Have stopped BFing DD (22months old) two days ago. Not sure if I feel happy or sad, is it normal?

[Mareta]

Last Tuesday I had to go to the doctors with a terrible pain on my breast. As I was expecting I heard the terrible word MASTITIS, again!!!!

That night I decided that I have had enough and that I wanted to stop breastfeeding her. At the beginning of the year I had this terrible need to regaing control of my body, my breast are mine . But for the last few months after reducing the feeds down to one that feeling dissapeared.

I have to say that stopping has been much easier than I was expecting. She asked for her milk and I told her that big girls like her didn't need mum's milk anymore and she accepted it very well. Last night she didn't even ask for it. However she has been asking the whole day for it and she has even asked me to breastfeed her dollys. Is this normal? Will it last? Have I done anything wrong? In a way I think it is lovely that she wants to BF her dollys.

One part of me is happy but the other feels guilty for stopping. When I started, I never imagined I would have been BFing her for so long. I never put a date to stop. Now I feel like if I am being selfish and not considering what she likes. She eats as much as an adult person. She eats the whole day so I am not sure if in reality she needs it any more. I have to say also that for the last month she has missed 3 BF because she was so tired when she went to bed that she didn't ask for it (don't offer don't refuse).

I am not sure if I am making any sense. I guess I just needed to write it down and realised that this is the end of the most beautiful thing I have done in my life. I think I am going to miss it. At least I will miss those moments when we were both cuddling and looking at each other with all our love. I guess I will need to find other things to have the same contact with her.

Anyway it is the end of something but hopefully the beginning of something else. Thanks to all the mums that in the last 2 years have helped me with their experience in the most difficult times. I guess without all of you I would have never arrived where we are now.

Thanks.......

I don't think you have done anything wrong. You should carry on for as long as you BOTH want to. She has had so much good stuff from you, congrats.

No experience here (ds is 10 months and doesn't like solid food, I'll probably be turning up at primary school to feed him...) but I expect its normal to feel mixed emotions. Sounds like you just needed to let it out.

I gave up BFing DS (26 mo) a couple of weeks ago and I feel the same as you. I was away for a week from him then I decided to not feed him again when I got back. He really was good about it though I am still feeling sad that it's an end of an era.

I think we both did so well and you should be proud of your achievement.

Thank you very much for your comments. I guess that at some point it had to end . I jut couldn't cope with mastitis again I think it has been the worse thing about breastfeeding.

Thanks again