Hi, my son is now a 1 year old, so the clouds are just starting to clear.
BUT….
When Dallan was born we had trouble breastfeeding from the start. I felt like I was being milked. I dreaded that 3 hour mark when the nurse would come in, syringe in hand, to try to feed my screaming newborn.
They told me that this happens all the time and it will pass after a few days. Two weeks in and it wasn’t any better. I would feed hourly to stop the screaming and he still wasn’t getting enough.
Being a first time mum I knew nothing about breastfeeding and it all became too much. 
I then developed Post Natal Depression (PND). I wouldn’t let anyone touch my baby, not even my best friend. I barely left the house, I cried 80% of the time and I missed everything about my old life (especially the sleep).
Finally I discovered a nipple shield, feeding became an hour long ordeal and although it was a little easier it was still exhausting and extremely hard.
After 3 months of feeding every 3 hours for an hour at a time, my partner put his foot down. He told me that it was not worth my sanity and happiness. That the expectation of a new mum to breastfeed was ridiculous, and he didn’t give two hoots about anyone but me and the baby.
So we bought our first tin of formula. At first I co-fed. I would feed for 20 minutes and then toped up with formula.
As I saw myself becoming more ‘normal’ and my baby thriving and happy, we decided to stop breastfeeding altogether. This was the best decision as a new mother that I have ever made.
Dallan turned into a different baby, he started sleeping through the night and smiling all the time and I was HAPPY!
I still see breastfeeding as the best option for a newborn, but in some cases it’s not always the right thing to do.
I struggled with Post Natal Depression for almost 8 months of Dallan’s life, but as he grows and we bond more, and more things get easier, I’m starting to take time to myself and life is amazing with a little human that loves me so much.
Jess xx
Thank you for sharing your story Jess. We are so please to hear that you are happy and enjoying life with your beautiful boy. You are a real inspiration to other mums.
If you’re struggling with breastfeeding or suffering from PND them please either contact your GP, The Australian Breastfeeding Association or PANDA.
If you’re a breastfeeding mother who is keen to lose baby weight, we’ve got you covered. At Lose Baby Weight we believe that breastfeeding and weight loss can go hand in hand, which is why we have created the 28 Day Breastfeeding Friendly Diet & Exercise Plan and have ensured that our weight loss plans are safe for breastfeeding mums.
If you’d love to recipe our FREE MILK BOOSTING recipe ebook, then just pop your details in below and it will be in your inbox within minutes. 
Our Healthy Mummy Smoothies are also safe for breastfeeding mums, 96% sugar free, fructose free and actually contain natural galactogogues. You can see the full ingredient list here .
