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Original poster

When did you stop breastfeeding?

78 replies

Sunlighthouse · 22/04/2020 16:06

DD is 10 weeks and breastfeeding seems to be going well. I'm not sure I'm really enjoying it though Confused I find it stressful being the only one who can feed her and I don't like not knowing how much she is getting.

I had lots of trouble feeding my first DD so she was combination fed and then on formula from about 6 weeks. Honestly I think maybe I preferred bottle feeding. Or perhaps it's just that it is what I know.

How long did you breastfeed for? What is a realistic goal? I'm wondering if I could just make it to 6 months and then switch.

OP posts:
ScarfLadysBag · 22/04/2020 19:12

A year. She lost interest when she got established on food and started just pushing my boob away, so figured that was as good a time as any to stop!

SerBrienneOfHouseTarth · 22/04/2020 19:21

I never started really. DC1 just refused the boob. I tried everything but he just wouldn't latch. I pumped for 3 months nearly driving myself mad in the process, and all for a few measly mls per day.
I found I enjoyed bottle feeding and not being the only one who could feed baby (plus all the lovely sleep I was able to get when DH did the nights!) so we have decided to go straight to formula this time.
I know it's hard not to feel guilty about stopping but your baby will thrive no matter what you decide because it's got such a caring Mum x

BrooHaHa · 22/04/2020 19:24

22 months and counting. If she doesn't wean herself at some point during pregnancy, I'll be tandem feeding by winter!

We have night weaned though and she only really feeds 3-4 times a day.

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Crookshanksthecat · 22/04/2020 19:56

I somehow managed 6 months with first - baby had silent reflux so every feed was tough, baby screaming, me crying...

Second managed to get to 4 months followed by 2 months expressing all feeds.

For me breastfeeding was such a battle and I'm proud I made it to 6 months.

Ninkanink · 22/04/2020 20:04

@Watertorture Grin Grin

HarrietM87 · 22/04/2020 20:07

13 months. I planned to stop at 6 months but it got so much easier and less frequent after weaning it was much easier than formula so I just kept going. I went back to work when he was 11 months and he just did morning and evening after that. Stopping was easy too. The hardest part is the first 3 months so maybe stick it out another few weeks and reassess.

Goostacean · 22/04/2020 20:15

16 months, and then early pregnancy plus norovirus floored me and I felt ill when he touched me... We vaguely recovered it but that was the start of weaning off. He still had the odd feed in bed on a Saturday morning. And then started up again aged 2 when he saw the baby feeding and wanted a piece of the action, to my husband’s horror 😂

I wouldn't want my baby anywhere other than with me anyway
I find comments like this unhelpful though. I’m currently breastfeeding DC2 (4.5mo) and much as I love them both, I definitely do want a break from my boys!

FYI I had to make an essential work trip earlier this week, left expressed milk and the baby held out for SEVEN HOURS against the bottle... I was so worried when DH told me, but then baby gave in, downed 100ml and passed out Grin Trust them- you’ll know if they’re hungry. They’re sturdier than you think!

Montsti · 22/04/2020 20:21

I introduced 1 bottle of formula a day for each of my 4 between 6-9 weeks then a 2nd bottle at around 12 weeks...I hated the first 4-6 weeks of it - mastitis, bleeding nipples every time...but looking back I’m glad I persisted.

I then stopped breastfeeding completely with all 4 when they were about 7-8 months old...

Original poster
Sunlighthouse · 22/04/2020 20:31

Thank you for all the responses! Too many to name check all of you but I've found it really helpful.

I think that those of you suggesting not to give up on a bad day, to wait until three months/lockdown is over have a good point. Maybe I should wait until the "easy" bit and reassess.

OP posts:
caffeinefix · 22/04/2020 20:34

16 months. I loved it but struggled at the end with working. My milk had started drying up by then as DS would get frustrated trying to feed. I just decided one night not to offer when he woke and went from there.

You're doing a wonderful job Thanks

modge · 22/04/2020 20:47

Do what is best for you, your other child(ren) and the family/household in general. Honestly, that’s what’s best for your baby.

Absolutely this. It took until 15 weeks for us to find things 'easy' and I was in a position (first baby, on mat leave) to see it through until then. Finished at 16 months but from 6 months there was a gradual dropping of feeds from 4 day and 2 night feeds, to 3 day and 1 night and so on until we were left with just a pre-bedtime feed. I had planned to stop this at 12 months but in the end it carried on a bit longer and any day I wasn't available at bedtime, DH would give a bottle of cow's milk instead.

