say stick with it. I think you already know what you want to do, you just need some encouragement. So hang in there, you only have 2 1/2 more months! That is a little bit of time compared to all you have done.
You should be proud of yourself!

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

Emilain....you are Super Woman!!! With 3 kids a not a drop of formula (plus I read you get up 4x a night!!!!). I honestly don't know how you do it. Please do not beat yourself up if you do end up giving some formula. You will still be BFing when you are home and sharing that bond with your son.

I would say pump like mad woman only if you thought it wouldn't drive you crazy. I gave up pumping cause I just had enough. I have 1 child and don't want to spend whatever spare time I have hooked up to the pump. Can't imagine having 3. (plus then cleaning the parts etc....) I give Sidney formula mixed with her cereal and now when I am occasionally at work she gets alimentum in a Nuby (yeah she is finally learning to drink from a cup!!!)

You should be sooo proud of yourself for what you have accomplished.

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

Not sure if I count as a BF advocate, since I'm more a "whatever works for you" person. But since it sounds like you want to stay committed to BF'ing, I'd say try drinking fennel tea. Nope, not tasty (add honey), but it will increase your milk supply. I know there are people on here that would suggest differently, but I would nurse one side & then pump the other. Then nurse the other side (the one previously pumped) at the next feeding and pump the other. This can double your milk supply. And of course, make sure you're eating enough.

If it's important to you - then yes, pump like a mad woman. If it's actually going to make you truly "mad", then maybe you need to make a decision whether you want to supplement. This doesn't mean you're not going to nurse him - it does mean that your supply will diminish further. If you do this - nurse all weekend long to bring your supply back up. By Thursday-Friday it will get low again.

I started supplementing at about 8 mos with Joseph. At that point I was able to get 12-16 oz from both breasts while pumping, but I was pumping every 2-3 hoours.

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

I would keep pumping. There were so many times I wanted to stop but it didn't feel right to me because I fought so hard to get the small amount of milk I did get. Even though I did have to supplement with formula I couldn't give up on breastmilk until 7 months. At that point any hope of her latching was gone and I stopped feeling guilty.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're going to feel guilty then keep pumping and get your supply up. If its not going to bother you then go ahead and give him formula. I know its such a hard decision to make.

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

I think that everyone has given you really great advice, so from someone who feels the same way you do about giving formula, I want to give you some hugs!!! Kudos for you for keeping it up for this long! Its a labor of love!!!

I feel the same as you, I pump exclusively for Noah and its bloody hard work, everyday I worry that he doesn't have enough to eat, leaving the house for a long day out is a problem, and pumping itself is draining. I hate the thought of giving him formula, as like you said, there is nothing wrong with formula, its just not right for me in my heart. I am reaching a point now where I don't know if I should (or can) continue pumping for a year, if my supply goes down, I panic and around 2/3's of the milk in my freezer is off. (last night I opened 3 bags and got 2 that were good) I would give him some organic formula but he throws it up (I think he has a milk intolerance) so that leaves me with the same dilemma as you...

I say keep it up for as long as you can and if you *have* to supplement, do it. It won't kill him to have a bottle of formula here and there...

One day I will pay someone a lot of money to listen to my issues with not being able to bf Baby Noah...when he is 18 he will be hearing about what I did for him...

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

Posted by monkeybride

I would keep pumping. There were so many times I wanted to stop but it didn't feel right to me because I fought so hard to get the small amount of milk I did get. Even though I did have to supplement with formula I couldn't give up on breastmilk until 7 months. At that point any hope of her latching was gone and I stopped feeling guilty.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're going to feel guilty then keep pumping and get your supply up. If its not going to bother you then go ahead and give him formula. I know its such a hard decision to make.

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

DH & I feel like you do, only wanting DD to have my milk. It was a decision we made long before she arrived as I am sure you did the same! Keep up the good work! It's hard I know but you are doing a wonderful thing for your child

Re: BFing advocates I need advice and encouragement!!

I strongly believe in bfing - with my 1st daughter I pumped all the time and had tons of milk in the freezer. (Sadly, when she was 5 months old, I got pg and mc'd and stopped making milk - but had enough frozen that she still got bm for another month). With #2 I am pumping no where near as much. With #1, I was always filling up with milk bc I pumped so much, I couldn't go out for more than 3 hours w/o having to pump, and couldn't wear regular sized tops for months. This time, dd is 3 1/2 months old, I am bfing, and pumping here and there. For now, I have frozen milk to supplement 1 bottle or 2 a day. By the time she is 5-6 months, the frozen supply will be gone, and she will get formula. I enjoy bfing her so much, but I am enjoying it more this time around w/o being a slave to the pump. I will continue to bf at night and in the morning, and during the day she will get formula. I think at this point, supplementing with formula and still bfing when it's a good time for the both of you is a fine way to go. 9 1/2 months with exclusive bm is a great accomplishment!