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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

I suddenly and inexplicably hate breastfeeding...can't explain why

39 replies

Haylstones · 10/03/2009 13:11

I don't think this will make much sense but I will try to explain. I bf dd for 18months and loved it the whole way through. I've been feeding ds since birth and have had no problems at all but over the past week or so I haven't enjoyed feeding him-in fact I almost dread it. It's hard to explain but it almost feels like a chore - I even put him to bed the other night without milk because I couldn't face it and gave him a cup of milk yesterday.
Nothing has changed (that I can think of)- he isn't feeding any more than usual (2-3 times a day) or biting etc. The only thing that is different to normal is me having a cold/ viral thing for a while but this has happened many times before without this effect.
Am I just losing the plot? I know I could carry on feeding him for ages yet and genuinely don't want to stop so would really like to try and get over this.
Any advice or reassurances would be much appreciated.

OP posts:
Original poster
Haylstones · 10/03/2009 13:39

Shameless bump
Have tried talking to dh but he doesn't get it. Feel really upset by my own feelings- how bizarre

OP posts:
BooBooChicken · 10/03/2009 13:40

no advice but didn't want to read and run
xxx

InTheDollshouse · 10/03/2009 13:43

Could you be pregnant?

suwoo · 10/03/2009 13:43

I have no knowledge of this but a la leche counsellor told me the other day that this happened to her when she became pregnant with her 2nd. Could this be a possibility?

suwoo · 10/03/2009 13:44

at x posts! Great minds drama.

kidcreoleandthecoconuts · 10/03/2009 13:44

How old is your DS? If he's only feeding 2-3 times a day he's probably at least 6 months?

callmeovercautious · 10/03/2009 13:44

I used to feel like this from time to time, t always passed though and we went on for over 2 years in the end.

Has he just turned one? Perhaps subconciously you feel you have reached the milestone and are ready to stop?

See how you feel in a day or two. Remember though - he has had a great start already so if DH gives him a cup every now and then or you give up entirely you should not have any regrets.

DownyEmerald · 10/03/2009 13:46

I know whenever I'm even a tiny bit ill I can't bear it. Luckily hasn't happened very often. Just can't bear the invasion of personal space I think. Get extremely cross about being woken for a feed.

But of course you could be pregnant! I wouldn't know.

DaisyMooSteiner · 10/03/2009 13:46

LOL at suwoo and dramasequalzero - I saw the thread title and immediately thought 'she's pregnant'!

I'd do a test pdq if I were you!!

Original poster
Haylstones · 10/03/2009 13:50

I'm sure I can't be pregnant... I have only had one period since having him and we always use protection.
Ds was one last week. Maybe this is why. He is a huge baby (think reaaallly big)and I think he feels less and less like a baby now.
I cant explain this except that I feel like I'm letting him down sooo much.

OP posts:
francagoestohollywood · 10/03/2009 13:51

I think it might just be a case of you being under the weather with virus and maternal tiredness. You'll probably feel different soon.

I'm afraid I don't have useful tips though, as, when I got fed up breastfeeding, I actually stopped.

Original poster
Haylstones · 10/03/2009 13:53

I hope so. I don't want to stop yet but want to feel more positive and happy about it.
You lot have got me paranoid now and I'm trying to work out whether or not I have any pg tests left!

OP posts:
francagoestohollywood · 10/03/2009 13:55

You want to carry on until he is ready. I think it is brilliant! Please don't beat yourself up if you feel a bit fed up at times!
And take the test

StealthPolarBear · 10/03/2009 14:00

oooh test!
And I agree with see how you feel in a day or two. I love feeding DS, but I very much want it on my terms now, and get a bit annoyed when he wants a feed when I want to cook tea / go in the shower. I think it is a sensation of life returning to normal and that being scuppered iyswim. Hopefully the feelings will pass in a day or two. If you decide to wean then he has had a year's worth of breastfeeding which is fantastic, and you continued for as long as it suited both of you.

Original poster
Haylstones · 10/03/2009 14:04

Thanks stealth.
ds really isn't demanding- I feed him in bed in the mornings, most afternoons after his nap (sometimes clashes with school run so give him cup on the way) then a bedtime feed unless I'm at work when dh feeds him from a cup. He doesn't mind if I don't feed him as long as he has food of some sort, which makes the way I feel so strange!
With dd it just came to a natural end and it felt right up until that time.

OP posts:
Dreamergirl · 10/03/2009 14:05

I felt the same with my DS, but he used to bite quite hard and I think the dreading of feeding made me dry up too early, (5 months). I was gutted that it happened to early I wanted to feed for at least 12 months, same as I did with DD, though she stopped by herself at 11 months...ish..

Take the test just to be sure. Maybe you have mild PND (think thats right).

Hope it all works out for you.

Divineintervention · 10/03/2009 14:08

I will be watching the thread with the shameless curiosity to know whether you're pregnant!!

Original poster
Haylstones · 10/03/2009 14:10

The dangers of googling...
Maybe I should stop at the shop on the way to school and pick upa test
Surely not though- we're always careful on the rare occasions we have to be!
I can honestly say that pregnancy hadn't occured to me as it isn't On The Plan

OP posts:
suwoo · 10/03/2009 14:36

Pregnancy wasn't in 'The Plan' in my household either, I was 3 weeks late before it dawned on me. I'm now a very happy 18 weeks . Get a test!

100yearsofsolitude · 10/03/2009 14:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DaisyMooSteiner · 10/03/2009 14:39

Isn't Mumsnet great - the OP was worried about not liking breastfeeding, and we've given a whole new worry to distract her

popsycal · 10/03/2009 14:40

was about to say buy a pregnancy test too.....

100yearsofsolitude · 10/03/2009 14:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dublinmom · 10/03/2009 14:41

I started to get fed up with feeding my DD at around 8 months, and I think after feeding my other 2 DCs for 12 months, it was the thought of the months of feeding stretching before me and I felt a bit trapped. Also, I think it's harder to feed the 2nd baby than the first just because you have an older one running around.

It got better for me after a while (I talked to DH and he sent me away for the day without any kids, just to get a bit of freedom, which helped).

theyoungvisiter · 10/03/2009 14:51

I did have moments of irrationally hating bfing while pregnant with DS2, and since then while tandem feeding I have irrational feelings that DS1 is "stealing" DS2's milk.

I'm not sure you are pregnant but either way, what worked for me was just accepting the feelings, telling myself I was allowed to feel this way, and rationalising that it was just part of coming to terms with the growing toll on my body of 2 children.

I am still feeding them both as I also didn't want to stop before DS1 was ready.

I think if you try not to feel bad about this and know that it's not uncommon and doesn't have any bearing on your love for your son it may help you ride it out.

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