Just given up bf and feeling glum

[Poo2]

Am a bit blue today as have just stopped bf ds. I wanted to drop it as have just had enough, and want my body back before I get pregnant with the next one. But still feel so sad. In spite of all the mastitis and engorgement we really got quite good at it, and he'll never need me like that again. Silly I know.

I remember that feeling well. It takes a long time to go away. I still feel sad that I will never breastfeed again

quite normal it's like teh last exclusive bond you have try doing an activity or song that is just for you and ds

How old is your ds, Poo2?

I'm also sad that I will never be pregnant again - at least you have got that to look forward to

Know how you feel Poo2 - DS stopped bf at 9 months (11.5 months now) and still makes me feel a bit sad sometimes.

not silly at all. gothicmama is right. I fear ds2 will decide to give me up in the next couple of months and it is pretty much the highlight of my day (just a night feed these days). I was hoping to go in indefinitely, at least til he starts school

Thanks folks. DS is nearly 7 months. I was hoping to carry on feeding him first thing in the morning, but having dropped to just 2 feeds a day my milk dried up last night and I couldn;t feed him this morning. I put him on anyway because I just wanted one more go, and promptly burst into tears. In fact, am crying now.

Poor you , I remember feeling v sad when DS1 stopped. I am still feeding DS2 (16months) 1 feed a day, but know this will go soon. If you really don't want to stop surely it's not too late to try and increase your supply? I don't know if it's possible, but is it worth increasing feeds for a while or expressing to see if that works? Don't know if it will, just a suggestion.

nicmum2boys - well done for keeping going so long with yours. Not sure about how you would restart a supply. I do actually want to cut it down to just one feed a day - mainly for selfish reasons. I know its silly to feel sad, but I was hoping my milk would keep going on that one feed, but apparently not.

Poo2 - why do you think your milk has dried up? It does not dry up overnight. If you want to keep feeding, just offer your baby the breast.

Hi mears. When I dropped down to 2 feeds a day (7am and 3pm) I would still wake up with solid boobs, dripping milk. Then I dropped the 3pm feed and the next morning I was full but not like before, then this morning I felt empty. When ds latched on he was sucking for ages and ages before he had to swallow. There was some still there, but very little.

yes, it is very unlikely to have dried up over night. I did just the night feed with both my kids for 16 months and still going at 14 months.

Poo2, you body will hardly show any signs of having milk but it is still there. I never feel anything like hardness or dripping but I can still feel the let down reflex slightly. The more he sucks the more you will produce. HTH

Poo2 - I promise you you have not dried up. You may well have less....but you can make more come back simply by continuing to put him on the breast.

One feed a day may not be enough to keep up a good supply after just 6-7 months. Yes, your supply may drop, but it will return...as long as you 'ask' it to.

There is no reason on earth to stop if you don't want to.

It maybe just took him a bit longer to get the let down of milk going this morning. If you were anxious about how much milk you have that could have an impact on how quickly your milk starts to flow. Please believe me, your milk does not dry up overnight when you have been breastfeeding for 7 months. When you only feed once a day, your breasts reduce how much milk you are producing. That is why your breasts will feel softer. Since you have realised that you miss feeding, you could go back to 2 feeds a day (or more) if you want to. If you start giving more feeds, your milk production will go up.

So I can still feed him in the morning then? I was worried that if I wasn't feeling full like I used to, then he might not be getting a decent feed. Can you be full without being rigid? I've always made far more than the bub used, so assumed that soft boobs meant hardly any milk.

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My boobs were always pretty soft when B/F was established. Only got full if i missed feeds when at work. Efficient milk production does not mean full bustin' breasts all the time. Keep feeding him.

Am so pleased. Will definately keep giving him a morning feed. Thanks mears, and tiktok and suzywong and everybody else. Have gone from to .

Poo2, it takes my ds what seems like ages some mornings to get the milk flowing, but it always comes eventually. It also doesn't seem as if he's getting very much, but I think with both sides it must be at least equivelent to a beaker full. My boobs don't feel full atall anymore, haven't for ages now, but there is definately milk there. Good luck x

OH good!

Honestly Mears is right (naturally). I mean you will still be able to feed more than once a day if you need to, your breasts will just know how to make up the right amount. e.g. I was too lazy to make up ds2's 9.30am bottle and had the chance to feed him instead so I did and he went off to his nap in milky bliss and not in the least hungry.

Very pleased you feel confident enough to carry on feeding, ds will thank you for it I'm sure.

Hooray! Just wanted to say how pleased I am you have gone from to Poo2 - I've only just found this thread, but want to reassure you that you're still producing milk. DS is seven months old too and I'm still feeding him, but my boobs don't feel full like they used to unless I'm at work and leave expressing a bit long

Enjoy the first feed tomorrow