I always knew had to wean now... but ...

[rufalina]

Now I am here, I cant bring myself to do it. I am so pleased I have been able to booby feed my DS for 5 months, and we have battled through the reflux, and seem to be cruising along so well now. I don't want it to end......

For as long as I was pregnant, and even in all the time I was TTC, I knew that once I finally had my baby I would only be able to breastfeed for 6 months, if I was lucky enough to be able to do so at all. And in my mind, I was able to say, sure, no worries, it is for my health, and I am cool with that. But now, after holding my DS to my breast and feeding him, I am finding it hard to rationalise it.

I met with my neurologist yesterday, and he really needs me to wean so I can start on my meds. I dont need to stop feeding cold turkey, I can take a bit of time, but I still cant do it. I do give my DS a bottle of FF at 7pm, as he is sooooooooo hungry in the evenings, that I could never make my supply catch up, but I am ok with that as I BB feed him at 5pm and then again at 10pm, so the 7pm bottle is just a tummy filler, and he has only had that for a couple of weeks. So last night, I made up FF bottle before I went to bed to give him at the during the night feed but when he woke last night, I just (deliberately ) forgot about the bottle and put him straight to the boob. OOPS...

So how do I bring myself to wean him. He is such a booby monster, and we feed to sleep, and feed for comfort. He feed maybe 8 times a day... We are not very structured, just demand feeding... And feeding to sleep. (but that breaking that habit is for another thread...)

He is OK with the FF bottle, at 7pm, but he I left him with my sister during my DRs appt and when he woke from his nap, he wouldn't take a ff bottle from her, and waited till I got there, and took it from me, which just reinforced my desire to feed him. However, when I had a migraine a couple of weeks ago and he spent the day with his granny, he happily took a couple of bottles from her...

So the long and short... any suggestions / tips or help is greatly appreciated!!!!! TIA!

[Liz]

Oh *hugs*. What a hard thing to do, and how fast does the time go with our little bubbas! I guess it would be a matter of replacing one feed at a time.. but that's just the physical, not the emotional. I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions.. only another hug!

I don't know your situation/condition, but have you double checked the safety of your meds and breastfeeding? I know Barb recommends someone to ring re meds and breastfeeding, might be worth a shot.

I'm a little confused why you can be off the meds for 6 months, and not longer? especially if everything is going well. (but like I said, I don't know your situation hehe.. so feel free to leave me in the dark.. I don't want to pry )

*hugs* again.

[rufalina]

Liz, I guess I should explain re the meds.... I have ms (multiple sclerosis), and I have never taken any meds regularly for it. My neuro wanted me to start medicating over a year ago, but I decided to have a baby, and put off the starting of treatment till then, as my MS has been pretty inactive, but in order to prevent it stating up, my neurologist wants me to start treatment as soon as possible, (interferon injections) so I can prevent the progression of it... And the meds are not sufficiently tested for safety on babies, so I dont want to take any risks there.

I think maybe just getting this out to you gals who understand will help me work through the emotional side of things, and focus on the physical.

Thanks for the understanding Liz!!!

[Kmn]

Just because you have to doesn't mean that it's easy. Here's a bit of a brainstorm..In some ways you are probably weaning you as much as him, in the sense that he may well adapt more easily than his Mum does.

I think that if I had to wean my booby-monster I would start by giving small ff bottles before every feed, so that the comfort-sucking could still be there for a while, but the really-hungry-sucking wouldn't be. My best guess from when I have to EBM feed DS is that he has 100 ml or so, 7-10 times a day - so I would start with 50ml ff's and slowly increase the amount in them (kind of like backwards "comp" feeding). I might try and replace feeds as well, but since he demand feeds in a really irregular way that might be trickier.

Part of what would make it really difficult for me is that DS will give himself a bottle (albeit slowly and messily), or let me help him a bit - but he won't take a bottle if he is held in a snuggly way, only if he is lying on the floor. So I would "lose" a couple of hours of cuddles if I stopped BFing, and I'm not sure how either of us would take to that.

Another option would be to go on the normal pill, so that your milk supply slowly decreased - and at the same time offer lots of bottles.

[MantaRay]

Ruf hun, to you. I can only imagine how difficult this is for you. I hope you are able to find peace with this.

Just a thought too, have you spoken to the Monash Drug Information line? Dr Rodney Whyte there has the very latest info on drug safety during bfing. Quite often medications are listed as "not safe for bfing" in the MIMS database (which is the only information most doctors have), but are actually ok, and this wonderful service has that more recent info. It still might be that you will have to stop bfing, but it might be worth ringing just to be totally sure. The number is 03 9594 2361.

I wish you all the very best hun. You are in my thoughts.

[Liz]

Monash Drug Information line? Dr Rodney Whyte there has the very latest info on drug safety during bfing. .. The number is 03 9594 2361.

That's the one I knew someone would know it, so I didn't go hunting for it

I'm so sorry to hear about the MS. How wonderful though that you have been able to put it off in order to have a baby and to breastfeed as long as you have! Seriously, keep that in mind while you work out your next steps. You've already achieved so much!

Definitely give the information line a call.. it certainly can't hurt.