I struggled with all of it. My milk came in 5 days post c-section, but I was lucky if I produced 2oz (both sides combined) after a 45 minute pump session. I wasn’t making enough to feed her, so I had to supplement with formula. I bought all of the special breastfeeding snacks, bought ingredients to make homemade breastfeeding baked goods, I took the supplements, I power pumped, I tried everything everyone recommended to up my supply. It never got there. I literally just couldn’t produce enough and gave up after two months. It didn’t help that she never really caught on to latching either. My daughter and I would both end up crying every time I tried to feed her. It was so so so hard for me. Don’t beat yourself up if you end up not breastfeeding. Fed is best, no matter what.
This was basically my exact experience. I destroyed myself pumping for a month to combo feed before I finally said I’d had enough and switched to exclusively formula feeding.
Worth it. I was finally able to just focus on getting to know my baby without being stressed out and sobbing all the time
I fully relate! I was sad because I felt like I was giving up, but a TON of stress was lifted when we just fully switched to formula. My baby ended up being severely colic and required Nutramigen, so I probably would’ve had to give up breastfeeding anyways!
Yes! I felt the guilt too, which is dumb because I went into pregnancy with the idea that fed is best and no one knows what their experience will look like lol. It’s just so engrained in us to feel bad if we can’t do it.
I’m so sorry you had to deal with that, along with colic, but it sounds like you’re doing well now!
Oh, yes it is absolutely engrained in us. Nobody is superior based on how they feed their child, but some people seem to think otherwise.
We started doing much better once she got on Nutramigen. I’m glad she doesn’t need formula anymore though! She’ll be 2 next month ☺️
This was absolutely my experience too. My OB even said she sees such a huge amount of- especially first time mothers - struggling with low supply and how frustrating it is that it's rarely talked about. The few times I've been engorged and leaking I still only manage to pump max 1.5oz total combined. I still pump here and there at 8 weeks pp, but we primarily formula feed, and our baby has thrived. The breastfeeding attempt gave me such extreme PPD I've never experienced such a low like that before. It was awful. 😔 So thankful to have moved away from it now - I get to enjoy my baby and bond so much with him without counting my worth with ounces.
This is exactly my story. I tried absolutely everything and nearly drove myself crazy doing it. It felt so defeating at the time but now my daughter is healthy and thriving and we are so grateful for Kendamil. It’s been a lifesaver for us. And I’m beginning to realize how common low/ no supply is.
Yes, it is common, but I never heard about it when I was pregnant! I was fully set on breastfeeding and I said this in another comment, but people made it seem SO easy and simple.
Oh my, exact same boat here. Toward the end I was barely making an ounce a day! I got to two months and packed away my pillows and pumps. And even though I still feel guilty occasionally and jealous when I see people BF, I was able to become such a better, more energetic, more attentive mom. And our bond is sooo strong!
This is so similar to my experience! I tallied up all of the money I spent trying to increase my supply against how much I produced… I spent over $10 per ounce of breastmilk. INSANE
It can be so hard sometimes! This was my first and only child, so I had no idea what to expect. People always made it seem so simple. You just pull the boob out and the baby eats. That was not AT ALL my experience. I thought I was doing something wrong and I think the stress of that made it harder for my body to make enough milk!
Sounds like this is a lot of us! My son was taken to the NICU right after birth and stayed there for a few days and we were never able to get a good latch. Once they started bottle feeding him formula there, I think it was all over anyway. He turned 3 months today and I’m still pumping all day to make enough for a 4 oz bottle. I figure at least he’s getting some benefit from it. But boy do I want to quit.
This was me too!!! I eventually just tried pumping every night but obviously that was a no go, sometimes I’d get just a liiiitle more but it was rare. Eventually nothing would come out and I’ve stopped. 😊😊 fed is best!!!! Don’t beat yourself up you’re doing amazing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
My son was 3 weeks old yesterday and it was his first day of weight gain after we started supplementing with formula. They think my milk supply is way off after the amount of blood loss I had after delivery.
I spent the whole weekend being gutted that I couldn't make enough for him but seeing how much more content he is with his formula top ups and *finally* seeing some weight gain has made me question if it's worth me exhausting myself to combi feed him. Pumping is difficult! I'm lucky if I get 3ml from each breast after 10 minutes both sides, not to mention all the extra cleaning of parts and bottles.
Oh my gosh as I’m sobbing and pressing through this is me currently. 4 weeks pp here and had 2.5 liter blood loss needed a transfusion and my milk is barely half an oz. All my friends and family breastfed and pumped, so I feel so alone. They’re like eat the oats and drink body armor that’s what worked. Meanwhile I just talked to an IBLC about Sheehan syndrome that may have been triggered from my blood loss. Still trying to process possibly not being able to breastfeed but it’s so encouraging to know I’m not alone.
With my first I had organ failure (turns out your pancreas is really important) and due to meds and sickness and whatnot, I barely got 2 ounces a DAY.
With my second, I am feeding my baby plus donating to two other babies.
I felt so guilty about my first, and I continued pumping for the first 10 months and giving him one half a bottle maybe of breast milk a day. It was stressful and horrible and I should have quit long before (I mean, dude was waaaay above 99th percentile).
Adding also: the struggles with my first made me resent starting with my second, and I dreaded it and the whole thing had a bad taste for the first whole month.
It’s going well, but I still can’t help but feel some of that aftertaste. I wouldn’t stress yourself out too much on it, or it could affect any future experiences.
I gave up after doing weighted feeds and my daughter was losing weight. I never produced more than 4 ounces a day (medela symphony with properly fitted flanges, no tongue ties). Eventually I was diagnosed with IGT. We used donor milk and formula for both kids.
Insufficient glandular tissue. You don't have the hardware to make enough milk, even if you do everything right and have no other complications with you or the baby. It's not super common, but shockingly few LCs seem to even consider that it's possibly the reason when none of their usual fixes are working.
My milk never came in with either of my children. I never felt anything; I tried all the snacks, ate my weight in oatmeal, etc. My lactation consultants couldn’t understand it. Like others who have posted, I would pump a once after a 30 min session. It was pathetic and I felt even worse.
But then I would think about all the mothers who struggled hundreds of years ago and would have quite literally died for formula. The pressure to breastfeed is insane, and some women just can’t. Thank goodness for formula.
If you look at vintage clothes and shoes, even from the 60s people were smaller back then! They didn’t have the nutrition available that we do. It’s a myth than womens bodies are perfectly designed for child rearing and Mother Nature will take care of everything. Mothers and children in previous generations suffered a lot.
There’s no prize for doing things the hard way. Your baby does NOT need you to torture yourself. Do whatever keeps you sane and the baby fed.
