Feeling Guilty

I am probably really going to get flamed for this, but... You have to make decisions based on what is best for YOUR family. Breastfeeding in general, and induction specifically, are big commitments. You do need to do what's best for your baby, but you know what? Feeding the baby is one small part of parenting. Deciding not to breastfeed doesn't mean that you're not doing your best; it may just mean that you're prioritizing something other than feeding. If breastfeeding is going to be a significant hardship, it might make more sense to bottle feed rather than to give the baby a stressed out, sleep-deprived mother. This isn't to say that I don't support breastfeeding -- it's great! But choosing to bottle feed doesn't make you a bad mom, and it won't ruin your baby. Just try to make the best decision you can for you and your family.

My new mantra is "guilt is a useless emotion." And I agree with the previous poster. If you are overwhemed and stressed out with BFing, it won't do you or the baby any good. You WILL be doing everything you can to give your baby the best if you go with what works for you and your family and keep things in the right balance. So do what works for you, let go of the guilt, and enjoy your baby!

I pumped when I could, more on days off...on the days I worked...I cmomitted to 6 times a day. I took my meds faithfully. When my son came home I had a full supply and we needed no supplementing. This time I am doing things a bit differently, because I have a nnursling and I was overwhelmed by trying to pump, and nurse and the ounces...so I plan to prep for a few weeks, increase my meds a bit, and just put baby to the breast. We will supplement for a bit if we need to. It boils down to whether or not you want to commit to it and how you want to go about it. You don't have to do *any* prep work and can just use an SNS or a Lactaid until your milk comes in if you want. I know it is intimmidating, but if you want to do it, it can be done. If you don't....don't feel guilty. It is a lot of work to get ready!

I attempted adoptive breast feeding and it was definitely challenging. I didn't actually pump as often as I was supposed to, so my milk supply was very limited. However, I did give my daughter a bit of breast milk from a bottle each day. We ended up adopting an older baby (18 months, though the size of a 12 month old due to a genetic disorder.) I'm not sure if the breast milk made any difference, but on the whole it was a good experience for me. I don't think you need to feel guilty at all if you're not up for it. It's very, very challenging. There are many things involved in being a good parent and many fantastic parents bottle feed their children. Sure breast milk is a precious gift, but kids can be happy and healthy without it. If the process is too stressful for you, it may hinder your ability to parent well in other ways. No matter what you choose, you'll be a great mom!

No point in feeling guilty. It is a lot of work in the beginning, but after I got it working, it made parenting a lot easier. The hard part was about 6 weeks for me. Not messing with bottles was great, but the best part is that whenever my daughter gets hurt, all I have to do is nurse her and she is better within seconds. She busted her lip a couple of times and there was all this blood and I felt a little hysterical not knowing how bad it was and if I had to take her to the hospital. I just popped my breast in and the screaming stopping in about 10 seconds and about a minute later she wanted to go play. Also, very helpful with teething and sickness. I put in a lot of work to nurse, but I never followed a schedule or was consistent about taking the right number of pills or pumping X number of times a day or anything. I think if you pump when you can, including at least once a night, and take domperidone, you will probably be successful. Domperidone is the most important part in my success. It got things working and then I was able to go off it with no problem. You will never be able to do all the things you think you should do for your child. Just do what you can and don't feel guilty about the rest.