Feeling quite sad about our breastfeeding relationship

[frankieb70s]

Hello,
I am new here.
I have ebf until 19 weeks when I started to give very small amounts of rice and puree to my now 28 week old baby.
He has always been clingy and fed as much as hourly or on demand, same through the night. But now he eats much more I have found that he doesn't need as much milk and feeds less in the day (not at night though).
I know bf is very demanding but I love it so much that this decline in feeds has left me feeling quite sad, like I miss being as close to him as often (which is silly as we are always close and he still feeds quite a bit).
I think I'm worrying that he will reject my milk completely, I want to feed him until he's around 2 years old.
Are these feelings normal? Does/did anyone else get these feelings?
I'm not very upset over this just a bit sulky.
:)

I would imagine they're normal feelings to have, I'm only 12 weeks in with EBFing my DD and I'm already sad that one day she'll want solids more than she wants booby milk. I always thought I'd just feed to a year (providing I was successful) to avoid the need for formula but I'm already feeling like I'll want to continue past then, it's such a special experience and I'm really loving it (of course, she doesn't have teeth yet :))

The feelings you are describing are very normal. It is one of many small steps in separation as your baby grows up. Bear in mind your hormones will be changing too as you produce less milk and many MNetters report feeling emotional as a result.
Welcome to MN BTW.

Normal feelings, but even if you do stop breastfeeding (and as long as your DS keeps taking milk, your breasts will keep producing so no reason to stop if you both keep going!) you should be massively proud of feeding for this long. Not many people manage to, so don't let your sadness distract from how well you've done!

My dd self weaned at 11 monhts after she discovered she could drink from a cup. I felt the same it was too soon for me.

But i got over it and I dont even think about it now.

Totaly normal espicaly as you are no longer your baby's only source of nurtitian.

I think if your goal is to feed untill 2years it maybe worth you reading about extended feeding and natrual term weaning. Some of the things we do in the west can encourage early weaning without us meaning to.

Remeber that milk is still his main source of nurtitian and should be untill at lest 12months. So don't overdo it on the solids.

There is some good info hear kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-how/
kellymom.com/bf/normal/babyselfwean/

I can relate to your post Frankie.

Dd is nearly 8 months and she's eased up on day time feeds a little (not night time ones though ) and I'm dread the day she stops. I have convinced myself it'll be fine and will come to a natural end, so in the mean time, just keep enjoying it.

I was feeling a bit crackers about exactly the same thing. While I'm loving seeing DS explore new tastes and textures, it is bittersweet because it marks a change in our lovely BF relationship. Glad to see others feel it too, and it's not just me being a control freak and wanting DS to be reliant on me only and never leave me not ever

Thanks for the welcome :)

Of course I hadn't considered the hormones. Bf makes me feel good.

My boy doesn't have teeth yet either, so not looking forward to that lol.

I'm just feeding three times a day until he's signals that he's full, so meals can vary. It's hard to know how much milk he's getting though.

Thank you all, I feel a bit more 'normal' about it now.

Useful links, thanks.

Feeding less does not mean that stopping feeding at all will follow soon.

Lots of people continue feeding twice a day way into toddlerhood and beyond.

DD2 was weaned early, on medical advice, because she feed continuously without putting on weight.

Reducing her incessant demands and giving me a rest from feeding allowed my body chance to make more milk.

We came to a much more sustainable pattern of BFing.

Eventually by nursery she feed twice a day morning and evening, then evenings only except at weekends.

Eventually we both agreed it was time she stopped, but she was way past school age by then.

Wow startail, you fed for a long time, this is what I'm hoping for to feed as long as I can get away with. I say 2 years as anything longer than this can seem odd to some.
What age did she go to nursery? I'm going back when he's 10 and a half months and am worried my supply will be ruined and he won't get enough milk.