Take care of you 1st❤
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Tell them to fuck off because if YOU are not healthy, they cannot expect you to be able to properly care for YOUR child!!
Do what you feel is best for you and your baby. You are the mom.
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I have been exclusively breastfeeding for 4 months now, and it’s not an easy journey. Yes rewarding in its own way and it’s my choice, but it’s very difficult especially being a new mom. Your health is number one priority. If you need meds for your mental health then that’s a smart choice for you and you’re baby. She/or He needs you to be as healthy as possible and trust me, you will want to be as healthy as possible when you’re sleep deprived and exhausted from being a new mom. Breastfeeding is a lot of work. Its great for the baby but I have plenty of people in my family who did formula and have healthy happy children as well. I was lucky enough to not have health issues so I’m able to breastfeed. However if I were you, I would do formula. After you give birth your hormones are going to way out of wack and your baby will be demanding all yours attention, it’s hard to focus on yourself as is. I can imagine suffering from a mental illness on top of that. A fed baby is a fed baby regardless. She needs a mama whose healthy and in a positive head space. And that’s what you should be do focusessed in regardless what other people think. Family will always have thier opinions no matter what. My family thinks I should use formula, so no matter what people will always voice this opinions. It’s up to you to make the right decision for yourself and your child. I wish you luck! And happiness in your journey!
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Id formula feed. If you aren’t taking care of you, you can’t take care of your babe without getting burnt out and emotionally exhausted. Take care of you too. Don’t worry what other people, they raised theirs how they wanted and the need to respect your decisions as that babes mamma. You got this! Good luck! Congratulations!
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Do it for a few days while u wait for a med check up then decide
Get donor milk! No need to formula feed you can get donor breastmilk 100% more healthy than formula
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Your Family should support you no matter what. It’s about your health and your abilities to care for your baby. I’ll be your Family and I support you choosing your mental health and fed is best no matter how it’s done 
. This should not even be an issue especially if they know what you are risking by not being on your meds good luck mamas.
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You should breastfeed, but you should educate yourself on why it’s important not because you feel forced, donor milk is definitely an option.
I understand what you’re going through. The benefits of breastfeeding and building your babies immune system is wonderful. However, if you’re mental health suffers than I think you have your answer. This is something you should discuss with your doctor’s. Good luck with your new little one. Ask your family to support you in helping to make sure you’re able to take care if yourself after baby is born. Someone to watch baby so you can rest.
Your health is important. If your really debating it back and forth just do it for the first three days so the baby gets colostrum.
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Forget your family, they aren’t the mom of your baby. Formula is perfectly fine to feed your baby. That’s why we have it, is for these situations. If they don’t like it, tell them to screw off and never come around you and your baby again!
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Your baby, your choice. Do what you think is best for you and your baby. If you feel that being on your needs is what’s best, then formula feed.
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I was guilted into breastfeeding my first two that never latched. Ended up exclusively pumping for each of them for the first year. It was a full time job on top of a full time job on top of a full time job on top of a…you get the picture. With my third I went straight to formula and everyone was soooo much happier. Do whatever you feel is best for your family! Hindsight is 20/20
At 76 Yr old I’ve heart this argument lots of times. Do what you think is best for you and the child. Do as the Dr advises for which ever path you take.
I had postpartum with my first son & mentally couldn’t breastfeed. 4 years later he’s happy and healthy.
With my second I’m currently breastfeeding, I’m on Zoloft which I took my whole pregnancy & upped my dose after I had my son.
You have to be mentally into it or your body won’t produce milk. And that’s okay if your not. A fed baby is a happy baby. Maybe when you give birth you will change your mind. Maybe not. That’s okay. Your baby needs you to be okay. So do what you have to for yourself.
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You have to do what is right for you, no matter what your family might think. If you need your meds to be mentally and emotionally stable and to have a normal relationship with your baby, then so be it. There is nothing wrong with it. Breastfed isnt best, bottlefed isnt best…fed is best, and the best thing you can do is what you know to be right fo r you and your baby. Be strong mama, you got this.
Double check the meds with a breastfeeding specialist. Some meds are breastfeeding compatible but not pregnancy. In the end, your mental health is more important.
As a compromise maybe breastfeed a few times to get the immune boost of colostrum before you start meds.
Not all can make milk. I was able to breastfeed for a couple of weeks then the choice was formula or starve. I have 4 healthy adult kids
If you want you can purchase breast milk, if you’d better about it. But formula feed is fine. Your the mother.
