Please can you help me decide when to stop BFing??

[PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt]

My DD will be 6 months in a couple of weeks. I just can't decide when I should give up BFing her and go on to formula, to mix or to just keep going.

I tink my positives are all the usual ones, so I won't bother listing them!

My negatives against BFing are:
I loathe expressing and it's always hit and miss whether or not I get enough to give to her childminder (3 mornings a week - mon, wed & fri) and I find that quite stressful. As a result of the expressing thing, I also stress about having enough milk in a bottle to give to any babysitter should she need it while we're out and that subconciously affects my willingness to go out I think.

My negatives against FFing are:
It feels like cheating (I have no idea why and I have no negative feelings towards those that do FF!).

It feels selfish to stop BFing as it would be for me, not for DD.

I worry that as things are always advancing, that there may be something in formula that we don't yet know to be harmful.

What would you do if you were me???

I mix feed my 10 mth old ds ( 1 formula and 3 breast feeds a day) I stopped exclusively breast feeding when he was 5 mths.

I understand your feelings as I am thinking about stopping altogether at the one year mark..mainly becaause I don't want to be the only one to do the bedtime thing and every time he sees me he wants tit! ( am at work all day)

Not advice as such, but my experience.

I am back at work three full days a week and DD has formula on those days (I went back when she was nearly 8 months old, she is now coming up for 10 months), and BM on the days I am home. She has a big BF before I go to work, and a Mahooosive one when we come home. I do get very full on the days she is in nursery. Sometimes I supplement with formula (a little) on the days I am home.

I simply don't have the time or energy to express, and TBH, feel happy that she is getting enough BM from me to get the majority of the benefits. It works well. When they are tiny and you are still establishing supply etc then I think it can be alot harder and quite detrimental to try to mix, but once they are bigger I think it becomes alot easier.

Don't know if this helps.

This is all really helpful actually. It's a good reminder that mixed feeding can really work in terms of them getting the benefits of BM. Thank you!

you could FF in the day and do a BF last thing at night? pressure off then

stop when you want to stop.

I stopped at seven months because I had enough. I wanted to have my body back, I wanted to have more sleep, I wanted to be able to go away by myself etc. So, I gave myself permission and I haven't felt an ounce of guilt since.

You could also just stick to one or two feeds (e.g. morning and evening) and then do the rest by formula that way you have more freedom and she still gets all the benefits of breastmilk.

Don't let anyone esp yourself make you feel guilty. Happy mummy happy baby !