I failed

[invisible_ink]

Goodness you have certainly not failed! I only made it to 8 months with Lilianna, but I was proud of it. At that point she liked bottles and sippies, and I was having a harder time keeping up with her (I was pregnant with Ro and it messed up my supply). It would kill me if I thought of myself as a failure, but you know what? She has an amazing immune system, and her pediatrician often told me that she handled illnesses so well because I breastfed her.

What you have done is an accomplishment, not a failure. Formula isn't bad for your baby, especially if he's still getting some breastmilk when you can manage it. Formula is still healthy and nutritious for your baby, and he will thrive and do well! Don't be too hard on yourself. Breastfeeding is so different for everyone.

[Annegirl]

I just started giving my daughter, 10 months old, a little formula because around the 10 month mark my supply dips and I cannot pump enough. My first baby made it EBF only because when he was 10 months I was able to feed more during the day. With my second I felt so guilty but I realized that one bottle of formula a day was not the end of the world. She went on to BF for 18 months.

With my newest baby I started sending formula to the sitters and she drinks mostly BM but gets a few ounces of formula when that is used up. I think of it like her solids at this point. It isn't her sole source of nutrition. I am.

[pamplemousse]

Originally Posted by Lindsay

Kari..you've made it 10 months, you are still giving him breastmilk. You are doing an amazing job in a terribly stressful situation!

Ditto!!

[reddlox]

There is a page on Facebook called Human Milk for Human Babies. It might be worth taking a look to see if you can connect with any women who have a surplus that you can use to top up with when you can't pump enough. It might feel a little better than formula for you.