A bit of a whinge

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I'll start this by saying I don't want to stop breastfeeding. DD is 4 months, we've got this far, and I definitely think it's the right thing for us. I love the time we spend snuggled together and I definitely couldn't be arsed getting up and making bottles in the night.

But today, for some reason, I just feel really fed up. I find it so difficult that I can't go out by myself without planning like a week in advance to make sure there's enough milk in the freezer. I find it hard to pin a specific time of day to express, and when I do express, unless it's early morning I barely seem to get anything now that my supply has settled down. We have got a fair bit in the freezer but I'm doing a KIT day this week so chances are it'll all get used.

I don't really know why I'm posting this. I just wanted a bit of a grumble as DH has gone off to do his Sunday sports thing and I, well, I just don't have that option.

It's shit. I found that the hardest part of exclusive breastfeeding. But dig in, before you know it you'll be weaning and you'll be able to pop out knowing that DD can have some toast and yoghurt and water until you get back, then in a blink of an eye you'll be back at work pining for those snuggly sofa days. You're doing brilliantly.

Oh I know, I'll miss it when she's bigger. I'm already dreading going back to work and having to express there (I'm going back when she's 6mo, so quite early really). Hopefully I can build up a bit of a freezer stash by then!

I know it's hard to believe you'll ever miss it, especially when you feel like a prisoner. My DD was a bottle refuser, oh the joys of being able to go to the hairdresser when she started drinking from a cup :)

I loved it and was dreading stopping until she refused the bottle and now I feel a bit trapped! Obviously rather she refused bottle than me but would love a break for more than 2 hours away......basically I'm joining your whinge! Love feeding, best for them, blah blah but we can have the odd whinge

Why not give a bottle of formula occasionally, when you want to go out? It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

eurochick I'm just worried that it'd become the odd bottle, then a few, then most, then all... which is basically what happened to someone I know. By seven months she'd stopped bfing completely.

I don't know. I think I'd feel guilty about it. Which sounds silly I guess, I know plenty of babies are ff with no ill effects (I was!), but I feel like if I can exclusively feed her then I should. (Though tbh I felt the same about giving her a dummy and we did end up giving her one - even if she has now rejected it!)

Hillijx ugh that must be so hard! I suppose I'm lucky really, DD will take a bottle as long as it's warmed through (although she never seems that happy about it!).

You watch, I'll leave her for the day when I go into work this week and she'll probably refuse completely

By 6 months she'll be on solids and you won't be exclusively breastfeeding her so at that point you could knock the expressing on the head (I hated expressing) and just give the odd bit of formula if you need to be away.

I was hoping to introduce formula after she is weaned but hey ho! It's funny, once you get an idea in your head you can't shake it, still it won't be long before they don't need much milk and we can get our social lives back, in the long run its not a long time, just feels like it now!