You are here:

Breastfeeding/"Breastfeeding Blues"

Advertisement

Expert: - 10/5/2004


Question
Dear Sally,

I'm a mom of two kids, Elijah 2yrs old & christine 10mos. old. WHen I gave birth to my second child, I stopped working as an Office Employee.. The reason is that my youngest "do not like BOTTLED FORMULA".. (sigh). She always breastfeeds as in 24/7. My body weight drops down may be because of too much breastfeeding & exhaustion.

With my eldest I never had this breastfeeding blues because he feeds himself through formula. It's not that hard to leave him behind.

Right now  i really feel depressed with my situation. I tried everything to feed my youngest using bottle like from changing the nipples, switching baby powdered milks etc. Also, she is not getting younger coz 2 months from now she'll turn one. Likewise it will mean a lot to our family if I'll get back to work. I miss working & earning at the same time.

I hope for your response. God bless!

Jenny  

Answer
Dear Jenny,

First, congratulations for giving your children the best start in life by breastfeeding!

I can understand your frustration with Christine. From a nutritional point of view, she does not need the breast milk as much as she used to, and I assume she is also eating some solid foods. She also does not need to nurse 24/7 any more. As wonderful as nursing is for her, you need to take care of yourself as well!

You might try feeding her milk through a cup. Maybe start with your own expressed or pumped breast milk, then mix that with formula, then eventually switch over to all formula. Also, try tempting her with baby foods -- especially fruits, which most babies love.

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.  

Breastfeeding

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Sally Wendkos Olds

Expertise

What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.

Experience

I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.

Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.

Other points of interest I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding. To find out more about me, go to

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.