To give up on breastfeeding

[Humiliated1]

My DS is 7 months old and I am feeling increasingly uncomfortable BF him at my in laws, my MIL has made it clear she thinks its a bit perverse and that he will be perverted by it and my FIL just wants to know when I'm going to move on to 'proper' milk. I know they're wrong but am just so worn down by it all

[PurplePidjin]

"I'd quite like to be a granny someday so a little encouragement won't do any harm, will it?"

Tell your dh to stick up for you - they're making you feel unwelcome. Or, send him round there with the baby while you kick back and do something nice!

[Twattybollocks]

I had this from mil last week. I told her I would be giving up when we were both ready, and the minute it became any of her business, she would be the first to know!

[Tailtwister]

If you're going to give up breastfeeding please don't do it because of your IL's OP. If YOU want to stop then fair enough, but don't feel pressured into it.

[chipmonkey]

There should only ever be two people involved in a discussion on giving up breastfeeding. One is the mother, the other is the baby. Everyone else should just butt out!

You know, I am a bf enthusiast. I have spent 6.5 years bfing. I should be still bfing now but dd died suddenly. I really wish I was still bfing her.

But that said, I know that it's not everyone's choice and for some babies, formula is necessary and for some mothers it's a sanity-saver. If that were the case fine. But it's not the case. As far as I can see, Humiliated you and your lovely boy are happy with bfing. Don't give that up for a pair of weird weasels.

[SoniaGluck]

I have read through the thread but everyone has already said what I would have. I hope you manage the withstand all the nonsense Humiliated and continue to feed as long as you both want.

And, I just wanted to add Chipmonkey, I am so sorry.

[Thepowerof3]

Yes chipmonkey, I can't imagine x

[Emilythornesbff]

chipmonkey I'm so sorry.

humiliated I agree with aldiwhore
Or just don't go so often. Send dh there with your ds and some expressed milk and enjoy your rest.
Knobby knobs!

[Inertia]

Chipmonkey- so sorry about your daughter.
Your first paragraph is spot on.

Humiliated- don't be like your name :). If you want to carry on BF and it's working well for you and your baby, then you are the only two people that matter. If your MIL says it's perverse (FFS!) then you'd be prefectly justified in replying that you are feeding a baby, and anybody who finds that perverted needs to think about what that says about them.

Response to FIl is simple- it is proper milk. Your baby is getting bespoke milk which your body is tailoring to meet his needs exactly, even taking into account things like the weather.

If you are ready to move onto formula , then that has to be your choice and one that you make after considering what's best for your baby and for you. Your child's food should not be compromised because of your ILs ridiculous prejudices.

[noblegiraffe]

You're giving your baby milk that evolution has spent millions of years perfecting for a human baby. Your FIL thinks that the proper milk would be that which evolution spent millions of years perfecting for a cow. Now that's perverse.

[monkeymamma]

Sadly some people are just uncomfortable with babies being bf for more than the first 6months. Baffling but true. Just stand firm, smile, gently tell them the facts (oh nowadays they say breast milk is healthiest actually fil!) and if they keep going on about it then make it into a gentle kind of joke (oh mil, you're not going on about that again are you! You are very interested in my boobs aren't you, hahaha only joking! PERVERSE? Oh that's hilarious! People do have some funny ideas don't they! Etc etc.) you might find this easier if you are a non-confrontational type. But please don't let them put you off - they've no right to do that.

[BeanoNoir]

You do what's right for you and your baby. It would be awful if you stopped due to pressure and then felt bad that it wasn't the right decision. I'd rather feel that I'd gone against my in laws than ignored what I feel is best for my baby.

NOT a judgement on continuing breastfeeding or not, a judgement about sticking to what you feel is right and best for the both of you.

[TooTabooToBoo]

"oh MIL, yes it used to be frowned upon to BF, back in the old days, but now we have much more information and tons of research has been done which categorically states that BF is better, nutritionally, than formula. I'm so pleased you want me to feed him 'proper milk' as that is what I'm already doing"

Make sure you talk to her like she's a 3 year old, she's clearly got the mental capacity of one insults 3 yo's

DS is 17 weeks, I currently get "are you still feeding him?" And "has he had any baby rice yet?" Fuckwits.

[TheRealFellatio]

Put you IL's completely out of the equation and forget about the people pleasing or worrying about what anyone else thinks, whether you carry on or give up. Seven months is plenty. If you feel ready to stop then stop. You don't need to justify it to anyone.

On the other hand if you are only thinking of stopping because you are concerned about issues with other people then don't stop - and learn to be more confident/assertive in doing what makes you happy and what feels right for you.

[Squitten]

Tell your DH that you are not going to ignore them and that HE needs to tell them to shut up about it otherwise you and the baby won't be seeing them anymore. Outrageous!

YABVU to give up BF just because of those idiots. Stand up for yourself!