Refusing bottles, Stopping BF , put ting on weight?

[mummysmadhouse]

Strange question i know, but after my first the midwife told me once bf is established you can pretty much eat what you want and still not gain weight.

I only feed for 8wk with my first and 8mth with 2nd and am still feeding ds now (10mth)

And i have to say i eat so much and think i am the slimest ive been...which is nice

I also LOVE bf but i am feeling a bit tied down as i would occasionally like to go out without worrying...for example i have a spa trip planned with some friends and will be gone over night and also want to start a dance class on a monday evening at 6pm (ds's last feed time)

I ideally dont want to stop feeding as i enjoy it and also the added bonus of no weight gain is good too hehe...but mostly i just love the bond we have but ive tried and ds will not take a bottle at all! So wonder if my only way to get a bit of freedom is too go cold turley and stop bfing??

Perfect senario would be to bf mostly but him accept a bottle when im out...just cant see it happening without it being a regulat thing

Sounds like the midwife has misunderstood something.

The research on this indicates that the famous 'weight loss if you breastfeed' is more likely to happen if you breastfeed for six months - women who do so are more likely to be back to their pre-pg weight by a year than women who do not bf or who do not bf for as long.

Do you think this is what she meant? Individual experience varies hugely, anyway.

A baby of 10 mths can be left occasionally - no need to stop bf to get a bit of freedom! He's on solids, he can take a cup, and on the evenings you are out at your dance class he can learn to manage when you and the bf are not there - honestly, plenty of women (inc me) have done this, and older babies/toddlers just understand and get used to it. They know (because they have memory and understanding) that you go away but you come back again; they understand that dad can't bf so they get a cup when they're with him; they can even go a night without breastfeeds as long as dad is prepared to do cuddling and comforting with a drink in the night.

Hope this helps!

Thanks..i know bfing is suppose to get you back to pre preg weight but she also said that, 'you'll never need a gym again and can eat whatever you want' Which i do and am quite amazed that i feel my body is better post baby might need to start altering my eating habits though as im sure it wont last.

Maybe just running around after 3 4 and under is the real reason.

I do leave him in the day sometimes and he has to make do but he wont even drink water from a cup!

He still feeds in the night too!! Would be good if he took a bottle so i knew he had at least a bedtime feed if im out.

Esp as im sure he would nto be a happy baby without

'not'

I think the midwife is overstating things somewhat.....:)

There's a bit of a flawed logic in your reasoning about your baby's need for bf, though, mummysmadhouse - your baby loves you and wants you and needs you at night. You happen to come as a package deal with his very favourite type of drink and cuddle, too. What bliss for him :)

Now, giving him a different drink is not going to stop any of that need for you, for love and comfort, and magically prevent him missing you. Stopping breastfeeding will not make him any happier.

You may need to work on his acceptance of you not being there - gradually working up to it, perhaps - and then when you do come back to him, he can breastfeed as a lovely way to say 'hi' and 'good to see you' - if you have stopped bf, it's a bit of a double whammy....

I have put on a stone while breastfeeding for 6 months That's a stone since my baby was born.

I've put on weight since DD's birth too. Hope it goes!

My DD was in SCBU for a month. When she came out I was pretty much back to my pre pregnancy weight. Since she came home I've put on half a stone despite bf so I think you're very lucky mummysmadhouse

Agree with tiktok, sounds like you are both enjoying Bfing and it would be a shame to stop completely.