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BF: when to call it quits
I can't decide what I want to do. DS is almost 10 months. I've been EPing since he was about 6 months. My supply has taken a hit when I went to EPing and I've only been able to pump enough for a little more than 1/2 of his bottles for the day (which I know is great and I'm thankful I can keep up with at least this much).
However:
- I'm currently getting up at 2AM every morning to get one of the sessions in so I can keep up with at least 1/2 of his bottles (I've been doing this since he was a couple weeks old too to build a freezer stash that we're about through too).
- I have to pump after supper, which cuts in to our play time even more, and when I only get to play with him for less than an hour after we get home/get supper for everyone/get him to bed...well I'm mad that I have to spend 15/20 minutes hooked up to this dam pump for that time I could be playing with him.
I just can't decide if I want to be done with this and just do formula for the next two months and call it good, or if I want to prove to myself that I can make it to a year and go 2 more months.
So - what would you do? Be done with it and enjoy sleeping through the night again and that extra play time in the evenings? Or be a trooper and fight it out the last 2 months?
Re: BF: when to call it quits
If I were you, since you are asking what *I* would do, I would take an old sports bra, cut some holes in it and make it hand's free. It would at least allow you some freedom of movement, and not make you resent it so much.
Then, I would say, yes, *I* would stick out the two months. Why? Because it is awesome to say to yourself, "I did for 1 whole year!" Makes you feel like a rockstar, seriously.
Also, when all of this is said and done, if you had quit at 10 months, you may say to yourself, I wish I had just stuck it out. You would not be able to go back and change your mind.
Hands free definitely helps - if I couldn't pump hands free, I probably would have quit when I went back to work! I pump 4 times a day to keep up with DS even though I'm only missing 2 feedings. It's tough, but I do it (partly for the"I did it" mentality, partly for the cost of formula, and partly because I love my nursing time). But, with that said...
It sounds like you are having a hard time and you WANT to quit. You've made it 10 months. You've done great! If I were you, I would drop one of those pumpings - either the play time or night time one - and see how you feel in a week or two. If you are still feeling the same way, drop that one also. You are already supplementing, so just supplement a little more, and enjoy your extra play or sleep time.
Picture courtesy of Heidi Keene Photography
Honestly, it's ok to want to quit. I quit at 9 months with Evan because he was diagnosed with a dairy allergy and I refused to go dairy free. He thrived on formula and I was happier not pumping. my supply had also tanked (I EP'd the entire 9 months) and I was eating oatmeal and taking Fenugreek to keep it up. It just wasn't worth it in the end.
Either way you decide, it's your choice and you shouldn't feel guilty or let anyone else sway your decisions
10 months is a HUGE accomplishment!
love is for every her, love is for every him, love is for everyone
This.. I only pump once a night that I am at work and I can't stand it. You're a hero and fantastic mom for sacrificing sleep to be hooked up to that stupid thing! I am not sure what dropping one would do but it seems like youre unhappy which is not what it's supposed to be about. There is absolutely no failure in making it 10 months. Good luck with your decision remember to make yourself happy too.
Ditto this completely!
I guess I'm of the camp, what's 2 months in the whole scheme of life? Is baby ever on breast? Could you go full on formula at daycare and nurse when you're together? That way your play time could just be together time and that could be part of it.
Just throwing ideas out there.
I am in your same boat except I didn't make enough way back when (2 months or so) so we've been supplementing formula about 1/2 the time since then.
I agree, I am so over pumping and when I try to quit my late afternoon session I have giant boobs until Ian is ready to eat later in the evening. It sucks and I still haven't 100% made the decision to completely cut out that session, but work is getting in the way and half the time I can't or don't have time to.
Do what you feel is right whether it be cutting back and doing 1/2 and 1/2 or all formula or keep up the bf.
Married the love of my life 6/3/06
Became a family of three 8/25/09
I quit at 10 months with both of my kids. I felt soooooooooooo much guilt. And I felt like such a loser for not sticking it out for 2 more months. But, really it wasn't my own feelings, it was the feelings that others put upon me. In reality, I felt so much more freedom, once I dropped the guilt of not being able to keep up my supply.
With J, I just wasn't producing enough when I pumped. So, I supplemented with formula, but then it affected my overall supply. The whole situation was causing me stress and BFing was no longer enjoyable as it should be. It was time to quit.
With D, I ended up pg (ended in m/c), but this TOTALLY affected my supply. I took D in for a well-baby visit and her height and weight dropped. A LOT. So, it was time to supplement. My supply basically disappeared. I quit BFing, emptied my freezer stash, and went from there.
It's a personal decision. You need to decide what's best for you and baby. Like I said, when I made my decisions, there were a lot of tears and guilt. When I was in the hospital, after I had D, the nurses asked how long I nursed J. I muttered something about "only" 10 months. And they were like "WHAT?!? That's amazing!" Then I realized there are a lot of women who never even attempt BFing, or quit at 6-12 weeks when they go back to work, or at 6 months when the baby starts solids, or when the baby gets teeth...10 months is a HUGE accomplishment and don't let ANYONE make you feel otherwise. :-)