Stopping BF to start MJ

[Xyzmum89]

Unsure really why I'm posting this - half for a handhold and half to see if anyone has any similar experiences/stories of encouragement.

Currently in the process of weaning my 18 month old who still has 2 BF (breastfeeds) per day. Doing this so I can start MJ as my weight has ballooned (+2.5 stone in 8 months) through a combination of antidepressant use and development of what I think would class as a binge eating disorder...gone from being someone with a sweet tooth who has too many snacks, to food having an intense grip on my mind, planning binges and my mood being entirely dependent on whether I've been able to binge that day/will be able to later.

I've gone back and forth for weeks about stopping BF as it feels unfair on my little one (given i fed my first until age 2, so it just feels like uneven treatment), but at the same time my mental health is in the toilet and I know 1) that I matter too and 2) I'll be a better mum when I can get on top of my food demons and shift some weight.

If you've got this far then thanks for reading and if you have any similar MJ success stories post partum then please do share so I can finally have some hope!

Much love mumsnetters x

I’m in a similar boat trying to work out what to do about that! So sending support your way. My eldest was bf until 2 and my youngest is just turned 2 but really loves boob and it’s such a useful parenting tool… plus I might never do this again so feels bad cutting it short so I can lose weight…

Also I know I could lose 5kg or so through sheer will but then I might not meet the prescribing criteria and I think it’ll bounce back on the moment I’m stressed. Ideally I’d lose 15-20kg with the support of WLI to get to a mid point BMI…

Eating disorders are meant to be a contraindication for weight loss injections although many of the posters on the WLI boards say they are binge eaters. I recommend contacting BEAT and getting help for you eating disorder. I wish you all the best, eating disorders are tough.

I weaned dc at 2.5 years old to start injections as my weight was out of control, had tipped into morbidly obese. DC was largely having booby for comfort at that point anyway. If you are going to beat yourself up over it maybe wait 6 months but it was the best decision I have made. 33kgs lost 15 months on and I am now a healthy BMI, fit and happy. For me MJ took away the food noise entirely and allowed me to work on correcting my relationship with food. It is not a magic bullet and I still have to make good choices every day, but it helps. If you have a genuine ed they won't prescribe WLIs to you and you might be better off with therapy but a tendency to overeat/emotional eat probably describes a lot of us pre mj and is not a genuine binge eating disorder. I did the therapy pre MJ and the things I learned there I was then able to use once I was on the WLIs. Good luck whatever you decide, and don't beat yourself up about weaning 'early'. I had to wean eldest DC at 12 weeks for medical reasons for which I felt like a massive failure, but they are now fully grown up and absolutely fine.

I stopped BF at ten months so I could start MJ and absolutely zero regrets. I’ve lost three stone since then, feel loads better in myself and it’s meant I can share night duties with my husband. Very pleased with my decision!

Absolutely get what you're saying - likely to be my last time too so I feel awful wishing for it to end!

It's so tricky isnt it, all we can do is what we think is best at the time - best of luck with your decision ❤️

Huge congrats to you and so pleased its working out for you!

I weaned my youngest son at 3.5 to start Mounjaro, our stories are very similar. My weight ballooned to 255lbs after he was born, I was on sertraline for post natal depression (though depression has been an on/off battle since my teens but never medicated before.) I was also a massive binge eater since childhood, the food noise was insane, I hid chocolate I craved chocolate, and far too much time and money on it. I was also drinking up to 4 tins of full fat coke a day (I've since been referred for an ADHD assessment and apparently there can be a link between the two.)

Anyway, I also had GD with both my pregnancies and was worried about developing type 2 diabetes as my weight and eating were getting out of control. I started Mounjaro at the end of May and it's been the best decision.

I was really worried about weaning, he still fed to sleep every night and would've fed some mornings too. We talked it through with my son and he was able to understand, we planned when our last feed would be and bought him a new toy to celebrate (I say celebrate, I was so sad to stop but we made it a bit of a celebration the same way we did when my eldest, non breastfed, gave up his dummy.) He still mentions Millie's now and again but honestly the transition away from feeding was actually much smoother than I thought it would be.

I've lost just over 4 stone since end of May and I'm about 2 stone away from my target, I feel so so much better physically and mentally. The food noise and need to binge stopped almost overnight and I feel so much calmer. Meals were never my issue so I eat the same, just less and will always eat my veg or fruit first. I still have the odd tin of coke or bit of chocolate but I could take or leave it. Though the first week I had the worst headache, I put it down to sugar withdrawal. I've gone right up to 10mg (just in these last 2 weeks) but found it didn't agree with me (that's the first dose I've had side effects with) so I'm going to lower my dose with this pen and then slowly titrate down. I can't give any advice about food noise or binge eating returning once I've stopped as I'm not there yet but I really hope it won't return!

Good luck! 😊

I’m not sure you need to stop breastfeeding, the BfN explains the reasons why, considering your nursling is 18 months and only feeds twice a day it’s likely that there would be no impact on them.

I also found further info which says that it’s a ‘large molecule’ and unlikely to pass into breastmilk. https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/tirzepatide/

https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/factsheet/diabetes/