Tristan was born at 34+3 and right from the beginning I was determined to BF him, even when my milk took longer to come in than it did with Brendan I still didnt give up expressing, even when they said he would have to go on formula until my milk came in I didnt give up. Even the nurses/Drs in the NICU didnt want me to attempt breastfeeding him on day 2 but I made the decision and they respected that. From that point Tristan was just an absolute trooper, by beginning of day 4 (he pulled the NGT out overnight) he was fully suck feeding, Day 4 saw him take all breastfeeds during the day without top-ups, I refused to have him given a top-up after my breastfeed, the only way to build up my milk supply would be to breastfeed him and thankfully the head nurse on for the day in the SCN was also a LC. Tristan was fed via a nipple shield and continued to do so until he was 3-4 weeks old. I sucessfully weaned him off it and we've been going great guns since. Sure we've had our ups and downs, but my determination is getting us through. I've been making the Lactation Cookies roughly fortnightly and they've really been helping (not to lose weight though LMAO) Tristan is now 4.5 months old
Anyway here comes the vent...
DP has been saying, ever since we came home (8 days old) that I should "put him on formula" because DP is "annoyed with being woken up" I'm so sick of hearing it and for just a few mins I do consider it... I need support to be able to continue breastfeeding Tristan and I'm just not getting it!
DP's Nana is almost as bad, except her efforts are sly.... she always asks me if i'm still feeding Tristan a "bit" and is shocked when I say that he's fully breastfed... I feel as though theres no faith in me and my abilities!
I feel like I'm being condemed because I didn't breastfeed Brendan, and that wasnt even my fault! Brendan had a lot of issues, being so tiny when discharged (2090 grams) meant he often fell asleep, needing feeding more regularily ect ect. He was just too weak to feed from me successfully without losing weight. I also found out, when he was 11 months, that he was severly tongue-tied and was probably the main reason he didnt ever attach to the breast (without a nipple shield). Instead I expressed for him for a solid 5 month before my milk dried up. I do believe that if I had support back then I would have been able to overcome that and he would have breastfed longer.
I'm just so annoyed.... DP's family are getting to me all the little comments which are probably not meant in the way I'm taking them are just unecessary!
Who says to a 4 month old that they would look after him if he was formula fed... seriously he doesnt understand you!
I guess I just want some acknowledgement for my efforts, I haven't been given the easiest of pregnancies and births and Brendan wasn't the easiest of babies/children, but now I have an easy baby (I'm freely admitting that, but I'm not taking away my right to a whinge LOL) I expected the people around me to respect my choices and keep there stupid comments to themselves.
I hope this all makes sense... I just had to get it out.
Stick to it, push through & prove them all wrong. I had similar with DS & the older he got, the harder the feeding got, but we just ignored them all & kept going.
I think my mum is under the impression that DS has weaned, but I spose thats her problem. If she bothered to come visit & try to give me some support since DH isn't here, I might've been able to do it.
You've got a long way to go yet
Oh Sally - that is so unfair of your DH and his family - TBH they are being really selfish - not just towards you - but also to Tristan. You have done an AMAZING job to get to where you are on your breastfeeding journey and deserve praise and encouragement!!!
Are they aware of the wonderful benefits of breastmilk and how good it is for your little man? I too get comments about me "still" feeding - but not from family thank goodness.
Perhaps you could explain to your Dh if Tristan was FF he would be sitting up feeding him rather than just waking? And to his Nana - that if FF is the criteria for looking after him - then she'll be waiting a damn long time!
I'll say it again - you are doing a WONDERFUL job feeding your son!!! I am in AWE!!!
One of the things I learnt in my breastfeeding class was that the number one reason why people gave up breastfeeding was due to lack of partner / family support.
You seem to be doing a marvelous job in difficult circumstances. I love reading stories about how well you seem to be doing and I hope my breastfeeding journey is as successful as yours.
Wow - you're a breastfeeding star Sally
I hope you can ignore the silly comments and push on doing things the way you know is best.
And yeah, I like CF's comment - he'd get less sleep if you FF
For what it's worth, I think so many people in Aus use formula that there are truly some who just can't get their head around the idea that a baby might not need it.
You are doing an absolutley amazing job!!!! To b/f a premmie baby is an amazing achievement - so a massive congratulations for that too. Keep up the great work!!
As for you DP imagine how disturbed he will be if he had to get up and give Tristan a bottle!?!?!
More of a vent really - Lack of support
I'm so sick of hearing it and for just a few mins I do consider it... I need support to be able to continue breastfeeding Tristan and I'm just not getting it!
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- that is so unfair of your DH and his family - TBH they are being really selfish - not just towards you - but also to Tristan. You have done an AMAZING job to get to where you are on your breastfeeding journey and deserve praise and encouragement!!! 
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