Don't beat yourself up! I couldn't nurse my baby because I had to go to work and the conditions of my job wouldn't let me even pump. But we put her onto formula and guess what? She thrived! She's two years old now, beautiful, healthy and smart as a whip. I don't think the bottles made us worse parents or made her a lesser human being. I think good parenting involves a whole lot more than how you feed your infant and I'm sure you can be a great parent without nursing your daughter!

I agree - don't feel guilty. You have nothing to be guilty about! You tried to nurse and it didn't work out. That's all you can do. I had twins and although I wanted to nurse I found I couldn't juggle it all. I was getting more and more exhausted and my milk supply was diminishing. When my doctor suggested formula feeding I really balked. But then I thought "what IS a good mother anyway? Someone who is always tired and irritable?" Believe me, raising two babies is a very big job and I needed my energy. When I decided to take my doctor's advice I wasn't sorry. I was totally relieved. And my sons are healthy and happy and thriving at 18 months. So there.

There's a Jewish saying: "Man plans and God laughs." You intended to nurse but it wasn't meant to turn out that way. In motherhood you really have to go with the flow (no pun intended). I did nurse my baby but I didn't plan for him to be deaf. I had to adjust to that reality. I think parenting brings a lot of challenges, disappointments and joys. Don't waste time focusing on the disappointments because it will harm both you and your child. Think about what is working, what is wonderful and what is right. You'll be so much better for it.