Breastfeeding - we're done!! :(

[Crazy Monkey]

Feeling a little down tonight as we have finished breastfeeding...

I decided about a month ago that it was time to stop but just kept putting it off... Well last night was the last feed... DS didn't have his afternoon sleep yesterday and when he fell asleep during his evening feed, I thought "this is a good way to end a wonderful experience"...my 13 month old little man was asleep in my arms after a good feed...

We had a bit of a rough night getting him to sleep tonight (took over an hour for him to sleep - ended up cuddling him to sleep on my bed)... Dont know if it was the lack of booby time or that dad gave him a bottle and put him to bed, but I just felt so bad... Maybe he wasn't ready to stop... I dont know...

When he was born I thought that if I make it to 6 months I am happy with that, and given it is now over 13 months later, I am very proud of myself and feel I need to do this now before we start thinking about TTC#2...

Did anyone else feel sad when they stopped feeding? Or feel like you should continue even though you decided it was enough?

[JeSsIkA]

My son is only 5months old and i stopped feeding him 1 month ago.. i stopped for really selfish reasons and regretted if for a couple of weeks... i also felt soo guilty cos i fed my daughter until she was 11 months..

[aardvark]

I never had the opportunity to fell sad when breastfeeding ended, as it happened so slowly that I wasn't quite sure when it actually ended.

I bf'd both my daughters until well after their 3rd birthday, and it only stopped when they no longer wanted or needed it.

I'm intending to do the same with my son, who is now 5 months old.

He's the last baby, and I'll probably be upset when he is finally weaned.

[Funkychicken]

:yelclap: :yelclap: Yay to you for having completed what is always an amazing journey! You and your son have experienced one of the most wonderful, rewarding parts of your mum/bub relationship. It is VERY normal to feel sad. I felt exceptionally sad after my DS#1 finished breastfeeding. It was around 14 months too.
You have achieved something beautiful and will always have these memories. MY DS is now 7 1/2 and, especially as he was my first, I have wonderful, clear memories of breastfeeding him. Even the early days when we were both in tears seem wonderful now!
I now have the privlidge of feeding my third bub and I am able to tell DS#1 snippets here and there about him when he was a BF bub. He loves to hear about it and seeing me feed his baby brother means he can understand it a bit more.
:hugs: to you. Well done Mummy and Jack!:)

[borntobemummy]

:hugs: for you.. I am dreading the time this special relationship will end. I totally understand what you are going through, even though I'm not there yet. He will eventually adjust, just spend nice quality wind-down time with him and establish nice new settling routines that will always be treasured memories for you all. You did a great job getting to 13 weeks though:yelclap:

[bec79]

:hugs: to you. I know how you must be feeling. My dd is down to two feeds a day, and I know it won't be long until our special relationship will be ending.
Although sometimes I feel like I am totally 'over' breastfeeding, deep in my heart I know I will miss those quiet times together.

[bec79]

:hugs: to you. I know how you must be feeling. My dd is down to two feeds a day, and I know it won't be long until our special relationship will be ending.
Although sometimes I feel like I am totally 'over' breastfeeding, deep in my heart I know I will miss those quiet times together.

[KLTN]

I am sending you a great big :hugs: . I can't imagine what it must be like to have to make that decision to stop feeding. I have let my babies self-wean so it was always a gradual experience but I do remember that I was always sad when they had their last feed (usually took me a day or two to realise that they hadn't been for a feed :) ). It is hard to say and even harder to do, but try not to beat yourself up, we all have to make decisions that are hard but that we know to be best for our own family and our own situation. Remember nobody else is in your family so it is really not up to anyone to truly understand, just to support, love and accept that you guys know what is best for you.


Always remember that you have done a wonderful thing for Jack and he is very lucky to have you for a Mum.

[Poopa]

Oh JM, reading your post made me nearly cry. I know I will be upset when I stop breastfeeding.

When DS was about 9 weeks old I nearly weaned him because I was having problems with my breasts. But I got so upset. He had the bottle for a couple of days but then I put him back on the boob. Glad I did before my milk dried up.

[Jem]

Big ((((Hugs)))) being sent your way!

im currently trying to wean ds2 also 13 months, and just when i think im on a roll.. i give in (night time is the hardest as i co-sleep)

[Percy]

I was really sad too. DS just decided one day at 8 months that he had enough.
I felt really down about it for a while, but now that he is on a bottle, he sleeps better and is more contented, so i guess i shouldnt complain!

:hugs: to you!

[Chumps]

It seems to be one of those things. I feel sad about the whole process too. Funny isn't it, I just hope that my boy makes the decision for me, otherwise I think I will be very upset :crying: . I've had lots of issues with b.feeding, but I also know in my heart that I will miss the relationship we have. No - one can understand unless they have been there. I really try atm to take in every little move he makes while feeding so I have these wonderful memories of the times we shared (including those endless nights on the couch in the cold!) You will feel happier in days to come - just remember there are so many other women dealing with the same feelings.....;)

[angcaltam]

I think everyone feels sad when the time comes to give it up but you are lucky that you got to BF him for so long. With DS1 I only got to BF him for about 2 weeks, I had enough milk for twins and he was drowning in it, we tried everything to make it work but in the end DS was to stressed, I was to stressed and the midwife was the one that said to put him on the bottle. I cried for ages. Then with DS2 we had the same problem but I was determined to try and go a little longer and lasted till he was about 1 1/2 months old. Then with DD everything was going great, my milk had settled not like with the boys so I thought yes I will be able to continue this time, well, at 2 weeks old she started to teething :eek: (my family were all early teether's) but I persisted until she was 5 weeks old and then had no choice but to put her on the bottle. I still feel like I failed them even though I know I done what was best for them and me. It is hard when you stop, but you will be fine. Be proud that you got that far.:yes:

[HugsAndKisses]

hello there...of course it is a hard thing to give up breast feeding but when u think about it u will always have that special bond with your baby no-matter what:hugs: i know when i stopped at 9 months i was worried about it but i just did it slowly and gradual:yes: maybe u could try this method as its not such a shock then...but even if u continue the way u are im sure everything will be fine...big :hugs: to u...and remember he's always gonna want you and be closer to u than anyone else wether ur breast feeding or not:)

[Crazy Monkey]

Thank you to all of you wonderful women for your kind words...

I am feeling better today and we didn't have the crying that we had last night, which was great... I know I have done the right thing..

We were down to only one feed, so I think it was time and the right thing for us... We started weaning from 4 breastfeeds in April, so we have taken it very slowly... Hopefully that means that DS wont be too affected and I won't have to worry about blocked ducts and mastitis...

I loved our special time together and will never forget the good and bad moments, but I think we need to move to the next chapter... Also gives DH a chance to be more involved in bedtime and have some special time with DS...

Friday night I will be going out with the girls from work, so DH will have some one on one time with DS and get to do bathtime and bedtime without me (hopefully everything goes smoothly:fingerscrossed: )...

Thanks again to you all
:hugs:

[Funkychicken]

All the best and enjoy your night out on Friday! You deserve it!:D