RE: Supplementing questions....
I was in the same place as you when my DD was 5 months old. I also had to supplement from day one due to my DD's poor suck and weak latch. At 5 months she was still breastfeeding every 1 1/2 - 2 hours. And THEN I also had to give 2-3 bottles a day as well. I was miserable with breastfeeding, it was bringing me no joy, I was resenting it, and it stressed me out. So I decided to slowly wean and by 6 months we had weaned to formula. And I was SO HAPPY! For about 3 months. And then I regretted it. And I have bitterly regretted it ever since (not impairs my life type of regret, but regret nonetheless).
Part of my regret is that I was totally committed to EBF before DD was born. I wanted to EBF and also extended breastfeed. Once I was past the day to day stress, that commitment came back to me and I regretted not following through and trying harder.
If you had that type of commitement to breastfeeding before giving birth, then I would suggest for your own sake, try to find some more resources to help you. Find a 4th LC. Find a breastfeeding support group. Go to a LaLecheLeague meeting (or call a leader). In retrospect, I just wish I had done more to try and work through all the issues I was having.
In retrospect, I can also see that I put a lot of extra stress on myself. Every time I gave DD a bottle of formula, I was worried that I wasn't breatsfeeding her, rather than just enoying the time we did have breastfeeding. And I was not very comfortable nursing in public, so I was always having to struggle to schedule errands and activities around her feeding times. I wish I had given myself permission to relax more and not worry about so many things.
I am NOT trying to make you feel bad for wanting to give up breastfeeding and pumping. If that is the right decision for you, then do it. But make sure that it isn't a decision that you won't wish you didn't make in a few months.
Hugs,
Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)