weaning off bm.

marriedsisterofbride · November 2012

I have been battling guilt about this for two weeks. My body just does not want to produce more milk. Im getting one or two bottles a day for her. I really wanted to go for a year but on the plus side I am hoping to start ttc42 in the spring. She is not a huge fan of formula either and eating solids nicely.

TeamHayes · November 2012

We are unfortunately. I am about 50/50 with bm and formula the past 2 weeks. I only pump 4 times a day now and get about 10 to 12 oz and he gets a 6 os frozen bm bag and the rest is formula. I nurse at night and he eats 4 oz of oats and 6 oz total of fruit and veggies daily so he is a great eater even if he is only in the 1 percentile for weight. I just can't keep my supply up now that I am ku and I am too tired to get up at midnight and 3am to pump like I used to do to get enough milk for the day. I think bfing for 6 or so months is a great accomplishment and you shouldn't feel bad. I just hate how expensive formula is going to be these next 5 months til he is on cows milk. Good luck on your ttc journey.

marriedsisterofbride · November 2012

Thanks. It took us six yrs for willow. I am hoping for a stress free easy ttc this time and hoping not to have to go through the if route. If I need if again we will do it for a little bit but I am 35 I dont have forever.

Luvmy2sons · November 2012

I've been giving DD formula in a bottle here and there (mostly when I go out) just to get her used to it. But now i'm also not producing enough. I'm not sure if it was nerves or what, but I happened to be at the doctors with her. They weighed her, then the doctor took forever, so I fed her. I asked them to weigh her again and she got TWO ounces off both sides. I didn't feel a letdown and DD was working really hard, which she usually doesn't do. But that really just hit me hard. She's also a very very very slow weight gainer. The doctor wasn't worried about it, but did ask me to try and fit some more calories in somewhere. I was already doing solids 2x a day, and usually 1 bottle of formula at night. Yesterday I tried nursing first, then feeding her a bottle, and she really just didn't want it. So I decided today that i'm going to do all formula and pump to get ahead (I do have a freezer stash, but I am saving that for when i'm completely empty), and then start giving her 1/2 bm 1/2 formula bottles. The doctor encouraged me to keep BFing because of the benefits. Even if she gets 2oz of BM a day she said. I can usually pump 2-4 oz a session, so i'm going to see how it goes. My goal was to BF longer than I did my DS's - DS1 was 4 months, DS2 was about 3. So I did do that. And to have made it 6 months is also a huge milestone for me. If I can keep her going with at least part BM, i'll be happy. She may very well just be a slow gainer. My mom said she was as a baby. She's happy and obviously thriving the doctor said, meeting all her milestones, etc. I think i'll just be less "stressed" and worrying about if she's getting enough if I can see what is going in her. I'm also doing mother's milk tea to try and increase my supply to pump. We'll see.

schmood · November 2012

I've been struggling with what to do as well. Right now, I'm pumping 2x/day at work and getting 6-9oz total. He's eating 20-24oz at daycare, so I've had to supplement. It's kind of a PITA to pump and since I'm not getting all that much anyway, I've been wanting to quit. I still nurse him in the morning, before bed and if he gets up MOTN.

To kind of hijack this thread - maybe a stupid question....if I stop pumping at work during the week... can I still BF during the day on the weekends? Or will my body stop making milk during the day?

Lina1030 · November 2012

I am battling the same....I really want to go a year even if it is only a couple nursing sessions a day....I would like to be able to get on a diet but if I don't eat enough my supply tanks....I feel so crappy about myself and how I look....but I feel guilty for being vain and wanting to get my body back at the cost of producing less milk for my baby and possibly ending this journey

gekeler6 · November 2012

Once I went back to work I pretty much stopped pumping. We BF at night since I'm full when I get off work, but since I'm not pumping even on my days off I've just let my supply go. I planned on this with being full time at work and am thankful I'm still producing the little amount that I am. I had a huge freezer stash that is just about gone, but we've been alternating between BM and formula just to make it last longer. She's 7.5 months and will probably have enough for 2-3 weeks alternating between the two. I'm proud I've made it this far. I'm guilty and sad, but she's also been abusive to my boobs, so even DH said it's time to give it up. Be proud you made it this far, it's a hard thing to do. I've felt like giving up many times, but pushed through it. Hopefully you can keep producing even the one bottle you can, even that is a big deal.

MegSowers · November 2012

At 3 mo I tried doing AM and PM feedings, and my supply tanked and didn't keep up with those hours. So, I'm been giving formula. The first time she had it, I felt like it was poison, ruining her all natural body, But, she took to it fine and eats well. I can relate to your guilt. It sucks. But hopefully you will be able to do it again someday.

Good luck!

thechickencoop · November 2012

I've just made the decision to start weaning off some of our daytime nursings. I'm a SAHM so I only pump if we're gone for a while but over the last maybe month my supply has really taken a dip, especially in the afternoon/evening. LO seems to want to nurse constantly because I know he's not getting what he needs! He's definately a good eater and likes to nurse, but I've started adding in one bottle in the afternoon and he seems so much happier and satisified. I think we'll take it as slow as possible and hopefully I can keep a few nursing sessions until at least a year.

It was a relief though to finally make a decision though! I was just feeling like I couldn't keep my baby fed, but, you know, it happens, and I feel super proud to have EBF for almost 7 months.

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