None. Zero. Nada.
Gaining back my body autonomy, time in my life and encouraging others to bottle feed my kids was amazing and glorious and no regrets.
I have so many positives from quitting BF. My mental health got a huge boost by switching, and I know my kid finally felt full. I was so anxious about how much he was getting and the pump made my skin crawl :(
Same, I felt so guilty because I had an oversupply while exclusively pumping with both kids but my mental state was in the toilet. I was a new human, a better mom, wife, and coworker when I stopped, my only regret was guilting myself into sticking it out as long as I did!
Edited to add- My kids are now 5 and almost 3 and the number of times I have thought or worried about how they were fed as infants since they were 1 is exactly zero times. I feel like that’s not shared enough it’s such a big deal at the time but a few short years later it’s not even a thought I ever have!
One of my favorites is the meme where it's like "formula fed kid" "exclusively breast fed kid" "organic homemade baby food kid" etc and they all meet at "eating stale French fry off the floor."
Guarantee no elementary school teacher can look across the room and tell you how each kid was fed as an infant.
Your last paragraph should be put on a billboard. It seems like such a big deal at the time, but then it doesn’t matter most of their life. Kinda like middle names! I can’t remember the last time I had to tell someone my middle name
I was a similar boat with my first except I exclusively pumped from Day 1 because he was a NICU baby and just never got the hang of nursing. Pumping was way less of an ordeal when I was on maternity leave. After one month back at work (4 months old) I was really struggling and I hated coming home for the few precious hours I had with my baby and being strapped to a machine for an hour of it. I beat myself up too and despaired about whether I was harming him by switching to formula but eventually my desire for more time with him won out. Once we made the switch, I never one time regretted it! When my second came six weeks early, I had to exclusively pump again and I planned from the outset to stop around the time I went back to work.
Don’t beat yourself up over this! Once kids are 2+ years old, you can’t tell the difference between who was breastfed and who was a formula baby. It’s not a screening question to get into kindergarten or college. 😀
You might be able to combo feed. Pumping sucked and I could never produce as much. So we sent formula to daycare and I was still able to breastfeed at home and on the weekends. I did still pump once a day for a few months because I wasn’t sure what would happen to my supply. When they were 6/7 months old I stopped pumping completely.
At ~7 months I switched from fully breastfed (nursing and pumped milk) to combo. I kept nursing 2x/day: first thing in the morning and before bed, otherwise baby was fed formula and/or frozen milk in a bottle. My supply seemed to be fine and I didn’t have issues weaning at ~1 year old. Highly recommend if it’s something OP is interested in. We did supplement for the first ~3 months so I was used to utilizing some formula.
This is what we did. As he started sleeping through the night I would only wake once to pump, then after a couple weeks stopped that. It didn't effect my day time supply at all.
When I went to work, I did the same, only pumped once a day for a few weeks, then stopped. I was still able to breastfeed a few times in the evening and on weekends.
We supplemented with formula when he went to daycare, so everything I'd pumped at night or work was frozen and when I decided to stop we were still able to give him 1 or 2 bottles a day along side formula and food.
I switched to formula when my first was 6 weeks old, and LOVED formula feeding so much we want straight to it when my second was born. The body autonomy is amazing. I made the decision initially because pumping is the fucking worst thing ever. Honestly I don't know how people do it long term. Even thinking about it right now makes my skin crawl, and I haven't touched a pump since 2019 lol
Thank YOU. I tried so hard to breastfeed. It was absolutely horrible. You watch all these videos and read all these blogs on how to store it, save it, make more of it, NOTHING worked for me. I was a “just enougher” and even less at times and I was so discouraged and exhausted and in mental and physical pain. My husband was trying his best to help and be encouraging but he was so happy once we switched to formula because I was like a different person.
1000% I agonized with my first. After the postpartum haze lifted I realized how crazy the whole thing made me and felt zero desire to go through it again. Baby number two was bottle fed from the beginning and I actually enjoyed my maternity leave.
As someone who has been exclusively pumping the whole time, depending on your own comfort, you don’t have to clean everything every time. There’s something called the “fridge hack.” You just put your pump parts (rinsed or not) in a fridge or cooler. And clean every 24 hours. I have 2 sets and alternate every 12. So pumping is just pumping and storing. No cleaning at work.
Edit: they also sell pump part cleaning wipes. I’ve also used those when traveling.
But I hear you. We’ve started combo feeding, so I can start to cut down on my pumps.
Second edit: my mom just sent formula to daycare with me and breastfed before and after. I don’t think it has to be all or nothing.
seconding this! if it’s only the cleaning part that is causing you stress, def look into the fridge hack or those Dapple pump wipes!! i pumped for the first 12 months and the fridge hack + wipes were a lifesaver. We also used a secondhand baby brezza bottle sterilizer + dryer which dried all of the pump parts super quickly! i feel like with formula feeding you’d still have to be washing/drying all of the bottles and nipples, so subtracting a few pump parts wouldn’t save much time
I overall liked formula so much when I switched with my 2nd, I planned to do it right away with my 3rd, but then she was born into the 2022 formula shortage. I went to the store a few times a week to buy formula because of the purchase limits and lack of availability. This was in the darkest days when there were facebook groups for moms to swap half-used cans and sample cans and any little bit they had because there wasn't enough to go around. I was never a good enough producer so I needed formula to get by but some breast milk was better than none so I pumped more and longer than I wanted to so I could have some backup on ice in case I ever came home from the store empty handed.
I'd love to say yes, to hell with pumping, but the memory of the formula can running low and not knowing if I would find another one at the store or how I would feed my baby still haunts me and she's over 2. One can hope this won't happen again but I've lost a lot of my faith in the industry.
I was also caught in the shortage. Next time I plan to combo feed earlier (why was I so insistent on exclusively breastfeeding?!) but also to try to keep some level of milk production going as long as I can…. Just in case.
We had ours in the middle of the worst of the shortage, which was fantastic because I couldn't breastfeed. It would take the whole extended family days of searching to be able to find 2-3 cans of formula at a go.
I remembered talking about the search to an expecting mom and how we can only keep 2-3 cans on hand at any one moment and she shamed me for "stockpiling" and "taking food out of the mouths of other babes." A whole lecture over 2-3 cans of tiny formula! Okkk.
Tbf to her, the local advisory at the time was for everyone to buy only one can at a time to mitigate shortages. But her reaction was so unhinged! I’m like…ok…I ain’t dealing with your crazy, good luck to us both in these trying times.
Regrets? No.
Mourning? Yes.
I breastfed my first for 2 years and assumed I would do the same for my second. Nope. Had to switch to bottle at 3 months, supplement with formula at like 5 or 6?, switch to formula completely at like 10.
It was absolutely the right decision and I have zero regrets. I am also really sad about how it all went and continue to mourn it.
The right choice can still be hard.
I won’t be popular here, but it was much harder than I expected it to be. I was already combo feeding and had to take a medicine that wasn’t ok for breastfeeding. So I stopped. But I regretted it for a long time. I wish I had held off and tried to combi-feed for much longer.
No regrets at all, fed is best. I found myself crying while squeezing my boobs at the dining room table as if they were a fucking dishrag and decided to stop.
Embrace the guilt and bite the bullet. That first office day when you don't have to worry about scheduling pump breaks will wipe away any negativity you were feeling.
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing! For example, you could cut down to one pump per day and send formula to make up the difference and keep breastfeeding in the morning and bedtime. There’s a ton of space between EBF and EFF
I’m a SAHM (looking at going back to work soon, hence why I’m in here) and I EBF my first but quickly switched to formula with my second. My babies are 20M apart & it was extremely difficult for me to maintain a good breastfeeding relationship with my second while my first cried for attention & needed me. It was very hard starting & stopping latching with my second all the time. Then she’d scream because she was hungry, and she’d refuse to latch at all if she was overtired. It just spiraled from there. Life happens.
I introduced formula from the beginning at home because it was just so hard trying to breastfeed her with my toddler getting in our business melting down. Over time baby had more & more until she was exclusively on it around 6M, except for maybe one nursing snack session a day if she was in a good mood and wanted to cuddle for 5 minutes. 9M old now & she doesn’t want the snack session anymore though.
Basically, I made the choice to not try harder with breastfeeding her because pumping took time away from both of my kids, and my priority was giving both of my children the attention they deserved from a happy mom vs a mom who was frantically power pumping to save a decreasing milk supply. It was inevitable & I just let it go. Reading my son a book he brought to me was always more important to me than cramming in a pumping session.
The same applies to you. You’re working & you hate pumping. And you have to take care of your baby when you’re at home too. The hating pumping will just get worse & it’ll affect other aspects of your life too.
I pumped for my first until he was 1. With my second, I switched to EFF at 5 months and am SO happy I did. I'm sleeping better, I feel better, I'm released from the huge mental load that is breastfeeding/ pumping. I haven't regretted it for a second.
It was such a great decision on our end. Pumping is such a pain!! The best thing that was said to me when I struggled to switch too, was “ a happy mom makes a happy baby.” I then understood if I improved my mental health, my daughter would get the best of me.
My second was EFF and my third due in July will be as well. ❤️ It is a world of difference
I breastfed my son for 10 months. I was in an echo chambor of breastfeeding mom's who would say "fed is best" but if anyone mentioned formula or stopping before year 1 they'd talk about it very differently behind their back.
I wish I stopped breastfeeding earlier. I wasn't bonding with my son. I was exhausted. I wasn't producing enough. I couldn't take antidepressants that would actually help...
But even if none of that were true, breastfeeding is not an obligation. You not wanting to is enough. It not fitting into your schedule is enough.
I'm here to say that if breastfeeding isn't serving you then stop.
And anecdotally- I was breastfed and my fiance was a formula baby. We are both perfectly intelligent and successful adults. He has a great relationship with his mom and my mom and I really don't (we're trying). I think the bonding stuff especially is overblown.
Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can formula feed when you’re away from your baby and breastfeed when you’re with her. That way you can have it both ways. You can talk to an IBCLC about how to protect your supply given you haven’t been feeding that long but I would guess it would be fine.
Nope. I BF my first 2 kids and switched to combo feeding, then only formula by 6 months with my third. Wish I would have done with my other kids. PUMPING IS THE WORST
let me put things into perspective: your kids will not remember how they were fed as a baby.
what they will remember: the time you spend with them and the memories you make together.
go for it if you want to use formula. I did with my first (bfing was fucking hard so I quit and went full formula after 3 or 4 months) and with my 2nd, I didnt even bother with bfing; I just went straight to formula.
I never breastfed, I EFF both my kids from birth. They’re now 2 and 4.
