Any Homebirth moms who supplement or FF?

[shells_n_cheese]

My DD has basically been on a 3 month long nursing strike (fast letdown and flow--will not nurse, tried everything but she just screams and wants bottle)--so we are going 100% formula soon.

Anyone else? I feel like I am the only mom on mothering who uses formula. Everyone assumes just because I had a homebirth that I am 100% excusively BF and it is smooth sailing. I will be very happy if I have some company here. I feel pretty lonely. :

[ColwynsMommy]

Fiona was born at home, and we supplemented with formula until she weaned to 100% formula at 6 months. That was the longest I'd ever made it breastfeeding, and I was so proud of myself. It is really hard when you're hanging around with other crunchy moms and you have to whip out a bottle instead of a boob. It's been a long, long road, full of guilt and anger and endless explanations to people who insist that anyone can breastfeed. But, like everything, it'll pass.. before you know it your baby will be off the bottle and nobody will know any different.

[shells_n_cheese]

I am so glad to "meet" you! I have the same problem--hanging around other homebirth mamas that EBF and seem to "notice" that I whip out a bottle-or worse yet, actually mix a bottle in front of them. I do feel a little embarassed, but I try and hold my head up. No one knows (except my husband) how difficult it has been. I feel pretty darn proud to have went the whole first 5 weeks of Hannah's life just exclusively breast milk (both from breast and bottle). With my son (my first child) he was supplemented with formula from day 1 (after the cesarean at the hospital) and I just kept using the free similac samples they gave me but I did breastfeed him until 6 months old, the he was slowly weaned to 100% formula.

I sort of feel like an outcast of sorts. In the mainstream mama crowd-where you find many more FF, they seem to think I am a hippy because I had a homebirth (especially after a cesarean), and the "crunchy" mamas think I am more mainstream because I FF! Go figure.

[almadianna]

moved to breastfeeding challenges.

[Vegan Princess]

I had a water birth at a birth center. My whole birth class from the birth center is all happily breast feeding but I've had to supplement since 1 week pp due to prior breast surgery. I fought really hard to still be breast feeding my 6 month old DD. I need to supplement my low supply but I am still a breast feeding mom. Even in the more mainstream moms groups I went to when DD was new no one used formula but me. Only 1 other mom in my crunchy playgroup supplements. I think everyone understands and has compassion when I tell them my story. I think it's really just in our minds to feel so ostrasized or that we stand out. Others may notice but they likely don't give it more than a passing thought. You're definitely not alone though!

Cindy

[Astraia]

I know a lot of very "crunchy" moms, and since I still haven't made a general announcement that i'm pregnant again (due in Jan) I don't want to face the questions of why DD is getting bottles of formula- she's only 8 months, I know boob is best, I can't do anything about it though.

DD was hungry at church on Sunday and I went home early so I could feed her in privacy. I couldn't face the questions from the moms I know, I feel guilty enough already.

[bedheadmaestro]

another waterbirth at birth center here, who just weaned at 5 mos and is now drinking donated bm (thank you Lisa) and homemade WAP formula due to IGT which came as a complete surprise and broke my heart. The shame was so bad at one point that I would drape my nursing cover over us while I was feeding her a bottle in public! Making my own formula still earns me the crunchy cred I desperately seek out, ha ha. so you are totally not alone and i do wish us formula/bottle feeders weren't such a subverted group on MDC. S**t happens to the best of us!

[koalove]

we are about to use formula. ds1 was mostly formula fed but breastfed for comfort and some small amount of milk utill 14 mos. ds2 is supplemented with bottles of donated breastmilk right now but the milk is running low and the formula is coming soon. so no, you arent alone!! welcome to the tribe of supplementing mamas here!!

[Oliver'sMom]

ds was born at home and I started supplementing him with formula at around 8 weeks after he had lost a TON of weight. I BF until he was about 6mo when he went to 100% formula. I feel more guilty now about starving him than using formula.

I never knew what was wrong. All of the doctors and LC's said it was my supply. It wasn't until just about a month ago when I took ds in for his first dentist appt. and he said he was both tongue tied and lip tied and had a very high palate. I wanted to bawl right then and there. Why hadn't anyone noticed this before?!!!

Now he's a very healthy and bright little boy, and the topic of BF hardly ever, if ever comes up. I remember feeling like it was the end of the world giving ds formula and felt like I would be eternally judged for it, but life has moved on and things are just fine.

[j10k]

Hi, glad to meet you all! I'm here too! Great homebirth, great postpartum care, great LC. Baby kept losing weight. I supplemented and pumped for 3 months, then threw in the towel and moved to formula only. Started suplementing with a bottle about 5 days after birth when the midwife told me that we either had to supplement or go to the hospital. My baby was born at 8lbs 5oz and dropped to 7lb even. She was a "happy to starve" baby too, which made it all the worse.
I have faced only one questionable comment in public, but it was enough to make me not want to leave the house with a bottle. I got really really good at timing my outings around feedings, which I found hilaroiusly ironic. Of course no one around me understood why I was so upset. Anyway. I realate totally.