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Infant feeding

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

Right that is it after 2 years I need to stop bf - but how????

34 replies

bigmouthstrikesagain · 17/04/2008 08:07

I have had yet another horrendous night with dd beating me up pulling at me, screaming and shouting and kicking! All because I say no if she bites/ pulls at my nipples or squeezes me - I cannot go on like this.

It makes me laugh when it is implied that extended breastfeeders are in some way 'doing it for themselves' - in my case nothing could be further from the truth certainly at the moment - I am 14wks pg, knackered, have tender nips and my dd (2 last friday) is treating me like a milking machine. I have to make allowances for the fact she has been ill lately - and I have been glad to be able to feed her through it. But her lack of understanding that when she is rough with me the feeding stops is really getting me down - she refuses to learn. In so many respects she is gentle and loving and so sweet - but she can also turn into a little bundle of anger if not getting her way on this.

It is keeping me and dh awake at night (she is co-sleeping with us at the moment). I can move her into her own room though. I need a break from breastfeeding before no.3 comes along - have fed non-stop for over 3.5 years as fed ds throughout pregnancy and tandem fed for a few months but he was not feeding much at all by then whereas dd is feeding several times a day and at night.

If you have got this far thank you as it is a bit of a rant! Any advice gratefully received.

OP posts:
bigmouthstrikesagain · 17/04/2008 10:14

Cup feeding is fine - dd likes milk and yogurt drinks, and will have water and juice from cup at meal times and when out and about. The feeding is only at home during the day (apart from our recent holiday when being able to feed her on plane etc. was a life saver).

I agree I could continue with day feeds if I could cut out the night ones. I think I will have to work in stages - first working on not feeding then falling asleep on her own. It is awkward with the October deadline (when new baby arrives) which puts a bit of time pressure on - but honestly I think for my sanity I need to be proactive about this.

On the cc issue I know what you mean SusieCutie about not always being able to comfort a crying child immediately - in fact if ds or dd are having a tantrum they will be allowed to cry it out on the floor or in the middle of tesco's - so their angry outbursts are not rewarded. But if they have never been left to fall asleep on their own at night the thought of leaving them to it does not appeal, for me RR fitted the bill with ds - everyone needs to find the method they can feel comfortable with and works for them.

OP posts:
ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 17/04/2008 10:15

If it helps I found it easier to wean during the day than night. Which is why I'm doing that last. I know the nights are worse to cope with, but I'm a lot less stressed with one night feed than I would have been with three fedds during the day and no night feeds. If that makes sense.

Decide which is easier for your daughter to drop. I found it easier to 'forget' to feed as well. Occasionally we have all missed the odd feed and our babies have been ok with it. So I just continued to forget and baby was fine with that, but then it was the post-brekkie milk so I increased the amount of breakfast he had. After a few days he got the message.

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 17/04/2008 10:22

I guess you have to be quite brave to try CC the way Susie explains it, as no mother likes to hear their baby cry. I'm also quite glad there haven't been any anti-CC comments as whatever works for individual families should be respected.

in fact I am full of admiration that that is something you were able to do susie - I would chicken out and go in before the 'time limit', even if was one minute

CoolYourJets · 17/04/2008 15:28

Bigmouth - I have been there. It is really hard and it is when I night weaned as I couldn't stand it. My first used to suckle all the time at night at about the same stage of pregnancy and it hurt. . In retrospect I think my supply was going and the night time stuff was in an attempt to build the supply up. If there was a sippy cup handy a massive (or at least lengthy) BF would be had followed by downing water .

I ended up getting up and DH comforting child one. We always said No milk until the sun is up and in no time child one would just accept it and go back to sleep.

Big hugs it is a really hard time.

susiecutiebananas · 17/04/2008 17:31

Goodbits: my method, is NO WHERE near as harsh as the 'traditional' CCmethod! I didn't see it as that at all. in most of the CC methods you read, you are not 'allowed' to give eye contact, talk, or anything, or pick them up. I could never do that! ever!
I'm sure you didn't mean to, but you make it sound like I did something really barbaric, ( slightly upset by it tbh ) when infact, in comparison, it was incredibly gentle. Also, whilst actually doing it, it didn't feel as bad as I thought it would. at all in fact. It felt like a really positive thing. I was seeing results immediatly almost.

Izzy was fine, all she wanted really was to see me ad have a cuddle, which she got. The only thing I deprived her of was a breast feed. I think it would work just as well if you went in after 30 seconds the first time... its the fact you are appearing, you are making lots of nice contact which at her age, is all she really wanted. She didn't need or want anythig else.

This is not meant in a horrible way at all , but are you honestly telling me your DC never cries? That you never allow them to cry? I find that really difficult to accept.( I really don't mean that in a nasty way truly ) Izzy cries, regularly in the day time, some times, I've not a clue what about. She doesn't want anything I do for her, so I usually give up trying to work it out. so She just sits crying, or potters around doing things, but crying on and off. Usually means she's tired or getting close to lunch time. sometimes neither though.

You know, like my mum and sister and SIL and many other mums who'd been there and done it, said to me. it is ok, for a child to cry. Especially if you know there is no actual reason, or one which you are not going to give into, such as br feeding, when they might want it, but certainly don't need it.

