why do we need to give a reason?

[crackedphone]

Just pondering, why do woman use following phrases to explain why they decided to stop breastfeeding, rather than just saying I wanted to stop?

he/she has teeth

he/she is 6 months

he/she is too big /old to feed.

No one asked me why I was stopping. Several family members asked me why I carried on so long. I gave reasons for the purposes of conversation.

There was a thread recently where someone was wanting to introduce formula and a few of us suggesting pumping. Not because it's our business but because she was struggling with money and needed to go back to work. Sometimes the reasons are relevant.

Do they?

Most people I know who stopped said "it was too hard/painful".

I fed until 18 months and then said "I decided to stop".

Perhaps because those were the reasons why they wanted to stop?

I don't see why people cannot explain as much or as little as they choose.

Because they feel guilty as they're bombarded with messages about it being the best thing for the baby. What they hear is "why are you not giving your child the best start in life ?", replying "felt like it" seems a bit off.

I hope my daughter will be confidant enough to say she stopped when she wanted to, and equally be confidant to use formula if she chooses it for her baby.

To avoid any expected criticism (whether likely or not) presumably?

No one likes the idea of being bitten, 6 months is often quoted as the length of time you should feed for, too big/too old is because society isn't used to older babies feeding. They're all fairly self explanatory.

No one has ever asked me, and I've never asked anyone else in rl.

I hated every bloody minute of it. It was making me depressed and I resented the baby for making me feel like a milch cow. Plus I was going back to work full-time.

I didn't make any excuses for giving up, not that I recall being asked.

I have said this before but I will never forgive and forget the NCT feeding counsellor I spoke to when I was struggling who seemed to have "but it's best for baby" stuck on repeat.

Fed ds1 for 18 months

Fed ds2 for 2 years

Fed dd for 10 months...BECAUSE SHE BIT WOULDN'T STOP AND IT FUCKING HURT

I didnt want to stop...but I'm quite attached to my tits!!

But i do see your point

Those might be the primary reasons. For me, I stopped with the first because I got pregnant again and the milk dried up, and the second because he weaned himself at about 8 months once he'd realised that real food was an option.

I had no strong feelings about stopping feeding them either time (although I did feel sorry for DS1 who was nearly 3 and very reluctant to give up)