Feeling Guilty About Breastmilk Running Dry

K.,

Don't beat yourself up. You did the best you could and now you are doing the next best thing. You are giving him formula nd keeping him fed. We are very fortunate to live in an age when formula is available.

When my son was born, I was so set on breastfeeding. Unfortunately circumstances and lack of knowledge led to my milk never really coming in. I also pumped, drank teas, ate oatmeal etc. Nothing worked. I een used the SNS tube and supplemented till he was 8 months old. That is when he got teeth and started to bite.

We both did the best we could and now we have to go on to the next step, doing the next best thing.

You are doing your best and that is what is best. Take a deep breath and do something special for yourself like a hot bath or a visit to Starbucks. Every mom deserves a break once in a while.

Hugs,
~J.

Silly? Not at all. Just know that this is the first of many kid related things that you will feel guilty about. Give yourself the pat that you deserve and acknowledge what you have accomplished so far. Your child is healthy? Your child is happy? You have already given you son "the best", by what you have achieved so far. Dont be so hard on yourself. A happy, & loving mommy is what he will appreciate, you dont have to lactate to do that. good luck

It sounds as if you have tried everything you can. I wish I could offer you something else to try. Keep comfort in that you were able to breastfeed for as long as you did AND that your son WILL accept formula. If I had dried up early, my son would not have taken formula. I tried supplementing and he absolutely refused anything other than breastmilk! And it had to be on tap! Kind of made it difficult for me to get any me time. Anyway, sounds like you are doing a super job and that you are indeed fortunate that your son willingly takes formula.

Hi K.,

You should be very proud of yourself that you breastfed your son. I know how hard it can be when the well starts to dry up! Have you tried Fenugreek? You can buy it at any healthfood store. Take it till you smell like maple syrup. It worked for me. I'm not sure what tea you have taken. Look on the ingredients list to see if it has Fenugreek. If not, go get some & try it. If nothing else works, you know you tried everything you could & reached out for more. That's what a GREAT MOM does. You deserve a pat on the back, hell, you deserve a day at the spa! Good luck, Momma!!!
Take care!
S.

You should feel proud of yourself for doing everything you could to give your baby a great start! As everybody learns, nothing in parenting is perfect(whatever that is anyway). We do our best, and our children grow and thrive even when we think that we didn't do enough.:)