Is this the end of BF - DS 7 months

[MiriamR]

Ds2 had formula milk for the 1st time today for his evening feed and I feel totally bereft.

As part of my preparation for going back to work ( had lots of problems with introducing bottle to ds1 at this stage), I've introduced formula milk during the day since ds2 was approx 5 months. For the last 1.5 months, ds has had formula milk during the day and I've BF him early morning and before his bedtime. Its worked really well. Although boobs shrank, still plenty of milk in them.

This last week, I've returned to work and ds2 has started nursery. Suddenly, he seems to have lost interest in BFing and I've found myself in a vicious circle. At first, Ds taking little during the BF - seemed more interested in suckling after a couple of minutes (don't know whether he was getting so much food at the nursery that he simply wasn't hungry), which then afected my milk supply. Ds then becoming more and more frustrated each time I try to feed him. Tonight, I felt totally dry when trying to nurse and ds becoming frantic - eventually gave him formula. Don't know what to do now - I didn't want to stop BFing yet and I know that ds gets a lot of comfort from it!! Have any other mners expereinced this - should I take this as a sign that he's ready to stop or are there ways to re-establish my milk. Would like to do something to help with the BFing but due to my work, can't try expressing during the day and don't normally get home until after 6pm. Any advice welcome,

Hi - me again - no need to reply to this thread. Think I just wanted to get my feelings 'off my chest' - (no pun intended!!). Have looked at other posts in this topic and will continue to put ds to breast for a few more days and see if I can get things back on track.

I'm not sure - but like everything, see if it's the same situation in a week. I was back at work by the time DD was 9 months and she refused to feed for a week - I think she was suffering from a cold and/or teething, but had also got used to the beakers she'd been getting during the day. I tried to express at night to keep it going but by the 7th day, when I was ready to pack it in, she seemed interested again. Like you, I wasn't ready to give up so I was relieved - and managed to keep up a full morning feed and token evening feed until 13 months, by which time both of us were ready to give up (she initiated it again). Just keep offering but don't fuss if he doesn't want it - he may come back to it but you've done well to get this far.

I haven't experienced exactly this, but my dd suddenly rejected all breast feeds at 8 months, just for 24 hours. It was really bizarre- she carried on in the end until she was 23 months (once a day), and I never knew what was at the bottom of it. She was at nursery in the mornings too. The NCT breastfeeding counsellor just told me to stay calm and keep offering, and it worked in the end. Good luck!

Quick update - I continued putting ds to breast and he has re-started his early morning and evening feeds and I'm delighted . Thank goodness for this site - I would have assumed BFing was over otherwise!!

Happy things are going well - best wishes