Breastfeeding 6 month old

[thingybobwotsit]

I'm at a bit of a low ebb with breastfeeding my 6 month old.

We had a lot of difficulty getting feeding established and I never thought we'd still be breastfeeding now. Since we got started I've had milk blisters and cracking on my right side which I'm finding really painful. Baby also bit me this morning, on that same side - that has happened once before but this morning was the worst.

I'm ready to stop. But feeling really guilty as baby definitely isn't. After our rocky start, he's now a boob lover and takes a lot of comfort from it. He will take a bottle but only 3/4 oz. He's also fed to sleep, despite my best efforts to break the habit, and still wakes twice a night for feeds.

I'm going to make him really stressed and life harder for myself if I stop aren't I? Any tips for carrying on when it really, really hurts?!

[PurdysChocolate]

Can you stop using the right boob for a couple days to give it time to heal, and pump when you get full?

I assume you've started solids? Is he eating much yet? Once he gets going you won't need to feed nearly as much.

Do you have a partner who can practice getting him off to sleep without milk? Just to reassure yourself it can be done!

[Di11y]

Lots of lansinoh and airing for the nipples if possible, offering milk in a bottle or even a snack to distract from feeding?

[Boxerbinky]

I am currently still (all be it less frequently) breast feeding my 16 month old. My own plan is to be done by the time he turns 2. If you had told me when I started I would still be going id think you were mad.

I think you should be proud of the 6 months you have already done and should absolutely not feel guilty if you decide this is the time to stop!

BF can be hard work as much as it is rewarding. I too suffered terribly with sore nipples. My left one took a long time to heal, I think my ds latch was poor on this side.

If you decide to carry on, I found that Avent Breast Shells were the turning point. They allow a bit of space between your nipple and bra for a bit.

They also act a bit like a nature bond and collect run off which you can keep for a bottle if you want.

These combined with a pinch on Lanisoh helped me carry on. I only used them for about a month before I no longer needed them.

[Boxerbinky]

Also my best friend breast fed from one side almost exclusively. So it's can be done though you may look a bit lop sided

[thingybobwotsit]

Thank you all for the advice.

I'm going to minimise feeding on the right - not do it before sleep at the very least as that's when his latch is worse. I struggle to get time to pump as he's crawling all over the place!

I'm going to get the breast shells and DH is currently trying to put him to bed. This normally ends in hysteria but we'll see how it goes!

[thingybobwotsit]

Aaaargh. He's still biting (bitten on both sides now), he's still refusing to be settled by anything other than a feed. I'm still dreading it every time.

I don't want to do this any more but can't see how to stop without lots of tears and trauma. He was absolutely hysterical last night when his poor daddy tried to resettle him when he woke up 2 hours after going to bed.

[Greenwomanofmay]

I went through similar and was desperate to stop when my ds was 6-7 months old. Ds is very attached to bf ( still at 13 months). I gave formula in a sippy cup in the evening as it reduced the length of his feed to sleep feed. I also gave the odd cup of formula on days I was desperate during the day. It didn’t stop him wanting to bf but reduced the length of the feeds we dropped the formula when his solid intake was higher at around 9 months. He wouldn’t take a bottle.