I struggled so much with breastfeeding but am so glad i didn't stop.
Disclaimer: this is not meant as a smug breastfeeding post. I have no right to be smug (and like to think i wouldn't be anyway!) I tried to stop but my daughter had other ideas and refused a bottle. I had a horrible start to bf, tt, thrush, blocked ducts and nipples so sore chunks were falling off. I dreaded each feed and often ended in tears. I decided it was idiotic to keep going and switched to formula. Ha! No such luck, dd just wasn't having any of it and i was too knackered to struggle. Even with the pain breastfeeding was the lesser evil.
Anyway, fast forward to now and feeding is a breeze. No pain, nipples back to normal etc. the big benefit i hadn't read much about though is the analgesic property of breastmilk. My daughter is teething and a little ball of misery at times. Especially when she's tired but can't sleep for sore gums. She spits out calpol and gel only helps for about 5 mins but a good feed, lots of suckling etc and she is comforted and able to sleep.
I am SO glad I didn't/couldn't stop breastfeeding at 8 weeks. If i didn't have this way of comforting her it would be horrible. Maybe bottles work the same, but the studies on breastmilk as analgesic make me think they probably don't.
So, i thought i would post a tale of encouragement, god knows i could have done with one a couple of months ago!
P.s. any other teething tips welcome though!