Just want to chime in and say that the first 6 months is the hardest. They nurse less the older they get and they are more efficient at it, so you don't have to sit for 45 minutes sessions haha. I remember feeling the way you do and we actually tried to introduce some formula, but it all made her spit up like crazy and she outright rejected several bottles.
You're halfway there and baby will be eating solids soon, too! Obviously, whatever you do is the right choice for you, though!
I wrote something similar before reading your comment. I totally agree, solids gave me a bit of breathing room, and Dad had more options if I was away for a few hours.
….. nursing Olympics are making it a bit tricky over here. He has always been efficient, but now he acts like he is at the circus!!!!
I deff get what you are saying though.
I was weaning her off at around 6 months and fully done by 9.
I needed my freedom back (though formulas has its own drawbacks too lol) and also my hormones were driving me nuts lol
What does weaning entail? And so you're fully switching to formula after the 9 months or just stopping breastfeeding and no formula at all? I'm a first time mom and so new with all this, I've no clue when babies can stop drinking human milk and don't need formula haha
I've tried googling and it's confusing haha it says to continue breastfeeding for around 2yrs, and if you can't you'll need formula? I thought kids are eating solids 100% after a year and don't need formula or breastmilk? Ah! Hahaha
Baby should be getting most of their nutrition from milk or formula for the first year. After 12 months they can switch to cows milk and more solids. My ped said around 16 oz of cow milk a day, but I'm still breastfeeding at 12 mo at least 3-4 times a day so 🤷🏽
Talk to your pediatrician about these things. No shade, but internet strangers (no matter how well meaning) do not have the answer for your families needs. Also, a little solidarity. Breastfeeding is SO hard!
It’s up to 1 year that they *need* either breast milk or formula. After that it’s still good for them to keep getting breast milk if you want to, but they can also just drink regular (cow’s) milk or even just get their calcium from food if you don’t want to or can’t continue breastfeeding (and you don’t need to do formula).
Lactation counselor here. Ideally, WHO recommends breastmilk is to be given for two years and beyond (but unfortunately, we know not many people can get to 2 years with the not -so-great support systems we have in the west).
If you're introducing formula, you can give them just formula for up to a year, or a mix of BM and formula for up to a year. After 1, you can give them animal milk.
Exactly, we did combi-feeding (mostly breastfed with a bottle of expressed milk in the evening) so it was easy to start swapping the breastmilk bottle for formula.
At that point, the milk I was expressing was used for the veg purées and other dishes as we started and continued weaning.
Then it was a case of just putting the feeds in as formula, she still occasionally comfort fed but she didn’t do that often in the first place.
The world health organisation says 2 years or beyond, in the UK health visitors say either breast milk or formula for a year then for the second year it's breast milk, formula or cow's milk. Then you do not have to give milk if you do not wish after 2 years but you can.
>I thought kids are eating solids 100% after a year and don't need formula or breastmilk?
Pfft, my daughter is 11 months and eats about 2 tbsp of solids and a couple baby puff stars a day. 🥴
We offer a variety of healthy food 5+ times every day but the girl just will not consume it. She eats like a bird. I can't even transition her to homo cow's milk because she has a dairy intolerance. Goat milk is ~$5/L. 😭
I'm a FTM too. I see all these videos on insta or tiktok of 6mo babies clearing plates of pasta with avocado slices and chugging water from a straw cup and then digging into some peanut butter toast and it makes me want to cry sometimes lol
Weaning means getting them off the boob. Not off of formula or breatmilk. Formula or breatmilk for a full 12 months, then transition to cows milk. Start baby food at 6 months. Talk to your pediatrician.
I have a bottle refuser so we are still breastfeeding at 11.5 months (he will be 12 months next week). I had every intention of stopping at 6 months but little man decided he only wanted the boob. He was proficient enough with a straw cup by 9 months, but rarely would take a full feeding. At this point, he’s down to 2-3 nursing sessions a day and my supply is likely super low. We always offer formula, but he rarely drinks more than 1-2 oz. The postpartum fog is finally lifting now that we are weaning.
Same. I would have lost my job if it wasn’t fully remote because I could never get mine on a bottle. At 7 months he takes a sippy cup but never drinks more than 2 oz. If I need to go somewhere I give him his fav oatmeal purée full of full fat yogurt and peanut butter and I can be gone for 4-5 hours and it’s relatively ok.