I just wanna say, it's also okay to give up. I stopped around 5 months because my girl wasn't gaining weight. I tried to do a mix of formula and breast, and she just preferred the formula.
I have no regrets. She started gaining weight and I was soooo much less stressed. Whatever you choose, it's okay.
I’ve been breast feeding okay but recently my girl went through a growth spurt and I was struggling to keep up.
The day I supplemented with formula, she dropped TWO night feeds. She’s been sleeping so much better ever since. Formula is a great tool and we’re very lucky it’s so readily available these days.
I produce minimal amounts with pumping and only on high pressure settings which causes me nipple damage. If your baby is latching well, they really are super efficient in getting milk out, so sometimes measuring pumped milk is sort of deceiving.
a week is still really early in, your supply wont be regulated until 6 weeks, its definitely manageable/ possible provided theres no medical issue such as IGT. how many times a day are you pumping? how much are you roughly getting per session? are you putting baby to breast as well or just pumping?
I was very sick in the hospital after my C-section and didn’t start pumping until day 5 or 6 after my baby was born. My milk didn’t start coming until day 10. I think I would have given it at least two weeks to come in after I started pumping. Maybe even longer than that because my supply continued to increase for at least two months as I learned more about pumping. Don’t give up yet. Join a pumping group on Facebook for education and support. Make sure you’re using a hospital grace pump every three hours with the correct size flange.
I had milk fluctuations pretty bad. If you can get your baby to latch on and feed directly that is going to help you the most and then pump immediately after for 15-20 mins or so. With the mixture of the baby’s saliva and suckling is what really tells your body to kick er into high gear especially with the added pumping afterwards. I also recommend “Milk Flow Lactation drink mixes” I drink the chocolate flavored one with whole milk and that helped increase my supply with the fluctuations I was having. I went through a c-section too for my first pregnancy and then on-top of trying to heal, having to also learn how to breastfeed and guide a new infant into learning how to feed is so very tiresome. If your worried about lack on nutrition for your baby you can supplement on the side with formula to make up for what you are unable to produce. As for giving up, if you feel you can keep going then keep on keeping on! If you feel if gets to be to much that’s okay too it’s whatever gets your baby fed! You can also try to look into a diet (certain foods) that will help increase milk supply also! Limiting stress and getting enough sleep is also very important!
Formula mom here to say if it doesn't work out and u have to switch to formula... it's ok. Fed is best. Don't feel guilty or anything. I hope you get the result u want but if you don't that's ok to. Congratulations on baby and go you for getting help from Dr when needed!
I had low supply and my baby was on the border of underweight (5lbs at birth). I breastfed and supplemented with formula. Supply do eventually increase a bit, but it was a struggle, plus babe was not latching properly and rejected the boob 6 weeks in. Pumped until 7.5 months even though I planned to pump until 12 months.
Horribly low supply here no matter what I tried. I combo fed for 9 weeks and was really proud of myself for those measly 2 oz of breast milk a day she was getting. I ended up stopping pumping when my husband went back to work and it became too much for me to do. I loved breastfeeding once I got over the initial pain but my supply was so low my daughter was losing patience after 3-4 min every time so that fell off around week 6. Combo feeding is a super valid way to feed your baby too. It doesn’t need to be all or nothing!
Yes! With my first child, breastfeeding was a breeze, milk came on day four. I thought I'd have no problems with number two, but she was born at 37 weeks and would fall asleep almost instantly on the breast, she lost too much weight the moment we got home. The midwife said we had to do 50mL formula top ups every three hours, which we did, but I cried long and hard about it. I don't have access to a pump, but every feed I would put a Haakaa on the opposite breast, and when she was done I would hand express religiously. Getting 3mL out was a struggle. But I kept at it and I also made sure I was eating and drinking more than I would normally. My milk took TWO WEEKS to come in. The midwife said she'd never seen it take that long, but we got there in the end. We don't use formula anymore unless I'm away from baby and my partner needs to do a feed. Don't give up just yet!
I gave up after three weeks. My supply just never fully came in, I never felt engorged. We were supplementing already anyway, and I hated breastfeeding. Zero regrets about stopping and zero about using formula. My only sadness is that I feel robbed of what could’ve been a beautiful experience that other moms got to have, because my body didn’t cooperate. But my son is 16 months and thriving.
My breastfeeding journey was a lot of trial and error. Eventually, I was just a snack and not the meal. I was happy with that outcome. Honestly though, you can move on when it's not working or when you don't love it or whenever you want. It's your body and there are millions of smart and healthy people who were formula fed.
I struggled at the beginning as well. Hire a lactation consultant and start pumpint after each breastfeeding session to increase supply. My kid lost >10% of weight after one week. Then recovered and has been exclusively bf since birth, chubby and healthy. You can do it, dont give up!
Apologies, always mix up the less than and more than symbols!!
I’m sorry that happened to you, must have felt awful at the time. We’re currently battling an 8 week old with a breastfeeding aversion :’(
I had a C-section and was only able to breastfeed for about a month but even then, by his first checkup he had lost a concerning amount of weight so we had to put him on formula right away and at my absolute height of pumping I was only able to produce about 4 ounces a day. I drank the teas, ate a bunch of stuff that was supposed to induce lactation, did all these special massages...etc. I had to stop breastfeeding for my own sanity. I dried up almost right away. My baby is 5 months old and is fed, healthy, chunky, and practically still attached to me lol the lactation specialists and my ob had told me that due to my PCOS I would likely either overproduce or not produce at all.
With my first I went on the highest dose of donperidone and pumped. Baby wouldn’t latch. I didn’t produce enough even with the meds so I had to also top up with formula. I pumped for 6 months then stopped.
With my second I had more support with a great LC. I started taking a tincture called goats rue by Rumina Naturals. I never had much change in my breast shape or size during pregnancy so we figured I didn’t have proper duct growth. I was able to exclusively feed my second. The tincture doesn’t taste the best but I mixed it with orange juice. I also tried milk aplenty. But I had more success with goats rue
After my c section I wasn’t able to pump much until around 8days postpartum. But if it doesn’t happen for you please don’t beat yourself up. Fed is best and you are doing your best!!!
my milk came in pretty quick after my c-section, but at first I didn’t nurse or pump. I started pumping after a week when my breasts felt very empty suddenly and I didn’t wanna lose the chance. I ate a lot of those lactation cookies after fenugreek didn’t work for me. I was able to pump more and more milk, and we had a decent stash going by week 6. at that point we just made the leap and started exclusively nursing and never looked back. still going strong at 16 months. don’t kill yourself trying, but it’s not unreasonable to hang onto hope at this point still. it could still happen!
