Stopping breastfeeding

[Olivia1232]

Hi. I am currently ebf my 8 month old, I have fed only off one side for around 6 months so one side is dried up and tiny and one is big and full of milk, supply isn’t the problem but I just don’t want to breastfeed anymore, having uneven breasts os really getting me down and I hate looking in the mirror.

i fed my first baby for 2.5 years and she only stopped because my supply dried up when I became pregnant, both children have had dairy allergies so I have to be dairy free so limited to what I can eat.
i just want my body back, i have been pregnant or breastfeeding for 4 years and iv just had enough, i feel so guilty feeling this way and wish I didn’t because my 8 month old loves breastfeeding and although she’ll guzzle a bottle of breast milk down doesn’t seem to like formula.
i also feel guilty that I breastfed my first for 2.5 years and want to stop now when my second baby is only 8 months.

i don’t know what to do wether to stop or just persevere as I don’t want to regret stopping for my own selfish resons and make my baby have formula when she doesn’t really like it.

i don’t really know what the point of this post is really but has anyone else stopped breastfeeding purely because they just wanted to?

I also worry about winter months and not being breastfed as I know they say your Breast milk helps with illness etc.
just so stuck on what to do.

oh wow sounds like me, my dd is 11 months and ebf, shes not keen on bottle at all really we have finally just about got her to start having a bottle here n there, i want to stop bf when she turns 1 because she is a terrible sleeper and wakes every 1.5-2hrs sometimes every hour, atleast with bottle OH can do a couple night feeds, she has started biting the last couple weeks and i have teeth marks on my nipples 😣 and i want my body back, i swinging between ugh can’t wait to stop -to awww i don’t want to stop it makes her so happy and back again right now when i think about stopping i feel sad but after a bad night i really can’t wait- question why did you only feed from one side? Xx

It’s so hard isn’t it!
my baby is also a terrible sleeper, however I went away for the weekend last month and left lots of pumped milk and 2/3 nights she pretty much slept through and only woke a couple of times on the first night but nodded off without any milk but for me wakes every 2ish hours.
I only feed off one side because my supply just wasn’t there in one boob, it was the same with my other baby and I fed off one side for about 2 years!
it’s so frustrating when they bite aswell isn’t it, I feel sorry for them because teething is hurting but then it’s so painful for us!

has anyone else stopped breastfeeding purely because they just wanted to?

I would imagine absolutely loads of women have. Or not breastfed at all purely because they didn't want to. And those babies are completely fine.

I think you need to view breastfeeding your second as something separate to your first. It's not something to feel guilty about that your first breastfed for longer. Like you, I breastfed my eldest for 2.5 years until she stopped when I became pregnant. DD2 only breasted for a year. That's what worked for me each time.

Its also a bit scary, my dd is such a happy little thing i worry if i took boobie away she would be sad and angry lol silly really, i know when the time comes i will probably give in because i have found joy in bf, its first time i have bf properly (i have 4 older kids) so that part of me that doesn’t really want to stop will probably fold 🤦🏻‍♀️ oh yea i have one side that doesn’t seem to give as much we call that one the baddie boobie haha xx

Oh OP, I couldn't not reply to you to let you know that of course it's ok to stop if you want to. Your role as a mum isn't defined by whether you keep breastfeeding - you aren't duty bound to keep going forever. Your feelings, your wants, your needs, and your body matter. You matter. It's so easy to lose ourselves when we become parents, but it's ok to put yourself first sometimes. If you want to stop, then stop. It isn't selfish. It isn't going to hurt your little one.

I know that feeling of 'enough'. I'm still breastfeeding my 3 year old and have a 1 year old feeding too. It's hard sometimes. But I know in my heart I still want to do it. I still enjoy it. If/when that feeling changes though, I would stop feeding either/both and do so feeling bloody proud of myself for feeding for so long. So please, whatever you do, feel pride first and foremost. Because what you have done is incredible.

I remember one day sitting breast feeding whilst on my period, so it was coming out of both ends, wondering what my life had become, I felt like a thing to provide a service rather than a person. So I put them on the bottle and felt so much happier, and more like me.

If you are ready to stop go for it, it won’t happen straight away anyway. I was in a similar situation to you when I stopped with my one year old, I breastfed my eldest until 2 years old all throughout my pregnancy and was just done by the time my youngest turned one.
I have heard the non dairy formulas can be quite unpalatable could you slowly mix some into breastmilk as you introduce it? Or add a drop of vanilla essence?
Best of luck with stopping OP, you have done a great job!

I stopped because I wanted to. It got me down with my second that I couldn't spend time with my first (who I EBF for 14 mths). Especially in the evening. So I moved to bottle.

If you want to stop, do it! When they're older they won't know or care which was breastfed for longer. You'll have to cut down feed by feed so, depending how often you're feeding it'll probably take a month at least. By then there's only 3 months left till they're off formula anyway (at 12 months) and they won't be having very much as they'll be eating more solids!

Seriously stop if that's what you want, no point ending it on a low note where you hate it

Looking for some advice/tips on stopping breastfeeding. My boy has just turned 5months and I’d like to stop breastfeeding at 6months when we start him on solids.
He’s been combi-feeding for about 1.5 months and takes a bottle fine which is great so I know the transition to bottles is not a worry.
What worries me is the emotional/comfort side of it…
I’d say he’s 80% formula 20% boob in the day but through the night he is just wanting boob and has been very comfort booby since his 4month regression.
He’s super clingy to me at the moment and a lot of the times even Dad can’t settle him when he wakes (when he’s not due a feed). I’ve started to try and get into the habit of not boobing him back to sleep when he wakes. So this is my worry really, how long will it take for him to not be sad/get used to not having boob for comfort??
Any help/tips/advice greatly appreciated. I’m a FTM who never thought she could conceive naturally and I’m bloody proud of myself for breastfeeding this long. I just feel ready to stop whilst I’ve had a beautiful BF journey with my boy so far 🥰