Breastfeeding? Advice please šŸ˜­ā¤ļø

Iā€™ve been considering bringing our breastfeeding journey to an end. My son has been exclusively nursed since he was born. He recently hit 12m and I always told myself I would go for ā€œas long as my body makes milkā€ or ā€œuntil he decides heā€™s doneā€ whichever came first. But for the last 3 months I have been struggling with BF so much. Iā€™m exhausted, he doesnā€™t sleep through the night because he wakes up to nurse but then immediately falls asleep at the breast. One breast started producing less milk when I got mastitis around 6m and for the past 3 months it barely produces anything at all. He refuses to latch on that side, and if I try to pump nothing comes out. I know there is still a little milk production because if I hand express it sprays out. Either way any milk he gets is from the one side that supply was unaffected, and my nip hurts from 3 months of nursing 10-12 times a day and night, on that one side. He is a wonderful solids eater, absolutely loves foods, but still wants milk all the time. I am just beyond tired of nursing, but I canā€™t stop thinking about all the immune benefits for him to receiving breastmilk. That makes me want to keep sacrificing and stick with it. Pumping is not an option, I absolutely hate pumping and keeping up with the parts (props to all the exclusive pumping mamas out there) so I would rather continue to nurse then to try pumping. I feel extremely conflicted. I donā€™t know how to sooth him without nursing either. In my gut, I want to quit. But logically I feel like I should keep going, I just donā€™t know if Iā€™m causing myself more harm than I should be. Iā€™m getting to a point where I am worried I will hate nursing, but also feel incredibly guilty at the thought of quitting BF. Please share your advice and experiences. Maybe some encouragement?
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OMG!! everything you said is mine and my sons BF journey to a T. He is 1 also and doesnā€™t sleep through the night either, he wakes up to eat constantly and also He only eats off my right b**b and very rarely my left, I know he doesnā€™t get much milk from him, I want to stop BF because iā€™m so mentally and physically exhausted but like you said! the benefits are so great!

@Kailey itā€™s nice to hear we arenā€™t alone šŸ„²ā¤ļø I hope whatever you choose works out wonderfully.

U are NOT alone! I wish I had some advice, but I am also in the same predicament. My baby girl didn't take to bottles, so EBF was what I did. She stopped taking pacifiers to soothe. And would use me for that too! She eats solids pretty good as well. It's just when she's sleepy, the only thing she wants is boobie. Let's hang in there together mommas, cuz once it comes to an end, we're gonna miss it.

@Kailey same, by morning I already feel drained regardless of how many hours I ā€œsleepā€. EBF is getting so hard

Literally same to the tea! I am so exhausted šŸ„± I know i might sleep train in a couple months but right now we feed to sleep so we plan on gradually dissociating feeding with sleep and gradually decreasing the feedings. Itā€™s also hard when he is going through teething phases because the boob is the only thing that comforts him.

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