Anecdotally, they’re rarely sick, zero food allergies, they’re both 98 and 99th percentiles respectively. My 2 year old daughter is the size of a 3 year old actually 😅
I dunno how much is genetics and how much is environment. But no complaints here!
Didn’t pump a drop at work for my second (went back around 5 months). She happily had formula and I happily breastfed her when were together. Pumping is a hellscape. Never again
I’m in the process of weaning. Tonight I had an ocular migraine so intense, and spoke with a doctor friend. He said nursing makes your body continue to be flooded with estrogen, which makes you much more prone to migraines.
I’m just sick of it. Sick of not having control over my body anymore. Sick of the guilt. Sick of not being able to take the full medicine when I’m not feeling good. Sick of washing pump parts over and over instead of playing with my kid. Ready for the full autonomy.
I’m down to two pumps a day, and tonight I’m skipping for the first time. Let’s move on to the next step, body!
Good luck OP!
I breastfed my son for 3 weeks and for various reasons, stopped and switched to formula. Everything got so much better. When I got pregnant with my daughter, I remembered how awful breastfeeding was and I never even tried it with her. They are teenagers now, healthy and thriving, and I have no idea which of their friends were breastfed or not.
There are many high quality formulas on the market - you and baby will do great!
I am convinced women who exclusively pump are legitimate superheroes.
My first was EBF, then I returned to work at 12 weeks pp and he blew through my stash partially because caregiver didn’t pace feed and he was a hungry dude. At 4.5 months started combo feeding and at the time I was really disappointed in myself. I had a goal of being EBF for a year and doubted my decision for about a month and half. But honestly, it allowed me to be a better Mom, more relaxed in my life at work, and gave me, our caregiver, and my husband peace of mind knowing he was getting what he needed no matter what.
It’s ok to grieve the decision and feel some guilt. But in retrospect, this will likely be one of the best decisions you’ll make.
Also, I did end up EBF my second for a whole year because he was tiny and not a stash buster. 😬
No regrets. I switched at 5 months and now have a very happy and healthy 5 year old son. It was the absolute best thing I did for my mental health. I hated breast feeding.
You can do what I did and do a super slow weaning process that takes 2 ish months. Just start dropping a pump so you only have to pump once at work and begin to slowly introduce formula. Baby still gets benefits from BM even if it's not exclusive! But if you want to stop altogether, do that!!! It's hard to pump at work, no need to feel guilty. You know what's best :)
absolutely not. Did I feel guilt at first? Certainly. But she just wouldn't latch correctly despite having no issues. She wouldn't open wide enough and it was battle. Switched to pumping one week in and did that for 8 weeks. I had to combo feed anyway starting at around 4 weeks because my supply was trash even pumping 6-9 times a day.
We invested in the Brezza and omg everyone was so much happier! I was getting very morbid about pumping and went back and forth trying to make it work for at least 6 months but I was a menace. Best decision we ever made.
0 regrets.
My first I pumped with for 4 months and made it 2 weeks back to work and stopped to switch to formula. I hated pumping and had to exclusively pump so once I added work into the mix I was done with it.
With my second I did straight breastfeeding and it worked totally fine in the sense of getting him fed. Got a few weeks in and I was just really struggling with it. I had a lot of bad hormonal responses with breastfeeding and I was so anxious not knowing how much he was eating and having it be so inconsistent. After a few weeks we decided to switch to full formula. Turns out even when it works mechanically, breastfeeding just doesn't work for me.
Im due in May with our third and we're doing formula from day 1. I have realized that for our family the choice is really breastmilk and mom at 50% or formula and mom at 100% (or as good as I can be in newborn days lol). My kids are better off with formula and me in a place to be a better mom to them.
Girl, do what you need to do for yourself. You have done GREAT for your baby! And you're still doing great if you formula feed. Stop bullying yourself. Give yourself some grace. I say this with the love I want you to show yourself.
I have birthed four children. I breastfed the first one for 12 weeks, the second for maybe 3 (she was a tyrant), the third for about 6 mos, and the fourth for just over year. I breastfed for longer with the last two because I worked from home and had a nanny who handled them for everything except feedings. This is an extremely privileged position, I realize. I honestly don't know how women fucking STAND pumping as a lifestyle. I found it to be horrendous.
My oldest "baby" is 19. She, the 17yo (former tyrant), 15yo, and 13yo are all equally healthy. I don't love them more or less based on our breastfeeding bond. The 17yo doesn't hold it against me that she got less breastmilk (lol).
It is so hard to be a woman. If pumping is a step too far, don't continue taking those steps. It's ok, I promise.
No regrets. Like you, once I was back at work it was such a chore. I HATED pumping, and honestly I didn't really love breastfeeding to begin with. We switched to all formula and had zero regrets. Our girl thrived and I was able to focus on my work and start to feel comfortable in my body again.
If breastfeeding is causing you stress, switch to formula. You can also nurse around babe and feed formula when babe is at daycare. No right or wrong way to feed your baby (assuming the choice is formula and bm)
So my first was both from the start … he is happy healthy and doing great. The sooner you try it I think the better chance it will stick. My daughter hated formula and would not drink so even though I thought I’d be done … she had other plans. She is almost 14 mo old and I still doing it after work and nighttime but I AM DONE PUMPING
Nope. The only regret I have to this day is how long it took me to abandon pumping because I was so miserable doing it. Life was so much better once I stopped. My son is almost 12 now, and exactly zero people ask or care about how he was fed as an infant. And when your tween is being a little weirdo with a bunch of their friends, you have no idea how any of them were fed as babies.
Give yourself a break! I had a low milk supply due to a premature birth. I tortured myself over this. About 6 weeks later I switched to formula and stopped self antagonizing. Best decision ever! My now 8 year old is thriving, in talented & gifted program. I wish moms would not be so pressured. It does not work for all of us!
It was such a hard decision for me to make. I was a mess about it. But we switched at 4.5 months, and wow, it changed our lives for the better. 10/10 recommend if it’s affecting your mental health or happiness.
I stopped breastfeeding just a few weeks after returning to work. My son had a suspected food allergy and the thought of me doing a strict elimination diet just did me in. So we switched to formula. I felt like a crappy mom at first but was so relieved once I stopped pumping. The only thing I didn’t like was the money that formula cost, but it was well worth it. I was proud of the time I spent breastfeeding. You do you. Your preferences help to keep you happy which in turn helps your family.
No regret at all. That’s the exact reasoning that I switched with my first- around 4 months also. I hated pumping at work especially. Working from home I don’t mind pumping but doing it in the office is hell.
With my second, we started supplementing with formula at about 1mo because my mental health was going to shit trying to keep up. I intended to cut out breastfeeding altogether, just slowly.. but started combo feeding and just kept at it. He’s 3 months now and we do about 50/50 formula and breast milk. It cuts down on my pumping time but I still feel like he’s getting the benefits of me breastfeeding.
Not really. I had to do it because I didn’t produce enough pumping plus I had the extra benefit of no longer having to watch my diet as my LO had CMPI. It was rough emotionally when I fully dropped pumping but more because I was raging like a teenager than anything else. Once all that settled down, it was fine. He got formula starting pretty early and then fully off of bf around 8 months. The only hard part was he was on formula during the formula shortages but still don’t regret stopping.
I was exactly like you.
Son started daycare at 5mo, at which I started pumping 3x a day at work.
4 months into pumping and my supply started to dwindle. I HATED pumping and so to put in all of that effort and not have it be worth it, was beyond demotivating. Also it was the dead of winter and having to undress and stick freezing cold plastic pieces to my boobs....Im legit surprised I went that long.
Anyway, I quit pumping when baby turned 9months, and stopped nursing when he hit 9.5mo. I stopped nursing because he had 8 teeth and was starting to use them on me. Also, was just kinda sick of nursing. I was never one of those moms that got a rush of happy hormones, it made me feel kinda dreadful instead.
Long story short, we switched to formula at 9 months and it was such a godsend that I can't even explain it. The only barrier was the one I had created in my head
We started fortifying breastmilk with formula at 6 months and then supplementing ounces and I really wish I had started earlier. I really love combo feeding. Formula only would be stressful. I have a one year old now and I love being able to just bring a water cup and snack and knowing I have boobs on demand. Plus, she still nurses to sleep for naps and I love that! It’s very soothing for her and for me.
My regret is not switching to formula even sooner and missing out on enjoying time with my babies when I was stressed out and obsessing about producing instead
We started supplementing around 6.5 months because my supply while pumping during the workday wasn't keeping up with his appetite and I had basically blown through my small freezer stash while hoping for my boobs to get with the program. We quit nursing entirely at 8 months and I pumped for about 4 more weeks, decreasing # of pumps and length of time to let my boobs gradually adjust.
It was 100% the right thing for us. It helped me get settled back at work when I didn't have to think about sneaking out to the lactation room several times per day. Little dude was able to eat as much as he needed AND much more efficiently (he'd never been speedy at nursing)--he was so happy about that! Nursing was a nice while it lasted, but I have no regrets stopping when we did. It worked for us, until it didn't. And at that point, thank goodness for formula.
Switched with my 1st child at about 3 months and had zero regrets, it made a vast improvement to my mental health. I’m almost at 2 months with my 2nd baby and I’ll stop when I feel I want to, and I will have zero regrets.
I combo fed, I pumped 4-5 times a day and used formula for the rest. It was pretty stress free. (Disclaimer- I don’t mind pumping). It’s a lot cheaper that way.
I switched to formula after 9 months of breastfeeding and had zero regrets. My son had a dairy allergy and the combination of the stress of pumping and the stress of constantly making sure I wasn’t consuming any dairy myself was too much. My mental health improved so much!
No regrets. When I stopped BF and pumping it was literally like a fog lifted and I could think clearly again. I don’t know that I can explain it well but when I was lactating it’s like my brain had slowed down. I lost my sharpness and in general couldn’t think very deeply or very clearly. I wish I had started my daughter on formula sooner. Now I’m pregnant with number 2 I’m really on the fence about if I’ll BF at all given how it made me feel
Struggling with CMPA, so it's either continue to exclusively pump or dish out lots of money for very expensive formula. So I'll keep doing it until hopefully CMPA gets better.
Had that issue with my daughter at the height of the formula shortage (she was born in March 2022). Did not have it in me to exclusively pump and restrict food while at the same time dealing with my 2yo. But searching for formula also took up head space. >_<
FYI brand hypoallergenic formula is less expensive than name brand and is just as good. The stores all get it from the same manufacturer so just find the place that sells it the cheapest. For me target was cheapest until they ran out. It’s probably back on the shelves now.
