To stop breast feeding??

[m+w=peanut]

My bubba is nearly 6months and I am trying to decide whether to stop breast feeding her?
My son was only fed for a month and my milk dried up.
I really can't make my mind up. Any input??

[nothing2lose]

I would say make a list of all the pros and cons, then do what you think is right for you, your baby and your family.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Well, it is your decision. Are you thinking of starting solids or stopping breastfeeding? You can start solids and still BF - but if you stop BFing you will need to supplement with expressed, donated or artificial milk.

[Onelittleprincess]

I can only say my belief, what I did with dd1 and plan on doing with dd2.

I think you know within yourself when your ready to pass it up.

I started dropping a feed every few months. It started with the 'dinner' feed. And dropped them as needed. By 11 months we were at one feed a day - the breakfast feed. One day she decided she no longer wanted it.

I think go by what you think and feel. Be guided by baby. If you drop a feed for a few days and don't like it then you can pick it up again

[m+w=peanut]

She started solids at 4 mths so I have been breast-feeding and giving her solids. In the last week or so I have been thinking about putting her on formula.

[diva det]

hey there
its a big decision when to stop breastfeeding
is there is a reason why you want to stop now??

If there isnt and you are happy to- why not keep on feeding!!!
The WHO recommendations are to feed breastmilk only until 6 months and then supplement (food) and breastmilk until at least 2 years old
although these are just that recommendations- there have been many studies to show us the benefits of feeding well beyond 6 months

personally i found that breastfeeding as long as i could made life so much easier than it would have been if i decided to give up and formula feed instead
- i am too lazy to mix up bottles- pack up the kid, grab a nappy and off we go- no having to worry about bottles on the go!!
- if my bubs was sick- they got better so much quicker with some boob juice on board
- if they were teething and off their solids- at least i knew that my milk was filled with all the goodness my bub needs
-i had an excuse to have to sit down, relax and watch tv every 3-4 hours ( i was feeding bubs lol)

the choice is up to you and there are plenty of people who will give you input and support in whatever decision you make- but from my point of view, my experience and my own research, it is best to feed your bubs as long as you can!!! I fed my twins until they were nearly 12 months old, and i really regret that I didnt feed them longer.
Good luck with your decision and well done for getting for 6 months!!

[TeniBear]

Mmm, I have to agree with det - why are you wanting to stop? Maybe examine your reasons before making such a huge decision that you can't take back. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I know why I'm considering not BFing Stormy - I just read the phrase "boob juice". Sorry, det, I agree with your points, but that phrase really turns me off. FWIW, Liebs was on solids from 5 months (developmentally ready and I did a lot of research about this) and BM for 16 months. Again I echo the "lazy" point: if Liebs was hungry, he could have a feed, I didn't need to pack food/drink/bottles.

[Rouge]

I breastfeed my son till he drank from a sippy cup, which was around 12 months. He weaned of his own accord, but I personally wouldn't wean by choice until they could have cows milk instead if I could avoid it. Because I refuse to pay for something I can provide for free. Especially when what I make is better

I would be asking myself why you want to stop breastfeeding? Is there a problem with breastfeeding? Have you been told you should stop? Is it an inconvenience?

Sorry just not sure if it's going well why you'd need to stop and start paying lots of money for something your body does for free.

And of course it's your choice. But I don't think other people really know what you want.

[Chrispe]

Whenever I think about weaning from the breast I ask myself
" Will I regret this in a day/week/month?"

I switched my first to formula at 4-5 months because I wasnt coping with the demands of breastfeeding. I regretted it later- wished I had kept going.

You do what you feel is best. If you feel the need to switch then go for it, as long as you feel confident it's the best choice for you and your baby. Also as someone else suggested you don't have to switch fully. You can have some formula and some breastfeeds.

[RhiChiChi]

I would say make a list of all the pros and cons, then do what you think is right for you, your baby and your family.

I'd do this. GL with your decision.

[OceanPrincess]

Just to echo something Rouge said, why buy something you are successfully making for free?

At the end of the day, solid food isn't the main source of nutrients until after baby is 12mths. You will need to provide some form of milk until 12mths. Why switch to formula if it's all good?

You'll have your reasons, a list is a great idea to weigh up pros and cons, good luck with the decision

[HotI]

Once baby starts eating more, it does give you a few more options for leaving them for a few hours. My DD didn't drink EBM but after about 9 months was drinking water and eating enough so that i could leave her with my Mum or partner and she would just have a big feed when i picked her up. Your supply is established, baby is probably having shorter feeds than in the early days, you have done the hard work in the first 6 months, the 2nd 6 months is easy and convenient.

For me, I also didn't want the hassle or cost of formula, and making it to 12 months meant i could avoid it.

[SunnyRain]

Why do you want to stop?

My experience: Ds switched to formula from 5 months after being supplemented from 2 months. I had to carry bottles of water and measured formula everywhere which was not that convenient. Going away for a weekend was a real PITA, having to find a way to sterilise bottles & teats and I'd basically have to take the whole tin.

Dd is 15 months old and breastfeeding is going great. I can take a whole day off for me time and leave her with dh no problem, she drinks water and will drink some cows milk from a cup. She never ever took a bottle, had ebm just a few times because she wouldn't really drink it.

I carry her in my ergo and only need my handbag. I can go anywhere anytime without worrying about it. The best part is knowing what a wonderful gift I'm giving my daughter. I hope to be able to reach the WHO target of 2 years. That's my choice of what I want to give my child.

I'm swamped with sadness that I made the wrong choices with my son by introducing formula so that he self-weened so young. I had wanted to bf him to 18 months.

I think you should research the benefits of breastfeeding and make sure you're fully informed before making a decision you can never take back.

[m+w=peanut]

Thank you so much everyone for your input. My main reason was that I am quite overweight and wanting to lose weight and the weightloss programs I have looked at all say I can't do them while breast feeding. That and I am normally large busted and with the milk they're so much bigger (j) and starting to cause neck problems.
I am starting to think that if it is this hard a decision for me to make I mustn't be ready yet.

[RhiChiChi]

^^ You can do the Michelle Bridges 12 WBT program whilst pregnant and bf (under the ok from your Dr). Her program just increases calories and you modify your exercise program. I think the program isn't due to start again until January now..

I agree, if you are umming & ahhing then stick with the bf. GL

[Kmn]

You can do almost any weight loss program and continue feeding now. Except for those that rely on stimulants and so on, since they are very bad for babies.

The warnings are because drastic weight loss may cause your supply to decrease, but your baby is not a vulnerable 6 week old that can't eat other things and can't feed more intensively to make up for any decrease in supply. So once she is happily having some food and drinking some water (by no means does she have to stop breastfeeding) then go for it.

[Miss_Dee]

Just wanted to say in regards to the large breasts and neck problems (currently a j/jj here), have a look into seeing a chiro. After injuring my lower back I started seeing one which did wonders for me. Throughout my pregnancy my boobs, which started as an e, kept growing which put a lot of pressure on my upper back as well as creating neck problems and headaches. The chiro was a life saver. Now that I'm breastfeeding my upper and mid back are in constant agony, so can not wait to see her and get that sorted. Even if you do decide to stop breastfeeding, I'd still encourage you to see someone cause I know first hand how much pain large breasts can cause.