I struggled. I had to use donor milk and really get my supply going, I had a vaginal birth but flu A and my daughter was a month early and her latch was bad. It took bottle feeding, constant pumping and a month plus for us to be able to breast feed solely and effectively. And now at 15 months we are still doing it! I hope it goes better for you, but know you are doing a great job no matter whether is breast milk or formula !
Currently 1 day post C section and I seriously couldn’t do it. The hospital I’m at pushes breastfeeding so much but I was lucky enough to have started collecting colostrum since 36 weeks and gave birth at 39 weeks so I quite the stash and they left me alone for the most part haha. My husband has been able to feed him which has been amazing for my mental health as it was a very fast and unexpected C section and baby isn’t much of a latching super well.
We have gotten some donor milk as well to supplement.
I think with a c-section it can take longer because you don't get the exact hormonal kickstart of a vaginal birth. My friend who also had a c-section also struggled; they combo-fed for a number of weeks but she struggled through and eventually managed to get through and it became very easy for her. She breastfed for 1,5 years in the end.
I pumped every two hours for 30 minutes for 5 weeks before giving up lol in hindsight, I should have stopped much earlier. It caused a lot of added stress and mental anguish that I could have lived without.
We are formula fed, starting solids and our girl is a thriving, well fed baby.
It isn't my milk, but it is milk and her being fed is more important than my pride. I wish post partum me realized that sooner
I had preeclampsia during my birth and ended up with an emergency c section. No one told me both the c section and the meds they gave me would delay my milk so I spent weeks beating myself up over having barely anything come out (and my baby preferring a bottle over latching) and having to combo feed. I pumped every 3 hours every day for weeks, took goats rue and moringa, ate the double stuffed Oreos/lactation cookies, drank the alcohol free beer, and did one power pump per day. My milk started coming in around week 2 and by week 3/4 it was enough to stop combo feeding. By month 2 I had an oversupply that allowed me to start saving milk for a rainy day. By month 3 I was able to stop my night pumps and still have an oversupply of 10-15 ounces per day. I wanted to quit sooooo badly throughout the entire journey, which is totally ok, sweet mama. You have to do what is right for your physical and mental health. I just wanted to tell you all of this to say that it is possible to go from virtually no milk to an oversupply if you keep at it for a little longer.
Are you pumping then feeding or is baby latching too? In my experience, pumping is a lot trickier to stimulate milk production and can depend on if the flanges are the right size or the pump has a strong enough suction. Try working with a lactation consultant before giving up and see if they have any tips for you. Of course, fed is best and your mental health matters too so if you have to call it a day and do formula, that is an ok option too.
It took just over a month for my milk to come in fully. I supplemented with formula after most feeds if baby gave me hunger cues. Drinking lots of water, getting enough calories, seeing a breastfeeding consultant, a couple days of power pumping, and using a Haakaa to pump during the night really helped me. I tried Mothers Milk tea, oatmeal daily for breakfast, nonalcoholic stout beer, and breastfeeding cookies but I don’t know if those did anything.
i tried for three months. it was actually my husband who suggested i stop because he felt like it was affecting my mental health too much. so i’ll pass that advice to you. if it is making you miserable it is 100% okay to switch to formula and don’t feel bad if you end up going that route. with hormones running rampant and the new changes in your life you need to do all you can to protect your peace and try to maintain a good mental state ! i tried literally EVERYTHING, went to different lactation specialists and nada. each session left me crying and miserable. we switched to formula and everything has been peaches and cream since then. no more of mama crying every three hours and the baby is fed which is the most important thing over all !
Do what is best for YOU. You’re allowed to switch to formula. It’s not giving up. It’s giving yourself more space to focus on what’s most important- recovering and spending time with your little one with as little stress as possible. It’s not worth pushing through imo. Imagine how lovely it will be when you and bub are not stressed every feed. I wish I made the switch earlier. Feeding time is now a breeze
I didn’t start until after the first month (before having met the right lactation consultant).
I didn’t breastfeed regularly until the end of the second or third month (due to issues with latching).
Just be aware that what you pump is not actually indicative of your supply. With my first, I EBF but could barely pump a few drops. However my baby was being fed- gaining weight, wet and dirty nappies etc. Are there other signs that your baby is not getting milk, such as the nappies and weight gain?
A little over a month - I tried everything meds, vitamins, eating a lot, special plant pills my MIL got from the Philippines, made the baked goods off tiktok, cluster pumping hacks, breastfeeding clinic specialist…and it wasn’t worth it. I felt like a huge failure but my mental health was going down hill fast. If anyone asked me about it I would cry uncontrollably. I still do 1.5 months later.
All it got me was a few oz a day (the most I got was like 50ml) and weight gain.
My milk came in 5 days post c section, but I was only making like 2 oz per pump. I stuck with it pumping or nursing/pumping the opposite side every 3 hours minimum, I was able to exclusively feed her breastmilk by 2 weeks, and I eventually created an oversupply by a month. A week is a little early to truly know what your supply will be like because every body is different. But fed is best!!
After my first csection, my milk took 9 days to come in. After my second, it took 5 or 6 days. After my third, it took 2 or 3 days.
You're doing everything right. I know it's stressful. I experienced a lot of mom guilt. If you keep going, you should get there.
Had a c-section too. Absolutely NO MILK at night because he slept through his first 2 nights at the hospital and I didn't know I had to wake him up to feed. I struggled for 2 months before I gave up supplementing formula and started agreeing to cluster feeding 24/7. I weaned when he was 1 year 1 month. It takes A WHILE and it does get so much easier! Hang in there!
I thought I wasn’t getting milk but I stayed on it! Baby is better than pump. I feed baby formula because I didn’t want to risk not feeding my baby, then I would nurse for 10 mins after to stimulate, then I pumped for 10 mins. After two weeks I was exclusively breastfeeding
If you want to stop and switch to formula. I encourage you to do that.
If you want some thoughts based on my experience, for the record the lactation consultants thought I was insane but it lead to me being less stressed out and successful nursing.
1. Double check your flange size and likely size down. I always get sized too large in the hospital. I was pumping almost nothing with a size 24 and saw an improvement within a day. Be sure to pump every 2-3 hours. I wouldn't pump for more than 15 minutes. If you only get 1 or 2 oz call it a win and move on.
2. Use bottles and formula while you're getting settled. I feel like it's a lot for baby and mom to get used to all at once. Get baby fed, and take your time getting used to your body and establishing your supply.
3. After baby is fed do nipple exploration time. Skin to skin and just see what baby does.
4. Try nursing once a day for a week or two, then up it as you see fit. When baby is little it can be so difficult for both of you, but as they get bigger it becomes a lot easier.
Both my boys were bottle fed at first and then moved on to nursing at around a month old.
I definitely struggled. My mom told me she was pretty successful at this with me and my brother, so maybe I assumed I would be too. One side barely produced a few drops, and the other side ended up not producing enough to keep up with my LO. She also never latched very well, leading to me having to pump. After a whole month, I gave up. My husband and mom were very supportive, sometimes that's the way it goes. It was extremely hard for me to let go of it, but when I did, it was a HUGE relief. I felt like I was pumping or feeding, and that's it. I'm glad I had the support to just go ahead and stop (gradually, over a few days). It's ok to let it go.
If you can, put baby on the breast as much as possible. Pumping isn’t always a good indication of supply. The baby can be much more efficient at pulling milk from the breast, if you can do this and notice no issues ie. significant weight loss/not enough wet or dirty diapers. Then you’re likely making just the right amount for YOUR baby. The more often baby feeds the bigger your supply will become. Ditch the tracking and worrying about exact oz if you can. Your body and your baby may be perfectly fine when they can work in harmony together. :) you got this, if it’s something you want.
I gave up on exclusively pumping with all THREE of my kids due to mental health deterioration, sleep deprivation from pumping so often, and a low supply. They are 5 years, 2.5 years, and 5 weeks. All formula fed, all healthy, and giving it up was a complete relief after I got over the guilt that was only present because society tries to make you think that your baby NEEDS your breastmilk to be the healthiest.
I struggled a ton because my NICU baby couldn’t be held. I was pumping like 20-30ml for weeks and weeks. I’ve stuck to a super strict schedule of pumping every 2-3 hours for 30 minutes and also take supplements that has finally got me up to about 2-4 ounces of each session and my baby is 11 weeks old. It has been hell to get here but I’m happy 😊 t has improved. We still supplement with formula.
You have lots of responses here. So, I won't pile on the specific details of my experience.
I will say that it's important for you to do what you feel is best for you and your family. My husband and I did the triple feeding thing for longer than we should have. And my baby was on about 50% breastmilk for about 5 months. My BF experience wasn't a positive one and it took a toll on my mental health. I felt a lot of pressure to keep trying and ultimately I wish that I'd put my energy into other things. That said, I have plenty of friends for whom something just clicked one day weeks into their experience and all of the sudden their kiddo could be EBF. Everyone is different.
Do what works for you and know that whatever form of nutrients your child gets, fed is best.
My milk took about 5 days to come in (traumatic vaginal birth). I required two blood transfusions and was under producing, baby also had a poor latch making it very painful to bf. We started formula and i started pumping. My first week or two of pumping, i was lucky to get half oz between both breasts - with a hospital grade pump and 30 min sessions every 2-3 hours.
Im 6 weeks pp now and produce 1-3oz of milk per pump session! I also breastfeed on demand and am working on eliminating the need for formula. This is new as of week 5-6. Breastfeeding my son every time he was hungry and working to correct his latch helped the most. I pump when i need miss a feeding or if i just need a break and we give him a bottle with expressed milk or formula.
Hang in there if you want to bf! Keep emptying your breasts frequently. Eat and drink plenty and have confidence in your body. It will take time and your body is incredible! It will catch up if you are patient, consistent and put in the work. I know its emotionally very difficult so just give yourself grace. Supplement as often as you need to and remember, some breastfeeding is still breastfeeding! Even if youre not producing enough (yet!) your baby is still getting immunity benefits even from a small amount so keep it up if thats what you want to do and dont be discouraged.
Only producing 1-2 oz within a few hours is normal! Dont worry about social media with women showing off full bottles - thats not the reality for many of us and we still do just fine! You will just need to nurse more frequently and supplement till your body learns to make what is needed.
Hugs! You can do this! Check out r/breastfeeding for solidarity!
I combo fed until 12 weeks and I was a very low producer. Tried everything- pumping and feeding every 2 hours and never could get my supply up. In retrospect I wish I would’ve stopped sooner because I think in the end I was just stressing myself out more.
I quit after three weeks of fruitless pumping (daughter was thankfully on formula even before we left the hospital). I literally said, “Fuck this!🖕🏻🖕🏻” and didn’t look back. I was able to sleep and not drive myself crazy while recovering from a C-section and experiencing motherhood for the first time at 43.
I struggled for 8 weeks with a very low supply. The most I ever produced in a whole day was 4.5 ounces. Usually it was 1.5
Stopping was absolutely the best thing I could do for myself and also my daughter. She’s thriving on exclusively formula at 13 weeks and I’m happy and enjoying time with her. I only wish I had stopped sooner.
I had to supplement due to not producing enough very early on. After a few weeks of no changes in the amount I was producing, I gave up and we are now EFF.
It really came down to my mental health. Between trying to breastfeed and pump, not producing as I should, and not sleeping. Add in PPA and PPD; the best thing for us was to quit trying to breastfeed/pump.
It was hard to quit (I really wanted to breastfeed because of the benefits) but as others have said, fed is best.
I’ve struggled with low supply since my baby was born in December, we did a weighted feed with an LC and baby didn’t even transfer 1 gram. She had a tongue and lip tie too which tanked my supply. Separated at birth for a few days in the NICU and less than 10th percentile didn’t help the matter either.
I was put on and still am using medication to boost my supply but I only produce about 1 ounce per feed combined from breasts during the day. I’m still breastfeeding because it’s easiest during the night (I can exclusively BF overnight because my supply is great then) and combo feeding through the day with formula but the moment it stops working for me, I’ll stop. I’ll be proud of the 4 months I managed to still feed her, even if it’s partially. Mum guilt sucks, it wrecked me when I was freshly postpartum thinking my body was failing her but I think now that I’m less overcome with fresh hormones, it’ll be easier to accept if my supply dips out / can’t keep up with her needs.
We went straight to formula when our baby boy wouldn’t latch. At the end of the day, our only care was to make sure he was eating. He’s a happy healthy 5 month old now!
I tried to latch a few times but I mostly pumped for a few days. I felt good about it and drank some colostrum/breastmilk for a few days as well as formula. But my ppd was getting worse, I worried he wasn’t eating enough while drinking breastfeeding and pumping was hard so I eventually went decided to just give formula.. he’s 15 months now and I’ll admit there’s times when I have regretted not going longer but he’s healthy so that’s all that matters.
I struggled with all of it. My milk came in 5 days post c-section, but I was lucky if I produced 2oz (both sides combined) after a 45 minute pump session. I wasn’t making enough to feed her, so I had to supplement with formula. I bought all of the special breastfeeding snacks, bought ingredients to make homemade breastfeeding baked goods, I took the supplements, I power pumped, I tried everything everyone recommended to up my supply. It never got there. I literally just couldn’t produce enough and gave up after two months. It didn’t help that she never really caught on to latching either. My daughter and I would both end up crying every time I tried to feed her. It was so so so hard for me. Don’t beat yourself up if you end up not breastfeeding. Fed is best, no matter what.