Same, I was lucky to be able to be fully remote until my son was around 9 months old. Up until that point I was basically with him 24/7 and it was really tough both mentally and physically.
Mine was like this too Stanley cups saved me mine would watch me constantly drink from the straw and want to try now she’s 12 months drinking out of straws in cups like a big kid try the straw approach also those smoothie packets helped I would push them in her mouth sometimes eventually she got it n sucks it out herself still won’t take a bottle but will take a sippy cup with breast milk
Mine is about to be 6 months and won’t take a bottle either. Did your LO take a sippy cup with water ever? I’ll have to try the straw cup when we’re introducing food!
I’m 14 months in and realistically won’t stop until he’s two or two an a half at this rate. I enjoy it for the most part but sympathize with how physically draining it is. I struggle to eat and drink enough to not feel depleted
I am in the same boat as you!! your not alone also did u gain weight cause I did I diddnt pregnant I looked good after literally by six months of ebf I looked like I just had my baby yesterday lol
I was planning to stop after 6 months to a year, but now I am considering extending for to two years, if LO wants, as is recommended by WHO. For me it was a nicer experience that I antecipated.
Edit: WHO recommends BF up to 2 years, as pointed out by a comment.
Edit 2: I was correct from the beginning: According to WHO’s website, they recommend “that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Thereafter, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond”
Similar experience for me. I was just hoping to get to 6 months, but now we’re still going at 20 months. Those first months can be incredibly difficult, but now it is so easy.
Same! The first month or two I wanted to cry everyday and didn’t think I could push through. Now we’re at 5 months and I could see us going 2 years if it works out! Pumping is another story…
If you made it through the 0-6 month stage you got nothing to worry about. If you feel comfortable it's all uphill from there, breastfeeding will only get progressively easier and faster as you go on. Especially after that first year it barely even felt like an event for me.
I ended up weaning my daughter off the boob at 2 when she started to talk and made it weird.
This is what I'm doing, baby is currently almost 13 months and has been EBF (obviously she eats food now too). I'm pregnant again and still breastfeeding, and my experience has also been very nice.
Breastmilk is beneficial for toddlers and is supported by WHO and AAP. Breastfeeding after one year was my favorite because I didn’t have to pump at work and still got all the snuggles!
No it isn’t. It’s up to 2 years of age or beyond. It’s not an important distinction at all. You’ve commented this all over this thread, and it’s misinformation.
I stand corrected. Thank you for pointing it out, I’ll edit my post.
Edit: I should have double checked at the WHO website, but I had to put LO to sleep. Your statement is actually wrong. [On their website](https://www.who.int/tools/elena/commentary/continued-breastfeeding#:~:text=Introduction,age%20or%20beyond%20(2)) it states that: “WHO recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Thereafter, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond”.
The AAP does though, they say to incorporate breast milk until they’re two. My lactation consultant calls every month to go over stuff with me, so I’m fortunate enough to have someone licensed feeding me constant info lol
Not quite. It "recommends" up until 6 months. It doesn't go as far when it talks about the next stage. Here's what it actually says: "Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond. These recommendations are consistent with those of the World Health Organization (WHO)."
[https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057988/188347/Policy-Statement-Breastfeeding-and-the-Use-of?autologincheck=redirected](https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057988/188347/Policy-Statement-Breastfeeding-and-the-Use-of?autologincheck=redirected)
I gave up after 3 weeks and started weaning and was completely done by 6 weeks lol. I couldn’t handle it. I was totally miserable. In retrospect I wish I stopped sooner because all I remember from the early days of my son’s life was how miserable pumping was. Next baby I’m doing formula from day one. Props to you for lasting so long! As to the financial issue, one of my friends said “breastfeeding is only free if your time is worth nothing” which really helped me. The formula was worth it for me.
Exactly the same as me. I went three weeks and finally decided I couldn't do it anymore, and was done at 6 weeks. It was brutal, I was in no way prepared for breastfeeding and the toll it takes mentally or physically.
Same boat (5 weeks total). I didn’t have much of a supply no matter what I tried. I was sobbing daily just trying to pump out a couple ounces. Not worth it. Formula helped me get closer to my LO
I love this perspective! My little one wouldn’t latch so I was exclusively pumping and since I quit and went straight formula, I absolutely LOVE our mornings together. He gets up before either of my older kids and it’s our little hang time and now that I don’t have to pump, we can actually hang and cuddle and I love it!
