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June 2011 Moms
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How did you decide it was time to stop BFing?

rainstar752rainstar752 member
in June 2011 Moms

I think I'm running out of steam (and milk, lol).  I'm setting an end date of her 4-month birthday in a little over two weeks and then I'll slowly start replacing nursing sessions with a bottle.  I'm hoping to continue pumping for a little while longer while at work and continue the morning nursing session, but I'm not sure how long my supply can be maintained like that (with no pumping/nursing in the evening at all), so I'm expecting it all to end within a couple of weeks of her turning 4 months.

My story is this: though BFing was rough in the beginning, I grew to love it around 6 weeks or so, even though DD was a super slow eater.  I love those little moments with just the two of us, and her so content.  But my supply- I'm not sure whether it was never big enough, or it started out okay but then stopped being able to meet her demand when I went back to work, or what. She started acting hungry after feeding.  When I went to work, she immediately grew a strong bottle preference.  I've been trying to work through it by pumping after each feeding (which went from lasting 40 minutes to lasting about 10 minutes in about a week because she refuses to nurse and just latches and unlatches).  But I'm worn out, with working full-time and pumping 6 times a day and nursing 4 times on top of that. I think in some ways she's telling me she wants the bottle.  In some ways I don't mind- I still feel connected to her when I give her the bottle, and I don't think formula is something evil or anything like that, and FF seems so much more convenient most of the time... but I'm still sad.  I wanted to make it to 6 months and I'm not going to make it to my goal.

 Anyway, that's my diatribe- what's your story, if you switched to FF?  Why did you make the change?  Do you still feel guilty, or are you happy with your decision?

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Re: How did you decide it was time to stop BFing?

  • growingmybungrowingmybun member
    When I wasn't able to feed my son enough to keep him satisfied, then it was game over.  At that point, I realized that I was only doing it for me, not him and that was not fair.
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  • Rachel5782Rachel5782 member

    I only bf for like 2 weeks.  Bfing from the start was a disaster... The pedi had me supplement with formula due to jaundice.  My c/s caused my milk to come in late and LO was rejecting my boobs because he knew a bottle was coming.  My nipples were so beat up I wanted to throw LO out in the hallway everytime he latched.  Lactation consultants said he was latched correctly but it was awful.  To top it all off, I was battling serious baby blues... I dreaded everytime I had to hold LO to feed him.. and I was crying day and night.  I was miserable.  I feel guilty at times because I know I probably could have gotten through it.  Everyone says the first month is the hardest.  But when it comes down to it, I felt like bfing was preventing me to bond with my child, as funny as that sounds.  Like I said, I still feel guilty at times when I hear or read "breast is best", but LO is happy, healthy, and much loved and that's what I have to remember.  I'll try again with the next baby, but if it doesn't work out again, I'll switch to formula with no problem.

     It really is a personal decision.  If you stop before your 6 month goal, just remember that you're doing what's best for you AND your child. 

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  • DowagerCountessofNJDowagerCountessofNJ
    imageRachel5782:

    I only bf for like 2 weeks.  Bfing from the start was a disaster... The pedi had me supplement with formula due to jaundice.  My c/s caused my milk to come in late and LO was rejecting my boobs because he knew a bottle was coming.  My nipples were so beat up I wanted to throw LO out in the hallway everytime he latched.  Lactation consultants said he was latched correctly but it was awful.  To top it all off, I was battling serious baby blues... I dreaded everytime I had to hold LO to feed him.. and I was crying day and night.  I was miserable.  I feel guilty at times because I know I probably could have gotten through it.  Everyone says the first month is the hardest.  But when it comes down to it, I felt like bfing was preventing me to bond with my child, as funny as that sounds.  Like I said, I still feel guilty at times when I hear or read "breast is best", but LO is happy, healthy, and much loved and that's what I have to remember.  I'll try again with the next baby, but if it doesn't work out again, I'll switch to formula with no problem.

     It really is a personal decision.  If you stop before your 6 month goal, just remember that you're doing what's best for you AND your child. 

    I felt the same way.  I'm a stubborn ass so I refused to give up BFing despite bleeding nipples and excruciating pain and my own feelings of being a failure.  Only after we got the hang of it and I healed and was pain free did we really bond.  That's not to say that I didn't love her it was just shadowed by my dreading every meal.

    OP, I say any amount of time BFing is great.  If you can only make it work for you for four months than so be it.  Your LO won't be any worse if she's getting her meals from BM or formula.  The important thing is that LO has a happy mom who can focus all of her attention on loving him or her.

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  • js748899js748899

    I had to supplement from about day 4 because Gabe had some serious jaundice issues and we ended up back at the hospital under the lights. I tried for about 3 weeks to strictly breastfeed and then pump afterwards and it was making me absolutely miserable. By the time I breastfed him, pumped, and then supplemented with a bottle it was time to turn right around and do it all over again. I eventually ended up going to strictly pumping. I did this until 1 week shy of 3 months. At that point I was pumping around the clock and only getting about 4 oz. each session. Gabe was eating 6 oz. every 2-3 hours...I just couldn't physically keep up and like a PP said  there was no "bonding" experience. It was exhausting me mentally and physically. I talked to his pedi. and he told me to quit. He said I have to be a sane, happy mom in order to take care of him. He said you need to take care of you before you can take care of him. I felt a lot of guilt at first....but we are both much happier now and it is a lot less stressful around here!!

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  • monkeysmama62monkeysmama62 member
    When she had 2 growth spurts in the first month. I couldn't take it she constantly wanted to nurse it was completely exhausting.
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