Congratulations on your baby. You need to take care of yourself or you wont be able to care for your baby. You need to eat and drink plenty of water or your body wont produce any milk. I have not had any children but i know if you dont keep your body hydrated and nuirished, it will not produce milk. I hope you start feeling better and if you dont produce milk, dont beat yiurself up. The formula is fine to feed your baby. Many people feed their babies nothing but formula and they are just as healthy as a breast fed baby. Take care of yourself. Hugs

I am concerned about the lumps and think you should see a dr. The last time I tried to breast feed (over 50 years ago!) I got pain and lumps and dr.. said I had Mastitis - I thought only cows got that! As I try to recall, I had to stop breast feeding, take antibiotics and stay out of the cold. I did successfully breast feed another baby but most of it was done in the warm months. I did not do well with it with the child born in the cold months.

Try to breast feed or pump regularly because that is what stimulates milk production. Relax, rest and eat and drink plenty. Breast feeding takes away about 500 calories extra from your body. Your milk production will follow the baby's appetite, give it some time, be patient, the regularity is important. Don't torment yourself though if you feel overwhelmed and need to give up, it is ok to use formula, the baby will be developing just fine.

I breastfed both my children, but that was pre fibro years ago. U do have to keep urself nurished n hydrated. Stress can play a part in ur milk production. I know breast feeding was hard enuff when I was healthy - feeding every two - three hours. I also know the emotional toll it takes on u, when u r unable to breast feed - I got chicken poxs after the birth of my first child. But plz dont b hard on urself if u can no longer breast feed. It doesnt mean u love ur baby any less, n ur baby will not hold it against u.
My daughter had the same problem, with her milk drying up when she was trying to breat feed. Baby was less cranky when she switched her to bottle. It may b better for u to actually switch to formula. This way ur body can keep what nurishment u get, u can start feeling better, n really b able to enjoy ur lil blessing. Bottle feeding formula is not bad, in fact it will enable u to get the rest U need, not to mention to ease some of ur pain. Breast fed babies dont usually take a bottle from anybody, where as formula fed babies dont usually care whos feeding them. :-)
Believe me it will hurt u more than baby to switch.
There r support groups out there for breastfeeding mothers. B careful, these groups can b helpful, but some can b really hardcore breastfeeders - want u to breastfeed only, no bottles, no pacifier, breastfeed for years, n they can make u feel bad about urself for wanting to use a bottle or formula.
U do what u feel is best for U n baby, n plz dont b hard on urself.