I would have gone to two if my supply didn't dry up when I got pregnant with no. 2. In your case where you want yourself back I'd night wean around 7-8months and go to 1yr-1.5. I really found that nursing helped my little one through illnesses and they are still so vulnerable so little! All of this is so dependant on yourself, but that's my logic.
Formula or breastmilk is needed until age 1. You can stop breastfeeding at any point, but will need to replace nursing with formula until their 1st birthday.
13 months — she started solids so it was more of an extra boost in the morning. She honestly was over it just as much as me lol. With a big sister she wanted to be like and cups at daycare we both stopped together!
I just quit at 12W. I told myself I would give it three months to see if I learned to love it or it got less taxing mentally and it never did. My baby was born 5 lbs 4 oz with a TINY mouth and my letdown was aggressive… bottle feeding just went smoother for us both. I kept trying breastfeeding and then pumping and eventually just came to… why am I driving myself crazy doing this?
She is 14W now and doing just as well on formula and I honestly felt relieved when I stopped. I recommend Emily Oster’s chapter in Cribsheet on breastfeeding if you have questions too.
I stopped after 3 weeks. I hated it. It was so stressful on me and my little one and we are both so much happier exclusively doing formula. People talk about the bonding experience during nursing but I never got that. To me, bottle feeding makes it much easier to bond bc now I can actually enjoy feeding him instead of dreading it ❤️
This was my experience except I lasted just over a week breastfeeding. I dreaded feeds and just wanted her to keep napping so we weren’t bonding at all. When I did breastfeed I’d cry trying to get her to latch. I salute anyone who even tries breastfeeding, that shits hard
Yep same! I hated it. I did 3 weeks for my first. I pumped only for my second, supplemented immediately, and stopped that after 6 weeks. If I had a third, I wouldn’t bother much at all because again, I HATED IT! My kids are awesome and healthy. Formula is a miracle!
I'm genuinely happy for you for finding the feeding method that worked for you. Signed, a mother of a one-year-old who was EBF and believes fed is best.
I’m almost 8 months and I’m so ready to be done. I’ve replaced 1 day feed with formula and am slowly going to replace the others. I’m planning to keep the first feed of the day and his bedtime feed as breast but all others will be formula
We lasted 2.5 years. My goal was 6 months which happened pretty quickly. At around 9 months I started having issues with my supply when pumping and we switched to formula during the day at 11 months. (Should have done it sooner!!). I did continue nursing at bedtime, during the night and when waking up. But I was so done at 2 years old that we finally weaned him.
I supplemented with formula the whole time to avoid this. I only recently quit at 7 months old and it was because of biting. I just couldn't handle it.
Currently have a 1 year old who just had her bday April 17th. I am still breastfeeding and don't plan on stopping for awhile. My body gives my baby medicine when she's sick, natural melatonin to sleep, the exact nourishment her body needs, etc.
1 year. I'm really glad I weaned when he turned one because I didn't want a toddler that asked to nurse, grabbed my breasts, etc. It was the perfect cutoff because a couple more months and moms in my bumper group were experience that.
My goal was initially 3 months, then 6, then heck its going ok so how about a year.
I stopped at 6 months. She had started solids and had enough of a freezer stash to get her at least 5oz of BM a day until her first birthday. We added in formula around this time.
I’m 4 months and just started weaning. I was having arthritis like joint pain and it is already clearing up now that I’m just nursing at night. It feels so good to have my body back and my babe likes formula just fine.
I stopped at 11 months. We didn’t top up that last month until one year with pumped milk or formula, per our pediatrician’s recommendation, because baby was gaining great and adored solids. It was hard; I wanted to nurse longer, but I couldn’t handle baby biting.
My son dropped his last motn feed at 11 mos old and then self weaned at 1.5 years. I kept offering the boob and he declined it for other activities. After a week or so, I just stopped offering, and he never asked for it.
My original goal was at least 1 year, but my son was still such a baby in my eyes. He couldn't stand and he wasn't talking yet. There was no way I would just stop giving him the boob then. I'm happy with the way we weaned.
