Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Urgent, how do I stop breast feeding?

48 replies

mower · 07/12/2006 22:10

Ds2, 5 weeks old is crying constantly when putting him to the breast. It is upsetting me and him so much that I want to stop breast feeding.

I gave him formula tonight at 715 as trying to get him used to one bottle of it a day as working a couple of hours a day in a few months.

After the bottle he was quite content for a while then started routing for the breast. I fed him and he did his usual of screaming and coming on and off.

How do I go from the transition of bottle to breast when he keeps routing for it.

Am so upset he crys so much day and night. Dh has taken him out for a drive to get him to sleep and I just can't stop crying, wish things were easier.

OP posts:

ParanoidSurreyHousewife · 08/12/2006 15:37

I swear that my babies were more relaxed when I'd had aglass of wine. No scientific fact of course. But it definitely helped!

If he has been gaining weight nicely whilst you've been feeding, then it may not be the b/feed. One of mine was a very sucky baby and wanted to use me as a dummy (and got very frustrated that milk would still come out). Don't know whetehr a dummy might help, but this is a classic age for settled babies to become unsettled (also at the 3-4 month stage just to give you something to look forward too )

thebecster · 08/12/2006 15:52

Mower - I found breastfeeding really, really difficult. Rock hard, in fact. My DS also found it difficult & forgot how to latch on every flippin' day. It got easier, but we were never exactly 'Madonna & Child'. More like one of those cowboy-wrangling-a-steer acts in a rodeo. He never 'calmed' on the breast the way I saw other babies doing, he got more frustrated & I had little purple bruises on my breasts from him hitting me because my let-down wasn't fast enough for his liking. And he kept 'popping off' the breast all the time then crying because he was still hungry.

I cried and got frustrated many times. But I'm really glad I persisted as long as I did - up to 5 months. My sister found it really easy & her babies breastfed up to 18 months (and probably would be still breastfeeding now if she hadn't called it a day!).
So I really sympathise - it's baffling when you've got one that just 'doesn't wanna'. But to reiterate - I am so glad that I stuck with it as long as I did. And DS is so glad that it's all over... He took to bottles like a duck to water. Ungrateful wretch after all my hard work!

Original poster

mower · 08/12/2006 20:39

Well just to let you know how I have got on today. It has been horrendous but am feeling a bit more chilled now I have come to my decison of what to do.

The osetopath said he was trapped in the neck which can make it hard for him to have a great suction. Going back next wed again.

Tried bf when ever ds wanted feeding today but he just got so upset.

Went to bf drop in and he did feed there for a little while but then did his usual of screaming and nothing would confort him. Bf counsellor said he may have reflux so took him to doctor.

Doctor prescribed gavison. I brougt some nipple shields today and bf using a nipple shield for a while when I got back from dr, but again half way through the feed ds came off screaming. Gave gavison but didn't seem to make any difference. Rocked ds till he calmed down tried again no luck so gave 4oz formula which he gulped down and was a happy baby afterwards.

Then when he got tired started wanting breast again. Gave him dummy instead. He is now asleep but im hoping he wont wake when dummy falls out.

After a hell of a lot of crying today and feeling very upset, have decided not to put ds to breast for the moment. Am going to keep my supply up by expressing and feeding some expressed bottles and some formula bottles over the next few days.

Don't want to just not give breast milk as am such a strong beleiver as to how wonderful it is.

And that has been my day today. Just hoping to get some sleep tonight to have some more energy for tomorrow.

Thanks for all your support everyone.

OP posts:

moondog · 08/12/2006 20:44

Oh Mower,that sounds interesting re osteopath.
Keep expressing even if you are giving by bottle.
Just don't make decisions to ohastily eh?

Original poster

mower · 08/12/2006 21:00

Thats right moondog I won't make any hasty descisons.

Can you answer this question, gave formula at 7pm ds unsettled now and keeps spitting dummy out. Can I give him expressed milk even though it was only 2 hours ago he had formula?

OP posts:

moondog · 08/12/2006 21:30

Why not?

I'm no expert but it really doesn't seem to be the breastfeeding that is causing probs.

Worry is that if you don't offer the breast he will lose the knack.

Have you tried feeding in other positions (eg more upright or rugby ball hold or lying down??)

mears · 08/12/2006 21:34

mower - i agree with moondog that breastfeeding isn't the probelm. Would you not consider just offering him a breastfeed rather than expressing milk?

ParanoidSurreyHousewife · 08/12/2006 21:41

Well done for putting up with such a hell of a day!

When ds was unsettled I'd offer a breastfeed and then top up with ebm or formula. Would then gradually reduce the amount of ebm/formula over the course of a few days.

