Our journey is coming to an end...

[Taurean]

Well, I'm sad but a little glad to say that our breastfeeding journey is nearing the end. We are down to just two breastfeeds a day and (no one shoot me!) the other feeds have been replaced with formula.

We had a horrible start to breastfeeding. It's all written down somewhere in the breastfeeding problems forum but basically it all started with DD gaining bugger all weight in the first 2 weeks of leaving hospital. I was told to start expressing around the clock and giving DD top ups after every feed plus I was prescribed Motillium for my supply. Not long after that, we both ended up with thrush (DD in her mouth, me on my nipples - ouch!), DD's weight gain improved so I cut back on the expressing only for my supply to drop and so did DD's weight gain so we went back to expressing and top ups. Thrush returned in my nipples (or so three separate doctors thought) and the pain was hell! Finally my lactation consultant worked out I had vasospasm in my nipples (a blood supply issue in the nipples which caused excrutiating pain after each feed for about an hour plus pain when the air temperature changed). Blood pressure tablets were prescribed for the vasiospasm around the 10 week mark, breastfeeding was finally pain free. Phew!

After all that, you can probably understand why I'm in two minds about weaning. I feel ready and so does DD as she just so damn restless on the breast now and gets so excited when she sees a bottle. I'm also really enjoying my new found 'freedom' (LOL!) but I'm a bit sad to see this special bond nearing the end.

Lately breastfeeding feels a bit weird too, not as relaxing as it use to be. It literally feels different and I'm not sure if it's my body saying 'enough' or if I'm just noticing it more as we are only breastfeeding twice a day. I can really feel her sucking now and I'm not that comfortable with it anymore. I never use to notice so it's weird that it's happening now, is that normal?

DD is so restless while feeding now too - she's constantly coming on and off, looking around, sitting up to chat to whoever is in the room, biting or pinching my nipples , scratching my chest and pulling my hair, all the time laughing at my serious response . The morning feed is much better than the evening feed though so I think she's delaying going to bed in the evening, cheeky monkey.

I didn't think we'd make it through the first month, let alone 10 months, but now I'm that close to a year, I'd really like to make it that far. Is it easy enough to continue with just one BF a day? I'm thinking about keeping up the morning feed until she is one in September. Is that easy enough?