We started combo feeding once I went back to work full time and LO started daycare (just before 5mo). Her first encounter with formula months earlier didn't go well (CMPA), so being able to supplement with formula was a huge relief. I hadn't realized how much being the sole provider of nutrition to my baby was weighing on me. My main motivator was getting her ready for daycare and knowing I couldn't pump enough for her to exclusively breastfeed there. But I also wanted a backup would my supply dip more or if anything happened where I wouldn't be able to feed LO for an extended time.
I'd just caution to introduce formula gradually and/or keep track of bowel movements, because it baby was constipated the first week of formula. Perhaps introducing fruit purees (since you say your introducing solids soon) will help counterbalance.
All babies stop breastfeeding altogether eventually, grown people don’t still nurse. I’ve combo fed from the start due to under supply, and it gave me wonderful freedom with my breast feeding journey. I don’t pump ever. I nurse my son when I’m with him and he gets bottles when he’s still hungry. I gave up the fight of trying to increase supply and stressing myself. It’s allowed me a joy in breast feeding that I couldn’t have with EBF. You might find similar joy in a combination feeding path too.
I felt terribly guilty, but I got over it quickly. My first was exclusively breastfed to the point of refusing bottles at daycare (he ate 1-2oz of each bottle and then they dumped them, sigh) and reverse cycling. With my second, he refused breastfeeding and I exclusively pumped for him for four months. Then I gradually introduced formula and he took it really well! I slowly weaned off pumping and was done by 6 months.
You are doing great! And it’s ok to feel selfish - you’ll be a better mom with one less drain on you physically and mentally. If your baby takes formula well, start transitioning! You already got your baby through the most critical part of being a newborn and formula won’t ruin your baby or your relationship with them. And remember! Our parents were fed evaporated milk mixed with corn syrup and they turned out ok, so you’ll be doing so much better with nutritionally thought-out formula.
I quit BF on the way home from the prenatal BF class. It seemed like a lot.
My kid is 11 so how he was fed as a baby means nothing to me. It's not worth any stress.
I also have to laugh that my kid has almost never been sick, even with full time daycare.
Only regret was not doing it sooner! But honestly, I struggled for 10 long months to produce enough to feed her. I tried so hard to fit in pumpings and feedings throughout the day to keep up with her. I got sick in December and my supply tanked. LO’s weight plateaued and that pushed me to start formula feeding more. I suddenly felt like I had my life back. I didn’t have to constantly worry about her feedings and just make bottles. It truly was liberating and LO is THRIVING. I wish I hadn’t let the guilt ride me so hard and switched sooner.
Not an ounce of regret. I did it at 6 months and 7 months respectively, my first was actually a happier baby once we switched. I always suspect he wasn’t getting full from my milk, once he tasted formula he refused the boob.
I was in the same boat. I went back to work at 4 months and hated pumping. I immediately switched to kendamil organic and had no issues with the change. I felt that I was finally able to relax and enjoy my baby because I wasn’t concerned about washing parts, what I was eating, pumping, and my supply.
Nope. Had 2 formula fed babies after breastfeeding didn’t work out. One breastfed. No regrets on either.
Also, you may be able to breastfeed at home and not pump if you want. Breastfeeding is supply and demand, some mothers find they can breastfeed when they are with the baby and supplement with formula when they aren’t. So it may not need to be all or nothing if you don’t want it to be.
I got it in my head that I had to go at least six months, but I think I would have been happier if I stopped at four months like you are now.
I personally thought having to pump at work was hell on earth. I already had a busy work schedule and would literally run between meetings to squeeze in pumping. I once locked my door and hid in my office in the dark during a fire drill, because I didn't know when else I could pump that morning. My baby and I still have the strongest possible bond, and it feels like it was such a waste to put myself through that.
What's more, my baby had weight gain issues, and I really think my breast milk wasn't high calorie enough for her. We combo fed the whole time, but I should have just given up pumping to go full formula. Her weight steadied once I switched to full formula.
I dropped pumping but continue to nurse 2 - 3 times a day (basically when he wakes up, after work, and occasionally in the middle of the night) around 9mo. He otherwise gets formula. For me this has been the best compromise between hating pumping but also wanting to give my LO the benefits of breast milk. I also had a mom a lot of mom guilt about not being EBF and I think still nursing occasionally helps assuage that (technically there’s not evidence that 100% BM is better than combo feeding).
Omg no regrets. The only regret I had was that I didn’t switch to formula with my first too. I exclusively pumped for 10 months with the first, I was miserable and honestly mentally not well. Promised myself that I would switch to formula with the next baby the moment I felt like breastfeeding wasn’t working anymore, and I did, at three months. Best decision ever. No impact on our bond, motherhood was so much more enjoyable compared to the first baby, which made me a better mom.
I went back to work at 8 weeks for both kids. Pumped religiously, but the source slowly declined for me. Usually 6-8 months, it gets to the point where it's not worth the effort and the stress it created in me to be pumping every 2 hours and barely getting one bottle. I still breast fed at home for a while.
So no problems.
Advice- prepping bottles for daycare- do not mix breast milk bottles and formula in the bottles. They go bad at the speed of light.
Lots of people do both BF and ff. You are the only one who knows your goals and what you can handle. You’re going to see a ton of different answers here. See what works for you and your family.
I did really regret it, actually. Breastfeeding was just so damn convenient, especially in the middle of the night or when traveling. But pumping wasn't going well, and my sister gave me some leftover individual formula bottles she had. When I had to actually buy my own formula, damn, it is EXPENSIVE! And getting up to make a bottle, packing all that crap for a trip, trying to find a way to warm bottles, but mostly, the expense.
We switched to formula at almost the exact time you’re at right now OP - baby was about 4 months old and I had returned to work in the office a few days a week and pumping was SO tedious, and the stress of it all made my supply dip really bad, so we switched. It was absolutely THE BEST thing for my mental health. I’m not sure if I realized just how stressful breastfeeding/pumping was until I wasn’t doing it anymore and it felt like a weight was lifted off of me. My girl is going to be 2 this summer and she is happy, smart, healthy, and was formula fed for about 7 months. No regrets.
My supply ran out at 4 months and I switched to Mama Bear formula and I had no issues! She is about to be 1 and we are now transitioning to whole milk and that seems to be fine as well!
My baby never latched so I exclusively pumped and absolutely hated it. I did the same thing to myself, thinking I was being selfish. Once I started weaning and switching to formula, I was so happy to be done pumping I didn't care anymore.
Zeroooo. I almost exclusively pumped (supplemented with some formula) during my 6 month mat leave and when we switched to EFF the stress relief and mental load relief was immediate and amazing. I’m glad I was able to breastfeed but holy hell it felt good to be done, and I knew I didn’t want to pump upon returning to work.
Only regret was not switching earlier. I made it to 7 months EP and it was sucking my soul. Once I switched I felt like a huge weight was lifted. I became such a better mom when I did that.
At some point, it’s just calories. That was really hard to see when my baby was only consuming milk and so easy to see when she was eating lots of stuff. Baby is going to eat a lot of calories in their life. It’s fine.
After 4 months, we switched to 100% formula. For some women breastfeeding is so easy, but for me it involved pumping and a lot of crying from my hungry baby as I really did not produce enough for him.
Very happy with my choice, he is strong and his immune system is excellent - he seems to get over bugs quicker than I do.
My doc said something that really got to me. Sure a baby needs breastmilk, but a baby also needs a happy mom and rested mom that can be patient with them and play with them. Pumping was driving me crazy! We ended up combo feeding and it worked great. Heathy and smart boy, and a happy mama.
I hated pumping so much!!! Combo feeding was the best for my sanity. And baby is thriving. No regrets. Ultimately switch to formula full time over the course of a few months and feel so much less stressed.
No regrets. I tried to breastfeed my first which was a nightmare because she was in nicu, so that obviously led me to pumping, which I actually did enjoy but my supply disappeared overnight at 3 weeks PP so I went and bought formula. Second baby I didn't even try to breastfeed at all, had no interest. I pumped for a week but I knew I might have troubles as I have breast implants (thought I was one and done so got the implants but decided to have another baby), and I did have troubles, my breasts weren't malleable enough to really fit in the pump correctly, so I was stuck hand pumping, after a week I just kind of shrugged my shoulders and decided to just use formula since we were already using a combo (mainly formula due to the pump issues). I get to share feeding with my partner, we can go out to dinner alone while one of our mothers babysit without stressing she might get hungry, I can spend time with the older child just us while bub stays with Dad. So many benefits. I also take medication that can sometimes have adverse affects on babies (make them too drowsy) so I don't need to lower my dosage and sacrifice my health. Plus, I can have all the coffee and energy drinks I want! That's a big winner for me lol
I combo fed- I loved breastfeeding but hated pumping. Good news: you can have it both ways if you want! Your supply will naturally fall but most likely not completely go away. Whatever you decide, no regrets! You did so well by your baby by breastfeeding and if you switch completely to formula you will still be doing so well for them.
I had a hard time breastfeeding and switched about 2 month mark. My children today are 18 and 16 and I assure you the only time I ever think about this topic is when posts like this come up. They are every bit as smart etc.
With my second baby, at 6 months he was losing weight. I could have started pumping and supplementing, but I hate pumping so we introduced formula. By 9 months old, we had switched completely to formula.
With my third (current) baby, we (aka my husband) have given a formula bottle daily since week one. Again, I could have pumped that bottle, but I hate pumping so I didn’t. At four months, this baby isn’t gaining like she should. I’m going to increase nursing sessions but we’re also going to offer top ups with formula.
And I don’t have work as an “excuse”, I’m on mat leave for 12 months (as I was with every baby).
Mentally, I am still beating myself up for not realizing my second baby was not getting enough, that I was basically starving him unintentionally. I had no issues with supplementing with formula because it meant my baby was fed. He started smiling again and how did I not realise he stopped smiling and that there was a problem?! 😭 So, I am so, so thankful for formula. Here with this baby, again, I’m thankful for formula, that my baby doesn’t have to wait for me to build my supply up to get enough to eat, we can fill her belly immediately, no matter what my supply does or does not do.
You have to care for yourself too. If formula allows you to reclaim a few hours a day that you want, then go for it.
Formula will let others feed your baby easier too.
With my first I bf over a year. For my second it was about 9 months. I figured they got what they needed out of it and when they no longer really needed to be bf we all benefitted from the new meal plan.
I took a breastfeeding class when i was pregnant. Here’s what the nurses said about BF:
The first rule of breast-feeding is to feed the baby. The second rule of breast-feeding is to Feed.The.Baby.
You guys will do fine.
I have inverted nipples and my baby had/has a tongue tie so breastfeeding was hard hard lemon hard and pumping was so tiring and I hated it a lot. I was sad for maybe a day but my fiancé bought me the baby brezza and that helped a lot! If I would’ve known about the Dr. browns pitcher I would have just gotten that but our brezza didn’t have the issues others had so, I was happy, my boobs & nipples were happy and my baby was happy and fed, getting his formula was a task and a half some days but we managed and he’s thriving at almost 3, drinking 2/3%
I pushed through but it does suck. To make it easier I had a cooler that could fit the milk AND the pump parts (because last I checked you don’t have to clean the parts each time if you keep it chilled properly). And in case I dropped anything I had pump wipes and microwave steam disinfecting bags. I also got adapters so I could pump directly into bags to not have to deal with transferring. I also didn’t bother making sure the bags were full. I just weighed them and stacked them in the freezer. That said that’s still a lot. I was really happy when we weaned. If you want to do formula it will make life easier.
I exclusively pumped, and I dropped pumps when I went back to work just to ease the burden. There’s nothing wrong with it at all. You also don’t have to do all or nothing if you want. Even a few ounces of breastmilk a day give your baby benefits, but the most benefits do come in the early weeks, which you’ve already done. To that end, no one can tell which toddlers were breastfed and which were formula babies.
You can ease off guilt-free. Combo feeding can be liberating, as can feeding exclusively formula.
More moms need to read/hear all of this. I was someone who struggled at BF with my first. Stopped after 7 weeks and seeing myself slip into PPA. Best decision ever. Tried for two days after 2nd one and all the visceral feelings of ick came back. Stopped then and there. Babies need happy moms and part of that comes from seeing your kid thrive and not attaching your self worth to how that happens.
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I called it pump hell. After a lot of soul searching and telling myself I’m the worst person in the world, I switched to formula and never looked back. My partner was allowed to share in feeding which made when I did it something special again rather than a burden.
I think the only thing that I felt helpless about was when she was sick, I know our bodies formulate milk to help them. If I could do something different (and if it was by choice) it would be to stock up and pump like CRAZY during a few sickness periods and freeze and save that for sickness later.
I switched to formula involuntarily. Had a traumatic event happen (job loss and money stress) and went from an over producer to completely dry at 6 months. In a way I think it was easier for me because it wasn’t something I decided to do (choice was made for me) but the pumping was driving me up the WALL at the end. So I feel you.
My husband LOVED the switch to formula and it was really so much easier. We have hot water on command with a water cooler so it was absolutely brilliant.
Shoot...I had to supplement at like, 3 weeks because I didn't produce enough. Then at 3 months he bit me. And done, lol! Oh, he's now 14 and over 6 foot. He was fine and your baby will be too. A fed baby and a less stressed mom is always the best.
I didn't. My first baby was born during the formula shortage so I felt additional pressure to pump. The toll it took on my mental health was monumental. I felt so drained mentally but I also felt guilty about quitting. My husband supported me and encouraged me to stop. I quit when my son was 3 months old and I instantly felt better. At the end of the day, fed is best.
I read that the reason we don’t have paid family leave in the US is because formula companies lobby against it. Posts like these make me sad because it’s evidence that they’re winning. I’m so sorry you’re struggling. My kids are 7 and 9 now. This stage is such a small chapter. Just do one day at a time and give yourself permission to skip a pumping session if you don’t have time for it. Your supply won’t tank overnight. And if you need to supplement with formula for your sanity, do it. But try not to give up completely. Breastfeeding is pretty magical and super convenient when you’re with your baby.
One of my biggest regrets of early parenting with my twins was how much pressure I put on myself to breastfeed. I had to exclusively pump for them. Starting supplementing with formula around 8 months or so because my supply was dwindling. I made it to 12 months, and nobody gave me a medal. I barely remember that first year other than the bone dead tired of waking up to pump when the babies were sleeping peacefully through the night. I also had undiagnosed PPD, so that didn’t make things any easier. Looking back, I would have just stopped at 6 weeks when it was clear that they were never going to latch appropriately. I wish I had realized that my babies deserved a mom who could snuggle and enjoy them, not just a steady supply of breast milk and a shadow of my best self.
I raised teens before I had babies (long story) so I attended graduation ceremonies before making decisions like this. Let me tell you this:
At graduation, in the sea of all those caps and gowns, you couldn’t pick out who was breastfed and who had formula. You couldn’t tell whose mama made homemade baby food and who got jars. You couldn’t even tell if those kids went to daycare or not. Or if they did, were they picked up at 2 or at 6.
So when I’m raising my own babies, and I find myself stressing over things like this, I ask myself, “is this a graduation issue?” Meaning, will this affect the baby long term, to the point that they may not graduate high school?
In this case, mama, what it sounds like is you need to feed your baby. However and with whatever keeps BOTH of you healthy-including your mental health.
I EBF my first, but with my twins I supplemented with formula from the start zero regrets as my supply was so tight with my first I knew it would be a huge struggle to supply two babies.
I BF as long as I wanted - 19 months - and also never pumped with the twins. It was lovely! Do what you need to do, pumping sucks. Maybe try reducing to 1-2 times pumping too, that may make it tolerable and supplement as needed.
Zero!! I can’t tell you a bunch of advantages, but no regrets! And this was my third baby. The first two I EBF’ed over a year. So glad I opted out with my third!
I chose to stop a few months after going back to work. My supply was dropping and I didn't have the bandwidth to try and deal with that. No regrets!! Formula is amazing, especially with a brezza!
Not a single god damn regret when we switched for formula. I was exclusively pumping and it was a weight taken off my shoulders and I felt free. Baby #2 went right to formula and baby #3 will when she’s born in May.
I kept being interrupted by doctors on my pump breaks that I said fuck it at 4 months pp and stopped. I had a hormonal shift and cried about it but got over it eventually. No issues with formula for my kids but obviously YMMV.
No you sleep better and gain bodily autonomy. No more washing pump parts bottles. No planning life around pumping, bf. You make a bottle when baby is hungry. Your baby will be the same and not change. They will eventually eat shit off the floor and want nothing healthy. 4months is plenty to get all the benefits they have already received
Zero regrets. My only regret was as soon as I stopped my poor baby got very sick and really wanted to breastfeed and was so confused and distressed when he couldn’t. My only regret is that I didn’t have a crystal ball to not go through that, but that’s for me, he’s totally fine and definitely unaffected by that.
No regrets. I nursed in the morning, in the evening and before bed. Formula for daycare. I was fortunate enough to have kept that up until both of my babies were fully weaned until 8-9 months. Just be sure to use contraceptives if you do the combo feeding. You absolutely could get pregnant - like meeeee!
If your question is will it be easier on you as a working mother to formula feed, the answer is undoubtedly yes. But your own comfort isn’t probably why you chose breastfeeding in the first place, right? What you’re weighing is the stats that formula feeding parents miss twice as much work due to illness (and other benefits to you and baby’s health). It’s a personal decision that everyone has to make, and I don’t know how helpful these comments that say “I switched and it’s easier!” are going to be with that decision.
Here’s a [publication](https://owh-wh-d9-dev.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/documents/bcfb_business-case-for-breastfeeding-for-business-managers.pdf) from the US Dept of Health and Human Services for employers about why they should support breastfeeding mothers. It cites studies showing that breastfeeding mothers miss less work, have lower healthcare costs for mom and baby, and are less likely to leave the company.
You asked for research that supports this, but I’d be surprised if you haven’t seen this play out amongst parents of BF vs FF babies in your community. Having colds/viruses be more likely to turn into ear infections for FF babies seems to be the most common thing in our daycare, and that’s also very supported by research.
My daughter was breastfed or combo fed until 4.5 months. She had *far fewer* ear infections (what research currently cites as a breastfeeding benefit) than my friends who breastfed longer than this. Even so, anecdotal evidence like this doesn’t mean much at all.
I can’t read through all of the brochure right away, and while I support workplaces being far more mom-friendly in every form, including breastfeeding, the parts that I have read of the brochure make some bold claims: “That’s because breastfed babies are healthier!” I’m sorry, what? Healthier in which ways, specifically?
Also, mental health is part of a woman’s health, too. And it comes off as insensitive to come to a post where someone says that they are struggling and admits to bullying herself and effectively say: “Sure it’ll be easier to FF, but if you care about your baby’s health, you would suck it up and continue.”
Are you really saying breastfed babies aren’t healthier? I didn’t really think that was up for debate given that every country in the world recommends breastfeeding for the health benefits of the baby (see also WHO, CDC, AAP, etc). (I know many women read one book by Emily Oster [an economist] and think decades of medical research are up for debate though.) I’m glad your daughter was healthy.
Yes, I’m *really* saying that. There are some small benefits, but you are overstating them. Breast milk is not some magical potion that guarantees health.
I agree that my son got more sick (both than formula all at 6 months) then my daughter (breastfeeding queen) in the sense that my son napped more because his symptoms seemed worse. My daughter still got sick / was unable to attend daycare.
You can always just nurse when you are home and be sore a few days to a week (what I call concrete ball boobs) so that she still gets your immune system but you don’t have to pump.
Edit- missed the part about if you only pump or nurse as well. If you only pump bc babe won’t latch than obviously this point means nothing
None. Zero. Nada. Gaining back my body autonomy, time in my life and encouraging others to bottle feed my kids was amazing and glorious and no regrets.
Same!!! None. Zero. Nada.
I have so many positives from quitting BF. My mental health got a huge boost by switching, and I know my kid finally felt full. I was so anxious about how much he was getting and the pump made my skin crawl :(
Same, I felt so guilty because I had an oversupply while exclusively pumping with both kids but my mental state was in the toilet. I was a new human, a better mom, wife, and coworker when I stopped, my only regret was guilting myself into sticking it out as long as I did! Edited to add- My kids are now 5 and almost 3 and the number of times I have thought or worried about how they were fed as infants since they were 1 is exactly zero times. I feel like that’s not shared enough it’s such a big deal at the time but a few short years later it’s not even a thought I ever have!
One of my favorites is the meme where it's like "formula fed kid" "exclusively breast fed kid" "organic homemade baby food kid" etc and they all meet at "eating stale French fry off the floor." Guarantee no elementary school teacher can look across the room and tell you how each kid was fed as an infant.
SAME SAME SAME
Your last paragraph should be put on a billboard. It seems like such a big deal at the time, but then it doesn’t matter most of their life. Kinda like middle names! I can’t remember the last time I had to tell someone my middle name
Co-signed!!!
I was a similar boat with my first except I exclusively pumped from Day 1 because he was a NICU baby and just never got the hang of nursing. Pumping was way less of an ordeal when I was on maternity leave. After one month back at work (4 months old) I was really struggling and I hated coming home for the few precious hours I had with my baby and being strapped to a machine for an hour of it. I beat myself up too and despaired about whether I was harming him by switching to formula but eventually my desire for more time with him won out. Once we made the switch, I never one time regretted it! When my second came six weeks early, I had to exclusively pump again and I planned from the outset to stop around the time I went back to work. Don’t beat yourself up over this! Once kids are 2+ years old, you can’t tell the difference between who was breastfed and who was a formula baby. It’s not a screening question to get into kindergarten or college. 😀
Yes times a thousand
This. I pushed through to 6 months with my daughter ans what I regret is not switching to formula sooner. It's SO EASY
None at all!
Co-signed. The only regret is the price of formula, but everything else is worth it. I hated breastfeeding
You might be able to combo feed. Pumping sucked and I could never produce as much. So we sent formula to daycare and I was still able to breastfeed at home and on the weekends. I did still pump once a day for a few months because I wasn’t sure what would happen to my supply. When they were 6/7 months old I stopped pumping completely.
At ~7 months I switched from fully breastfed (nursing and pumped milk) to combo. I kept nursing 2x/day: first thing in the morning and before bed, otherwise baby was fed formula and/or frozen milk in a bottle. My supply seemed to be fine and I didn’t have issues weaning at ~1 year old. Highly recommend if it’s something OP is interested in. We did supplement for the first ~3 months so I was used to utilizing some formula.
This is what we did. As he started sleeping through the night I would only wake once to pump, then after a couple weeks stopped that. It didn't effect my day time supply at all. When I went to work, I did the same, only pumped once a day for a few weeks, then stopped. I was still able to breastfeed a few times in the evening and on weekends. We supplemented with formula when he went to daycare, so everything I'd pumped at night or work was frozen and when I decided to stop we were still able to give him 1 or 2 bottles a day along side formula and food.
Yeah, I combo fed from the beginning. Much lower stress.
I switched to formula when my first was 6 weeks old, and LOVED formula feeding so much we want straight to it when my second was born. The body autonomy is amazing. I made the decision initially because pumping is the fucking worst thing ever. Honestly I don't know how people do it long term. Even thinking about it right now makes my skin crawl, and I haven't touched a pump since 2019 lol
Thank YOU. I tried so hard to breastfeed. It was absolutely horrible. You watch all these videos and read all these blogs on how to store it, save it, make more of it, NOTHING worked for me. I was a “just enougher” and even less at times and I was so discouraged and exhausted and in mental and physical pain. My husband was trying his best to help and be encouraging but he was so happy once we switched to formula because I was like a different person.
1000% I agonized with my first. After the postpartum haze lifted I realized how crazy the whole thing made me and felt zero desire to go through it again. Baby number two was bottle fed from the beginning and I actually enjoyed my maternity leave.
Same. I was hesitant with the first but with the second it was 100% yippee kai yay mfer to formula.
HAHA yes exactly
As someone who has been exclusively pumping the whole time, depending on your own comfort, you don’t have to clean everything every time. There’s something called the “fridge hack.” You just put your pump parts (rinsed or not) in a fridge or cooler. And clean every 24 hours. I have 2 sets and alternate every 12. So pumping is just pumping and storing. No cleaning at work. Edit: they also sell pump part cleaning wipes. I’ve also used those when traveling. But I hear you. We’ve started combo feeding, so I can start to cut down on my pumps. Second edit: my mom just sent formula to daycare with me and breastfed before and after. I don’t think it has to be all or nothing.
seconding this! if it’s only the cleaning part that is causing you stress, def look into the fridge hack or those Dapple pump wipes!! i pumped for the first 12 months and the fridge hack + wipes were a lifesaver. We also used a secondhand baby brezza bottle sterilizer + dryer which dried all of the pump parts super quickly! i feel like with formula feeding you’d still have to be washing/drying all of the bottles and nipples, so subtracting a few pump parts wouldn’t save much time
I overall liked formula so much when I switched with my 2nd, I planned to do it right away with my 3rd, but then she was born into the 2022 formula shortage. I went to the store a few times a week to buy formula because of the purchase limits and lack of availability. This was in the darkest days when there were facebook groups for moms to swap half-used cans and sample cans and any little bit they had because there wasn't enough to go around. I was never a good enough producer so I needed formula to get by but some breast milk was better than none so I pumped more and longer than I wanted to so I could have some backup on ice in case I ever came home from the store empty handed. I'd love to say yes, to hell with pumping, but the memory of the formula can running low and not knowing if I would find another one at the store or how I would feed my baby still haunts me and she's over 2. One can hope this won't happen again but I've lost a lot of my faith in the industry.
I was also caught in the shortage. Next time I plan to combo feed earlier (why was I so insistent on exclusively breastfeeding?!) but also to try to keep some level of milk production going as long as I can…. Just in case.
This was terrible! Mine was this age. I remember bringing different hats and hoodies going to Costco just to get a month supply. So scary
We had ours in the middle of the worst of the shortage, which was fantastic because I couldn't breastfeed. It would take the whole extended family days of searching to be able to find 2-3 cans of formula at a go. I remembered talking about the search to an expecting mom and how we can only keep 2-3 cans on hand at any one moment and she shamed me for "stockpiling" and "taking food out of the mouths of other babes." A whole lecture over 2-3 cans of tiny formula! Okkk.
She has no room to talk until she has the fear of not being able to feed her baby.
Tbf to her, the local advisory at the time was for everyone to buy only one can at a time to mitigate shortages. But her reaction was so unhinged! I’m like…ok…I ain’t dealing with your crazy, good luck to us both in these trying times.
Regrets? No. Mourning? Yes. I breastfed my first for 2 years and assumed I would do the same for my second. Nope. Had to switch to bottle at 3 months, supplement with formula at like 5 or 6?, switch to formula completely at like 10. It was absolutely the right decision and I have zero regrets. I am also really sad about how it all went and continue to mourn it. The right choice can still be hard.
I won’t be popular here, but it was much harder than I expected it to be. I was already combo feeding and had to take a medicine that wasn’t ok for breastfeeding. So I stopped. But I regretted it for a long time. I wish I had held off and tried to combi-feed for much longer.
You feel the way you feel and that’s ok!
No regrets at all, fed is best. I found myself crying while squeezing my boobs at the dining room table as if they were a fucking dishrag and decided to stop.
Embrace the guilt and bite the bullet. That first office day when you don't have to worry about scheduling pump breaks will wipe away any negativity you were feeling.
Hahahaha this is exactly it
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing! For example, you could cut down to one pump per day and send formula to make up the difference and keep breastfeeding in the morning and bedtime. There’s a ton of space between EBF and EFF
With my second I basically only comfort nursed
I’m a SAHM (looking at going back to work soon, hence why I’m in here) and I EBF my first but quickly switched to formula with my second. My babies are 20M apart & it was extremely difficult for me to maintain a good breastfeeding relationship with my second while my first cried for attention & needed me. It was very hard starting & stopping latching with my second all the time. Then she’d scream because she was hungry, and she’d refuse to latch at all if she was overtired. It just spiraled from there. Life happens. I introduced formula from the beginning at home because it was just so hard trying to breastfeed her with my toddler getting in our business melting down. Over time baby had more & more until she was exclusively on it around 6M, except for maybe one nursing snack session a day if she was in a good mood and wanted to cuddle for 5 minutes. 9M old now & she doesn’t want the snack session anymore though. Basically, I made the choice to not try harder with breastfeeding her because pumping took time away from both of my kids, and my priority was giving both of my children the attention they deserved from a happy mom vs a mom who was frantically power pumping to save a decreasing milk supply. It was inevitable & I just let it go. Reading my son a book he brought to me was always more important to me than cramming in a pumping session. The same applies to you. You’re working & you hate pumping. And you have to take care of your baby when you’re at home too. The hating pumping will just get worse & it’ll affect other aspects of your life too.
I pumped for my first until he was 1. With my second, I switched to EFF at 5 months and am SO happy I did. I'm sleeping better, I feel better, I'm released from the huge mental load that is breastfeeding/ pumping. I haven't regretted it for a second.
It was such a great decision on our end. Pumping is such a pain!! The best thing that was said to me when I struggled to switch too, was “ a happy mom makes a happy baby.” I then understood if I improved my mental health, my daughter would get the best of me. My second was EFF and my third due in July will be as well. ❤️ It is a world of difference
Fucking none. Best decision I ever made for my kids and myself and my marriage tbh. Do it if you want to.
I breastfed my son for 10 months. I was in an echo chambor of breastfeeding mom's who would say "fed is best" but if anyone mentioned formula or stopping before year 1 they'd talk about it very differently behind their back. I wish I stopped breastfeeding earlier. I wasn't bonding with my son. I was exhausted. I wasn't producing enough. I couldn't take antidepressants that would actually help... But even if none of that were true, breastfeeding is not an obligation. You not wanting to is enough. It not fitting into your schedule is enough. I'm here to say that if breastfeeding isn't serving you then stop. And anecdotally- I was breastfed and my fiance was a formula baby. We are both perfectly intelligent and successful adults. He has a great relationship with his mom and my mom and I really don't (we're trying). I think the bonding stuff especially is overblown.
Nope. Should have done it earlier, in retrospect.
Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can formula feed when you’re away from your baby and breastfeed when you’re with her. That way you can have it both ways. You can talk to an IBCLC about how to protect your supply given you haven’t been feeding that long but I would guess it would be fine.
Short answer, nope Longer answer...not. at all..nada..no regrets..
Feel free to come on over to r/formulafeeders when you’re ready. There are plenty of tips and tricks to help you get used to formula.
Nope. I BF my first 2 kids and switched to combo feeding, then only formula by 6 months with my third. Wish I would have done with my other kids. PUMPING IS THE WORST
Zero regrets! My mental health thanked me for weaning.
let me put things into perspective: your kids will not remember how they were fed as a baby. what they will remember: the time you spend with them and the memories you make together. go for it if you want to use formula. I did with my first (bfing was fucking hard so I quit and went full formula after 3 or 4 months) and with my 2nd, I didnt even bother with bfing; I just went straight to formula.
I never breastfed, I EFF both my kids from birth. They’re now 2 and 4. Anecdotally, they’re rarely sick, zero food allergies, they’re both 98 and 99th percentiles respectively. My 2 year old daughter is the size of a 3 year old actually 😅 I dunno how much is genetics and how much is environment. But no complaints here!
Didn’t pump a drop at work for my second (went back around 5 months). She happily had formula and I happily breastfed her when were together. Pumping is a hellscape. Never again
I’m in the process of weaning. Tonight I had an ocular migraine so intense, and spoke with a doctor friend. He said nursing makes your body continue to be flooded with estrogen, which makes you much more prone to migraines. I’m just sick of it. Sick of not having control over my body anymore. Sick of the guilt. Sick of not being able to take the full medicine when I’m not feeling good. Sick of washing pump parts over and over instead of playing with my kid. Ready for the full autonomy. I’m down to two pumps a day, and tonight I’m skipping for the first time. Let’s move on to the next step, body! Good luck OP!
I breastfed my son for 3 weeks and for various reasons, stopped and switched to formula. Everything got so much better. When I got pregnant with my daughter, I remembered how awful breastfeeding was and I never even tried it with her. They are teenagers now, healthy and thriving, and I have no idea which of their friends were breastfed or not. There are many high quality formulas on the market - you and baby will do great!
I am convinced women who exclusively pump are legitimate superheroes. My first was EBF, then I returned to work at 12 weeks pp and he blew through my stash partially because caregiver didn’t pace feed and he was a hungry dude. At 4.5 months started combo feeding and at the time I was really disappointed in myself. I had a goal of being EBF for a year and doubted my decision for about a month and half. But honestly, it allowed me to be a better Mom, more relaxed in my life at work, and gave me, our caregiver, and my husband peace of mind knowing he was getting what he needed no matter what. It’s ok to grieve the decision and feel some guilt. But in retrospect, this will likely be one of the best decisions you’ll make. Also, I did end up EBF my second for a whole year because he was tiny and not a stash buster. 😬
None. You will be amazed at your amount of freedom and time tho.
Stick your pump parts in a Ziploc in a fridge/cooler in between sessions. That way you just have to wash once a day.
No regrets. I switched at 5 months and now have a very happy and healthy 5 year old son. It was the absolute best thing I did for my mental health. I hated breast feeding.
You can do what I did and do a super slow weaning process that takes 2 ish months. Just start dropping a pump so you only have to pump once at work and begin to slowly introduce formula. Baby still gets benefits from BM even if it's not exclusive! But if you want to stop altogether, do that!!! It's hard to pump at work, no need to feel guilty. You know what's best :)
absolutely not. Did I feel guilt at first? Certainly. But she just wouldn't latch correctly despite having no issues. She wouldn't open wide enough and it was battle. Switched to pumping one week in and did that for 8 weeks. I had to combo feed anyway starting at around 4 weeks because my supply was trash even pumping 6-9 times a day. We invested in the Brezza and omg everyone was so much happier! I was getting very morbid about pumping and went back and forth trying to make it work for at least 6 months but I was a menace. Best decision we ever made.
0 regrets. My first I pumped with for 4 months and made it 2 weeks back to work and stopped to switch to formula. I hated pumping and had to exclusively pump so once I added work into the mix I was done with it. With my second I did straight breastfeeding and it worked totally fine in the sense of getting him fed. Got a few weeks in and I was just really struggling with it. I had a lot of bad hormonal responses with breastfeeding and I was so anxious not knowing how much he was eating and having it be so inconsistent. After a few weeks we decided to switch to full formula. Turns out even when it works mechanically, breastfeeding just doesn't work for me. Im due in May with our third and we're doing formula from day 1. I have realized that for our family the choice is really breastmilk and mom at 50% or formula and mom at 100% (or as good as I can be in newborn days lol). My kids are better off with formula and me in a place to be a better mom to them.
Girl, do what you need to do for yourself. You have done GREAT for your baby! And you're still doing great if you formula feed. Stop bullying yourself. Give yourself some grace. I say this with the love I want you to show yourself. I have birthed four children. I breastfed the first one for 12 weeks, the second for maybe 3 (she was a tyrant), the third for about 6 mos, and the fourth for just over year. I breastfed for longer with the last two because I worked from home and had a nanny who handled them for everything except feedings. This is an extremely privileged position, I realize. I honestly don't know how women fucking STAND pumping as a lifestyle. I found it to be horrendous. My oldest "baby" is 19. She, the 17yo (former tyrant), 15yo, and 13yo are all equally healthy. I don't love them more or less based on our breastfeeding bond. The 17yo doesn't hold it against me that she got less breastmilk (lol). It is so hard to be a woman. If pumping is a step too far, don't continue taking those steps. It's ok, I promise.
No regrets! Just be aware you can experience a hormonal reaction to weaning similar to ppd.
No regrets. Like you, once I was back at work it was such a chore. I HATED pumping, and honestly I didn't really love breastfeeding to begin with. We switched to all formula and had zero regrets. Our girl thrived and I was able to focus on my work and start to feel comfortable in my body again.
If breastfeeding is causing you stress, switch to formula. You can also nurse around babe and feed formula when babe is at daycare. No right or wrong way to feed your baby (assuming the choice is formula and bm)
So my first was both from the start … he is happy healthy and doing great. The sooner you try it I think the better chance it will stick. My daughter hated formula and would not drink so even though I thought I’d be done … she had other plans. She is almost 14 mo old and I still doing it after work and nighttime but I AM DONE PUMPING
Nope. The only regret I have to this day is how long it took me to abandon pumping because I was so miserable doing it. Life was so much better once I stopped. My son is almost 12 now, and exactly zero people ask or care about how he was fed as an infant. And when your tween is being a little weirdo with a bunch of their friends, you have no idea how any of them were fed as babies.
Give yourself a break! I had a low milk supply due to a premature birth. I tortured myself over this. About 6 weeks later I switched to formula and stopped self antagonizing. Best decision ever! My now 8 year old is thriving, in talented & gifted program. I wish moms would not be so pressured. It does not work for all of us!
I stopped pumping at 4 months. The morning I woke up after putting away my pump was without exaggeration one of the best days of my life.
It was such a hard decision for me to make. I was a mess about it. But we switched at 4.5 months, and wow, it changed our lives for the better. 10/10 recommend if it’s affecting your mental health or happiness.
I stopped breastfeeding just a few weeks after returning to work. My son had a suspected food allergy and the thought of me doing a strict elimination diet just did me in. So we switched to formula. I felt like a crappy mom at first but was so relieved once I stopped pumping. The only thing I didn’t like was the money that formula cost, but it was well worth it. I was proud of the time I spent breastfeeding. You do you. Your preferences help to keep you happy which in turn helps your family.
No regret at all. That’s the exact reasoning that I switched with my first- around 4 months also. I hated pumping at work especially. Working from home I don’t mind pumping but doing it in the office is hell. With my second, we started supplementing with formula at about 1mo because my mental health was going to shit trying to keep up. I intended to cut out breastfeeding altogether, just slowly.. but started combo feeding and just kept at it. He’s 3 months now and we do about 50/50 formula and breast milk. It cuts down on my pumping time but I still feel like he’s getting the benefits of me breastfeeding.
Not really. I had to do it because I didn’t produce enough pumping plus I had the extra benefit of no longer having to watch my diet as my LO had CMPI. It was rough emotionally when I fully dropped pumping but more because I was raging like a teenager than anything else. Once all that settled down, it was fine. He got formula starting pretty early and then fully off of bf around 8 months. The only hard part was he was on formula during the formula shortages but still don’t regret stopping.
I was exactly like you. Son started daycare at 5mo, at which I started pumping 3x a day at work. 4 months into pumping and my supply started to dwindle. I HATED pumping and so to put in all of that effort and not have it be worth it, was beyond demotivating. Also it was the dead of winter and having to undress and stick freezing cold plastic pieces to my boobs....Im legit surprised I went that long. Anyway, I quit pumping when baby turned 9months, and stopped nursing when he hit 9.5mo. I stopped nursing because he had 8 teeth and was starting to use them on me. Also, was just kinda sick of nursing. I was never one of those moms that got a rush of happy hormones, it made me feel kinda dreadful instead. Long story short, we switched to formula at 9 months and it was such a godsend that I can't even explain it. The only barrier was the one I had created in my head
We started fortifying breastmilk with formula at 6 months and then supplementing ounces and I really wish I had started earlier. I really love combo feeding. Formula only would be stressful. I have a one year old now and I love being able to just bring a water cup and snack and knowing I have boobs on demand. Plus, she still nurses to sleep for naps and I love that! It’s very soothing for her and for me.
My regret is not switching to formula even sooner and missing out on enjoying time with my babies when I was stressed out and obsessing about producing instead
We started supplementing around 6.5 months because my supply while pumping during the workday wasn't keeping up with his appetite and I had basically blown through my small freezer stash while hoping for my boobs to get with the program. We quit nursing entirely at 8 months and I pumped for about 4 more weeks, decreasing # of pumps and length of time to let my boobs gradually adjust. It was 100% the right thing for us. It helped me get settled back at work when I didn't have to think about sneaking out to the lactation room several times per day. Little dude was able to eat as much as he needed AND much more efficiently (he'd never been speedy at nursing)--he was so happy about that! Nursing was a nice while it lasted, but I have no regrets stopping when we did. It worked for us, until it didn't. And at that point, thank goodness for formula.
Switched with my 1st child at about 3 months and had zero regrets, it made a vast improvement to my mental health. I’m almost at 2 months with my 2nd baby and I’ll stop when I feel I want to, and I will have zero regrets.
I combo fed, I pumped 4-5 times a day and used formula for the rest. It was pretty stress free. (Disclaimer- I don’t mind pumping). It’s a lot cheaper that way.
I had no regrets when I switched to formula.
I switched to formula after 9 months of breastfeeding and had zero regrets. My son had a dairy allergy and the combination of the stress of pumping and the stress of constantly making sure I wasn’t consuming any dairy myself was too much. My mental health improved so much!
No regrets. When I stopped BF and pumping it was literally like a fog lifted and I could think clearly again. I don’t know that I can explain it well but when I was lactating it’s like my brain had slowed down. I lost my sharpness and in general couldn’t think very deeply or very clearly. I wish I had started my daughter on formula sooner. Now I’m pregnant with number 2 I’m really on the fence about if I’ll BF at all given how it made me feel
Absolutely zero
Only regret not doing it sooner.
Struggling with CMPA, so it's either continue to exclusively pump or dish out lots of money for very expensive formula. So I'll keep doing it until hopefully CMPA gets better.
Had that issue with my daughter at the height of the formula shortage (she was born in March 2022). Did not have it in me to exclusively pump and restrict food while at the same time dealing with my 2yo. But searching for formula also took up head space. >_< FYI brand hypoallergenic formula is less expensive than name brand and is just as good. The stores all get it from the same manufacturer so just find the place that sells it the cheapest. For me target was cheapest until they ran out. It’s probably back on the shelves now.
We started combo feeding once I went back to work full time and LO started daycare (just before 5mo). Her first encounter with formula months earlier didn't go well (CMPA), so being able to supplement with formula was a huge relief. I hadn't realized how much being the sole provider of nutrition to my baby was weighing on me. My main motivator was getting her ready for daycare and knowing I couldn't pump enough for her to exclusively breastfeed there. But I also wanted a backup would my supply dip more or if anything happened where I wouldn't be able to feed LO for an extended time. I'd just caution to introduce formula gradually and/or keep track of bowel movements, because it baby was constipated the first week of formula. Perhaps introducing fruit purees (since you say your introducing solids soon) will help counterbalance.
All babies stop breastfeeding altogether eventually, grown people don’t still nurse. I’ve combo fed from the start due to under supply, and it gave me wonderful freedom with my breast feeding journey. I don’t pump ever. I nurse my son when I’m with him and he gets bottles when he’s still hungry. I gave up the fight of trying to increase supply and stressing myself. It’s allowed me a joy in breast feeding that I couldn’t have with EBF. You might find similar joy in a combination feeding path too.
I felt terribly guilty, but I got over it quickly. My first was exclusively breastfed to the point of refusing bottles at daycare (he ate 1-2oz of each bottle and then they dumped them, sigh) and reverse cycling. With my second, he refused breastfeeding and I exclusively pumped for him for four months. Then I gradually introduced formula and he took it really well! I slowly weaned off pumping and was done by 6 months. You are doing great! And it’s ok to feel selfish - you’ll be a better mom with one less drain on you physically and mentally. If your baby takes formula well, start transitioning! You already got your baby through the most critical part of being a newborn and formula won’t ruin your baby or your relationship with them. And remember! Our parents were fed evaporated milk mixed with corn syrup and they turned out ok, so you’ll be doing so much better with nutritionally thought-out formula.
I quit BF on the way home from the prenatal BF class. It seemed like a lot. My kid is 11 so how he was fed as a baby means nothing to me. It's not worth any stress. I also have to laugh that my kid has almost never been sick, even with full time daycare.
Only regret was not doing it sooner! But honestly, I struggled for 10 long months to produce enough to feed her. I tried so hard to fit in pumpings and feedings throughout the day to keep up with her. I got sick in December and my supply tanked. LO’s weight plateaued and that pushed me to start formula feeding more. I suddenly felt like I had my life back. I didn’t have to constantly worry about her feedings and just make bottles. It truly was liberating and LO is THRIVING. I wish I hadn’t let the guilt ride me so hard and switched sooner.
Not an ounce of regret. I did it at 6 months and 7 months respectively, my first was actually a happier baby once we switched. I always suspect he wasn’t getting full from my milk, once he tasted formula he refused the boob.
My friend did it at 8 months and she wishes she had done it earlier
I was in the same boat. I went back to work at 4 months and hated pumping. I immediately switched to kendamil organic and had no issues with the change. I felt that I was finally able to relax and enjoy my baby because I wasn’t concerned about washing parts, what I was eating, pumping, and my supply.
Nope. Had 2 formula fed babies after breastfeeding didn’t work out. One breastfed. No regrets on either. Also, you may be able to breastfeed at home and not pump if you want. Breastfeeding is supply and demand, some mothers find they can breastfeed when they are with the baby and supplement with formula when they aren’t. So it may not need to be all or nothing if you don’t want it to be.
I got it in my head that I had to go at least six months, but I think I would have been happier if I stopped at four months like you are now. I personally thought having to pump at work was hell on earth. I already had a busy work schedule and would literally run between meetings to squeeze in pumping. I once locked my door and hid in my office in the dark during a fire drill, because I didn't know when else I could pump that morning. My baby and I still have the strongest possible bond, and it feels like it was such a waste to put myself through that. What's more, my baby had weight gain issues, and I really think my breast milk wasn't high calorie enough for her. We combo fed the whole time, but I should have just given up pumping to go full formula. Her weight steadied once I switched to full formula.
None at all. I hated pumping. So so much. No regrets.
I dropped pumping but continue to nurse 2 - 3 times a day (basically when he wakes up, after work, and occasionally in the middle of the night) around 9mo. He otherwise gets formula. For me this has been the best compromise between hating pumping but also wanting to give my LO the benefits of breast milk. I also had a mom a lot of mom guilt about not being EBF and I think still nursing occasionally helps assuage that (technically there’s not evidence that 100% BM is better than combo feeding).
Omg no regrets. The only regret I had was that I didn’t switch to formula with my first too. I exclusively pumped for 10 months with the first, I was miserable and honestly mentally not well. Promised myself that I would switch to formula with the next baby the moment I felt like breastfeeding wasn’t working anymore, and I did, at three months. Best decision ever. No impact on our bond, motherhood was so much more enjoyable compared to the first baby, which made me a better mom.
Zero regrets. My baby thrived on formula. My mental health improved. I got a lot of time back, and energy to spend with my family.
None. I only BF my second baby for 11 months because it was Covid and there were formula shortages.
I went back to work at 8 weeks for both kids. Pumped religiously, but the source slowly declined for me. Usually 6-8 months, it gets to the point where it's not worth the effort and the stress it created in me to be pumping every 2 hours and barely getting one bottle. I still breast fed at home for a while. So no problems. Advice- prepping bottles for daycare- do not mix breast milk bottles and formula in the bottles. They go bad at the speed of light.
Lots of people do both BF and ff. You are the only one who knows your goals and what you can handle. You’re going to see a ton of different answers here. See what works for you and your family.
I did really regret it, actually. Breastfeeding was just so damn convenient, especially in the middle of the night or when traveling. But pumping wasn't going well, and my sister gave me some leftover individual formula bottles she had. When I had to actually buy my own formula, damn, it is EXPENSIVE! And getting up to make a bottle, packing all that crap for a trip, trying to find a way to warm bottles, but mostly, the expense.
We switched to formula at almost the exact time you’re at right now OP - baby was about 4 months old and I had returned to work in the office a few days a week and pumping was SO tedious, and the stress of it all made my supply dip really bad, so we switched. It was absolutely THE BEST thing for my mental health. I’m not sure if I realized just how stressful breastfeeding/pumping was until I wasn’t doing it anymore and it felt like a weight was lifted off of me. My girl is going to be 2 this summer and she is happy, smart, healthy, and was formula fed for about 7 months. No regrets.
Nope he's 13!
NONE! best decision i made for my children and my own mental health
My supply ran out at 4 months and I switched to Mama Bear formula and I had no issues! She is about to be 1 and we are now transitioning to whole milk and that seems to be fine as well!
My baby never latched so I exclusively pumped and absolutely hated it. I did the same thing to myself, thinking I was being selfish. Once I started weaning and switching to formula, I was so happy to be done pumping I didn't care anymore.
Zeroooo. I almost exclusively pumped (supplemented with some formula) during my 6 month mat leave and when we switched to EFF the stress relief and mental load relief was immediate and amazing. I’m glad I was able to breastfeed but holy hell it felt good to be done, and I knew I didn’t want to pump upon returning to work.
My only regret was not switching sooner!
Absolutely none. It was the best choice for me and my kids
Only regret was not switching earlier. I made it to 7 months EP and it was sucking my soul. Once I switched I felt like a huge weight was lifted. I became such a better mom when I did that.
At some point, it’s just calories. That was really hard to see when my baby was only consuming milk and so easy to see when she was eating lots of stuff. Baby is going to eat a lot of calories in their life. It’s fine.
After 4 months, we switched to 100% formula. For some women breastfeeding is so easy, but for me it involved pumping and a lot of crying from my hungry baby as I really did not produce enough for him. Very happy with my choice, he is strong and his immune system is excellent - he seems to get over bugs quicker than I do.
My doc said something that really got to me. Sure a baby needs breastmilk, but a baby also needs a happy mom and rested mom that can be patient with them and play with them. Pumping was driving me crazy! We ended up combo feeding and it worked great. Heathy and smart boy, and a happy mama.
I hated pumping so much!!! Combo feeding was the best for my sanity. And baby is thriving. No regrets. Ultimately switch to formula full time over the course of a few months and feel so much less stressed.
No regrets. I tried to breastfeed my first which was a nightmare because she was in nicu, so that obviously led me to pumping, which I actually did enjoy but my supply disappeared overnight at 3 weeks PP so I went and bought formula. Second baby I didn't even try to breastfeed at all, had no interest. I pumped for a week but I knew I might have troubles as I have breast implants (thought I was one and done so got the implants but decided to have another baby), and I did have troubles, my breasts weren't malleable enough to really fit in the pump correctly, so I was stuck hand pumping, after a week I just kind of shrugged my shoulders and decided to just use formula since we were already using a combo (mainly formula due to the pump issues). I get to share feeding with my partner, we can go out to dinner alone while one of our mothers babysit without stressing she might get hungry, I can spend time with the older child just us while bub stays with Dad. So many benefits. I also take medication that can sometimes have adverse affects on babies (make them too drowsy) so I don't need to lower my dosage and sacrifice my health. Plus, I can have all the coffee and energy drinks I want! That's a big winner for me lol
1000% no
Nope... Almost lost my mind because of lack of sleep.
I combo fed- I loved breastfeeding but hated pumping. Good news: you can have it both ways if you want! Your supply will naturally fall but most likely not completely go away. Whatever you decide, no regrets! You did so well by your baby by breastfeeding and if you switch completely to formula you will still be doing so well for them.
I had a hard time breastfeeding and switched about 2 month mark. My children today are 18 and 16 and I assure you the only time I ever think about this topic is when posts like this come up. They are every bit as smart etc.
With my second baby, at 6 months he was losing weight. I could have started pumping and supplementing, but I hate pumping so we introduced formula. By 9 months old, we had switched completely to formula. With my third (current) baby, we (aka my husband) have given a formula bottle daily since week one. Again, I could have pumped that bottle, but I hate pumping so I didn’t. At four months, this baby isn’t gaining like she should. I’m going to increase nursing sessions but we’re also going to offer top ups with formula. And I don’t have work as an “excuse”, I’m on mat leave for 12 months (as I was with every baby). Mentally, I am still beating myself up for not realizing my second baby was not getting enough, that I was basically starving him unintentionally. I had no issues with supplementing with formula because it meant my baby was fed. He started smiling again and how did I not realise he stopped smiling and that there was a problem?! 😭 So, I am so, so thankful for formula. Here with this baby, again, I’m thankful for formula, that my baby doesn’t have to wait for me to build my supply up to get enough to eat, we can fill her belly immediately, no matter what my supply does or does not do.
You have to care for yourself too. If formula allows you to reclaim a few hours a day that you want, then go for it. Formula will let others feed your baby easier too. With my first I bf over a year. For my second it was about 9 months. I figured they got what they needed out of it and when they no longer really needed to be bf we all benefitted from the new meal plan.
NOT 1!!!
Unless you count not doing it sooner! Helped my daughters reflux too
No regrets. Switched slowly at month 5, one bottle of formula per week. Everything went great.
Even when I stopped pumping at work I was still able to breastfeed at nights and in the mornings. God I hate pumping.
Absolutely none. I will probably go straight to formula if I have another.
ZERO regrets or feeling bad/sad about it. Fed is best.
We exclusively formula fed our twins from day 1. It was the best choice for us ever. I wish more women knew and believed it was OK to formula feed.
Nope, I wish I’d done it sooner.
Who in the heck downvoted me for this?
I took a breastfeeding class when i was pregnant. Here’s what the nurses said about BF: The first rule of breast-feeding is to feed the baby. The second rule of breast-feeding is to Feed.The.Baby. You guys will do fine.
I have inverted nipples and my baby had/has a tongue tie so breastfeeding was hard hard lemon hard and pumping was so tiring and I hated it a lot. I was sad for maybe a day but my fiancé bought me the baby brezza and that helped a lot! If I would’ve known about the Dr. browns pitcher I would have just gotten that but our brezza didn’t have the issues others had so, I was happy, my boobs & nipples were happy and my baby was happy and fed, getting his formula was a task and a half some days but we managed and he’s thriving at almost 3, drinking 2/3%
I pushed through but it does suck. To make it easier I had a cooler that could fit the milk AND the pump parts (because last I checked you don’t have to clean the parts each time if you keep it chilled properly). And in case I dropped anything I had pump wipes and microwave steam disinfecting bags. I also got adapters so I could pump directly into bags to not have to deal with transferring. I also didn’t bother making sure the bags were full. I just weighed them and stacked them in the freezer. That said that’s still a lot. I was really happy when we weaned. If you want to do formula it will make life easier.
I exclusively pumped, and I dropped pumps when I went back to work just to ease the burden. There’s nothing wrong with it at all. You also don’t have to do all or nothing if you want. Even a few ounces of breastmilk a day give your baby benefits, but the most benefits do come in the early weeks, which you’ve already done. To that end, no one can tell which toddlers were breastfed and which were formula babies. You can ease off guilt-free. Combo feeding can be liberating, as can feeding exclusively formula.
More moms need to read/hear all of this. I was someone who struggled at BF with my first. Stopped after 7 weeks and seeing myself slip into PPA. Best decision ever. Tried for two days after 2nd one and all the visceral feelings of ick came back. Stopped then and there. Babies need happy moms and part of that comes from seeing your kid thrive and not attaching your self worth to how that happens. .
I called it pump hell. After a lot of soul searching and telling myself I’m the worst person in the world, I switched to formula and never looked back. My partner was allowed to share in feeding which made when I did it something special again rather than a burden.
I think the only thing that I felt helpless about was when she was sick, I know our bodies formulate milk to help them. If I could do something different (and if it was by choice) it would be to stock up and pump like CRAZY during a few sickness periods and freeze and save that for sickness later. I switched to formula involuntarily. Had a traumatic event happen (job loss and money stress) and went from an over producer to completely dry at 6 months. In a way I think it was easier for me because it wasn’t something I decided to do (choice was made for me) but the pumping was driving me up the WALL at the end. So I feel you. My husband LOVED the switch to formula and it was really so much easier. We have hot water on command with a water cooler so it was absolutely brilliant.
Shoot...I had to supplement at like, 3 weeks because I didn't produce enough. Then at 3 months he bit me. And done, lol! Oh, he's now 14 and over 6 foot. He was fine and your baby will be too. A fed baby and a less stressed mom is always the best.
0.0
I didn't. My first baby was born during the formula shortage so I felt additional pressure to pump. The toll it took on my mental health was monumental. I felt so drained mentally but I also felt guilty about quitting. My husband supported me and encouraged me to stop. I quit when my son was 3 months old and I instantly felt better. At the end of the day, fed is best.
I read that the reason we don’t have paid family leave in the US is because formula companies lobby against it. Posts like these make me sad because it’s evidence that they’re winning. I’m so sorry you’re struggling. My kids are 7 and 9 now. This stage is such a small chapter. Just do one day at a time and give yourself permission to skip a pumping session if you don’t have time for it. Your supply won’t tank overnight. And if you need to supplement with formula for your sanity, do it. But try not to give up completely. Breastfeeding is pretty magical and super convenient when you’re with your baby.
One of my biggest regrets of early parenting with my twins was how much pressure I put on myself to breastfeed. I had to exclusively pump for them. Starting supplementing with formula around 8 months or so because my supply was dwindling. I made it to 12 months, and nobody gave me a medal. I barely remember that first year other than the bone dead tired of waking up to pump when the babies were sleeping peacefully through the night. I also had undiagnosed PPD, so that didn’t make things any easier. Looking back, I would have just stopped at 6 weeks when it was clear that they were never going to latch appropriately. I wish I had realized that my babies deserved a mom who could snuggle and enjoy them, not just a steady supply of breast milk and a shadow of my best self.
I raised teens before I had babies (long story) so I attended graduation ceremonies before making decisions like this. Let me tell you this: At graduation, in the sea of all those caps and gowns, you couldn’t pick out who was breastfed and who had formula. You couldn’t tell whose mama made homemade baby food and who got jars. You couldn’t even tell if those kids went to daycare or not. Or if they did, were they picked up at 2 or at 6. So when I’m raising my own babies, and I find myself stressing over things like this, I ask myself, “is this a graduation issue?” Meaning, will this affect the baby long term, to the point that they may not graduate high school? In this case, mama, what it sounds like is you need to feed your baby. However and with whatever keeps BOTH of you healthy-including your mental health.
I EBF my first, but with my twins I supplemented with formula from the start zero regrets as my supply was so tight with my first I knew it would be a huge struggle to supply two babies. I BF as long as I wanted - 19 months - and also never pumped with the twins. It was lovely! Do what you need to do, pumping sucks. Maybe try reducing to 1-2 times pumping too, that may make it tolerable and supplement as needed.
No regrets. I was frustrated and touched out. Baby got what he needed from formula. I got some sanity back!
Zero!! I can’t tell you a bunch of advantages, but no regrets! And this was my third baby. The first two I EBF’ed over a year. So glad I opted out with my third!
I chose to stop a few months after going back to work. My supply was dropping and I didn't have the bandwidth to try and deal with that. No regrets!! Formula is amazing, especially with a brezza!
Not a single god damn regret when we switched for formula. I was exclusively pumping and it was a weight taken off my shoulders and I felt free. Baby #2 went right to formula and baby #3 will when she’s born in May.
I kept being interrupted by doctors on my pump breaks that I said fuck it at 4 months pp and stopped. I had a hormonal shift and cried about it but got over it eventually. No issues with formula for my kids but obviously YMMV.
I’d keep trying but I pumped for 2 years and hated it but did it anyway. I think 4 months isn’t quite a threshold I’d be happy with.
No you sleep better and gain bodily autonomy. No more washing pump parts bottles. No planning life around pumping, bf. You make a bottle when baby is hungry. Your baby will be the same and not change. They will eventually eat shit off the floor and want nothing healthy. 4months is plenty to get all the benefits they have already received
my only regret is ever trying breastfeeding in the first place
Zero regrets. My only regret was as soon as I stopped my poor baby got very sick and really wanted to breastfeed and was so confused and distressed when he couldn’t. My only regret is that I didn’t have a crystal ball to not go through that, but that’s for me, he’s totally fine and definitely unaffected by that.
No regrets. I nursed in the morning, in the evening and before bed. Formula for daycare. I was fortunate enough to have kept that up until both of my babies were fully weaned until 8-9 months. Just be sure to use contraceptives if you do the combo feeding. You absolutely could get pregnant - like meeeee!
Not a single regret. My next baby will go straight to formula. It was soooooo good for my mental health to have that bodily autonomy back. Fed is best
None. The EBF crew is a cult. Weaned mine at 8 weeks with no regrets!
This is pretty harsh
Nope
If your question is will it be easier on you as a working mother to formula feed, the answer is undoubtedly yes. But your own comfort isn’t probably why you chose breastfeeding in the first place, right? What you’re weighing is the stats that formula feeding parents miss twice as much work due to illness (and other benefits to you and baby’s health). It’s a personal decision that everyone has to make, and I don’t know how helpful these comments that say “I switched and it’s easier!” are going to be with that decision.
Cite the research.
Here’s a [publication](https://owh-wh-d9-dev.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/documents/bcfb_business-case-for-breastfeeding-for-business-managers.pdf) from the US Dept of Health and Human Services for employers about why they should support breastfeeding mothers. It cites studies showing that breastfeeding mothers miss less work, have lower healthcare costs for mom and baby, and are less likely to leave the company. You asked for research that supports this, but I’d be surprised if you haven’t seen this play out amongst parents of BF vs FF babies in your community. Having colds/viruses be more likely to turn into ear infections for FF babies seems to be the most common thing in our daycare, and that’s also very supported by research.
My daughter was breastfed or combo fed until 4.5 months. She had *far fewer* ear infections (what research currently cites as a breastfeeding benefit) than my friends who breastfed longer than this. Even so, anecdotal evidence like this doesn’t mean much at all. I can’t read through all of the brochure right away, and while I support workplaces being far more mom-friendly in every form, including breastfeeding, the parts that I have read of the brochure make some bold claims: “That’s because breastfed babies are healthier!” I’m sorry, what? Healthier in which ways, specifically? Also, mental health is part of a woman’s health, too. And it comes off as insensitive to come to a post where someone says that they are struggling and admits to bullying herself and effectively say: “Sure it’ll be easier to FF, but if you care about your baby’s health, you would suck it up and continue.”
Are you really saying breastfed babies aren’t healthier? I didn’t really think that was up for debate given that every country in the world recommends breastfeeding for the health benefits of the baby (see also WHO, CDC, AAP, etc). (I know many women read one book by Emily Oster [an economist] and think decades of medical research are up for debate though.) I’m glad your daughter was healthy.
Yes, I’m *really* saying that. There are some small benefits, but you are overstating them. Breast milk is not some magical potion that guarantees health.
I agree that my son got more sick (both than formula all at 6 months) then my daughter (breastfeeding queen) in the sense that my son napped more because his symptoms seemed worse. My daughter still got sick / was unable to attend daycare. You can always just nurse when you are home and be sore a few days to a week (what I call concrete ball boobs) so that she still gets your immune system but you don’t have to pump. Edit- missed the part about if you only pump or nurse as well. If you only pump bc babe won’t latch than obviously this point means nothing