publicationmedia-verification" content="e1322166-9f17-48d2-91a8-6ef3e24e5faa

Do I Carry on Breastfeeding?

Ah breastfeeding. Never does a word seem to bring up some much emotion and controversy. There will always be an opinion, a tip, sadly a judgement somewhere.

Did you manage it? How long for?

Little Piglet is approaching 9 months, around the same age as her elder sister stopped breastfeeding. She has already cut all day feeds out and is not taking any formula, unlike her sister at that age. This isn’t necessarily a plus, as she isn’t taking milk, either expressed or formula from a bottle. She drinks water from a cup but milk, not in the quantities to substitute for breastfeeding.

Do I try a bit harder to wean her off me?

It’s funny the differences in opinions and thoughts on the length of time breastfeeding. Friends ask me how Piglet is doing and congratulate me when they hear I am still feeding her. Every time this happens I am taken a back a bit. To me it’s what I do. I don’t think about it. To those who couldn’t breastfeed, 9 months is HUGE.  However, I was told quite clearly on social media when I posted around breastfeeding, that the World Health Organisation recommend it up to 2 years. There are some very strong opinions on this fact; it is very black and white.

I read another  blog post recently where a fellow Mum was encouraged to feed all the way up to her child hitting 1 year old. Then it was as if a switch was pressed as soon as her child clumsily attempted to blow out their birthday cake candles; people found it funny breastfeeding her child post 1 year old. She felt weird feeding in public. She too questioned whether or not to stop.

I’m in that stage where I’m not sure if Piglet will be my last child. I think deep down, she will be my last baby. I’m not sure I can do it all again really. Therefore she will be the last baby who I breastfeed. Although, little Piglet isn’t bothered about feeding in the day now, she loves her milk at night, during the night and a little first thing. Am I ready to let that go?

I’ll be straight up. I’m not sure I want to feed much post a year. Some will question this and say it’s not my decision. It’s my baby’s but I’m not so sure. I am back to work. Night wakings will be tougher and there is something about going back to work that symbolises being me a bit more. Not just Mummy. Don’t get me wrong, I know many who work and still feed but I’m not sure I want to.

I lie awake at night feeding her as she fusses away and half of me wants to squish and cuddle her, the other half just wants her to get off so I can go back to sleep. Hubby is next to me, sleeping away and I’ll admit, I’m fed up sometimes.

I know as parents we need to hang on to the precious moments which come and go so quickly as your parent. You blink and they are crawling. You wake up one day and their friends are their worlds, not you anymore. I know I want to savour the closeness that little bit more. But then the other half of me wants a night out with a couple of friends or to hand the little chick to my Mum so hubby and I can have a night away. I know that will be waiting for me afterwards but the thoughts are still there.

Babies are like little animal sometimes. They root around, they find your milk and they find their comfort in that. I know I will look back on my time breastfeeding so fondly and I will miss it. There is that part of me that wants to try and stop but that other bit of me will just keep going that little bit longer.

That night away will be waiting but my little baby won’t always be.

 

Share:

8 Comments

  1. Lisa (mummascribbles)
    June 9, 2017 / 7:22 am

    I love this! Oscar is still an absolute milk monster buy you know I’ve had so many thoughts about stopping. I’m still going, the teeth hurt, I don’t know how I’ll feel about it past one, but at the moment it is still beautiful! I think you’ll just know when you are ready to stop:)

  2. June 9, 2017 / 11:54 am

    This is a great post and obviously we were chatting about this yesterday! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head about having a night away and as much as you want a dirty night away or just a good sleep, she won’t be little forever! #thatfridaylinky x

  3. Jo - Pickle & Poppet
    June 9, 2017 / 9:36 pm

    I stopped feeding mine at 4 months. Part of me wishes I had gone for longer and the selfish part of me is glad that I stopped when I did. I look back and miss those nights though when it was just us awake having a cuddle. You’ll know when it’s time. #ThatFridayLinky

  4. June 10, 2017 / 6:51 am

    Great post. We never had this conundrum with Fidget & Little Man. Both were off the breast early. Neither would latch on. But from your post I get the whole bond thing.
    #ThatFridayLinky

  5. Anthony - Dada & Monkey
    June 10, 2017 / 11:18 pm

    Great subject to write about, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Lisa (partner) and I have discussions on this and similar subjects all the time, it’s fascinating the diverse range of opinions and the ways in which they are expressed on the subject of breastfeeding alone!

    I understand your motives for weaning off the boob, Monkey is coming up to 10 months and is purely breast fed, although now weaning. This is mainly because she still ‘asks’ for it and that Lisa is still to return to work, if circumstances were slightly different, then perhaps weaning off the boob might be on the cards.

    My thoughts are that you kinda already know what you want despite asking the question ‘Do I carry on Breastfeeding?’ I would say not to feel guilty, as baby weans to solids and night time routines change, a natural opportunity to reduce breastfeeding presents itself.

    • RunJumpScrap
      Author
      June 11, 2017 / 9:05 am

      Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 x

  6. June 12, 2017 / 11:25 am

    Put your mum guilt to one side and decide for you. You’ll know when it’s the right time and I genuinely don’t think there is a right or wrong answer x

    • RunJumpScrap
      Author
      June 12, 2017 / 5:14 pm

      Thanks lovely 🙂 x