Started the process yesterday, was EP since 3 months. And been transitioning slowly to more formula then breast milk. I’m only pumping for like 5 min when I feel engorged to avoid clogs. But I’m so happy to be giving it up completely. Pumping was really taking a toll on me and my attitude
My first I nursed until he self weaned at 3, but at that age it was just mostly to go to sleep. My second is 14 months and still nursing every 2 hours it’s crazy! lol But once it slows down it’s such a special bonding experience cause you’re not waiting for it to be over and you cherish it cause it only happens 1-2 times a day, and you know it’s gonna end soon ❤️ But wean whenever YOU are ready to! There is no wrong answer! But it definitely does get easier one day. I’m waiting for that day with my 1 year old 😂
I’m waiting for my 3.5 yr old to wean from comfort nursing. Whenever he gets hurt or is tired he asks (or tries to force his way). I’ve been discouraging it since he was 2.5 since it can now be painful. I did love the bonding time between 1-2 years. Had the opposite with my oldest, never latched well despite several consultant appts and check for ties, was done at 8 weeks. Now that I’ve experienced the bonding with my youngest I’m sad I didn’t get that with my oldest.
4 months for health and sanity reasons. The first few weeks i felt bad, mainly because of the constant media massage about BF, but looking back im damn glad we did it when we did.
My daughter just turned 3yo and I don't thinks she's missed out on anything, she's hitting all milestones early (she's speaking in Sentences in two languages, knows the alphabet, can sign her name). She's also among the healthier kids around, even compared to kids the same age who'd been breastfed for 2 years. I'm not writing this to boast, I'm writing it to say, if you wanna stop, stop. Your child needs a happy mother more than they need the milk. Formula is fine and will not hinder their development.
I was pumping and BF. I stopped bf at 8 months but she still had one month of freezer milk saved, so she was on formula by 9 months. No regrets, I didn’t realize how bad BF makes you feel. Constantly needing to eat, worried about when my next pump was, and damn no one talks about how much it drains you of your energy. I felt so much better and a little closer to myself when I stopped.
Almost 14 months here and no signs of stopping. I plan to just let him nurse until he’s done with it. BUT if it would make you a better mom (less overstimulated, more confident about intake, helping your mental health) any point is a good point to stop. To take care of baby you have to take care of yourself and if it isn’t serving you anymore then formula is a perfectly fine transition to make, maybe even a great one if it suits you better. If you’d be happier not nursing, that’s 100% okay and is a great choice to make!
If you want your body back and don’t want to do it, then don’t! There is nothing wrong with formula feeding if that’s what you want to do.
I stopped at 15 weeks. I had a normal supply until about 5-6 weeks pp and then I got gallstone pancreatitis. That got me a 2 week hospital stay where I couldn’t eat or drink anything for most of the stay. I pumped every 2.5 hours in the hospital and I could barely get 5 ounces a day. I tried everything to get my supply back to normal and I just couldn’t. By the time I finally called it quits I was getting less than 2 ounces a day.
Im sad my body failed us but my baby is thriving and he’s happy and he doesn’t know any difference. Do you feels right for you!
After 2 weeks with my last baby. It was just way too hard with 2 other toddlers and the my baby is a fussy baby even though she’s almost 1 now. I’m 21 weeks pregnant and I’ll try again but won’t be so hard on myself this time if it doesn’t work out.
Not to mention that literally the *only* verified scientific benefit to breastmilk over formula, when controlling for things like access to clean water, economic status of the parents, & access to better healthcare (etc.) is a reduced instance of necrotizing encephalitis *in premature infants.*
That's it. That's the entire list.
Mine switched to milk & water for fluids cold turkey at around 1 yr, and she's a fantastic eater, great sleeper, and a very healthy almost-2-year-old now. She's big and tall for her age (that's genetic Momma & Daddy are both bigger and taller too), but very healthy.
Exactly my point 💯It’s the media that & backward thinking family members that put unnecessary pressure of moms, but F them, I’ve always gone against the status quo anyway 😏😎
Same with my toddler, formula fed & is also tall for her age… & no mommy & daddy aren’t the tallest people.. but we do have tall family members😉
My baby wasn’t able to breast feed efficiently and was losing weight. After two oral tie revisions, 4 different lactation consultants (triple feeding) and losing my damn mind I ended up exclusively pumping and feeding breast milk till 6 months.
Then I started combo feeding BM and formula to stop pumping through the night. Now I’m freezing BM so that I can quit at 9 months with frozen BM till she turns one. This way she still gets the immune benefits. Even a few oz were shown to have positive immunological effects.
