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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Anyone stop BFing within the first month or so?
I have decided to stop BFing, after a lot of crying and a lot of guilt. It's just what is best for me and baby. Anyway, how do I do it? Yesterday, I used a bottle of BM and a bottle of formula for two feedings in a row and my boobs were killing me. Can I just quit cold turkey and wait out the pain or do I need to wean slowly over a couple fo weeks?
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Re: Anyone stop BFing within the first month or so?
I wanted to quit a few times, but I stuck it out. The growth spurts at 2 weeks and 5/6 weeks can be very grueling.
You can try relieving pressure by expressing a little bit of milk by hand while in the shower.
i have to agree with mod on this one. it got SO much better for me even after 3 weeks. it's painful and annoying at first, but it gets better.
if you're really going to stop though you have to stop slowly. if you stop cold turkey it could be painful and you could get nasty lumps.
good luck, but i'd keep up with it for a while longer if i were you.
A lot of reasons and I don't really want to get into why because it took me since Day 1 to decide to stop and I don't want to start second guessing myself again. IIt's not because of painful nipples or bad latch. Ideally, I would like to do both--BF a couple of times a day and use formula too. But, I don't know how to do that either.
The fact that you feel so guilty must mean that you genuinely tried to BF your baby. Please don't feel so bad. Many women out there FF and really it's just a matter of preference. I hope someone who FF will respond to you so you know that you're not doing anything wrong. As for the pain and weaning, i'm afraid I don't have much advice there.
Visit www.kellymom.com.
You'll go through a rollercoaster of emotions during the first few weeks, whether BFing or not. Maybe you can let LO nurse in the morning and evenings and supplement with formula during the day and middle of the night.
i BF'd and FF with bottles for the last 4 weeks. you can totaly do both if you want. as long as your LO is latching on well, you can give a bottle for couple of feedings. your milk is supply and demand. so if you BF for 4 feedings and FF for 4 feedings your body would figure it out.
You can do this just fine....start by increasing the amount of formula for the feedings you want to be formula. You'll probably want to pump some to relieve the pressure and mix w/the formula. For the feedings you want to keep as bfing just keep nursing her so she stays used to the boob.
Kellymom.com has a great article on partial weaning. I have several coworkers that use formula during the day and nurse when they are at home, etc.
I have my supply weaned to where I BF the first and last feedings of each day and it's perfect for us. I stopped exclusivly BFing at 8 weeks, I spent an entire weekend just doing those 2-3 feeding a day and when I got too engorged I just let the boobs drip into the bathroom sink and if I was really desperate I pumped a couple of ounces. I know that isn't ideal or recommended, but I didn't have any problems aside from some discomfort.
I dried up a lot in just 2 days. GL
I'm feeling the exact same way... Thank you for posting.
You can quit cold turkey, but I started pumping @ 2 weeks instead.
It killed my supply -- just what I wanted -- but also gave DD a little BM every day.
I did that for a week or so and I finally stopped getting engorged and would get less than an ounce from each 30 min. pump session.
Why do you care what she does?
To the OPer. I never BF'ed, but got engorged when my milk came in. It does hurt. Just wear a tight sports bra (only take it off to bathe) and don't express, don't use heating pads, and don't take hot showers. Maybe some tylenol to ease the pain a bit? Your breasts will get rock hard and be very painful, but it doesn't last long.
My engorgement went away after about a week, but I leaked for about 6 weeks.
Ok, reading the responses I'm getting really p!ssed off.
Why do you people care what she does with her boobs? Her kid will be fine on BM or formula. If she doesn't want to BF she doesn't have to!
I agree...I struggled with the guilt too when I made the decision. The main thought that kept repeating itself with me was that I wasn't giving my LO the best food for him by not BF'ing. And you know what - he doesn't care because he doesn't know. He took the formula just like he took the BM, and today, formula is amazing stuff.
You do what you feel is right for you. Yes, BF'ing is a great thing IF YOU CAN DO IT. I couldn't. Maybe you can't, but that doesn't make you a bad mother by any means. You do not have to explain yourself on these boards; whatever decision you make you've obviously thought a lot about it. Do what is best for the two of you. If you keep BF'ing but are uncomfortable or extremely upset about it, then what good does that do you or your baby? Yes, you have a baby, but you're a person too and need to keep your own well-being in mind as well.
Stellas, a lot of us who have BFed faced a lot of difficulty in the first few weeks, and I'd guess most wondered if they should quit. I know that for me personally (and I've seen many, many other women on here express this) I was SO GLAD I stuck it out, worked with an LO, and gave it time to get better, becase it was so rewarding in the end and everything I hoped it would be for us.
Since the OP started breastfeeding at all, it's likely she was hoping to do it as long as possible and at one point enjoy the experience. Nothing wrong with telling her she likely will if she gets help and gives it time.
Thats all fine and dandy if someone posts asking about whether or not to stop, but her decision was ALREADY MADE when she posted. Trying to dissuade her it just cruel and unsupportive.