I suppose what I mean is the intensity of those early months doesn't last in the same way and once you know it's a feed at 8am, 1pm, 7pm and 1am (or whatever) fairly consistently it gives much more freedom. Feeds also become much more efficient, 5 minutes rather than 30, which makes a difference too.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

triedandtestedteacher · 22/04/2020 20:54

I drove myself insane trying to breastfeed, pump and bottle feed because I had very low supply. Tried everything including meds from the dr. Dragged on until 4 months and eventually she just started refusing the breast probably because she'd worked out it came out quicker from the bottle. If you're very unhappy just stop. It contributed massively to my pnd

wendz86 · 22/04/2020 20:55

15 months to the day with both . It gets so much easier after first few months .

DefConOne · 22/04/2020 20:59

Introduced a night formula feed with DH (didn’t get on with expressing), mixed fed by 6-7 months. Stopped at 9 months. Same with both DC. I have had intended to EBF for 12 months at least but it was difficult and draining. My brain definitely came back into focus when I stopped.

JKSN · 22/04/2020 22:21

I was the same as you, kept telling myself 'just get to 6 weeks' then when I did that it was 'just get to 12 weeks'. We introduced one bottle of formula a day at about 8 weeks. DS is now 5 months old and still has one bottle most days from my husband (or my mum pre lockdown). It's amazing what a difference just that one bottle a day made to me. He's fed on demand and it just means that if I'm out walking the dog/at the supermarket or even just want a nice soak in the bath I don't have to try and work around when I think he will be hungry, as if he is my husband can just make him a bottle. I definitely feel more free knowing that I can leave him for a few hours. Ultimately you just need to do whatever makes you happy, as long as your baby is fed, and 12 weeks is a great start. I think for me 12 weeks was when I realised that I was actually really enjoying it and it was much easier to BF than make a bottle! As a PP has said, as long as baby is gaining weight and having wet/dirty nappies then they are definitely getting enough.

Katinski · 22/04/2020 22:30

@ watertorture GrinGrinGrin

Original poster
Sunlighthouse · 22/04/2020 22:34

Hmmm. So maybe a good compromise might be to introduce one bottle a day. Something to think about. I think just that one change would make me feel a lot better.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 22/04/2020 22:37

I wish I could relax about how much she is getting but it is hard. There is no obvious reason to worry as she seems happy and has plenty of wet and dirty nappiesbut she's dropped to one night feed so I worry she isn't getting as much as she used to*

But that's how you tell they're getting enough. Through the nappies.

Mine was 3 1/2. I was ready to stop far earlier than that though Grin

If you want to stop then stop. Personally I wouldn't use formula yet if I didn't have to. Not the way things are in the shops and having to shop. At least you won't run out of milk and have to stand in a queue to buy some atm.

Wheresthebiffer2 · 22/04/2020 22:40

6 days - so basically never got established, despite my great desire. A mixture of me being first time mum and not knowing what I was doing, the baby being newborn and not knowing what she was doing, and a whole procession of midwives on the post-natal ward, offering different advice. they wouldn't let me go home until the baby was feeding well - and after 6 days I had had enough of being in hospital, and trying to BF to the best of my ability, and I gave up. :-( We went home to bottle feed.

Historyofeverything1 · 22/04/2020 22:46

Ds 15 months, Dt 13 months.
Once you get to 6 months and weaning they reduce number of feeds they need and I found from then on it was easier to feed as you've always got it on tap. By 7 months all mine were just 3 feeds a day.

SpeckledyHen · 22/04/2020 22:51

18 months first time and 2 years second time .

MrsJBaptiste · 22/04/2020 22:52

DS1 - BF to 5 months then I was back at work
DS2 - BF to 6 months then I was back at work

IndieTara · 22/04/2020 22:53

6 months because I had to go into hospital and ended up having an op.
Couldn't get DD back to BF once I was back home

Swimbikerunmummy · 22/04/2020 22:55

The first 12 weeks were hands down the hardest thing I ever did in my life, but I had in mind I wanted to get to 6 months. I ended up continuing until he was 5.5 years.

AntiHop · 22/04/2020 22:58

@RedPandaFluff be proud of your amazing achievement Flowers