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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Don't know how I feel about this....

12 replies

bobblehead · 23/04/2006 14:55

Sorry, I know this is probably going to be a bit of a ramble!

Dd is nearly 11 months and over the last month I have been cutting back a lot on breastfeeding, mainly as we want to start ttc #2 and no af yet, but also as her 2 hourly night wakings were exhausting. Things have gone pretty well and I was down to about 3 feeds a day, which she really only wanted for comfort at nap/bed time. However last couple of days she has been quite happy to go to sleep after having a bottle and a cuddle. I have fed just twice in the last 48hrs and I really don't know what to feel- I am a mix of incredibly sad, as in an ideal world I would have breastfed for 2 years or so (but I am sooo broody I can't wait that long!), happy that I could become fertile soon, proud that my little girl has taken this step of independence and upset that she doesn't "need" me anymore! I go on holiday in a couple of weeks so know I will keep offering the odd feed as it will make thing easier, but I never expected this range of emotions at her new take-it-or-leave-it attitude!
Would love to hear other people's experiences of how they felt about weaning-please tell me I'm not alone in feeling so confused about it all!

OP posts:
suzywong · 23/04/2006 15:00

harpsichordcarrier will come on and see this soon and she tandem feed all the way through her second pg. Or so she says.

harpsichordcarrier · 23/04/2006 15:11

hi there
as Suzy says I have taken the no weaning route Smile
I got pregnant while still breastfeeding dd1 - like you at nap time/bed time and in the morning. I bf all the way through my pg and still feeding now - a three year old and five month old. It is certainly possible and very enjoyable.
I have found bf incredibly useful on so many occasions, esp on holiday and when dd1 is ill or off her food.
I don;t know the stats for ttc when bf. I would think that a small amount of bf is unlikely to inhibit ovulation but I am not expert.

Original poster
bobblehead · 23/04/2006 15:14

At what point did af return for you, if you don't mind me asking?

OP posts:
redstarfalling · 23/04/2006 19:52

BBH Completely empathise with you. Although I stated dd on formula at 5.5 months and stopped morning and night bf a lot sooner than you at 7.5 months, I have never felt so sad. Now ds is 7.5 months I know I will stop his morning and night bf's soon too and its already breaking my heart just thinking about it. That's said as ds is my last, I might still be on these threads at 2 years feeling miserable 'cos he's self weaned Grin

moondog · 23/04/2006 20:00

Bobble,my dd fed for 30 mths and despite being an avid (if not exactly anatural) b/feeder was very glad.
My ds self weaned at 11mths which really took me by surprise and did make me feel sad.
He is now 21 mths and has forgotten all about it.No rooting for the boob ever and hasn't since that time.
When I cuddle him,I often think that at this age,hissister was feeding happily.
It's a funny thing isn't it? I put it down to the fact that motherhood invariably involves feeling guilty about something. Grin

suzi2 · 23/04/2006 20:02

DS (8.5 months) has cut back on his feeding a lot and sees it as a means to an end. He doesn't do it for comfort anymore at all and doesn't even feed before bed. I'm worried as I'm not sure that I'm ready to stop feeding him! All I thought about for the first 3 months was quitting. After that I would think "I'll get to six months and then get my body (crap though it is Smile) back." But now i jsut want to feed him and cuddle. I wish I had appreciated those early weeks of endless suckling Sad.

BTW, my AF returned last week. I got a phantom AF exactly a month before which coincided with DS dropping from 5 to 3 feeds.

happypiglet · 23/04/2006 21:10

Its hard. I bf ds1 until around 7 months cos like you I wanted a second and wasn't ovulating. I still remember sitting with him feeding for the last time crying buckets.

But then I got pregnant and it all stopped hurting so much. Plus in some ways it was liberating to be able to leave ds1 for a weekend/ night without having to express/ have Jordan boobs.

However ds2 is now 8 months old and he is still fully bf - he is likely to be the last and I think stopping bf him will be even harder.....

Original poster
bobblehead · 23/04/2006 21:34

Thanks for the replies everyone, glad to know I'm not alone feeling this waySmile. Thought I would look forward to some nice new bras, but I'll actually miss my ratty old nursers, they were just so comfyGrin

OP posts:
CKMUM · 24/04/2006 14:51

I am tandem feeding my 2 girls, one is 2 years and 3 months, one is 14 months. I was exclusively breastfeeding and my periods started after 7 weeks and I got pregnant very quickly. This time, periods returned at 10 weeks.

I am exhausted and the eldest wakes up and feeds back to sleep about 6 - 8 times in the night; the youngest only breastfeeds when hungry or thirsty, not for comfort but has never taken a bottle or cup so i feel quite tied down. I am trying to reduce the feeds for my eldest but at the same time, will be heartbroken if she stops feeding completely.

I originally intended to feed for a year, then 2 and at 20 months she was no llonger interested in feeding and i was upset thinking she wouldn't still be feeding at 2 but now she feeds more than ever.

So I know what you mean about the mixed feelings

Harpsichordcarrier · 24/04/2006 14:55

hi there
my periods came back around 8 months last time iirc, probably around the time dd1 started cutting back onto two/three feeds a day. btw I got pregnant within 2 months of ttc.
Before I started tandem feeding, I was feeding from one side only. I also went away for the weekend on three occasions without dd1 and didn't have to express or suffer any engorgement Smile so it is possible.

Original poster
bobblehead · 24/04/2006 17:16

Thanks HC. So your supply is still there even if you miss a couple of days? That would be ideal as I think dd can take it or leave it now and would in fact rather have a cup/bottle during the day so she can drink and move at the same time and see whats going on. Think I'll be ok about this if we can still feed with a couple days off here and thereSmile

OP posts:
Harpsichordcarrier · 24/04/2006 18:50

yes, I have been away for three/fourdays at a time and the supply returned with no problems.
the milk seemed to dry up for a bit in the first trimester but hey ho a bit of demand soon got the supply going Smile
the feeding from one side was very helpful too

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