Has anyone else stopped breastfeeding earlier than planned?

Lillybobs86 · 2024-08-02T09:38:29+00:00

I have super Mum guilt but planning to stop breastfeeding soon at 9 months. My plan originally was to breastfeed until 12 months however my health has got quite bad due to putting on a lot of weight and constantly eating due to breastfeeding hunger and I need to think about my own health now as well. I need to do a strict diet which I know works for me but I can not do that while still feeding. I feel so bad stopping earlier but I know the time has come as my health is important too. Obviously baby has been on solids as well since 6 months which they enjoy but still is very attached to breastfeeding :( Anyone else been through this? Baby relays on breastfeeding for naps and going to sleep at night so that's another hurdle 😬😢

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MrsTeepee · 04/08/2024 07:53

Well done for getting to 9 months! It's such a hard thing to do and takes a big toll on mums, so don't feel guilty at all for putting yourself first. Ultimately your baby needs you in a healthy state more than just your milk, and you've already given him/her such a great start.

Mrsm010918 · 04/08/2024 08:01

Not quite the same but I planned on going to 2 years with DS if he still wanted it however, since I've been back at work since he was 8 months I've found I day weaned about then (although he had a bottle of expressed milk in the afternoon) and I've had to night wean for my own sanity now at 13 months as he was waking just wanting boob.

Still wakes wanting cuddles but it's more manageable as it doesn't have to be me and he tends to settle quicker now.

Does your baby take a bottle? I found swapping the bedtime feed for a bottle downstairs really helped with changing the routine for going to sleep. I have to stay in the room but now he lays down and puts himself to sleep in about 20 minutes

grafittiartist · 04/08/2024 08:04

I stopped at 6 months second time around- when I had planned to just carry on and see what happened.
It was at a time when my life felt very chaotic and I was a bit low, and wanted to regain some structure and routine again.
It was still 6 months- 9 in your case- brilliant!

HNY2023 · 04/08/2024 08:04

Well done for 9 months thats amazing. You’ve given them a fantastic start.

theprincessthepea · 06/08/2024 13:09

Following. I’m 4 months in and I will go for as long as I can but I want to stop when we start weaning at 6 months, or at least slow things down.

well done for getting this far though. How does expressing work for you. Could you do that once or twice for relief for yourself. Then move onto bottle?

Oganesson118 · 06/08/2024 13:10

I gave up at 3 weeks and it was the best decision I could have made.

SingingSands · 06/08/2024 17:46

I stopped breastfeeding my first baby at four months due to family pressure - the guilt was off the scale. I felt awful. I wasn't in a good place and let myself be bullied.

When my second was born I had found a backbone and ignored that same pressure and fed until he was 2.5.

Whenever YOU decide is the final feed is great, as long as it is YOUR decision. Well done on going past 6 months and good luck with the next chapter!

Linnc · 30/08/2024 05:21

I have 2 week old and I’m literally hating every second of breastfeeding!! Yet everyone keeps saying keep going you’re doing amazing I dread feeding! Did anyone else feel like this?

barrister489 · 30/08/2024 11:46

To the poster who hates feeding at 2 weeks - YES. I absolutely felt like this for the first 4-6 weeks I would say. But it really does gets easier. It doesn’t hurt anymore, the baby becomes more efficient so it’s all a lot quicker and fewer feeds, and then it’s just plain sailing. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I actually enjoy it now. I thought people who said that before were mad. But, if you want to bf, and that’s of course your choice, you have to get through the difficult early weeks.

Flittingaboutagain · 30/08/2024 11:52

Linnc · 30/08/2024 05:21

I have 2 week old and I’m literally hating every second of breastfeeding!! Yet everyone keeps saying keep going you’re doing amazing I dread feeding! Did anyone else feel like this?

Have you had a tongue tie assessment by an infant feeding specialist (not a midwife HV or doctor)? This is the number one course of negative experiences of breastfeeding for mums who come to our peep support group.