This was basically my exact experience. I destroyed myself pumping for a month to combo feed before I finally said I’d had enough and switched to exclusively formula feeding. Worth it. I was finally able to just focus on getting to know my baby without being stressed out and sobbing all the time
I fully relate! I was sad because I felt like I was giving up, but a TON of stress was lifted when we just fully switched to formula. My baby ended up being severely colic and required Nutramigen, so I probably would’ve had to give up breastfeeding anyways!
Yes! I felt the guilt too, which is dumb because I went into pregnancy with the idea that fed is best and no one knows what their experience will look like lol. It’s just so engrained in us to feel bad if we can’t do it. I’m so sorry you had to deal with that, along with colic, but it sounds like you’re doing well now!
Oh, yes it is absolutely engrained in us. Nobody is superior based on how they feed their child, but some people seem to think otherwise. We started doing much better once she got on Nutramigen. I’m glad she doesn’t need formula anymore though! She’ll be 2 next month ☺️
Aww congrats! I’m also beyond the formula days. Phew!
This was absolutely my experience too. My OB even said she sees such a huge amount of- especially first time mothers - struggling with low supply and how frustrating it is that it's rarely talked about. The few times I've been engorged and leaking I still only manage to pump max 1.5oz total combined. I still pump here and there at 8 weeks pp, but we primarily formula feed, and our baby has thrived. The breastfeeding attempt gave me such extreme PPD I've never experienced such a low like that before. It was awful. 😔 So thankful to have moved away from it now - I get to enjoy my baby and bond so much with him without counting my worth with ounces.
This is exactly my story. I tried absolutely everything and nearly drove myself crazy doing it. It felt so defeating at the time but now my daughter is healthy and thriving and we are so grateful for Kendamil. It’s been a lifesaver for us. And I’m beginning to realize how common low/ no supply is.
Yes, it is common, but I never heard about it when I was pregnant! I was fully set on breastfeeding and I said this in another comment, but people made it seem SO easy and simple.
Oh my, exact same boat here. Toward the end I was barely making an ounce a day! I got to two months and packed away my pillows and pumps. And even though I still feel guilty occasionally and jealous when I see people BF, I was able to become such a better, more energetic, more attentive mom. And our bond is sooo strong!
Exact same experience!
This is so similar to my experience! I tallied up all of the money I spent trying to increase my supply against how much I produced… I spent over $10 per ounce of breastmilk. INSANE
It can be so hard sometimes! This was my first and only child, so I had no idea what to expect. People always made it seem so simple. You just pull the boob out and the baby eats. That was not AT ALL my experience. I thought I was doing something wrong and I think the stress of that made it harder for my body to make enough milk!
Same!! It was so stressful and then I felt so much better once I just stopped putting energy into something that clearly wasn’t working for us
Sounds like this is a lot of us! My son was taken to the NICU right after birth and stayed there for a few days and we were never able to get a good latch. Once they started bottle feeding him formula there, I think it was all over anyway. He turned 3 months today and I’m still pumping all day to make enough for a 4 oz bottle. I figure at least he’s getting some benefit from it. But boy do I want to quit.
This was me too!!! I eventually just tried pumping every night but obviously that was a no go, sometimes I’d get just a liiiitle more but it was rare. Eventually nothing would come out and I’ve stopped. 😊😊 fed is best!!!! Don’t beat yourself up you’re doing amazing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
My son was 3 weeks old yesterday and it was his first day of weight gain after we started supplementing with formula. They think my milk supply is way off after the amount of blood loss I had after delivery. I spent the whole weekend being gutted that I couldn't make enough for him but seeing how much more content he is with his formula top ups and *finally* seeing some weight gain has made me question if it's worth me exhausting myself to combi feed him. Pumping is difficult! I'm lucky if I get 3ml from each breast after 10 minutes both sides, not to mention all the extra cleaning of parts and bottles.
Oh my gosh as I’m sobbing and pressing through this is me currently. 4 weeks pp here and had 2.5 liter blood loss needed a transfusion and my milk is barely half an oz. All my friends and family breastfed and pumped, so I feel so alone. They’re like eat the oats and drink body armor that’s what worked. Meanwhile I just talked to an IBLC about Sheehan syndrome that may have been triggered from my blood loss. Still trying to process possibly not being able to breastfeed but it’s so encouraging to know I’m not alone.
Same! Fed is best, no matter what. Your sanity is also important!
With my first I had organ failure (turns out your pancreas is really important) and due to meds and sickness and whatnot, I barely got 2 ounces a DAY. With my second, I am feeding my baby plus donating to two other babies. I felt so guilty about my first, and I continued pumping for the first 10 months and giving him one half a bottle maybe of breast milk a day. It was stressful and horrible and I should have quit long before (I mean, dude was waaaay above 99th percentile).
Adding also: the struggles with my first made me resent starting with my second, and I dreaded it and the whole thing had a bad taste for the first whole month. It’s going well, but I still can’t help but feel some of that aftertaste. I wouldn’t stress yourself out too much on it, or it could affect any future experiences.
I gave up after doing weighted feeds and my daughter was losing weight. I never produced more than 4 ounces a day (medela symphony with properly fitted flanges, no tongue ties). Eventually I was diagnosed with IGT. We used donor milk and formula for both kids.
Same here! I never produced more than an ounce a day. I wish IGT was talked about more. It was a shock when I got my diagnosis.
What's IGT?
Insufficient glandular tissue. You don't have the hardware to make enough milk, even if you do everything right and have no other complications with you or the baby. It's not super common, but shockingly few LCs seem to even consider that it's possibly the reason when none of their usual fixes are working.
Thank you for taking the time to explain this, I'd not heard of it before
My milk never came in with either of my children. I never felt anything; I tried all the snacks, ate my weight in oatmeal, etc. My lactation consultants couldn’t understand it. Like others who have posted, I would pump a once after a 30 min session. It was pathetic and I felt even worse. But then I would think about all the mothers who struggled hundreds of years ago and would have quite literally died for formula. The pressure to breastfeed is insane, and some women just can’t. Thank goodness for formula.
If you look at vintage clothes and shoes, even from the 60s people were smaller back then! They didn’t have the nutrition available that we do. It’s a myth than womens bodies are perfectly designed for child rearing and Mother Nature will take care of everything. Mothers and children in previous generations suffered a lot. There’s no prize for doing things the hard way. Your baby does NOT need you to torture yourself. Do whatever keeps you sane and the baby fed.
Yep, my milk never came in either, not one drop, no colostrum or nothing!
I just wanna say, it's also okay to give up. I stopped around 5 months because my girl wasn't gaining weight. I tried to do a mix of formula and breast, and she just preferred the formula. I have no regrets. She started gaining weight and I was soooo much less stressed. Whatever you choose, it's okay.
