Breastfeeding past 6 months

[dearbagpuss]

My dd is 5 months now and i always thought if i made it to 6 months breastfeeding I would be really pleased. If I'm honest I've found it hard and wonder if I'd feel more rested as partner could do some weekend night shifts. I would like to hear the pros and cons of continuing breastfeeding or switching to formula? Currently she is waking every 2 hours at night and part of me hopes that she would sleep more although i feel selfish for thinking this. I know that they need more vitamins/iron at 6 months anyway. I'm really asking for honest answers from both sides: the benefits and drawbacks of continuing/ switching please so i can make an informed decision. Are there really the same benefits for health post 6 months? She does love it and part of me would miss the long cuddles too. You can see I'm undecided! Thank you.

Hi dearbagpuss

Well done for feeding for 5 months, thats brilliant.

You have been given loads of brilliant info from organic...I dont have much to add, other than to say that I agree with others that it gets much easier as time goes on. In the early months it can feel as though all you do is feed all day long, but often mums see a difference after solids are introduced. My DD was still really keen on her breastfeeds after weaning but it wasn't so relentless and I started to notice bigger gaps in feeds around 7/8 months. I wasn't really sure how long I would breastfeed for. I just thought I'd give it a go...21 months on and my DD is breastfed mornings and bedtime if she wants it.

Breastfeeding can be really tiring compared to formula feeding because you dont have the luxury of giving your DC to your partner/family member with a stash of bottles. I just feel that the benefits outweigh the lack of sleep. I just kept telling myself that it wouldnt last forever and that its actually not normal for tiny babies to sleep all night. When I was really struggling with tiredness I would express enough for my DH to give my DD a bottle of breastmilk on a Saturday or Sunday morning (when he was off work)...I still got up during the night but sometimes managed to get a solid sleep from 5am until 10/11am...I felt AMAZING!!! I only did this a handful of times but it was enough to keep me sane.

Being up every 2 hours is really hard - is your DD feeding enough in the daytime?

Agree with organic that your DD is too young to consider proper sleep training. I do, however, recommend Elizabeth Pantley's "No cry sleep solutions" - we used some of her ideas around the 9 month mark and found them to be great. Another good suggestion is to let your OH try to settle your DD if you think that it is comfort she needs rather than a feed during the night...this never worked for my DD because she wanted the comfort of my breast, but I know that it has worked for other mums providing their babies are full and just looking for a cuddle.

Agree with all of this and I couldn't put it better than Beveridge. BFing works for me on health, practical, financial, time and emotional grounds. And it gets them back to sleep at night quickly. I can't remember exactly when it got easier but it did - it was quicker (if not less frequent) and we are all better at it. I felt a bit isolated at 6 months as lots of people stopped then but I don't notice it now.

Hi Harverina, thanks for the reply. DD is very distracted in the day and prefers to play! She does cluster feed in the evening and i give her a feed at 11pm which last night lasted on and off until 2am with her falling asleep and then waking crying. She was then up every hour repeating this until about 7- 8 am when she managed a stretch of sleep. Just feeling down tonight as I feel she'll never sleep for a reasonable stretch again.

I will read up on your suggested reading, thank you all again. It's reassuring to hear from all your experiences.

Thank you all from me too. Useful thread OP!

Hi dbp sorry you had another rubbish night. If your dd isn't really feeding during the day she will keep waking up during the night. HAve you tried replicating night feeds during the day?...dark room, lying down etc?

Thank you Harverina, am trying that today. I will try and feedback!

How are things?

smile I agree, great thread, really useful advice, thank you all. My DS is just over 6 months, i'm still ebf, but seems very few others are, it's pleasing to hear some really positive stories!

Hi Harverina, I'm well thank you, DD still feeding through the night (every two hours) but I've just accepted that co-sleeping is the only way I can cope with it at the moment. We're attempting a few spoons of puree a day and hopefully on to some more substantial solids soon!

She does settle so quickly after a feed (literally rolls off happily back to sleep) so I feel lucky in that respect... But nagging doubts enter my mind about whether she'll ever settle on her own. For now though, much happier and cosier!

I'm glad I am still bf tho as it's too damn cold to get out of bed at night!

I have tried feeding with no distractions in a quiet room too which is helping in the day just a bit dull for me! I will start to get DP to settle DD when she's taking more solids. I'm a bit of those with babies that sleep through but don't want to wish this time away.