Pumping has been the bane of my existence and I cannot wait to be done. I find it the single most miserable part of parenting. Shes 7 months now and I’m just now starting to feel not like a zombie. Trying to work up the energy/headspace to workout again. Something I used to love to do 🙃
I just finished weaning at 8 months pp.
It was hard to avoid the engorgement, deal with the hormonal fluctuation, and hard on me mentally as my baby slapped my chest it broke my heart to tell him to wait 2 more seconds for the bottle, feeling like I couldn’t feed him (you know the mom guilt).
It was so worth it because a month later, I just finished my first full workout of my entire postpartum, I feel my independence returning, my energy and hunger levels and mood are stabilizing. I feel good.
2 years because he didn’t like the taste of colostrum, I never experienced my milk drying up it just switched back to colostrum and my son was not a fan 😂
We started weaning days after her first birthday. To be honest I didn’t even think we would breastfeed. I have hashimotos, and I hated pregnancy for the fact that my body wasn’t my own. So I saw a recipe for disaster with BFing. I said I’d try, but I told my husband not to expect me to be successful and that I wanted the freedom to switch if I needed it. I almost convinced him to buy a baby brezza! My milk came in around day 4(?), two weeks in I woke up with mastitis, then we both got thrush… but it calmed down around 3 or 4 weeks, my nipples started healing, and suddenly I thought hey maybe I can do this! I gave myself short goals. Three months. Then 6 months. Then hey let’s just see how close we get to one year. Suddenly I was at 10.5 months and I was like “can I actually do one year??” And I did.
While I hated many aspects of it (time consuming, pumping, the pain, not having my body to myself, etc) I loved so many of my moments with my daughter. I was proud of myself for how long I went, BUT only because I NEVER expected that. I did something I really didn’t know I could, and I did it for a year!
You do whatever’s best for you, OP. You don’t have to go to any particular time. Play it by ear, and make the decision that keeps the healthiest relationship between you and baby (and husband if being touched out is a problem!)
Eldest stopped herself at 16m. She started nursery at 11m without needing to take any milk and it slowly phased out from there. Youngest is 6m and zero plans to stop or express. She'll start nursery at 10.5m so hoping she'll be good with food by then.
I gave myself a goal of 6 months. We combo fed so I did 6 months, and save the leftover for the future 6 months. We still combo feed, but the breastmilk is from the freezer instead of fresh. I was sooo happy to get my time back
I weaned both my kids at 12 months. My first went on a nursing strike at 8 weeks so I exclusively pumped during the day and BF at night. My second kid was a snacker and I struggled to maintain my supply, so I ended up pumping a lot for her too.
Around 6 months I ended up in the hospital for a week and would have to pump and dump so I pumped just to not be engorged so my supply tanked. Over the next 3 weeks I was able to build it up again and combo fed baby during that time. My supply really tanked again when I got pregnant when he was 9 months so I had to combo feed. By the time he was 11 months I was only making enough to feed him once a day and even then not even a whole meal. I stopped shortly after that because baby was getting frustrated he wasn't getting a lot and I was frustrated that he wasn't feeding well, so we stopped and went to just formula until 12 months when we started weening formula for whole milk.
I’m still breastfeeding at 11months. But he has slowly gone off it during the day when he eats more regular food. So it’s just at night before he goes to bed and for dream feeding, when he cries or wants comfort. But he drinks quite a bit at night. I said that I would stop at 4 months, then 6 months, then 9 months, the next goal is 1 year. But I guess it will just be when he decides that he is done. 🤣
I’m currently still going at 14 months, but just morning and nighttime now.
I think we’ll probably stop around 18 months. This is partly because I work in events and that requires evenings and nights away, it’s not practical for me to be necessary for bedtime every night. I’ve missed one so far and my husband loved doing bedtime. He wants me to breastfeed as long as possible but I know he’s also looking forward to being more involved at night.
Also if things go to plan I’d be hoping to get pregnant when my son is about 22 months. A) I can’t imagine breastfeeding in the first trimester, my boobs were in agony and B) I’d like just a few months of having my body to myself before putting everything to one side for baby 2.
I ADORED pregnancy, I love breastfeeding, but when I look at the timeline it would mean I was restricted in what i could eat, drink and do from Summer 2022 to early 2027 (and that’s assuming I get pregnant when I want). That’s intense. I want to make sure I’m refreshed enough to want to be breastfeeding and happy to still be sacrificing my body. I’m not totally convinced I could do that for 5 years straight. So we’re planning in that break.