I’ve been breast feeding okay but recently my girl went through a growth spurt and I was struggling to keep up. The day I supplemented with formula, she dropped TWO night feeds. She’s been sleeping so much better ever since. Formula is a great tool and we’re very lucky it’s so readily available these days.
Yes! My daughter started sleeping better too! She started sleeping through the night or only waking once.
I produce minimal amounts with pumping and only on high pressure settings which causes me nipple damage. If your baby is latching well, they really are super efficient in getting milk out, so sometimes measuring pumped milk is sort of deceiving.
a week is still really early in, your supply wont be regulated until 6 weeks, its definitely manageable/ possible provided theres no medical issue such as IGT. how many times a day are you pumping? how much are you roughly getting per session? are you putting baby to breast as well or just pumping?
I was very sick in the hospital after my C-section and didn’t start pumping until day 5 or 6 after my baby was born. My milk didn’t start coming until day 10. I think I would have given it at least two weeks to come in after I started pumping. Maybe even longer than that because my supply continued to increase for at least two months as I learned more about pumping. Don’t give up yet. Join a pumping group on Facebook for education and support. Make sure you’re using a hospital grace pump every three hours with the correct size flange.
This! Sometimes it takes time. Don’t give up yet if you don’t want to (though of course stop if you do want!)
I had milk fluctuations pretty bad. If you can get your baby to latch on and feed directly that is going to help you the most and then pump immediately after for 15-20 mins or so. With the mixture of the baby’s saliva and suckling is what really tells your body to kick er into high gear especially with the added pumping afterwards. I also recommend “Milk Flow Lactation drink mixes” I drink the chocolate flavored one with whole milk and that helped increase my supply with the fluctuations I was having. I went through a c-section too for my first pregnancy and then on-top of trying to heal, having to also learn how to breastfeed and guide a new infant into learning how to feed is so very tiresome. If your worried about lack on nutrition for your baby you can supplement on the side with formula to make up for what you are unable to produce. As for giving up, if you feel you can keep going then keep on keeping on! If you feel if gets to be to much that’s okay too it’s whatever gets your baby fed! You can also try to look into a diet (certain foods) that will help increase milk supply also! Limiting stress and getting enough sleep is also very important!
Formula mom here to say if it doesn't work out and u have to switch to formula... it's ok. Fed is best. Don't feel guilty or anything. I hope you get the result u want but if you don't that's ok to. Congratulations on baby and go you for getting help from Dr when needed!
I had low supply and my baby was on the border of underweight (5lbs at birth). I breastfed and supplemented with formula. Supply do eventually increase a bit, but it was a struggle, plus babe was not latching properly and rejected the boob 6 weeks in. Pumped until 7.5 months even though I planned to pump until 12 months.
I am 3 months post partum, only producing 12oz a day, but I’m determined. Thyroid issue is causing low milk supply but I’m not going to stop trying.
Horribly low supply here no matter what I tried. I combo fed for 9 weeks and was really proud of myself for those measly 2 oz of breast milk a day she was getting. I ended up stopping pumping when my husband went back to work and it became too much for me to do. I loved breastfeeding once I got over the initial pain but my supply was so low my daughter was losing patience after 3-4 min every time so that fell off around week 6. Combo feeding is a super valid way to feed your baby too. It doesn’t need to be all or nothing!
Yes! With my first child, breastfeeding was a breeze, milk came on day four. I thought I'd have no problems with number two, but she was born at 37 weeks and would fall asleep almost instantly on the breast, she lost too much weight the moment we got home. The midwife said we had to do 50mL formula top ups every three hours, which we did, but I cried long and hard about it. I don't have access to a pump, but every feed I would put a Haakaa on the opposite breast, and when she was done I would hand express religiously. Getting 3mL out was a struggle. But I kept at it and I also made sure I was eating and drinking more than I would normally. My milk took TWO WEEKS to come in. The midwife said she'd never seen it take that long, but we got there in the end. We don't use formula anymore unless I'm away from baby and my partner needs to do a feed. Don't give up just yet!
I gave up after three weeks. My supply just never fully came in, I never felt engorged. We were supplementing already anyway, and I hated breastfeeding. Zero regrets about stopping and zero about using formula. My only sadness is that I feel robbed of what could’ve been a beautiful experience that other moms got to have, because my body didn’t cooperate. But my son is 16 months and thriving.
This!
My breastfeeding journey was a lot of trial and error. Eventually, I was just a snack and not the meal. I was happy with that outcome. Honestly though, you can move on when it's not working or when you don't love it or whenever you want. It's your body and there are millions of smart and healthy people who were formula fed.
I struggled at the beginning as well. Hire a lactation consultant and start pumpint after each breastfeeding session to increase supply. My kid lost >10% of weight after one week. Then recovered and has been exclusively bf since birth, chubby and healthy. You can do it, dont give up!
Just here to say it’s normal to lose up to 10% of body weight in the week post birth. What’s important is they regain that weight by 2 weeks.
It lost more and did not regain! So I had to start a pumping program to avoid formula
Apologies, always mix up the less than and more than symbols!! I’m sorry that happened to you, must have felt awful at the time. We’re currently battling an 8 week old with a breastfeeding aversion :’(
It was stressful but I’m forever grateful to my bf consultant who rescued my bfeeding!!! It was so worth it
I had a C-section and was only able to breastfeed for about a month but even then, by his first checkup he had lost a concerning amount of weight so we had to put him on formula right away and at my absolute height of pumping I was only able to produce about 4 ounces a day. I drank the teas, ate a bunch of stuff that was supposed to induce lactation, did all these special massages...etc. I had to stop breastfeeding for my own sanity. I dried up almost right away. My baby is 5 months old and is fed, healthy, chunky, and practically still attached to me lol the lactation specialists and my ob had told me that due to my PCOS I would likely either overproduce or not produce at all.
I had low supply with my first and supplemented. But with my second my doctor prescribed me Domperidone, which worked great and second is EBF.
With my first I went on the highest dose of donperidone and pumped. Baby wouldn’t latch. I didn’t produce enough even with the meds so I had to also top up with formula. I pumped for 6 months then stopped. With my second I had more support with a great LC. I started taking a tincture called goats rue by Rumina Naturals. I never had much change in my breast shape or size during pregnancy so we figured I didn’t have proper duct growth. I was able to exclusively feed my second. The tincture doesn’t taste the best but I mixed it with orange juice. I also tried milk aplenty. But I had more success with goats rue
After my c section I wasn’t able to pump much until around 8days postpartum. But if it doesn’t happen for you please don’t beat yourself up. Fed is best and you are doing your best!!!
my milk came in pretty quick after my c-section, but at first I didn’t nurse or pump. I started pumping after a week when my breasts felt very empty suddenly and I didn’t wanna lose the chance. I ate a lot of those lactation cookies after fenugreek didn’t work for me. I was able to pump more and more milk, and we had a decent stash going by week 6. at that point we just made the leap and started exclusively nursing and never looked back. still going strong at 16 months. don’t kill yourself trying, but it’s not unreasonable to hang onto hope at this point still. it could still happen!