Anyway, like I say, it didn't feel horrible at all. it felt like I was finally gaining control of the situation which was driving me to insanity through total utter exhaustion. something had to be done. I'd tried a few things with little change. The title Controlled Crying is a horrible one anyway, certainly for this, as it is more about controlling me, than her. Well thats what it felt like anyway.

It was hard, of course it not nice to hear your LO cry. really hard, made my boobs leak- which did not help matters as she could clearly smell it even more! but, like I say, it was a very short term disruption for a hugely long term gain. I'd actually say, it changed out relationship in a way I was not expecting.

She has become far happier, as she is also getting proper sleep. She also started to sleep regularly i the day time, something she'd never done. Our routine and lives changed in a good way. Anyway if not for you, then thats fine I wont mention it again.

SmugColditz · 17/04/2008 17:34

chimps push their offsprting away when they don't feel like feeding them, even chimps say no! It's natural

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 18/04/2008 00:25

Oh heavens susie! There is no way I think your method is 'barbaric'. I really didn't mean to hurt you at all.

I think it's just the title Controlled Crying that sends shivers down my spine. Reading back on what I've written I think it could have been worded better.

By describing your method as 'brave' I didn't mean to sound condescending. I meant it in the sense you had to have had great self-control. And I hold with what I said - i do respect you in that you found a method that, however difficult, worked for you.

And yes my boy cries, sometimes incessantly, I thought that even before I had Baby GoodBits. And I agree that sometimes you can't do anything to comfort them and they just need to cry. And I have had to leave him in the room while i went out to calm down for a few minutes. And also I have been quite horrid to him when the crying doesn't stop or he refuses to go back to sleep or doesn't want to eat anything that I feel so cripplingly guilty (my problem i know).

There is just something about leaving him to cry at night....it's the night thing that's getting to me.

Maybe i was wrong to think out loud as it were on here. The thing is he is 20months and really should be able to sleep through without needing a feed and somehow I managed to turn this thread into one about sleeping (which I didn't mean to do).

Anyway before I turn this into a complete weepy I'll just say that I will think about everything on this thread over the weekend and begin to implement something from next week. Thanks.

susiecutiebananas · 18/04/2008 01:11

Tis ok IOTGB I was feeling a leeeettle bit sensitve earlier! I'd been up since 5am. Teething LO's, don't sleep well!!!

Sorry.

I agree with you on the term CC making you wince... it always did for me. My HV talked to me every week for months and months, asking me to consider some kind of sleep training.

I was adamant that CC was wrong. I could never do it, that it was a horrible thing to do. which is many peoples view on it. I guess, I just got to the point where something had to change, and for us, it was the night feeds that needed to stop. The only way was to do some kind of sleep training. Had to deal with both issues i one hit, as it were!

I also know what you mean about it being at night time. the main reason I got into such a problem with her not sleeping, was that i hated her crying i the night, plus, i was so worried about us disturbing our neigbours. I was paranoid about it, and jumped up to her almost at the first squeek. It took until we moved into this flat ( one below the last one! ) so she had her own room, and I felt the sound would travel less.

I mentioned it on this thread mainly, as I say, the feeding at night was the problem with the night waking IYSWIM? It was a joint issue.
Your DS really shouldn't need to feed at all at night now. He might want to of course! DD would still given the chance, and I do sometimes, if she is teething, or just awake. It doesn't seem such an issue now, as its only a couple of nights a week really. It means she settles really fast again, and the sleeps through until morning. So, I don't mind much now. Just really mind about the fiddling, pinching etc...

Anyway i'm just repeating myself now! I wanted to say sorry for being over sensitive. I suppose it's because people get so much stick on here for CC. I don't feel that was what i was really doing. It was more about my control than any control over her anyway. I can't stress how much of a difference it's made to our daily lives though. I have been so gobsmacked by the result. She is definitely happier , content, and all round much better.
Dh works away mon-fri and its really hard just now. Another reason reason for me to get it all sorted out

Good luck and once again, i'm really sorry

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 22/04/2008 13:24

Haven't been near the comp for a few days and didn't want you to think I ignored your last post susie.

Just thought you might like to know that I started sleep training with Baby GoodBits last night. And oddly leaving him for 5 mins isn't as bad as I thought it would be.

The first couple of times I went to him after a minute or so as usual because sometimes he falls asleep immediately after a little cry. Then later in the night (early morning really - 3:45ish) he woke up and would not settle for a couple of hours. I stayed with him for about an hour and a half and then went to bed. Still had to go to him a few more times after that.

The big thing is that although I knew he was awake I didn't immediately go to him as he wasn't crying. He would stay awake for about 5 mins and then cry, so then I would go to him after 2mins or so. For the first time ever I thank Mr GoodBits for getting a fancy monitor with a camera so I could see he wasn't distressed without going to his room.

And the bigger than the big thing is that I didn't bf him nor did I chicken out and bring him into my bed. Though I was sorely tempted!

However today I am absolutely shattered from having next to no sleep and so is Baby as he has been napping for the last two hours!

Hopefully tonight will be easier.

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