How Did You Decide to EFF?

[u/Time-Milk-5377]

FTM, 35 weeks so preparing for all things baby.

I’m wondering how people decided to EFF? Or combo feed? I am not terribly inclined to BF, pregnancy has been really hard on me mentally and I want to have my bodily autonomy back as much as possible. Also the thought of BF gives me the creeps in a way I can’t describe. However, I’m not 100% sure and am open minded so I’m wondering if I should just try in the first days and see how it goes.

I guess I’m looking for perspective on how folks decided to formula feed if you were on the fence going into labor. My hospital really pushes breastfeeding so I feel like I need some idea of what I want to do before going in.

Is it possible to just breastfeed for like a month to establish immunity benefits, then fully switch? Or is it advisable to just go formula straight from the start?

Thanks for any input- this has been giving me a lot of anxiety.

[u/yousernamefail]

We decided to combo feed so my husband could take a few night feeds and let me get some sleep. It ended up being much more than that because I was a low supplier. We switched to EFF because my daughter started refusing the breast and I didn't want to pump non-stop just to give her 5 measley ounces of breast milk a day. 

An aside: I really built up in my mind what my breastfeeding journey would look like when I was still pregnant. When my body and my baby had different plans, it was hear-wrenching for me. If I could recommend anything, it would be to mentally prepare to be flexible if your plans need to change.

Edit: Finished the post after my child decided to grab my phone and click save, mid-sentence.