Wednesday, October 15

Breastfeeding: Is this the end?

As a expectant mother, I had so many plans and ideas of how various things were going to be. Over the past 5 1/2 months, I have learned that some of these plans were ambitious, impossible and in some cases, foolish. I had not expected breastfeeding to fall into this category. Yet here I am. I had anticipated how I would go about weaning Taelyn. I had crazy ideas of the excitement I would feel when we hit this point. I had planned to wait until she turned one, or started biting me, which ever came first. Never would I have expected her to be done with me before I was ready to be done myself. Funny, everything else runs on her schedule, I just didn't expect this to follow suit.

Producing isn't the problem. I think it is more related to letdown. I don't feel super stressed, but for some reason, it is taking me longer than it used to. She is also giving me less time than she used to. After approximately 3 sucks, if she isn't instantly rewarded, she starts screaming (trust me, screaming is the right word). She is then too upset to continue trying. The more I try to force her to try again, the harder she screams. I feel frustrated, discouraged, and even...broken...
Feelings aside, this leaves me with one decision. Pump or use formula? I know which takes less time, but don't want to base my decision on which is easiest for me. Is breast milk really better than formula once we reach this point? Am I going to be hurting my baby by not feeding her breast milk? Hey Dad, maybe I'll pump and sell my milk to Ben & Jerry's!! Um...maybe not...

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Let me clarify. Thought on pumping vs. formula at 5 1/2 months, not on Ben & Jerry's using breast milk instead of cows milk, would be best!

6 comments:

Andrea said...

http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/895_brstfeed.html

Fig said...

I have nothing valuable to add about breast milk v. formula, other than what I've studied and planned for myself (since, obviously, you can just plan things out and they always go perfectly). Breast milk is better, but formula is around for a reason too. And this was a really cool, very candid post.

Tamaran said...

Hey Aun. Thanks for the link. That still leaves me at breastfeeding for the first 6 months, as suggested in the article. I'm wondering what the benifits are in that 6 month - 1 year time frame. I know its still better (because it always is), but by how much? Just questions I have been asking. Second guessing myself aside, I'll probably pump. Cuz I can, and, hey, why not?

Us Lochers said...

Pumping will be cheaper. Formula in expensive. Formula will be WAY more convenient.

.... my mom breasfed all her kids and most of us have major allergies. Brian's mom was strictly formula... no allergies.

My opinion: it doesn't matter. Just do what works best for you and your family. That will be what is BEST!

mike & teresa said...

You've done good nursing 6 months. That's when it's the best anyways. Don't feel bad about switching to formula. It is more expensive but lots easier

Meadow said...

Tamaran-
I am kind of late to the game but I thought I would let you know that Hazel and I went through this too. Sometimes babies are fickle. I just pumped more during the extra-fickle times and she went back to being a good nurser. I truly believe breastmilk is best (and WAY cheaper), but whatever works for you and Taelyn is truly what is best.
Good luck!
Meadow