It’s not yet ur families baby, it’s yours. They’ll get over it. If your mental health is suffering, who looks after your baby?.. It likely won’t be you, or you may put baby at risk.
Fed is best x
Just feed the baby. All that matters is that it is fed. Look around, you cant tell which people were bottle or breast fed. Take your meds and be the best mum you can be - thats what your baby needs most.
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I have 3 girls, was on anti depression meds from age 17 till 29, I had post natal depression with first 2 girls. I tried so hard to breast feed, really did and all it did was stress me and baby out. My 3rd daughter I had promised myself I would not put myself through it again and formula fed straight away. Had no postnatal issues either. If u have found medication that works 4 u then formula feed and take ur meds. Theres nothing worse than having postnatal depression on top of depression. I was convinced my 2mo old baby hated me, crazy I know. But that’s the power of it. U can only be the best mother u can be if u are also taking care of yourself. So u make the best choice for you, and dont let anyone make u feel bad about it. X
Fed is best, BUT there are a LOT of nutrients in early breast milk, especially colostrum.
My vote is, if you can mentally handle it, pump/breastfeed for the first week or so. Get as much as you can.
Formula can be hard on tummies. It may take a few diff kinds before you find one that your baby tolerates. And you can ease them into that by doing 25/75, 50/50 and 75/25 mixture.
If you can’t tolerate it, don’t. You’re at risk to add PPD to your mental health issues, and that alone can push people to the edge of unthinkable things. Take care of yourself first so you can take care of your baby.
If the family bothers you just say, “I’m doing the best I can” and I hope that would make them back off.
What your family thinks or wants doesn’t matter. I had to come off my lithium when I was pregnant with my daughter and it was torture. It was a constant, everyday fight with my own body and mind. The same day that I gave birth I resumed my lithium and formula fed my daughter. I can honestly say I probably wouldn’t be here if I didn’t resume my medication and added in the stress of trying to breastfeed.
Your baby, your life , your body … your choice . Tune out everyone else and do what you already know will be best for you.
I started to breastfeed and I couldn’t. It’s very painful. However it’s not supposed to. As for your family it’s not their baby
Do what’s best for you!!! Your baby will be no matter which as long as you love and care for him/her!
Any doctor will tell you your mental health is way better for yourself and your baby. It is also your choice not theirs. I suffered depression, and postpartum was awful. There are health benefits breastfeeding, but when it comes down to it, formula is just fine. All 3 of my kids were formula fed and they are perfectly healthy babies. And I’ve tried both meds and not taking them. The medication made it so much easier to get through the postpartum, and it helps you and your baby Bond better when you are not stressed and depressed all the time.
I would think of myself,not really,meds help you &they would not be good for the baby
Better that you take the meds and avoid mental health disasters than please everyone else… There are no long term advantages to breastfeeding. I went through the exact same mess with my son, within 24 hours of having him I was crying hysterically for no reason. Post partum issues hit especially hard for a lot of people with already existing mental health problems. Your greatest responsibility you need to meet before you can even consider the baby’s needs, is your own health and wellness. Please don’t gamble with your life, don’t risk endless horrible outcomes because of the opinions of people who have no idea how difficult it is to live with severe persistent chemical imbalances or other serious issues. The brain is an organ, they wouldn’t shame you for taking a medication that keeps your kidneys or heart functioning correctly just so you can maybe use your breasts for up to a year, maybe even just to have to supplement anyway depending on how well your body can function when your brain isn’t doing what you need it to do… I chose my meds, started taking them before I left the hospital and it was the best choice I ever made. I was able to enjoy my infant being an infant because of my choice. He’s been super healthy and has been in or above the 75th percentile his whole 3 years of life.
Please don’t let family and these pseudoscientific lies bully you and your baby out of what you both deserve. Don’t feel like a failure. The same people who think breastfeeding can fix your brain are gonna be shitting on you or calling cps when they don’t understand why you can’t get out of bed to take care of the baby. Or they’ll be the ones formula feeding baby when you’re left with no choice but to go to the hospital for a few weeks.
You do what’s best for you! Your baby being fed and you being in a good mental state are all that matters. You’re the mama, not them.
This is your choice, not your families. As someone who suffers with mental health issues, and a mother of now 3 adult children your health needs to come first. Being a new mom you will have lack of sleep which does affect our mental health. Breastfeeding is better at least for the first few days, then do as YOU please NOT as your family wants. This is your health and this is your baby. YOU decide. Good luck and congratulations on the new baby…