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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask when you gave up breastfeeding?

244 replies

pestov · 27/07/2016 10:24

DD is rapidly approaching 6 months, and after 5 weeks of mixed feeding hell at the beginning thanks to a missed tongue tie, exclusively breastfed. I had always said before I had her that I'd do the 6 months breastfeeding, then switch to bottles, but am second guessing myself. When and why did you give up? Is there any point in moving to formula when breastfeeding is going so well?

OP posts:
skyedog · 30/07/2016 16:11

6 months with first as went back to work, although still did a morning and night feed. Had a year off with second one so he pretty much went to cows milk out of a cup not really any formula.

KeyserSophie · 30/07/2016 16:27

6 months with DS (although I was already mixed feeding)

1 year with DD. I probably would have stopped earlier if she hadn't exhibited signs of mild allergy to formula when I first tried mixed feeding at 2 months.

itshappenedagain · 30/07/2016 16:29

3 yrs with DS and 3yrs 2 months with dd.

Failingfasttonight · 30/07/2016 16:32

2 years and 3 years.

socktastic · 30/07/2016 16:39

5 weeks with ds. He was always very stressed and uncomfortable at the boob, which in turn made me stressed. I'm very well endowed in the chest so finding a comfy position for both of us was hard nearing on impossible.
I expressed as much as I could for him but his demand outstripped my supply and he took more and more formula until we made the decision just to call it a day on the expressing.
On another note, I do feel guilty for it as my HV kept banging on about how I'm not giving him the very best but when I looked at it, I gave him the very best for 5 weeks and he benefitted from that. Ended up telling her that myself!

captaincake · 30/07/2016 16:39

I moved to formula at 7 months partly because DS had lots of food allergies and it was hard to work out what the problem was so we moved to a hypoallergenic formula and his health improved. Also because I was misdiagnosed with severe postnatal depression and put on loads of medication I didn't fucking need want him having through my milk. I'll never forgive the dr's for that, if they hadn't done that it might have been easier to work out what he was reacting to. There's no way that I would have stopped breastfeeding if it weren't for those and I was, and still am, upset that those were the reasons.

Batmam · 30/07/2016 16:50

In my circle of friends people tend to see approaching 1 year as a good time to finish bfing not 6m. This often coincides with returning to work and also the biggie for me was that they can have cow's milk after 1yo so you don't have to bother so much with formula.

I stopped at 1yr with DC1 but was ready to stop at 10m with DC2. Just felt like it was time. Cut down really really gradually so they didn't really notice.

You shouldn't see it as 'giving up' though, but as the time you choose to stop breastfeeding.

bluelle · 30/07/2016 17:00

I find breastfeeding so hard. I didn't with my first, 2nd I managed 2.5 weeks and this baby, after a horrendous start I'm still going at nearly 10 weeks. My boobs are cumbersome and she's a small baby with a weeny mouth, it's got easier as she's grown and I can't bare to snip her hidden posterior tongue tie. I'm going to keep going until she gets teeth and see how I feel, if she's a biter I'll probably stop then.

WineIsMyMainVice · 30/07/2016 17:06

6 months first time, 3 months the second.
Massively struggled both times with tongue tie, supply issues etc so I mix fed all that time...

Scotmum83 · 30/07/2016 17:10

We stopped at 18 months. I'd say keep going as for us it got a lot easier from six months onwards. They start to drop feeds quickly with weaning, we were only feeding to sleep by the time I finished. do what's right for you though, well done for getting to 6 months.

belgina · 30/07/2016 17:12

You don't neeeed to switch. When pg with dc1 I always thought I would BF until 6m. I got to 6m, I found it easy, DS enjoyed it and I couldn't really see a point, as the health benefits continue and making bottles would be such a faff. So we continued and he self weaned at 18m in the end due to me being pg and losing my milk.
The next 3dcs all self weaned and I have BF children way older than I ever imagined I would. After DS I decided not to put an end date on it and to just play it by ear. As a result I BF dd1 for 2y, dd2 for 4.5y and 3.5yo dd3 is still BF.

hmmmm01 · 30/07/2016 17:16

Dc1 self weaned at 16m.
Dd2 self weaned at 20m.
Dd3 still going v strong at 23m. We will stop when DC is ready again.

