Stopping EBF because of relationship?

[DepressingMumLife234]

My baby is 7.5 months old and EBF. I had to go back to work 3 weeks ago and pumping is taking its toll. Breastfeeding itself is going wonderfully and baby is thriving and I will be absolutely heartbroken. I have a demanding job and a useless DH and the hours of pumping are too much. I can't get my work done. I can't focus on work at all as I keep having to stop and pump. So I have to work extra hours after baby goes to sleep. My DH is useless, he doesn't understand what I'm going through and doesn't do anything extra for baby/around the house to free up some time for me.

Stopping breastfeeding seems to be the only answer. If I had a helpful DH, it would be different. But he's not. So that's my life right now.

Baby has CMPA so formula won't be straightforward.

I don't live in the UK, I didn't have any more maternity entitlement, so I didn'thave a choice in going back (we technically only get 12 weeks but my employer offers longer).

I went back 1 day a week when dc was 5.5 months. That was tough as dc was only on bm. I gave my childminder some ebm to keep in the freezer in case of emergencies.

I gradually increased my work days up to 3 days a week. It gradually got easier as dc took more and more solids. On my days off, I would feed first.

I think I used to get 6 - 9 Oz when pumping at lunch time - I would divide that between 2-3 bottles to reduce waste.

I stopped expressing at 1 year but continued to feed.

It must be a pain to have to watch your diet too for the CMPA, that is tough. Hopefully your lo will start taking more solids soon, definitely gets easier then.

I always got mastitis when I was run down 😬

Can you buy some extra pump parts so you only have to wash them once a day? (in a dishwasher!)

Can you try to stretch the times between your pumping sessions? I had to go back to work early too but at 5 months pp i would only pump once during the working day (during my lunch break). It might be quite uncomfortable for a few days, but it might be worth it.

If you want to keep breastfeeding, then maybe a lactation consultant could discuss your pumping schedule and how to make it more efficient.

Change your job? Change your lifestyle? Change your husband? Could he not work more hours so that you can go part time? This is a difficult situation that your baby is temporarily dependent for its nutrition on you, hence need to breastfeed and maybe as it is only temporary your husband should be supporting you financially for another year to feed HIS child. What are your options here. You seem to be focussing on an impasse your unhelpful husband but what are the wider issues to be solved, perhaps? I say this respectfully but you are understandably full of dislike for him and is that going to change if he drags you into the abyss?