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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

When you give up bfing - do you feel sad for a long time?

22 replies

tinkerbellhadpiles · 08/04/2007 21:35

My LO is six months old and I intend to feed her till she's at least a year but word has reached me that some babies decide they don't want to be bf on their own before that and I really am dreading it if she decides she's had enough.

Does it make you terribly sad when it happens, or are you just glad to get your boobs back to yourself again.

On the positive side I used to live in dresses pre-baby so it'd be nice to wear them again, but we have such lovely cuddley feeds and no one else gets to experience them but me and I'll miss that exclusivity.

OP posts:

lucy5 · 08/04/2007 21:39

My dd decided enough was enough at about 17 months. I was heartbroken but it didn't last for long, you just slip into a new way of doing things.

Donk · 08/04/2007 21:43

I think I would have been very sad if ds had decided to stop bf when he was smaller. At 4.2, it just sort of 'happened' and apart from one day when he wistfully asked why he didn't have 'mummy milk' any more, I haven't felt sad - just that we had a good innings so to speak, but that it was time to end.

WriggleJiggle · 08/04/2007 21:47

Stopped a few weeks ago. Feel sad about it, but was my decision to stop so although sad I don't regret it. Very proud I managed to get to 1 yr.

JackieNo · 08/04/2007 21:49

I stopped way before I wanted to with both of mine, and was very sad about it, especially with DD, where I'd had huge problems establishing bf. Less sad with DS, where bf had gone relatively smoothly. But if I think about it, it still makes me a bit sad, and that's 6 years later. I guess it was because they were the ones who decided to stop, and I would have carried on.

bunnypeculiar · 08/04/2007 21:49

My theory is that if you give up when you feel ready (as I did with ds) you feel OK, possibly regardless of how late/early it was. If something means you give up before you're ready (as happens with dd), it takes longer (dd stopped bfing 4 months ago, & I still feel sad)

JackieNo · 08/04/2007 21:50

Yes, bunnypeculiar - I completely agree.

Aloha · 08/04/2007 21:51

I love dresses and have worn them for ages (dd is now 2.2) because for quite a while I've only fed at first am and pm and then only am. Am now stopping and don't feel sad. Nostalgic, yes, sad, no.

paulaplumpbottom · 08/04/2007 21:51

I breatfed for 18 months. I felt nothing but relief at first. BUt I do miss it a bit now. The closeness.

FrannyandZooey · 08/04/2007 21:52

Ds decided for me and I am still feeling a bit sad about it, yes

I must admit it is hard when people are moaning about breastfeeding

I just feel

but it has been one of the nicest experiences of my whole life and I am sad it is over

I am ok as long as I don't sit and think about it too much

October · 08/04/2007 21:54

Message withdrawn

3easterbunniesandnomore · 08/04/2007 21:59

I am still missing it now...ys will be 3 this summer and gave up at 13 month....!
If it wouldn't mean that I actually ahve to be mother to another Baby and then Toddler... I'd get pg tomorrow, just for teh pg and bf bit...used to be teh Birthbit, too, but ys sort of made me to scared to ever want that again, lol....!
But I really don't wnat anymore Kids, so, will never experience breastfeeding ever again

Quootiepie · 08/04/2007 22:00

Sometimes I couldn't wait, other times I dreaded it. I was sad for quite a while when I gave up, because I went on medication, DS was biting and I just couldn't pump enough. I was only a month or so off the one year "target", but, I did everything I could. It was nice to have some freedom, and be able to diet, have a few (or more!) drinks etc. I was sad, still am sometimes but I did the best I could which all we can ever do.

maximummummy · 08/04/2007 22:03

i stopped breastfeeding at start of december it was my decision made a long time before (didn't want to be feeding a two year old) and i did feel very sad i still miss it a bit especially as i know i wont ever do it again(sob)as ds is my last baby . He is an extemely tactile child and loves tummy cuddles (naked tummies) but it was the right time for us and he was great about it he never complained ,when he sees my nipps now he says mummy mulk all gone ,but not wistfully just matter of fact!!

maximummummy · 08/04/2007 22:05

not that i think there is ANYTHING wrong with feeding older kids it just wasn't right for me

FrayedKnot · 08/04/2007 22:14

I stopped BF DS when he was 19 months. It was my choice really, although he was down to one bedtime feed, but imagine he would have carried on for longer given the choice.

I took ages to make the decision to stop (about 5 months) and by the time I did, I was ready to stop. I felt a bit guilty about it because DS still seemed to enjoy his bedtime feed, but when he enthusiastically accepted a cup of milk the next night and slurped it down without question, I felt OK.

I did feel sad. I knew then that DS was likely to be my only child and that probably my only BF experience was over.

But i did sometimes feel tied by BF and was quite pleased that I could go away ofr a night & feel happy leaving DS with DH and know he could meet his needs just as well as I could.

MG72 · 08/04/2007 22:34

You might see my other thread about a nursing strike - now 2 weeks on strike and not looking like he's coming back... Just turned 8 months, and yes, I am sad about it. Dh doesn't really get it either, which is a shame as normally he is so good.

Hey ho. Be nice to get back into normal bras though and ditch the little round pads!

Original poster

tinkerbellhadpiles · 09/04/2007 20:51

Thanks everyone, sorry to bum you all out remembering that. I'm glad I'm having the chance to experience bfing. It is truly a special time we have with our LOs in those dark nighttime hours where it's just you and them snuggling down in a chair together.

OP posts:

paulaplumpbottom · 09/04/2007 21:56

enjoy it while you can

NorksBride · 09/04/2007 22:14

I only get b/f nostalgia for when they were really tiny babies. That was wonderful.

I never reminise about b/f a heavy, wriggling one-year old who keeps interrupting our 'quiet time' with requests for stories or the whereabouts of their favourite teddies etc! I guess we were always ready to stop!

belgianEASTERbunNY · 09/04/2007 22:58

NB - dd did that last night!! Her very last bf at 17mths and she fell asleep mouth wide open and teddy in hand. I sat and looked at her for some time before taking her up to bed!

hana · 09/04/2007 23:04

nope, was happy to stop
went to 15m with dd1 , and dd2 was 12m to the day! Would stop feeding dd3 sooner, but feel I should go to 12m like I did with her sisters, so probably will do that

ipanemabunny · 09/04/2007 23:09

No, I didn't feel too sad because I was ready. But he was about 2! (Feeds for the last year only at night in bed). But I was a bit sad, it is one of the best things I've ever done - just a total pleasure (once the nightmare of starting was over...)

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