Have had to stop BFing before I really wanted to and feeling very sad about it

[MadreInglese]

DS is 9.5m and has always been a boob monster, very happy to guzzle away, until just recently when he's had a load of teeth come through within a couple of months and as a result started chomping on me when feeding.

I tried everything from advice on here, kellymom, spoke to NCT BF counsellor, spoke to friends, but nothing I tried worked. He has bitten me now for about 3 weeks and the chomps are getting harder and hurting more so with a heavy heart yesterday I bought some formula milk . He wasn't getting enough milk from me anyway with all the gnashing and I was really not enjoying it any more!

He took it ok last night and again this morning (after a no-tears tantrum or two) but I feel really really sad about it today. He's spent most of the morning trying to pull my top down and DP had to feed him in the end. I know it's the right thing to do as I can't get him out of the biting habit and I just cannot cope with it any more but I'd kind of got it in my head that I'd feed him till at least 12m then finish when we both wanted to.

Please come and slap me round the chops with a wet kipper and tell me it's my hormones or something.........

Stopping BF is hard whenever you do it if that's any consolation. You'd probably be feeling equally sad in three months time.

Aw don't tell me that!

Or 3 years, why do people assume BF stops at one!

OP I'm really sorry to hear your problem, butting really hurts.

I was lucky DD2 got the message very quickly that if she bit I detached her and put her down on the floor.

However she never bit me, except as she fell asleep, when she was as old as your DS.

I would have liked to have made it to a year and then see how it went from there, I think I'm feeling so sad as the decision was kind of taken away from me IYKWIM.

Yes he clamped as he fell asleep, but he'd also started biting for a reaction, or out of boredom, or just for fun it seemed. We tried removing, reacting, not reacting, watching him closely, changing from four feeds a day to three, swapping sides, nipple shields, expressing and bottle feeding but he just chomped away. We were both in tears on many occasions which does not make for a nice bonding experience.

DD jokes he is like the baby from Lemony Snicket, he does like to gnaw on all sorts of things but not me any more!

I'm hoping once I start to feel the personal benefits of not BFing then I won't feel so sad (wearing nice bras and clothes again, being able to drink wine and eat spicy food, not being the sole feeder, etc).

Sorry - didn't mean to make you feel worse! I was just trying to say that your feelings are very normal and not necessarily all down to having to stop before you had planned to!

just kidding bramshott

I know I should be thankful that we even mastered BFing, so many people I know couldn't get to grips with it

Am going to be self indulgent tonight and go through my ironing pile for all the nice tops that I have't worn for months as they were too faffy for feeding access.

With a glass of wine.

Not sure if it's an option, but if you don't want to give up altogether, could you express for a bit and give him that in a bottle, then try again in a week or so? Maybe the habit would be broken?

That might not be possible, was just trying to think of something else as you genuinely don't seem to want to give up?

I stopped bfing my ds in similar circumstances and at pretty much the same age. He had no teeth, but was clamping down hard with his gums and then twisting his head. After me ending every feed for a week or so in tears from the pain I took the decision to stop.

I felt sad, but tried to look to the positive changes, like dh being able to do the whole of bedtime while I lazed on the sofa with a large glass of wine.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that its understandable that you feel sad, especially when you feel like the decision to stop was taken away from you.

I sympathise I felt very teary when I stopped breast feeding my 2nd at 7 months - tears would roll down my cheeks when I thought about feeding him for a few weeks afterwards. I didn't feel guilty, just really sad that feeding was over. Some other Mums suggested it was partly due to feel good breastfeeding hormones stopping - don't know if its true? If its any consolation I don't think he was upset or unsettled at all!!! Still the happiest most affectionate baby in the world! In fact, he was happy to have nice big feed before bed, as my problem was dwindling milk supply, I fed him from only one side for a month before decided to give him formula top up, and then he lost interest in boob altogether.

You've done brilliantly to feed for 9.5 months so don't forget to celebrate that, you're in the minority!

Ditto missdeelite - well done for getting to 9.5 months. You should be proud this and not forget your perseverance during those early months and again more recently. You haven't just stopped after one bite, you've educated yourself, tried to resolve but still no joy, so there really isn't any other option.

You have done all you can OP. It's just shit that the choice to stop has been taken away from you.

Have yourself a lovely glass of wine tonight to celebrate the end of an era and the start of getting your boobies back

Don't be sad, you've done brilliantly! Such an achievement to breastfeed that long, you should be feeling very proud and clapping yourself on the back!

Aw, you're all so lovely