I breasfed dd for 14 months (exclusively for 6 months and she never had formula-I expressed when I went back to work full time at 6 months). I was so dedicated (as you can imagine to do so much pumping!). I tell you all this so you understand where I am coming from. With ds it has always been harder (dd slept through from 10 weeks, ds still doesn't!). He has often seemed hungry at bedtime and I have gone through numerous efforts at upping supply in the evening. FInally at the age of 10 months I had had enough of feeding 3 times a night and stopped (he eats loads of food). Stopping was amazingly easy-just took a bit of settlign and cuddling from dad) but since then I have had NO supply in the evening. He crys alot at bedtime and bites the boob in frustration. We give him food just before that but is often too tired to eat much. My counsin has a similar aged ds and she bottle feeds. Seeing him have a lovely full bely of milk and go to sleep so easily was so hard that I went out and bought formula. He loved it and guzzeled 7 ozes and loked for more. I did this again tonight. He settled much better.
What shall I do?
- accept breast feeding may be coming to an end and that I may have to give bottles for a few months
- not give him bottles again and work on supply (not sure I can face more pumping, etc etc and feeding him more is hard as he isn't that bothered in the day)
- work on getting more food into him before bedtime?
I'd love your advice. I know its daft to feel so odd about giving him bottles now but I do. Especially feel odd about how much he loved it and seemed so much happier than afte me!