Giving up BF.

[Ready]

I have made the sad decision to give up breastfeeding , after weeks of torture for both me and dd, I have made the decision that giving up is the right thing to do. I am sad about it, but also feel like I will stop stressing and start enjoying being a mum again.

Anyway, my question is, how on earth do I do wean off the breast and onto formula?

I am sure this has been asked a million times, but I have done a search and there are loads to look through and I have a beautiful and demanding daughter to look after so I would love for people to give me some advice and their experiences?

Thanks in advance

Why don't you try mixed feeding before giving up completely? It will take so much pressure off you.

I'd use a bottle that is kind of breast shaped - eg tommee tippee closer to nature.

Good luck!

The last few days we've given her emb in a tommee tippee bottle and she (and I) have been so much happier for that feed - calm and relaxed - no tears or screaming.

Trouble is that was using up my mini bank and I can only express 2-3oz at a time, and there is no way I can express enough each day.

Thanks for the advice

OOps, do you mean mixing formula with breast? How do I make that work?

Bumping for the evening

Ready I think mixing means sometimes giving breast and sometimes bottle and seeing how that goes: giving bottle in the evening perhaps?

I really feel for you because I also had to make that sad decision to give up BF with both my DSs after weeks of agony and tears (incidentally both took to the bottle instantly). It is hard. Big hugs to you I didn't try mixed because no-one suggested it to me at the time. I am two weeks from giving birth to number three child and if I suffer again I will try mixed feeding this time.

Ready, I mixed fed ds successfully until he was 14 months, so it can be done...breast and formula. I used the playtex bottles which worked very well (in fact it was using them that got ds his latching on back after being v. sick and unable to bf)

Hi Ready. I'm thinking of moving to mixed feeding and am seeking advice on it. What I've heard so far is to swap one bf for an ff at a time, every few days or so. The best feed to start ff'ing with is the late evening one because this is when your milk quality is lowest. Then you can gradually replace the feeds.

MadameDefarge - I'm pleased to hear that you successfully mixed fed. Can I ask how you decided which feeds to use the bottle and which ones the breast?

Thanks ladies

Becky (hope all goes well with baby 3's arrival), thanks for the hugs, it is heartbreaking but I know it is the right thing for us. DH is giving DD her first ever bottle of formula as I type, she took to it straight away, didn't seem bothered by the taste difference. And has only peeped when DH pulled it away to burp. but because my little girl is not screaming and pumping herself full of adrenalin before bed.

Thank you MadameDefarge, I am hoping that it could work for us, that way she will still get some of my immunity and goodness.

Thanks Treats, DD has a 6.30/7pm feed and then goes through til the early hours, so that is the feed we are swapping first. It was the feed that caused the most heartache so it makes sense. Good luck to you too.