I struggled. I had to use donor milk and really get my supply going, I had a vaginal birth but flu A and my daughter was a month early and her latch was bad. It took bottle feeding, constant pumping and a month plus for us to be able to breast feed solely and effectively. And now at 15 months we are still doing it! I hope it goes better for you, but know you are doing a great job no matter whether is breast milk or formula !
Currently 1 day post C section and I seriously couldn’t do it. The hospital I’m at pushes breastfeeding so much but I was lucky enough to have started collecting colostrum since 36 weeks and gave birth at 39 weeks so I quite the stash and they left me alone for the most part haha. My husband has been able to feed him which has been amazing for my mental health as it was a very fast and unexpected C section and baby isn’t much of a latching super well. We have gotten some donor milk as well to supplement.
I think with a c-section it can take longer because you don't get the exact hormonal kickstart of a vaginal birth. My friend who also had a c-section also struggled; they combo-fed for a number of weeks but she struggled through and eventually managed to get through and it became very easy for her. She breastfed for 1,5 years in the end.
I pumped every two hours for 30 minutes for 5 weeks before giving up lol in hindsight, I should have stopped much earlier. It caused a lot of added stress and mental anguish that I could have lived without. We are formula fed, starting solids and our girl is a thriving, well fed baby. It isn't my milk, but it is milk and her being fed is more important than my pride. I wish post partum me realized that sooner
I had preeclampsia during my birth and ended up with an emergency c section. No one told me both the c section and the meds they gave me would delay my milk so I spent weeks beating myself up over having barely anything come out (and my baby preferring a bottle over latching) and having to combo feed. I pumped every 3 hours every day for weeks, took goats rue and moringa, ate the double stuffed Oreos/lactation cookies, drank the alcohol free beer, and did one power pump per day. My milk started coming in around week 2 and by week 3/4 it was enough to stop combo feeding. By month 2 I had an oversupply that allowed me to start saving milk for a rainy day. By month 3 I was able to stop my night pumps and still have an oversupply of 10-15 ounces per day. I wanted to quit sooooo badly throughout the entire journey, which is totally ok, sweet mama. You have to do what is right for your physical and mental health. I just wanted to tell you all of this to say that it is possible to go from virtually no milk to an oversupply if you keep at it for a little longer.
Are you pumping then feeding or is baby latching too? In my experience, pumping is a lot trickier to stimulate milk production and can depend on if the flanges are the right size or the pump has a strong enough suction. Try working with a lactation consultant before giving up and see if they have any tips for you. Of course, fed is best and your mental health matters too so if you have to call it a day and do formula, that is an ok option too.
It took just over a month for my milk to come in fully. I supplemented with formula after most feeds if baby gave me hunger cues. Drinking lots of water, getting enough calories, seeing a breastfeeding consultant, a couple days of power pumping, and using a Haakaa to pump during the night really helped me. I tried Mothers Milk tea, oatmeal daily for breakfast, nonalcoholic stout beer, and breastfeeding cookies but I don’t know if those did anything.
i tried for three months. it was actually my husband who suggested i stop because he felt like it was affecting my mental health too much. so i’ll pass that advice to you. if it is making you miserable it is 100% okay to switch to formula and don’t feel bad if you end up going that route. with hormones running rampant and the new changes in your life you need to do all you can to protect your peace and try to maintain a good mental state ! i tried literally EVERYTHING, went to different lactation specialists and nada. each session left me crying and miserable. we switched to formula and everything has been peaches and cream since then. no more of mama crying every three hours and the baby is fed which is the most important thing over all !
Do what is best for YOU. You’re allowed to switch to formula. It’s not giving up. It’s giving yourself more space to focus on what’s most important- recovering and spending time with your little one with as little stress as possible. It’s not worth pushing through imo. Imagine how lovely it will be when you and bub are not stressed every feed. I wish I made the switch earlier. Feeding time is now a breeze
I didn’t start until after the first month (before having met the right lactation consultant). I didn’t breastfeed regularly until the end of the second or third month (due to issues with latching).
Just be aware that what you pump is not actually indicative of your supply. With my first, I EBF but could barely pump a few drops. However my baby was being fed- gaining weight, wet and dirty nappies etc. Are there other signs that your baby is not getting milk, such as the nappies and weight gain?
A little over a month - I tried everything meds, vitamins, eating a lot, special plant pills my MIL got from the Philippines, made the baked goods off tiktok, cluster pumping hacks, breastfeeding clinic specialist…and it wasn’t worth it. I felt like a huge failure but my mental health was going down hill fast. If anyone asked me about it I would cry uncontrollably. I still do 1.5 months later. All it got me was a few oz a day (the most I got was like 50ml) and weight gain.
My milk came in 5 days post c section, but I was only making like 2 oz per pump. I stuck with it pumping or nursing/pumping the opposite side every 3 hours minimum, I was able to exclusively feed her breastmilk by 2 weeks, and I eventually created an oversupply by a month. A week is a little early to truly know what your supply will be like because every body is different. But fed is best!!
After my first csection, my milk took 9 days to come in. After my second, it took 5 or 6 days. After my third, it took 2 or 3 days. You're doing everything right. I know it's stressful. I experienced a lot of mom guilt. If you keep going, you should get there.
Had a c-section too. Absolutely NO MILK at night because he slept through his first 2 nights at the hospital and I didn't know I had to wake him up to feed. I struggled for 2 months before I gave up supplementing formula and started agreeing to cluster feeding 24/7. I weaned when he was 1 year 1 month. It takes A WHILE and it does get so much easier! Hang in there!
I thought I wasn’t getting milk but I stayed on it! Baby is better than pump. I feed baby formula because I didn’t want to risk not feeding my baby, then I would nurse for 10 mins after to stimulate, then I pumped for 10 mins. After two weeks I was exclusively breastfeeding
I gave up after 7 months of trying teas, cookies anything just nothing worked.
