How did you feel when you stopped breast feeding your last child?

[neolara]

I didn't feed my dd tonight and I think I probably won't feed her again. She is baby 3 and there won't be any more. I feel sad and a little bit teary. Silly.

I felt sad for a while...I actually gave her one last feed after 4 or 5 days when I was in a lot of pain and engorgement wasn't going down. Mumsnet advised me. I did. It was lovely! (Partly cos was such a relief too) And it worked, no more engorgement...that was the last one, and will always remember it.

Feel sad. It is sad! If you loved it and enjoyed it. But give plenty of cuddles to compensate.

Why are you choosing to stop if you're sad? How old is she?

She's 14 months now so we've had a good run. I don't know really why I'm stopping now, I guess is just feels like it's the right time. She's a walking, talking toddler now.

A bit mixed IIRC. I was back at work so only doing first and last feeds but had to go on medication so stopped abruptly.

DS was 7 mo, wasn't sleeping through so I was too knackered for the significance to register for quite a while.

Worked out ok and still have the saggy boobs battle scars to remind me

Its not silly to feel sad at all. I stopped bfing DD about 6 months ago. She had a chest infection a couple of weeks ago and kept asking for it all the time. Now that's sad to know that your child was never ill when being bf and now wants it for comfort and you can't give it.

Congratulations loopy.

Neo DS2 is our last and he is 22 months I've no plans to give up yet but the inevitable wind down is happening he has 2-3 feeds a day (though asks for more) and just knowing that within the next year he will probably stop makes me sad. I think its not just the thought of stopping BFing its also the thought of this childbearing nurturing part of my life being over.

In consolation well done, you've done such a great thing for your three lucky kids.

Stopped feeding my third and last just over a month ago. He was 2yrs and 8months. I have been surprisingly ok, not least because in general I feel my child bearing is done. But also he was the only one of mine I felt to have properly self-weaned. And by the time he did I clocked up 5 years of bfing over 3 children, so it felt enough.

But I can see how people feel sad about it, and it was bittersweet when I stopped feeding both my dds.

I am currently BFing DS4, never really liked BFing any of them and the longest I have managed was 14 months with DS3. I am aiming to feed again to about a year and I am very likely to feel relieved when I stop (well, I've always felt relieved with the others).

And yet....

I already know I am going to be sad as well. Last baby, end of an era and all that.

So, just allow yourself to feel sad - and then move on. Your relationship will change, not necessarily better or worse, just different.
Or, of couse, as other have said, carry on feeding ...

Utter relief tbh.

Or is that udder relief maisie?

Moooooooooo

Certainly felt like that at times!

Relieved mostly cause I'd had enough and was wondering whether to stop. But he made the decision for me!

But a little bit cross cause it meant I didn't manage to get to 2 years with either of them DD stopped at 18 and a half months and DS 20 and a half.

It isn't silly at all to feel sad. I am sure I will be - I was when I thought DS was stopping and he is only my first, so I do expect to feed more.

I felt satisfied that the job was completed. Dd2 self-weaned at about 2.5 years. And then I hit the caffeine and alcohol. Weeeeee!

I think woman need support when they are breastfeeding and also lots of support when they decide to stop. I decided to stop feeding my baby about Two weeks ago at Four and a half months and what a roller coaster of emotions it was. I felt guilty, sad, tearfull uncomfortable and was constantly questioning whether i was doing the right thing! I kept thinking this is my last baby and i will never experience this again. However my little man was very demanding and i felt like i was constantly getting them out all over the place ! I have an extremelly highly active Three year old as well and unfortunately breastfeeding was just becoming to much. I know deep down that my baby has had the best start and the negative feelings are going now but as with so many things when your a mum its been hard but at least i can have a large glass of wine now !

I am currently BF my last DC. He is nearing 18 months. I keep giving myself a deadline to stop and then missing it... so not sure how or when it will happen!

You're not silly. I've not fininshed feeding my dc3 yet but already feel sad that BF will be behind me in the not too distant future.

You're definitely not silly to feel sad...I do just thinking about it and haven't stopped feeding ds2 yet. He's 16 months and I never intended to keep going this long but I can't bear the thought that I'll never do it again! Ds1 lost interest at about 10 months after i started mixed feeding and I was very sad.

Relieved, if I'm perfectly honest.