Breast to bottle at 9 months dilemma....

[Tiredalready]

After a tricky start I have ebf my 9 month dd very happily. We had ivf to have her and I want to try for another baby as soon as she turns 1. I have to stop bfing 3 months before ivf to allow hormones to regulate.

I return to work 2 days a week when she is 15 months and hope to be past 3 months preg when I return. Work were horrendous about time off for ivf last time so really cannot be at work and do ivf again. Also every chance ivf will not work so need to give self plenty of time.

Question is, will I regret stopping bfing her at 9 months for a potential sibling who might never exist? I think I would have gone on for a year otherwise. Having resisted a lot of pressure to formula feed at different stages, it feels all wrong to give her it now.

Am I being too sentimental about bfing?

Am I being too sentimental about bfing?

Probably. :) Flip your question round: Would you regret ot giving up bf-ing in order to try for another child?

Having said that, your timescale seems all wrong - your baby is 9 months old so will be 12 months old when you plan to start IVF. If you return to work 3 months later when the baby is 15 months old, you are relying on IVF working immediately in order to be past 3 months pregnant.

Do you really need to start so soon? How long will you ne working 2 days a week for - can you fit IVF appointments in the days you are not working rather than trying to shoehorn everything in before you return?

I think only you can answer that question.

The only thing I want to say is that at 9mo, you should be switching to a free flow cup instead of a bottle. You are supposed to wean from bottles at 12mo. My DD can happily drink 75-100ml from a cup at 10mo. I don't push her at all, just offering a cup at meal times. Also she was in nursery where they also use the same tommee tippee free flow cup. So I know it's possible.

Thanks v much for responses. She can drink water from a doidy cup so I'm not too worried about the mechanics.

I need to start so soon with ivf because age is against us and we tried for 3 years for dd. my maternity leave has been extended to 15 months - I won't have a job if I don't go back then... I hope to be working 2 days until dd starts school then back to full time. Unfortunately with ivf you have to go for an appt on the day and at the time they say, otherwise I definitely would do as you suggest. On the day I was supposed to go in for my final crucial scan to determine egg collection, my boss refused to let me go then relented at the last moment. Added to my stress considerably.there were many other horrid ivf/work moments.

Of course it may not work but I would so prefer to not have to combine work and ivf. That's the crux I suppose....

It seems you have already really considered your options. Remember you will have already bf your LO for 9mo. That's more than a lot of others. You have done a very very good job already.

I would so prefer to not have to combine work and ivf. That's the crux I suppose....

I think you've answered your own question then :)