is normal to feel really upset about stopping bf?

[toria77]

am in process of changing from bf to bottle in prep 4 going back work and getting really upset- silly....

no not silly at all, i felt the same,i was gutted.Its the end of something special between you and your baby.
Not silly at all hun x

Yes it's absolutely normal to feel miserable about stopping bf. You maybe feel quite sad about it but there is also a hormonal element to the sadness too. It will pass very quickly but I remember that sadness very well

could you carry on bf in the mornings/evenings to ease the transition maybe?

Is it completely necessary that you have to stop feeding altogether? How old is your baby?

ah, thanks guys .. random crying and clingy mumness is normal, good!!! still sad though, get the feeling this is part of being a mum....

Toria, I'm going back to work quite soon and hope to continue mixed feeding as I am now, morning and evening BF. If I'm not able to feed I hope to express to keep it up. Might be the last thing I feel like doing after 12 and a half hour shift and 2 and a half hours travelling, but I will give it a go I hope.

well i am going back to work in july so i am gradually stopping day feeds- haven't stopped still will feed in morning and night for a while.. early days and still upset! will be rubbish when have to stop totally. thought about keeping night feed going but am i just prolonging agony? also boobs very over-productive so not sure that i would be able to night feed whilst working as will leak everywhere

Personally, I've found working and still breastfeeding to be ok - your body adapts, I think. I fed ds for 3 months after going back to work, then things seemed to come to a natural end. Still feeding dd 7 months after going back to work.

thanks hewletts, it would be good if i could mix,but dont want to be someone who cant let go and who still breastfeeds their teenager!!!!!

because think i could be that clingy if i'm not careful!

Nor me! I'm continuing partly because dd likes it and wasn't that into formula/isn't that into cow's milk.

no offence to long term bf mums though

yeah, knowing when to do what and how is difficult, thats why mumsnet is great, thanks 4 advice, stopped blubbing now!!!

hello

i think the preparation for going back to work is miserable, stressful, emotional time. imo/e, it would be that way whether you were breast feeding or bottle feeding.

with my two, i have felt upset at the prospect of giving up b/f - tried mixed feeding but didn't really work out once back to work - but once over the initial "coming to terms with it" period, it was fine.

imo/e, if its just about b/f v. b/f (!), don't worry, you will probably adjust pretty quickly. if it's about going back to work in general, then i think that's a thornier issue....

good luck

hmm, think it's a bit of both issues! luckily going back for 2 weeks, then summer holidays before back full time so might be better by september, ..... altough probably not, but will be ok, everyone does it

I went back to work when ds was 7 months old. At first I expressed but after a month went onto morning and night feeds and it has worked out fine until now (he is 15 and a half months).

Its definately not silly to feel sad. Tonight I am feeling quite sad though at the thought of stopping. We had a lovely sleepy feed this evening but tomorrow morning will be our last as I go away at lunchtime for a week.

I felt hearrtbroken when dd weaned herself at 17 months. My friend who is equally soppy and had been through it herself sent me a card with some lovely quotes and we sat and blubbed together. So have a blub and you'll feel a litle better.

ah, its amazing how much you can feel about things concerning ds/dd.
perhaps we should feel lucky to have had the experience - some mums go through far worse things i am sure , sill feels sad though

like the card idea

thanks 4 all support, very helpful,on that note , off to feed!