Should I stop breastfeeding?

[Pumpkin2010]

So I'm currently EBF my 3rd child & have done for 8 months. First 2 I struggled with & things didn't work out so I AF them. With this baby we have had our problems but we've dealt with them as they've came along & BF is going well.

My son flat out refuses a bottle & has only taken one when he was 3 months old, and as such I've not had a 'break' from him the whole time he's been here. Of course this is my job as a mum & I get that. But I've recently had mastitis, I still get pain in one side which I think may be due to damage of a duct when he was newborn (long story), he has also been teething & been nipping me (ouch) & therefore I've been in quite a bit of pain/discomfort over the last few weeks. But I just get on with it, as you do.

It seems to have prompted family & friends to now suggest giving him formula/putting him on the bottle etc. Which is annoying! But it has made me think. I don't particularly want to stop BF & no matter what people say I would never stop without wanting to, but the thought of having some 'me' time is appealing. Or some time alone with DH.

I really don't know how it's going to work when I return to work with him not taking the bottle. Having the 3 kids is hard work & with not sleeping properly for the past 8 (?more) months, I do feel like it gets to me some days. I used to exercise 5 times a week, go running etc. I've got no energy to even think about exercising & just feel 'blergh'. I can't go anywhere past 8pm because that's boobing time & because he won't take a dummy & wakes regularly, I'm also the dummy too.

Has anyone been in this position?? Can you offer any advice/pearls of wisdom?! I feel torn between wanting to try to go forward with the bottle for me but on the other hand I do enjoy feeding him & want him to feel the full benefit

You've come so far already, if you just hang on a few months he can have cows milk in your absence if necessary. Have you tried offering milk in a cup rather than a bottle?

My DS started nursery at 10 months and I sent a bottle of expressed milk but he only sometimes drank it. Now he is 20 months and I still BF. The teeth/biting stage is challenging but it does pass.

Think I'm just going through a tough stage at the minute. I know in my heart of hearts I love BF and love be bond we have. We have tried a cup but he's not all that interested.

Have you tried different brands? Some are longer and mimic the nipple well, others are shorter and your son night not like ones that are too different. I tried 3 brands before finding one DD would happily take and I express now I'm back at work. We have a freeze full of milk as a back up.

I found at 8m I was desperate to stop, I think it's a tricky stage. I did stop day time feeds and only fed morning/eve and in the night from then.

I gave DD formula in a tommee tippee cup mid morning and mid afternoon with a snack which she got used to and was good for when I returned to work or needed to go out.

I went back to work full-time when DS1 was 8 months old and he was a total bottle/cup refuser and had zero interest in solids. I was absolutely terrified he'd starve but had no choice. I needn't have worried. He ate like a horse at nursery and got all the milk he needed from me in the evenings and at night.

If you want to keep breastfeeding, then do it. The bottle and cup refusing is a non-issue

I found my DD wouldn't take a bottle from me but she would from my friend. I went back to college and she was feed by my friend who looked after her. As soon as I arrived she wanted boob. So I managed to keep feeding morning and night and she was on bottle and solids in the day. At weekends I gave her to DH or elder brother to bottle feed.

How are solids going? At that age I could leave EBF bottle refusing DS1 for a full day (I did some KIT days at that point) and he ate solids and drank water. Absolutely fine. But obviously they need to be eating enough and taking water from a sippy cup.

Elphaba - that has reassured me a little, thankyou.

I have tried multiple bottles, spent £15 on one particular one that looked like the areola and nipple, but he just won't have it! I have started to get proactive again from today, am expressing to build supply up (just incase). He seems to prefer an open topped bottle i.e when I'm drinking from a bottle of water, he will have some. Tried him with some EBM today & he took a few sips but still not overly impressed.

Food-wise he is getting much better. Doing BLW so most ends up on the floor but when he likes something he will eat it.

I feel a little more positive about it all this week (hormones hey?!). I think it's the feeling of being 'trapped' if that makes sense?! I am going out with DD Sunday & leaving both the boys with daddy. Will be at least for half a day, so will see how it goes!

By building supply up - I mean my freezer stash