Weaning onto formula at 11 weeks

[WillSingForCake]

Hi

I have been breastfeeding my DD who is now 11 weeks. She has one bottle of formula a day at 11pm, which we've done since she was 6 weeks old.

However I've been struck hard with PND, which is destroying me. I've been on a mild dose of antidepressants for a month, but am still feeling terrible & have such crippling insomnia that I haven't slept at all for the past few nights. I am therefore going to take stronger antidepressants which have a sedative effect, and its with a very heavy heart I'm going to stop breastfeeding as these drugs pass into the milk.

I want to start taking them asap, as am in such a state. I know the best way to wean to a bottle is to drop a feed every few days, but will it cause problems for my DD if I go cold-turkey? I know I'd have to express a bit to prevent mastitis etc, but more worried about her than me, and whether this would cause her harm?

Thanks for your help.

I'm sorry I cant help more, but if you would prefer to keep BF, have you tried ringing the BFN drugs helpline for advice about antidepressants and other meds while BF? You may be able to continue BF on the new meds or there may be a similar alternative?

Sorry if you've already tried this.

There are plenty of anti-depressants that you can take with out stopping bfing, I take 150mg of Sertraline a day and have bf on that particular drug (differing doses) for nearly 5 years. Which medication have you been prescribed if I may be so rude?

In fact bfing (when going well) has a mild protective effect against PND - it doesn't guarantee that you won't have it or will have it to a lesser degree though. Also exclusive bfing changes the type of sleep experienced so that the restorative/healing sleep phase 'slow wave sleep' is increased which means when you do sleep it is better for you. I have seen Kathy Kendall Tackett (a researcher into bfing & sleep/pnd) speak and have a copy of an article she has written on the effects of bfing on sleep & pnd but it's a bit large so would need to email it to you if you were interested?

There is lots of other information on bfing/depression here. It's quite academic and dry but very interesting reading for me as I have had PND/PND-OCD.

Obviously, you don't have to exclusively bf or indeed bf at all if you don't want to but stopping bfing won't necessarily help the PND, though it does make the Doctors lives easier if you do.

Hope what ever you decide you get love, support and care from those around you. All the best

Not got any advice on the anti depressants etc - but I was expressing B milk for all DDs feeds due to feeding problems and during a growth spurt my supply dropped off the scale. I literally went from giving DD 4 BM and 1 F feed to 4FFs and 1BM in a matter of 2 days - I saw no negative effects. Her poo changed for a few days (stiffer) and then settled down. So I think it can be done and wont have any adverse effects although someone may come along and tell me that what I did was risky. But I had no choice - the milk wasnt there. Do what you have to do, and I understand the sadness if you do decide to stop BF - broke my heart. But I could see her thriving once we switched and thats what matters. All the best and I hope for your sake that you get something sorted soon.

I just stopped. Yes you will probably get painful boobs for a while but it won't hurt you daughter one bit.

Hope you start feeling the benefits soon.

I've stopped breastfeeding due to similar reasons & have gone down the cold turkey route for 3 days now. My breasts hurt & ache incredibly (have given up expressing, as found it just too depressing), but my 4 week old is doing magnificently & loving her aptamil. Biggest problem is figuring out how much to give & when, & she has a touch of colic, but this is all dealable with. Helps that dad can give the odd feed too, which gives me a chance to catch my breath.

Good luck & don't feel guilty about any of this - the most important thing is that baby has a happy mum.