How to manage unhelpful advice/ expectations :)

[ovenbun]

Argghhh now let me just say I am not anti formula feeding mummies happy mummy happy baby as far as I'm concerned! However breastfeeding is important to me, how do you manage comments and questions around when you're going to stop (my baba is 4 months old) and why they aren't having formula etc. I don't want to be sanctimonious or make anyone upset by saying the wrong thing, I've tried the we've chosen this way but all ways are good, every baby is different etc, but starting to feel very pressured about early weaning and introducing formula...i know people mean well but it's all getting a bit much, any ideas on nice assertive phrases I can use with out sounding like a boob waving activist? :)

I do apologise.

How about "Formula is £10 a tin and breastmilk is free!"
I quite like that one!
I tell my mother who is utterly horrified by breastfeeding that I'm going to feed Lucy until she is 4! If she hoiks her judgy pants much higher she will choke on them!

I would just go with "it works well for us". Honestly, what can someone say to that?

The 'broken record' technique can be helpful here. You pick a position, and whatever the other person says you repeat it, or a version of it.

"When are you going to start him on a bottle"
"Well, actually breastfeeding is working well for us"
"But they need the iron you know!"
"Well, there are other ways of getting iron. Breastfeeding is working well for us"
"But if you don't get him on a bottle now he'll never take one"
"Well, breastfeeding is working well for us so I think I'll stick with it"

Ad infinitum.

I would just look confused and say why??

I'd go down the 'formula and bottles will cost a fortune, breast milk is free!' Route... If they push and I'm a passive aggressive person by nature I would say to dp- 'oh, well I suppose we could go to formula, we can use the £50 a month we normally put into dc's savings account to pay for the formula etc?' Watch them backtrack!

(Although you have to make dp aware before hand or you might get a what? Reaction from him!)

I'm ready with, "Another 5 minutes, why ?" if anyone asks me

I told MIL we were aiming to stop when DD leaves primary school....