how long to stop BFing at 6 months (medical factors involved)

[KatyS36]

Hi all,

hoping someone can give me some advice

my dd is 5 months and has been exclusively BF. we've both loved it

however, i got severe PGP and carple tunnel in pregnancy and neither have completly gone away

my excellent physio, who has been completly supporting of my Bfing dd, is now of the opinion that stopping BFing is the next stage to my recovery and i am in agreement as i think my body has had enough and i need to stop for the sake of both my long term health and to go back to work (can't really type at the moment)

i'd love to exclusively Bf DD until 6 months, but i can't still be BFing more than a few weeks after that.

i'm trying to decide if the best thing is to wait until 6 months and then hope to completly stop within a few weeks, of to start stopping a bit earlier and phase it out more slowly

thanks katy

Hi Katy,

I would wait untill six months because then you can start solids as well. And if you want to give formula in a cup it is also easier to start this at around six months. Substitute bfs for formula one feed at a time leaving 3-4 days in between and if she's not taking much formula then at least you can incorperate the milk in the solid foods. She's so young she won't miss the breast feeding. Except prehaps if she's fed to sleep?
Try the LaLeche league web site or your health visitor as well.

Hope this some help. I can be more explicit on advice if what I've said sounds right to you.

Fiona

I agree with bumbums. Start solids alongside cutting down on breastfeeds at 6 months. It'll save you money on formula, and exclusive 6 months breastfeeding is so amazing for your DD.

Personally, I don't think your physio is "completely supporting your bfing". If I were you I would get a 2nd opinion, or continue by expressing for a few weeks after you've weaned her, so that you could re-establish the breastfeeding if it ended up not aiding your physical recovery after all. I stopped feeding my first at 12 months on medical advice due to my postnatal depression, and it actually made my depression a lot worse as I missed feeding her and the anti-depressants they could then prescribe didn't help anyway!

Just something to consider. But well done for breastfeeding for coming up on 6 months, whatever you now decide!

With both DD2 and DS I stopped bf in a week at 6 months. Instead of dropping feeds one after another when I decided to stop, on the first day I gave DS 3 oz of formula in a bottle at each feed, then let him bf. The second & 3rd day I gave 4 oz formula in a bottle at each feed then let him bf. Then up to 5 oz for a couple of days, By the end of the week he was onto 7 oz bottles and my milk supply had hugely decreased, at that point I would just express a tiny bit off to relieve the pressure if necessary, but i only had to do that a couple of times.

Thanks guys for your ideas, its given me encouragement to carry onto 6 months before i stop

re the physio, there is now some pretty credible evidence carple tunnel can be linked to it, from both la leche league and NCT

she has had 6 months BFing under pretty difficult circumstances (my husband had to hold her in place for all her feeds for the first 3 weeks as i couldn't manage with my wrists), and whilst i'll be really sad to stop i feel i've done everything i can and not stopping would be a risk too far

thanks again, and i know i can come back if stopping doesn't go to plan