Using the F word

Formula. For some it is the F-word. For others, it means freedom.

I don't want to delve into the whole breastfeeding versus formula debate, but I am desperate to get darling daughter on the bottle. Once upon a time, darling daughter would take both formula and a bottle when we were struggling with breastfeeding. After we got the hang of breastfeeding, I'd pump and dear husband would give darling daughter pumped breast milk in a bottle. That routine worked up until she was about seven or eight months when she outright refused to take the bottle. Except for when I was extremely sick about two months ago and darling daughter had no other choice than to take a bottle, bottle feeding is basically non-existent in our house.

Although I have been blessed to breastfeed darling daughter, I'm thinking it is soon time to wean. I'm not too sure if I should say this out loud, but I am sooooo tired to wrestling with darling daughter during our breastfeeding sessions. She weighs 20 pounds and she has a mind of her own. Giving her the odd bottle of formula would give me some peace of mind as sometimes I worry if she is getting enough fluids.

So in the last week we have tried to reintroduce formula and, of course, she wants no part of it. According to dear husband, she lulls the bottle in her mouth, maybe consume half an ounce before rejecting the bottle outright. Since dear husband doesn't have the same anatomy as me, he is force to phone me, in a panic, because she won't eat. Pumping isn't an option as my electric pump is on its last legs. Also, I can no longer get enough milk when I do pump. My other option is a sippy cup. But since the bottle experiment isn't going so well, I can guarantee that she won't be all that receptive to a bottle.

So the battle continues. I will continue to breastfeed for the next couple of months, and try to introduce a sippy cup in hopes one day darling daughter will like something else other than my boob.