Original poster

Lillybobs86 · 30/08/2024 13:00

Linnc · 30/08/2024 05:21

I have 2 week old and I’m literally hating every second of breastfeeding!! Yet everyone keeps saying keep going you’re doing amazing I dread feeding! Did anyone else feel like this?

I'm pretty sure this happened with both my babies at that stage - I was hating thought of feeding and was ready to quit! I think it's a mix of exhaustion, hormones and sharing your body when you just want a break.
However those feeling completely vanished once things had normalised around 3rd or 4th week and I was soo grateful that I didn't quit and it was an amazing experience and bond with my baby ❤️
I did however after I wrote this post quit at 9 months which was a very sad moment but I was mentally and physically ready and baby is doing so well with bottles ❤️

OP posts:

newtb · 30/08/2024 15:45

I'd planned on stopping when dd was 2. At 20 months she changed nursery and had a bad cold. She was so stuffed up she couldn't suck and stopped feeding - sort of went on strike. By thé time she was better she just wasn't interested any more although it took several months for my milk to stop completely.

Hann376 · 12/02/2025 17:36

Linnc · 30/08/2024 05:21

I have 2 week old and I’m literally hating every second of breastfeeding!! Yet everyone keeps saying keep going you’re doing amazing I dread feeding! Did anyone else feel like this?

i Hated it in the early stages - was so so hard but by around 10 weeks it was loads easier and I enjoyed it! Hang in there

OP - don’t feel guilty at all you’ve done amazing it is so so hard and no one ever warns you. But as others have said make sure you’re making the decision for you and not external pressures!

MonkeyTales · 26/02/2025 04:10

My baby is only 4 days old and I feel like I am failing her. It's the middle of the night and my partner had to run out to find an open shop that sells formula because my body betrayed me... She is cluster feeding I am just not giving her enough milk, she keeps making her signs of hunger and I tried and tried and it hurts so bad. The midwives said her latch is good, but my nipples are already damaged from the first few attempts and just haven't got a chance to heal so it hurts every time. The was latched on for 2 hours straight the last sitting and I had to remove her to get her to stop because I just couldn't handle the pain anymore and she would just start fussing for food again straight away. Now I am crying in the bath while my partner is feeding her formula in the other room. I feel like she doesn't need me anymore, like that special bound we had when I was still essential to her just got ripped and I am losing a part of her. I liked knowing she couldn't be away from me for more than a couple of hours because she needed me.
Now she doesn't. I couldn't get in my car right now and drive away and she would be just fine without me. I know these are selfish thoughts and obviously the most important thing is that she is fed but I can't help feeling like I failed her. She isn't even a week old and I am already failing her.

Original poster

Lillybobs86 · 26/02/2025 07:28

MonkeyTales · 26/02/2025 04:10

My baby is only 4 days old and I feel like I am failing her. It's the middle of the night and my partner had to run out to find an open shop that sells formula because my body betrayed me... She is cluster feeding I am just not giving her enough milk, she keeps making her signs of hunger and I tried and tried and it hurts so bad. The midwives said her latch is good, but my nipples are already damaged from the first few attempts and just haven't got a chance to heal so it hurts every time. The was latched on for 2 hours straight the last sitting and I had to remove her to get her to stop because I just couldn't handle the pain anymore and she would just start fussing for food again straight away. Now I am crying in the bath while my partner is feeding her formula in the other room. I feel like she doesn't need me anymore, like that special bound we had when I was still essential to her just got ripped and I am losing a part of her. I liked knowing she couldn't be away from me for more than a couple of hours because she needed me.
Now she doesn't. I couldn't get in my car right now and drive away and she would be just fine without me. I know these are selfish thoughts and obviously the most important thing is that she is fed but I can't help feeling like I failed her. She isn't even a week old and I am already failing her.

With both of my babies this was the hardest time. The first 10 days are unbearably difficult. Please remember it gets better though after 10 days breastfeeding is a breeze. The nipple pain and engorgement and hormonal mess I was soon passed.
It gets better I promise ♥️

OP posts: