Breast-feeding and formula feeding support

Grieving breastfeeding

I am so gutted. I have had to stop breastfeeding earlier than I expected (6 months) because of my mental health. I know it's the right choice for me. I did feel a huge weight lifted when I stopped. But I'm also so sad. My baby fed to sleep with the bottle for the first time today and I'm so happy he can do that so he's not missing that (he didn't do it much with the boob either but occasionally) but it is also heartbreaking. I wanted to go to at least 11 months and I feel like I've failed him and myself.

I just feel so alone in this choice. I know others have done this but all I read all the time is people who are breastfeeding or weaning their toddlers and I can't explain to my baby why he doesn't get to have the boob anymore...

Has anyone else had to stop BF earlier than you expected or after 6ish months? I just want to feel less alone.

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You can always pump and bottle feed that’s what I am doing I didn’t bf my first and till this day I feel guilt about it so I completely get it

I had to stop at one week because baby wouldn’t latch, I would have loved to get to 6 months with either of my two but it wasn’t meant to be, so well done for going that long!

I dried up after 8 months and although breastfeeding was so rough on my and made my ppd way worse, I mourned it when it went away because I’d worked so hard to maintain it for my baby. He thankfully stopped being interested and always took a bottle since his father gave him bottles all his life but I felt so bad. I was also 2 months pregnant and I know that was also why I dried up faster. Also I think the milk taste changed at the end bc of hormones

I pumped a lot with the intentions of stopping at 6 months I stopped just shy of 6 months I feel so much more relaxed and have more energy

I had to stop at 6 months with my first as he got thrush, he pased it to my nipples and no matter the the medication we just kept passing it back and forth, he wouldnt take to nipple sheilds and pumping was still painful with thrush and by the time i managed to get it cleared up for him ( thanks to some usless gps at the time giving wrong dosage amounts) he already had a taste for formula and wouldnt take my breastmilk he just kept spitting it out even if i slowly added it to his bottles 😔 he loved his finger foods by then so i focused on cooking for him and making fun meals insted but it was hard to give up

Im on my 2nd now and im so determined to go till 12 months im even pumping to make a freezer stash incase i have to stop early at least ill still have milk to bottle feed 🤞

You did whats best for you mama, a happy healthy mama is better then whatever you feed them fed is best 🥰😘

Yeah i felt the dame it was bitter sweet, i felt disconnected when guving him a bottle as i felt like the connection wasnt the same, i also didnt feed him as much as my husband started doing alot of the feeds then to help out but i missed having him in my arms and on the boob but i also enjoyed the way more freetime it was such an up and down, i would describe it like a breakup eith a toxic ex, theres things you miss but you also know its better for you

I have a bag of breastmilk still from him and i wanted to get a ring made but i feel like i dont deserve it only getting to 6 months so its still sat in the freezer 😥

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Hi ladies,

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