I guess this is the end :-(

[LDC]

I thought I'd write on here as I'm feeling a little emotional, I think my breast feeding journey has come to an end.

Lo is 9 months old on Sunday and has been breast fed since birth. She was a bottle refuser so would feed solely from me, however she's been drinking water from a sippy cup and will now use a sippy bottle for her milk during the day so we've introduced it now for her evening feed and are using formula.

I feel like its the right time for us to stop; I start work at Monday and its not realistic for me to pump due to the environment and I always said before that I'd stop at 6 months, so have gone longer than I intended.

It's just now it's come to it I feel really sad. I loved the bond that we had, and even though she will look at me and sleep whilst using the bottle at night it just doesn't quite feel the same.

It feels like its a natural ending; I never intended it to be today, so maybe I'd have cherished the last time more but then I'm glad of that in some ways as its not as emotional as I'm feeling now iykwim.

I hope to have more children but not for another couple of years and hope to breast feed then too so I know it won't be the last time ever but it's just another echo of how lo is growing up and how quickly time is going.

I've truly loved breast feeding, even through the horrific nights where she'd be up every hour. It's all just been wonderful and ill cherish those memories (as I sob into my pillow)

Xxx

 

[CupcakeBaby]

Awww Hun.

Xxxxx

I already dread that day (who'd have thought I'd be saying that 12 weeks ago!)

But you've done AWESOME getting to 9 months so huge congrats.

Your DD is a lucky girl.

9 months almost seems fitting too - you fed her for 9 months inside, too.

And one of my favourite BF blogs says this for getting to 9 months.

"You have now seen your baby through the fastest and most important brain and body development of his life on the food that was designed just for him - your milk. You may even notice that he is more alert and more active than babies who did not have the benefit of their mother's milk."

 

[Celesse]

No reason you can't continue to breastfeed before and after work. By the time I returned to work I'd swapped DD's once a day night bottle for a breastfeed, and fed her first thing in the morning, as soon as we got home and at bedtime.

 

[LDC]

Thanks cupcake, that was a really uplifting post. And I'd never thought about growing lo for 9 months either, I guess you're right it is a momentus time for us.

Time just flies so much.

Celesse, I've cut her down already to one morning and one night feed but I'm getting super engorged during the day. I'm ok whilst I'm at home as I can try and soothe the pain, but when I'm at work it's not practical. I think I'm happy with 9 months, and I think (personally) I'd want to stop before she's 1 anyway I think it's coming to a natural end with her now accepting a sippy and not coming to me for comfort sucking anymore. If that makes sense x

 

[Janers]

COngratulations on making it too 9 months. I imagine it is still difficult to accept the end even though you do feel it is the right time. You've done such an amazing thing, and you should be very proud of yourself! You should try and celebrate this as a graduation, you both did so well, and now it time to start a new journey together!

Good job!

 

[kitabird]

well done for getting so far x

 

[Calif]

Congrats on lasting longer than your goal. If you do try to continue, you can try to eat some mint and place cabbage compresses during the day to decrease supply and relieve engorgement. I'll be so sad when that day arrives . Don't feel bad about stopping.

 

[elizah1980]

also make sure you wear a tight fitting bra, don't stimulate your breasts, don't let warm water hit them too much in the shower....I only had pain for a few days when I weaned.

 

[capegirl7]

I bf for 15 months. I you so chose to continue you can. Your body will adjust to just the two a day quickly and soon not be engorged and it will actually help you stop because instead of going abrupt , you will do it slowly . But either way congrats in making it that far I did one bf a day for two months and it worked! Your body does great things!

 

[seaweed eater]

Congrats on making it so far and good luck in this time of transition.

 

[kissesandhugs]

Congrats!! You've made it far and did a damn good job, I'm sure. It's possible to continue and I'm sure you know that but if you don't want to then that's perfectly fine too so yayy for a great breastfeeding journey!

 

[Juniperjan]

Hi, I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm going back to work when my LO is almost 9 months. I said I'd feed her myself until she was 6 months but I just kept going because I love it and I know it's the best thing for her. I haven't managed to get her to take much from a sippy cup as she just splashes it all round her. I don't really know what I'm going to do when I go back. I could pump as I'm sure my work wouldn't have an issue with it but I really hated pumping and have only done it on a handful of occasions.

Anyway, just wanted to say that well done for getting to 9 months