Just stopped b/f after 14 months - thank you!

[WestYorkshireGirl]

I have just stopped b/f my DD after 14 months . I can't believe we made it so far!

My DD didn't make it onto the bottom centile of the growth chart until she was nearly 4 months and I had all sorts of hassle to top her up with formula, but I stood my ground (even when told I had to eat more so she would put on weight!) We saw all sorts of people - GPs, HVs, B/f consultants, but all concluded she was fine. I got Thrush 5 times with an excema type skin rash and so did she, but we got rid of it eventually. I had some of the common problems in the early stages, but was able to access support at my local Baby Cafe and through my midwife.

I have stopped due to discomfort from her teeth (not biting, but just where they seemed to rest on my breast and was getting puncture wounds). She was only feeding at night before bed and is happy to have a beaker of cow's milk, story and cuddle.

I worried about so many things whilst b/f - was she getting enough milk, was I doing it right, how long would be able to carry on and sometimes nearly drove myself mad! I wanted to stop on many occasions (usually in the middle of the night!), but my DH encouraged me and said just give it another day and see how you feel. I posted on MN lots about all sorts of things from expressing to Thrush remedies to b/f positions.

Lots of strangers took the time to help me and I don't think I'd have got so far without their kindness so I just wanted to say thank you . What a great place MN is!

Well done you!

Congratulations! Well done, brilliant story :)

Fantastic story. I'm also encouraged that your LO was able to make the transition for night time feed without problems. My DS is 8.5 months, and not considering giving up yet, but one day we will. Well done, BF is a journey that you both go on together and sometimes it's really hard. I sympathise I've had a recurring blocked duct, as well as all the early problems like sucking blisters from bad latch etc but taking one day at a time like you did got us to here, and the majority of the time it has been the most wonderful experience.

Such a positive story. Well done for bf'ing for so long!

What a lovely story. I'm bfing DD 8.5 months too, and have got this far down to mn and my local bfing group.

Having mn gives you confidence. I hope to feed at least as long as you.

Congrats! You should be really proud of yourself OP. have yourself a large (because you can)!

westyorkshiregirl- i would really appreciate your advice? Did you have to stop feeding and express for a while. as have been in agony with nipples and currently being treated for thrush unsure whether this is trauma or thrush or eczema type prob. am currently expressing and having to top up which I find upsetting topping up but i have no choice? Please let me know

Well done

Thanks everyone
Nelly I think the transition was easy because we did it in stages. She had 4 feeds a day before Christmas when she was 11mo (first and last thing and mid morning and afternoon), but she was eating very well by then. HVs said I should replace the morn and aft feeds with snacks which I eventually did, but I still offered her the breast and she would have it. One day I had to do a full day in work before I went back in Jan so the day before didn't offer her the breast and she didn't look for it so I obviously didn't feed her the day I was in work and as she was fine I just dropped them then as I knew I'd have to stop day feeds before I went back anyway. I carried on with first and last thing feeds until as I said she cut 4 new teeth at the top and introduced the Tommee Tippee of beaker. I did it in the same place as she'd had her milk e.g. in the morning after her nappy had been done, but in the bed with us having a cuddle and in the eve in the rocking chair as I had always done. I did sometimes do a story when she was b/f, but it would often be a rush and she'd usually nod off after her feed she we often didn't do it. I've made the milk, stories and song a feature of every bedtime for the last 2 weeks and I think it helps.

Gelsa I'm sorry to hear about your problems - it's no fun at all. If it's any help this is what I did to treat my Thrush (with advice from my GP and a Lactation Consultant from the baby cafe):

My DD was about 4 weeks I think and after seeing GP who offered me canesten cream and Nystatin for DD which didn't work, another GP didn't hesitate in prescribing Fluconazole (high loading dose) as being the most effective way to treat Thrush. I stopped feeding from the affected breast for a week and expressed as it was extremely painful, but was able to restart feeding ok.

I later got Thrush another 4 times up to when my DD was about 6 months. The last 2 times I took lower doses of Fluconazole for 2 weeks to finally shift it and took various other natural supplements and actions to deal with it which were in a really useful LLL leaflet www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/product/264/treating_thrush_-_pack_of_20_folded_a3_sheets/default.aspx and the advice of a Lactation Consultant.

In summary what I did:

• Wash everything that comes into contact with breasts and baby dribble at at least 50 degrees (I washed everything at this)
• Changed my bra every day (and only wore cotton ones)
• Stopped wearing breast pads entirely and ensured breasts/nipples stayed as dry as possible
• Hand washing for me and baby
• Separate towels from rest of family
• New toothbrush and to be kept separate from DH's
• Stopped expressing milk entirely and never re-started, threw away stored milk
• Limited sugar and other refined carbohydrates as much as possible (but I too craved sweet things so had them if I really fancied them)
• Tried to see if any foods made it worse (e.g. yeasty things) but didn't see a pattern
• Tried Nystatin for DD, but Daktarin gel worked better - used to put it on my finger and let her suck it for a while.

• Nutritional supplements I tried (from the LLL leaflet):

*Probiotic tablet (Lactobacillus acidophilus) according to packet instructions (mine were 3 x per day) and for 2 weeks after symptoms have cleared. Got from Boots. Also a daily small carton of Actimel and lots of natural yoghurt.

• Grapefruit seed extract (Citricidal) via Higher Nature website - warning - tastes FOUL even in juice, 5-15 drops in 150ml water 2-5 times per day. I think you might be able to get tablets?
• Zinc acetate or zinc gluconate - 45 mg daily via Higher Nature website (I got tablets).
• B Vitamins - 100mg daily of each ( I took a B vitamin complex with them all in) from Boots.

Higher Nature are really good and have advisers you can talk to. I also got vaginal thrush the last time and bought a probiotic suppository from them which helped.
I had a few problems if I mentioned I was b/f as some of these were on their lists of things you shouldn't take (even though there is research they work!)

Things I didn't do but were suggested:

• Throw away old make up
• Use sterilising fluid to clean toys and dummies (she was so little at this point, she didn't really put anything in her mouth and she didn't use a dummy)
• Consultant also recommended DH be given Fluconazole as he could have it too and might have passed it back on his hands etc, but we didn't get to this point.
• Using Gentian Violet, but I couldn't seem to find it in the UK (A MNetter later told me she got some via Ebay) www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-UGV

Another useful leaflet www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/BfN_Thrush_leaflet_Feb_2009.pdf.

When I got Thrush the last time and it just wouldn't go away I saw an out of hours GP and he said it looked like excema around the nipple (dry, red and broken skin) and that Thrush could have got in there. He suggested Diprobase cream which you can get over the counter at pharmacies (it was fine to use b/f) and after about a month combined with the lower dose of Fluconazole, It finally went.

In my experience you need to see people who know what they are talking about and be persistent- do you have a baby cafe or breastfeeding clinic you can go to? I did express for a while, but as the excema started soon after expressing I didn't like to go back to it in case it was a contributory factor for me.

I hope you can get it sorted soon.