Max is 6 weeks and 6 days old.
Maybe about a week ago (or slightly less) we decided to try and give Max a bottle (formula) for the middle-of-the-night feeding. I was, frankly, just done with having to feed him at 5/6PM-ish, 7/8PM-ish, 10PM-ish, 2/3AM-ish, 5AM-ish and then again at 7AM-ish before calling the start of a new day. He'd sleep 4+hrs no problem during the day but we'd be lucky to get 2.5-3hr stretches at night. I was worn-out and thought A. Rob getting to take some feedings off my hands would be a welcomed relief and B. Maybe the formula would make him sleep longer stretches.
Eh, Max isn't sleeping remarkably longer at all. We take turns giving the 2/3AM-ish bottle but he still wakes up 3hrs later. So much for formula making a baby sleep longer stretches.
I also noticed that first night I had to get up and pump while Rob gave a bottle. I was going to burst. The next night I pumped but maybe stopped halfway. The third night I just slept (well, laid there since we still have Max in our room and we tend to use feeding times to talk) there. I think after 5 nights... I no longer got that "tingly, full feeling" and my need to feed was behind me. I also wasn't making a huge mess in the morning (I sneezed one morning after having not fed Max at midnight and it caused me to letdown... I was soaked within minutes... this was both hilarious and humiliating. Ah, nature...
So here we are about a week into this alteration and I'm finding I need to give bottles before the midnight feeding. Last night I nursed Max around 9PM but decided to give him a bottle immediately following (he just seemed hungry still)... he took in an additional 2 ounces of formula on top of the nursing. Tonight I nursed him at 7:30PM, and by 8:15PM, it was evident he was hungry again (maybe still, who knows)... he took a 5 ounce formula bottle no problem.
Sheesh!
So, I think my nursing days are dwindling. The night-time feedings certainly are.
I know nursing moms encounter this often and really work at getting their supply back (more rest! more water! more relaxation! more nursing to get the supply ack!) but I'm going to be honest... I really am not fighting this too much. I like nursing and planned to actually do it longer with Max than I did with Evie (I stopped at 9 weeks with Evie but then decided to not stop 2 days into it, got my supply back up a bit before giving in entirely around 13/14 weeks total).
But, why be selfish with wanting to continue something I clearly have no time for (Evie needs my attention, too,.. and I'm obviously not keeping up with my own health to keep up a healthy production/supply) and something that is satisfying Max's hunger needs.
With this post, I pour a second glass of wine knowing I will not need to pump-&-dump since I will not be feeding something for the 7 hours needed to clear out the alcohol in my bloodstream. I also pass a virtual 'cheers!' to all the moms who were more successful at this than me. I'm just glad I have stuck it out this far and who knows... maybe some feedings won't go away entirely for a little while longer.
*side note*
Rob just turned to me, while feverishly burping Max, "I'm so glad the midnight feeding is yours tonight."
Me, "I know. I was just thinking about it. I hate it."
"I hate it, too."
:-)
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