I never knew breastfeeding would be this hard...

I need to vent......

I’ve just got back from the doctors with another round of antibiotics 😔 and a dose of negativity from my doctor.

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I knew I always wanted to breastfeed. 🤱🏻

I didn’t even think I would need to consider formula🍼 fast forward to my babies birth (last June)

Traumatic induced labour and my Baby wouldn’t latch.

Waited hours for nurses help in hospital to get him to latch.

Turns out he has a posterior tongue tie.

4 different professionals say he does not need it cutting.

Stayed in hospital 3 days to get him to feed properly.

I had to be hand expressed by a nurse on day one as I couldn’t use my hands properly after birth because of carpals tunnel.

I had to pump on day 2&3 so his dad “cup” feed him.

Whilst I still persevered and tried to breastfeed and I sought more help on positioning and attachment and tried the football hold.

He latched...we are breastfeeding.

It was painful all the time.

I felt like I was smothering him because of the stupidly huge boobs I have.

I had a low supply... I had to supplement with formula...I cried about this but accepted it as FED is best.

After 2 weeks I got mastitis.

He’s 8 months old tomorrow and I’ve had...

3 bouts of mastitis

2 block ducts

Thrush

Nipple eczema

Infections

Nipple shields, nipple creams, hot water bottles etc etc

A breast cancer scare

Burns on the boob from an accident with boiling water

Still can’t pump more than a bloody ounce at a time lol

Etc etc Etc

But I wouldn’t change it...I LOVE THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BREASTFEED MY SON

Anyway it’s hard work but it’s quite possibly the most amazing thing I have ever done! I love my son and I love breastfeeding. I love our time we get together. The bond.

Everyone around me at the moment is saying “it’s ok to put him on formula now if you want to stop...you’ve had a tough time of it” etc

I know that’s ok, but I need encouragement to continue from people around me, I’m sore and in pain but I’m not ready to wean him from breastfeeding to formula and he’s not ready to wean from me.

UPDATE..

I made it to 20 months of breastfeeding, my boy self weaning on Valentine’s Day, I think because I’m pregnant with my second my milk changed coz he went to feed and looked at me and went “urgh” lol I Loved my breastfeeding journey and wouldn’t change it for the world!