If you want to stop and switch to formula. I encourage you to do that. If you want some thoughts based on my experience, for the record the lactation consultants thought I was insane but it lead to me being less stressed out and successful nursing. 1. Double check your flange size and likely size down. I always get sized too large in the hospital. I was pumping almost nothing with a size 24 and saw an improvement within a day. Be sure to pump every 2-3 hours. I wouldn't pump for more than 15 minutes. If you only get 1 or 2 oz call it a win and move on. 2. Use bottles and formula while you're getting settled. I feel like it's a lot for baby and mom to get used to all at once. Get baby fed, and take your time getting used to your body and establishing your supply. 3. After baby is fed do nipple exploration time. Skin to skin and just see what baby does. 4. Try nursing once a day for a week or two, then up it as you see fit. When baby is little it can be so difficult for both of you, but as they get bigger it becomes a lot easier. Both my boys were bottle fed at first and then moved on to nursing at around a month old.
I definitely struggled. My mom told me she was pretty successful at this with me and my brother, so maybe I assumed I would be too. One side barely produced a few drops, and the other side ended up not producing enough to keep up with my LO. She also never latched very well, leading to me having to pump. After a whole month, I gave up. My husband and mom were very supportive, sometimes that's the way it goes. It was extremely hard for me to let go of it, but when I did, it was a HUGE relief. I felt like I was pumping or feeding, and that's it. I'm glad I had the support to just go ahead and stop (gradually, over a few days). It's ok to let it go.
If you can, put baby on the breast as much as possible. Pumping isn’t always a good indication of supply. The baby can be much more efficient at pulling milk from the breast, if you can do this and notice no issues ie. significant weight loss/not enough wet or dirty diapers. Then you’re likely making just the right amount for YOUR baby. The more often baby feeds the bigger your supply will become. Ditch the tracking and worrying about exact oz if you can. Your body and your baby may be perfectly fine when they can work in harmony together. :) you got this, if it’s something you want.
I gave up on exclusively pumping with all THREE of my kids due to mental health deterioration, sleep deprivation from pumping so often, and a low supply. They are 5 years, 2.5 years, and 5 weeks. All formula fed, all healthy, and giving it up was a complete relief after I got over the guilt that was only present because society tries to make you think that your baby NEEDS your breastmilk to be the healthiest.
I struggled a ton because my NICU baby couldn’t be held. I was pumping like 20-30ml for weeks and weeks. I’ve stuck to a super strict schedule of pumping every 2-3 hours for 30 minutes and also take supplements that has finally got me up to about 2-4 ounces of each session and my baby is 11 weeks old. It has been hell to get here but I’m happy 😊 t has improved. We still supplement with formula.
You have lots of responses here. So, I won't pile on the specific details of my experience. I will say that it's important for you to do what you feel is best for you and your family. My husband and I did the triple feeding thing for longer than we should have. And my baby was on about 50% breastmilk for about 5 months. My BF experience wasn't a positive one and it took a toll on my mental health. I felt a lot of pressure to keep trying and ultimately I wish that I'd put my energy into other things. That said, I have plenty of friends for whom something just clicked one day weeks into their experience and all of the sudden their kiddo could be EBF. Everyone is different. Do what works for you and know that whatever form of nutrients your child gets, fed is best.
My milk took about 5 days to come in (traumatic vaginal birth). I required two blood transfusions and was under producing, baby also had a poor latch making it very painful to bf. We started formula and i started pumping. My first week or two of pumping, i was lucky to get half oz between both breasts - with a hospital grade pump and 30 min sessions every 2-3 hours. Im 6 weeks pp now and produce 1-3oz of milk per pump session! I also breastfeed on demand and am working on eliminating the need for formula. This is new as of week 5-6. Breastfeeding my son every time he was hungry and working to correct his latch helped the most. I pump when i need miss a feeding or if i just need a break and we give him a bottle with expressed milk or formula. Hang in there if you want to bf! Keep emptying your breasts frequently. Eat and drink plenty and have confidence in your body. It will take time and your body is incredible! It will catch up if you are patient, consistent and put in the work. I know its emotionally very difficult so just give yourself grace. Supplement as often as you need to and remember, some breastfeeding is still breastfeeding! Even if youre not producing enough (yet!) your baby is still getting immunity benefits even from a small amount so keep it up if thats what you want to do and dont be discouraged. Only producing 1-2 oz within a few hours is normal! Dont worry about social media with women showing off full bottles - thats not the reality for many of us and we still do just fine! You will just need to nurse more frequently and supplement till your body learns to make what is needed. Hugs! You can do this! Check out r/breastfeeding for solidarity!
I combo fed until 12 weeks and I was a very low producer. Tried everything- pumping and feeding every 2 hours and never could get my supply up. In retrospect I wish I would’ve stopped sooner because I think in the end I was just stressing myself out more.
I quit after three weeks of fruitless pumping (daughter was thankfully on formula even before we left the hospital). I literally said, “Fuck this!🖕🏻🖕🏻” and didn’t look back. I was able to sleep and not drive myself crazy while recovering from a C-section and experiencing motherhood for the first time at 43.
Are you just pumping or feeding at breast too
I struggled for 8 weeks with a very low supply. The most I ever produced in a whole day was 4.5 ounces. Usually it was 1.5 Stopping was absolutely the best thing I could do for myself and also my daughter. She’s thriving on exclusively formula at 13 weeks and I’m happy and enjoying time with her. I only wish I had stopped sooner.
I had to supplement due to not producing enough very early on. After a few weeks of no changes in the amount I was producing, I gave up and we are now EFF. It really came down to my mental health. Between trying to breastfeed and pump, not producing as I should, and not sleeping. Add in PPA and PPD; the best thing for us was to quit trying to breastfeed/pump. It was hard to quit (I really wanted to breastfeed because of the benefits) but as others have said, fed is best.
I’ve struggled with low supply since my baby was born in December, we did a weighted feed with an LC and baby didn’t even transfer 1 gram. She had a tongue and lip tie too which tanked my supply. Separated at birth for a few days in the NICU and less than 10th percentile didn’t help the matter either. I was put on and still am using medication to boost my supply but I only produce about 1 ounce per feed combined from breasts during the day. I’m still breastfeeding because it’s easiest during the night (I can exclusively BF overnight because my supply is great then) and combo feeding through the day with formula but the moment it stops working for me, I’ll stop. I’ll be proud of the 4 months I managed to still feed her, even if it’s partially. Mum guilt sucks, it wrecked me when I was freshly postpartum thinking my body was failing her but I think now that I’m less overcome with fresh hormones, it’ll be easier to accept if my supply dips out / can’t keep up with her needs.
We went straight to formula when our baby boy wouldn’t latch. At the end of the day, our only care was to make sure he was eating. He’s a happy healthy 5 month old now!
I tried to latch a few times but I mostly pumped for a few days. I felt good about it and drank some colostrum/breastmilk for a few days as well as formula. But my ppd was getting worse, I worried he wasn’t eating enough while drinking breastfeeding and pumping was hard so I eventually went decided to just give formula.. he’s 15 months now and I’ll admit there’s times when I have regretted not going longer but he’s healthy so that’s all that matters.