I think I want to stop breast feeding

[Em1503]

Hi, my DD is 5 months old and up until a few days ago was ebf. We have started giving her a bottle of formula at night so DH can help out and to help her sleep and it's worked beautifully. We're going to continue this. However I'm not enjoying breast feeding any more. We had such a rough time to start as she wouldn't latch and we had to stay in hospital for 4 days after she was born until she would feed. I expressed and bottle fed for the first two weeks then managed to wean her back onto the breast using a nipple shield, then at 11 weeks finally managed to wean her off the nipple shield. It was tough and we tried so hard to mKe breastfeeding a success. I started to really enjoy it after getting rid of the shield but now I'm just not enjoying it. I feel guilty at the thought of stopping though. I know she'll be fine on formula but I honestly thought if feed her until at least a year so don't know where these feelings have come from. I have trouble with low supply from my right boob which isn't helping as DD often refuses this breast.

If I stopped I'd feel really guilty that I wouldn't be able to offer it to her as a form of comfort especially as she's teething at the moment. If I stop I know I'll feel like I've failed when I see others feeding beyond 5 months. I don't know what to do. How can I start enjoying it again?

I don't know. But, maybe, just keeping going until solids start and reassess? Things may change.

I'm thinking along similar lines. DD2 is 20 weeks tomorrow and I have found bf to be such a challenge. I am considering trying a bottle of formula as a dream feed after 26 weeks.

Em, sorry you have had such a rough time :(

I am dashing so can't write at length, but if you want to continue offering bf for comfort and your baby is happy enough to take it, then carry on :)

Bf is not just about the milk.

You might find your baby refuses after a while but my guess is she will continue, at least on the 'good' side, for a little while at least.

What is it that you're not enjoying about it? It sounds like you've done brilliantly to get to 5 months after a tough start.

I think it's just got hard again with the combination of 4 month sleep regression, teething and growth spurt, she just seems constantly hungry, fussy on the boob and never satisfied. I guess I've seen the benefit of giving her the evening bottle of formula, alongside how easy it seems for other people whose babies are on bottles at regular times compared to us. I know formula feeding isn't necvessarily though either. I guess I just need to push through this tricky stage.

Fwiw, 6-12 months is the good but of bf - spaced out feeds, not painful and lots of good memories.
I also think 5-6 months was the bit where you expect it to be better and it's just not because they're gearing up to need food. Of course it's fine to switch and you've done great to get to this but if I were you I'd try and keep it up a bit until you start food and re assess as it's a shame to miss out on what I see as the pay off for doing the hard first bit.

Thank you, yes I think that's what I need to do. I think I'll regret it if I stop too soon ??

My dd is almost 9 months and I'm still feeding her. I remember there have been times where one thought it would be easier to ff and I'd have more structure and freedom Isla I did but all the time I knew is regret it if I stopped. So I just took each day at a time and now we've go this far. She's always been a bit of a snacker so fed frequently. She would never take a dummy so fed for comfort as well. Has only just cut a tooth so teeth has been going on for months. Some days are hard and it's a lot of pressure as you're the only one that can feed and comfort but that's also what's so special about it as well. Keep going and it will get easier, espesh after solid are started :)

My typing is awful! Hope that sort of makes sense.

I introduced an evening bottle of formula to DS2 at the same age, and carried on with breast feeding during the day until he was about 10months. I had a toddler and a DH who worked away during the week, and by the time evenings came I was shattered. It was just easier to fit into the evening routine when I was on my own. I felt guilty about it at first, but TBH it was actually a relief once I started.

You're not far off 6 months and weaning, which will give potentially a bit more structure if that would help. Plus don't forget that the parents using formula do have to prepare it and do all the washing up and sterilising etc...so there's probably significantly more faff and stress going on for them than you might actually see.

If you think you'll regret giving up, perhaps you could try pushing on for one more week/fortnight/month and see how you feel. Whatever decision you make, it has to be right for you, not just what you feel is the right thing for your baby. Good luck.

I've got a 4 month old who is very fussy and "chompy" at the moment!! The hormones don't help my anxiety or thyroid any either.

I'm going to aim for 6 months then see where we go from there. I'm like "16 weeks down, 8 to go..." then if all goes well bf alongside weaning but if I do introduce some formula at that point I'll still celebrate that I passed that "milestone". I'm hoping that she'll wean well and as her feeding patterns adjust my hormones will settle and BFING will just get easier.
My mum said she found this when she weaned her bf babies. Fingers crossed!

But whatever happens the milk we've fed so far has given our babies a great start so no guilt needed.