Anyway - listen to mears, she knows what she talking about it. Just wanted to wish you the best for tonight.

Original poster

mower · 08/12/2006 21:56

Well offered him the breast he wants it but no luck then gave him 3 oz of expressed breast milk which he took then kept crying so offered him another 4oz which just made him scream. Gave him the gavison and have offered breast again but will not latch on. Nothing will comfort him not a dummy or anything calmed down when we put him in car seat and swang it he started to fall asleep. Dh now taking him out for a drive.

This is just so so heart breaking for me, with my last and for the last 5 weeks with this one, if they have ever been upset it has only been me to comfort them by putting them to the breast. Just feel so upset and don't know what to do.

OP posts:

littlepiggie · 08/12/2006 21:58

Ds has refulx. From what i have read babies that have reflux are very sucky, it helps to sooth them, it might be that he does not want milk, just wants to suck. We had the whole throwing himself back screaming and the only thing that worked was mine or dh finger to suck on.

littlepiggie · 08/12/2006 22:00

you know some babies are just not happy about been born. Are you sure he is not getting over tired?

liddylou · 08/12/2006 22:01

I think that as intelligent women we know that it is the best thing we can do for our child to give them breasdt milk. I don't think it really matters if they get it from the breast or from a bottle that you've expressed. My sister could not despite every effort get her son to breast feed so she expressed all his milk and he had it that way. He is enormous, healthy etc. I fed two children reallyb easily and then for no rewason at all couldn't feed the third one. He just screamed at me it was heart breaking especially when I thought I was so good at it! I have to say I just gave him formula and he was fine .I think you are being brilliant but don't forget there is more than one way to skin a cat!

mears · 08/12/2006 22:04

My best friend's DD1 was like that. She just screamed all the time til she was 12 weeks old when it all stopped. I could comfort my DS1 with the breast where her DD just screamed more when offered. Persist with the cranial osteopathy. Your baby may scream at the breast because he doesn't actually want it. Have you tried swaddling him tightly with his hands placed down at his bally button? That is a comforting position for a baby to be in. Some need tightly wrapped. Will he take a dummy? Another thing to try is colicynth granules. You get them in health food type chemists. They are for colic and you keep putting a few on the baby's tongue every 5 minutes until they settle. Very effective.

littlepiggie · 08/12/2006 22:06

is this your first? ds still has days where he screams morning till night at nearly 8 months, i think some babies just cry alot.

mears · 08/12/2006 22:07

Sorry, just saw you mentioned dummy. Do you have a pram or a buggy? This works better with a pram but can still work with a buggy too. Put a flat slipper or something similar on the floor and push the pram/buggy (with baby in it of course) over the slipper, back and forward fairly quickly. It makes the pram rock a bit like going over cracks in the pavement. Usually rocks baby to sleep. Worth a try.

moondog · 08/12/2006 22:09

Oooh that's clever Mears!

i also found a battery operated bouncy chair to be fantastic although I am soooooo not a gadget and gizmo sort of person.

Original poster

mower · 08/12/2006 22:13

No this is my second littlepiggy. Ds1 (only 14 months) was so easy and bf so well.

Dh back now so ds2 must be asleep in car seat.

OP posts:

dara · 08/12/2006 22:14

From what you say he cries because he is tired and needs some help to go back to sleep, like a trip out in the pram twice a day and maybe a swing. he certainly doesn't sound hungry if he rejecting breast and bottle. Babies sometimes like to suck if they are tired, but hate getting milk!

Original poster

mower · 10/12/2006 10:19

Just to let you know how I am getting on. I am breast feeding again! Managed to get ds latched on yesterday by keeping him calm, my mum stroked his head when he was feeding.

Had a bath with him last night and he loved it, he fell asleep on me then had a really calm time settling him. He still takes a few times to get latched on and gets a bit frustrated, but bf him all of yesterday.

Not going to give him a bottle again till we get totally sorted, or a dummy.

Thanks for all your help, we are alot happier household yesterday and this morning!

OP posts:

mears · 10/12/2006 11:53

That's good news mower. Hopefully things will continue to improve.

littlepiggie · 10/12/2006 19:36

thats good news.

maryhadaharpsichordyeahlord · 10/12/2006 19:38

well done mower, that's great news

crayon · 10/12/2006 21:38

Great news that he is happier now. Are you sure that he is hungry when you are feeding him and he is crying? I've made the mistake in the past of assuming they are crying from hunger when in fact they want to be left to sleep, or are bored.

Good luck and keep it up.

Flip

1 2