Madmama10 · 30/07/2016 18:49

I mixed fed for for the first year before moving on to cows milk in a cup. If it works for you don't try to fix it. Do you need to bottle feed e.g. going back to work having extended time away from lo. If not don't bother bottle feeding is a faff if you don't need to.

crje · 30/07/2016 19:00

I weaned at 6 months, I'd planned on that length of time( I like plansGrin)
Between the pregnancy & bf I felt I'dlike to return to normal at that stage.
I was conflicted on my last as it was so easy but I stuck to my plan.
I'm glad to be done with that stage of my life.
It's no bad thing to suit yourself & your needs.

Idliketobeabutterfly · 30/07/2016 19:37

4 months. Until then I was combo feeding but he refused the breast at that age. I was pretty upset and would have probably done extended until two or three.

tellmeofthetime · 30/07/2016 19:50

6 months - he had teeth top and bottom and bit me a few times
2 years - she flatly refused bottles or formula
6 weeks - I had to return to work at 10 weeks and was scared of above
10 weeks - went back to work, she had enough expressed to last her to 4 months of age
10 weeks - back to work, fed her morning, teatime and evening for a month then she started to refuse
I would have breastfed forever and a day but this was before extended mat leave came in. I still dream about bfeeding and my youngest is now 21 !

PatMustardsBigTool · 30/07/2016 19:50

DD hasn't had it for 2 weeks now. She's almost 3. She's been tailing off since April so it's been a gradual weaning on her part. I thought she'd go on forever she was such a milk monster!

As others have said, it's a personal thing and you must do what feels right for you and your child.

Airandmungbeans · 30/07/2016 21:24

18 days for DS1, he had a terrible birth, bad latch and CMPI. I had bleeding nipples, mastitis three times in as many weeks and some very bad advice from the health visitor and midwives. I'm amazed I didn't give in sooner.

Still going strong with DS2 though, we've just hit 2 years 2 months and I can't see him giving it up any time soon.

mumnosbest · 30/07/2016 22:00

1yr with my first because I felt pressure to stop from family and DH and out in public. With my younger 2 I went on untill just over 2 and 3yrs because it felt right and I was much more confident. I didn't really want to go much beyond 3 due to DD starting nursery.

Shelleymoon · 30/07/2016 22:23

DS1 self weaned at 16 months. Eight weeks before his brother was born!
DS2 until he was about 2 and a half and DS3 until he went to school at four. Grin

RubyGoat · 30/07/2016 22:30

4.5 months. The second tooth arrived & DD used to use me as a teething toy. Unpleasant with the first tooth, but that was only gums. When the second tooth came through, the first tooth was nearly fully erupted & she frequently drew blood - my nipples are still scarred nearly 4 years later. Absolutely gutted as I'd wanted to go a lot longer, hated the smell of formula, & we were stony broke so couldn't afford to buy it anyway.

Florrieboo · 30/07/2016 22:32

I haven't stopped yet and she is 4.5 years old. The ball is in her court, she will stop when she is ready.

BillyNotQuiteNoMates · 30/07/2016 22:40

I don't think there's any right or wrong answer, breastfeed for as long as it works for you.
I hated it, first time round. I promised myself that I would feed for 3 months, I did and celebrated when the 3 months was up (at the time, that was the recommended guideline)
Second time around, I hated it! Goalposts had moved, now recommended for 4 months, 4 months to the day, I was celebrating!
Third time round, I was more comfortable with it, I fed for 9 months, gave up when I became pregnant again
Fourth time round, I loved it, lasted a year
Fifth time round, I loved it, but gave up at 11 months after going back to work.

My2favboys · 30/07/2016 22:42

ha this sounds like me first time round, I'll do 3 months, maybe 6 months, okay will stop once I start work, ended up feeding my first til past 1 and currently feeding my 9 month. If it suits you and the baby keep going

Winemamma · 30/07/2016 22:48

Did mixed feeding with both children for the majority of breast feeding. Stopped at 6 months with the first and 3 months with the 2nd. Hate the smugness and judgment of (some) other mums who have exclusively breastfed for long periods of time. You do what you feel is right for you and your baby and that is the healthiest way forward all day long!!