I don't think they want to tell you because they're so keen for you to do it and they don't want to put you off. Still more people would maybe stick at it if they had more help and support whilest trying.

This is my first so I don't know but I know my friend gave up very quickly. I'm very determined though so plan to do everything I can to stick at it.

Don't look forward to OH's oppinion on it all though as I know he won't understand if I find it hard. Do many of you find that your partners just expect it to be easy - like how hard can it be!

I think the thing they don't tell you is how hard it is to stop. I think I was prepared for things to be difficult to get going and that it would hurt initially. No-one actually said it was difficult to stop though.

I've been able to persuade Charlotte to take a bottle with formula in, but Tom will just not have it. I've tried different bottles, different formula, talking to him, not talking to him, different positions, starving him of milk, but he's just not having it.

Now that he's older (thankfully with no teeth yet) he's really quite rough, pulling and biting. Ouch!

Yes I agree I had no idea how difficult bfing would be and I really don't think the professionals are trained enough - most of them couldn't answer my questions.

Helen - have you tried giving Tom the formula from a beaker or a cup? Is it the bottle he wont take or the formula or the combination of both?

Yeah I've tried 3 different kinds of baby cup and a tea cup! No joy! Going to have another go with the carton milk in the next couple of days rather than the powdered stuff and see if that helps.

He doesn't seem to like the taste, yet if it's on breakfast cereal or in his meals he's ok with it. He used to take a bottle of expressed milk from 6 weeks old until we dropped the late feed before Christmas.

Helen, have you tried mixing formula with expressed milk and gradually changing the quantities so eventually it's 100% formula? Sorry , just trying to think of all the tips to try that I've heard. Does your little girl bat an eye lid when she sees Tom feeding from you?

Ive been told about the pain and bleeding and things like that but obviously Ive never tried it yet so I dont know. People certainly haven't been telling me its easy though. I just hope its no worse than theyre telling me.

xxx

I didn't experience any pain (except slight pain when we had the trush) or bleeding, but I found it/find it physically hard work

now we have 4.3 kg's already - and that on the other hand - makes me feel sooooo proud

i was definetly not given the support or the information i needed to breastfeed. my mw was crap and so was my hv.

Yeah tried that a few months ago when we were still doing the late feed. No joy. TBH I'll do anything to avoid having to start pumping again.

Charlotte was pretty upset at first having to have a bottle, but she's absolutely fine with it now and I know that DH loves feeding her and having their special cuddles. I just wish I could persuade Tom it's a good idea.

We've tried a different bottle the last couple of days and he's taking around 1/2 oz -1 oz from it so I'm hoping this is the start of something good. Fingers crossed!

Sounds promising Helen!