Why didn't anyone tell me that it's hard to give up bf? I need some advice as I'm all over the place and can't make up my mind what to do.

[hotmama]

DD2 is 1 on Saturday - and I am trying to give up bf - but just can't take the last step IYKWIM.

Dd2 seems to suckle O.K. Am I to assume she is getting some milk otherwise she will moan?

It is the right time for me to stop as I'm now back at work, I think I have done so well for getting to a year especially as I 'only' bf dd1 for 10 weeks.

I'm going away for 4 days at the end of March so must have stopped by then as my milk will def have dried up by the time I come back?

I just don't seem to be able to let go.

However, part of me wants to start giving am/pm feeds a day again so would like advice on that practicalities of 'relactation'

Any advice is really appreciated.

well I can't give you advice on stopping because I haven't stopped since I started but if you are going away for four days then it will be perfectly possible to start again after that time. I did it twice (three days each time, back in the swing without a blip)

I'm sure you can stop for 4 days and start again after a year of bf.

Why not try offering a morning feed and see what happens _you'll probably find she takes a normal feed.

Not helping you to stop, am I?

I'm sure you can stop for 4 days and start again after a year of bf.

Why not try offering a morning feed and see what happens _you'll probably find she takes a normal feed.

Not helping you to stop, am I?

I know in my heart that I don't want to stop - dp is supportive of whatever I want to do - though he is proud that I am still bf.

I only bf in the morning (nice and snuggly and bring dd2 into bed).

I'm going to Rome at the end of March (have a big birthday!) - and won't be expressing when I'm away so have assumed I will have 'dried' up when I come back and/or will get a bit swollen whilst away if I'm still bf.

If I did start bf more - then is it possible? I have only been giving a morning feed for about the last 2 weeks - I dropped the evening feed. I've just assumed if I tried to start bf again in the evening then I would have to 'top up' as my supply would have dwindled?

Sorry didn't thank you for your posts so far.

Bump for any more advice.

hotmama

i think if you want to start evening feeds again, just do it.

i work full time and feed ds (20m) morning and evening on work days. at weekends, i also offer a feed after his lunchtime nap, and he sometimes asks for more. if he's unwell and i'm at home, he might ask for 5 or 6 feeds.

obviously i don't know how much milk he gets each time, but he seems happy! it just seems to work

hotmama, i empathise as i went through the same thing week before last. ds was 1 end jan and i was down to one feed a day first thing in the morning. i stopped bf the weekend before ds birthday, as i thought it would be easier if dh gave the first cowsmilk for a couple of days. so i missed 2 days feeds, then gave in at 5am one morning when ds was unhappy due to teething. then stopped for another couple of days and gave him breakfast on his actual bday as a treat. i think my ds was ready to stop (several previous posts asking for help about this) because he was just not interested in the boob any more, at least not first thing is the morning when he is boucning off the walls with energy. but he is very happy with a beaker as i think it gives him the opp to assert his independence. i was initially reluctant to stop, but it was the right thing at the right time for me. i still bring my ds into bed with me for his morning beaker, and it is far more cuddly now that when i was wrestling him on the breast and he was wrestling himself off. but you have to be sure that you want to do it at the moment. imho, if you are only down to one feed a day, i think that you might find your supply dwindled over the 4 days. if you really want to stop, then use your trip away as the catalyst, but if not the take a little medela pump and excuse yourself for 10 mins a day to make sure you can keep it up - if you want to. fwiw, i feel somehow "lighter" since i stopped bf, but i think that may also be because the first birthday is a bit of a milestone and has coincided with several other things going on in my life at the mo. hth

Thanks for the advice.

My concern re evening feeding is, if I haven't done it for a couple of weeks - then surely I will have to top up as I will have a low milk supply - but will be able to reduce top up's over time when my milk supply is back up?

My breasts just feel like empty bags - I'm just not sure anything is there - but there must be - otherwise dd2 would have a hissy fit - wouldn't she?

Hugs to to you, no advice to offer but I am sruggling with giving up BF my DD (nearly 1yr) Part of me is ready but I can't cope with the wrench for both of us, she gets so upset if she can't feed.

That's so how I feel - part of me is ready to give up - but part isn't.

Sounds as though you aren't ready or willing to give up right now. You don't have to stop for a specific reason (like work) you perhaps just need to alter the feeding times/schedule.

I don't think your milk will dry up in four days, you could express during that time (even if it means hand expressing over a sink throughout the time you are away) to maintain your supply but i imagine once you are back to feeding again it will be fine.

You have done really well getting to a year but keep going until either your daughter is ready to stop or you are (for your own reasons).

hotmama, not sure if this will help, but i had such a lovely afternoon today trying on pretty lacy bras and came away strangely liberated with 2 lovely white (as opposed to grey) ones :-)

hotmama, not sure if this will help, but i had such a lovely afternoon today trying on pretty lacy bras and came away strangely liberated with 2 lovely white (as opposed to grey) ones :-)

Hotmama you are still getting milk it is just that over time you have stopped "filling" your ilk is being supplied on the demand basis.
I know plenty of people down to one or 2 feeds a day that have gone away for a few days and just piked up right where they left off. You may not even feel much discomfort or fullness as you only do one feed.
Re-establishing an evening feed should be relatively easy just offer it and see what happens you are not trying to build up a huge supply just the one feed so you will probably find no hassles.