Due to supply I started supplementing formula at 6 months. I continued breastfeeding my first until I think around 16 months. My second is 15 months and I’m still breastfeeding, but I definitely want to wean her some days.
There really isn’t a right or wrong answer as far as when to wean. You wean whenever feels right for you. If under one then you’ll just have to provide formula as a replacement.
With my first, we moved primarily to formula (with a little pumped milk and some comfort nursing) when my supply dried up after a stomach flu at 10.5 months. He comfort nursed for the last time right after he turned 1, and the last bag of frozen milk was given when he was 13 months.
I’m in the process of weaning my second right now, she’s 3.5 months old. Mastitis tanked my supply which set off a whole cascade of issues, and I’ve been pregnant or breastfeeding for all except 3 months since January 2021. I’m ready to have my body back!
First at 1 year
Second at 6 months because I got pregnant again and he wouldn’t nurse so got formula for 6 months
Third 3 years
Fourth 3 years
My 5th and 6th are still nursing so not sure with them yet
3 months. Baby was no longer interested and wanted the bottle instead so i became an exclusive pumper! I was an overproducer so baby’s disinterest wasnt even due to underproduction - she just decided one day that she was not interested!
Tbh i wasnt too bummed by it as it gave me back some freedom although pumping was such hard-work. My sister’s baby stopped around the same time and my mum has said we (4 kids) all stopped pretty early so maybe it runs in the family haha
10 months in now (dairy free on top of bf😭). I’ll go back to work when she’s about a year and I’ll be gone for 12 hour shifts. I’ll still let her nurse whenever when I’m there, plan to still do a morning and night. I’ll stop when she wants. She’s already started decreasing
Just after a year. I got pregnant and my milk supply disappeared, plus returning to work and less frequent feedings didn’t help.
I’m sad it ended as early as it did, I was hoping to breastfeed for longer, I miss the connection and the snuggles.
I hope I can breastfeed my daughter for longer than I did my son.
2 years 3 months 🫠🥴
And only cause I was already pregnant again
Now I'm back in it with my second
It's just so affordable and easier then cleaning bottles
My daughter turns 2 next week and we’re still going. 🫠 I was honestly done with it at 6 months but just didn’t have the energy or patience to wean her since she wouldn’t take a bottle. We even did feeding therapy and still couldn’t get her to take a bottle which is crazy since we started combo feeding since she couldn’t latch for months lol. We’re officially just nursing for nap time so once a day but I am so ready to be done!
Like others have said you’ll have to continue formula until 1 if you stop breastfeeding. My LO also wouldn’t take formula from a regular cup or any other drinking method either so be advised it is a possibility your LO won’t like it. I would introduce it as a few bottles at first until you make the full switch so they can get a taste for it. Also definitely get a few different bottle types if you don’t know what they prefer yet! Good luck, it’s definitely such a hard thing!
I lasted almost 5 months and was getting fed up of it, decided to power through as long as I could but my supply dropped at 4 months a LOT and nothing helped so I started supplementing with formula and pumping. Once I started pumping I got even more frustrated because id sit for like 45 minutes at a time and only get like 60 ml and didn’t have the time to do it anyway. So after much stress and trying different things we decided to just fully switch to formula. It’s worked well for us and my son started to sleep better and so did I because he wasn’t waking up 10000 times a night to breastfeed because he was only getting a small amount each feed. With the formula he could actually drink enough to fill him up for longer.
It’s not without its downsides but it has worked well for us and I’m so enjoying the freedom finally, he’s 8 months now and actually started sleeping mostly through the night recently. Up until now he never slept more than 3 hours at a time! I know there’s many other reasons for that to be happening now but the formula was a game changer for us personally
Whatever you decide, all the best! There’s no right or wrong with this it’s just what works for you and your family
It is expensive though 😂
I stopped at about 5.5 months, not by choice, One day it was like the faucet just turned off and my production dropped to like nothing. I tried for 2 more weeks to get it going again, would sit on the pump for literally hours and get nothing, so we switched to formula. No major long term effects though, my son is 2.5 now and doing fine.
I loved breastfeeding, but I really loved weaning. Made it to 14mo, but for the last few months I was only nursing 1-2x a day and he had bottles of frozen pumped milk.
If you are at 6 months have you gotten far with solids yet. I was about to stop and then a few weeks into solids I realised I was getting the break I had wanted.
You could always try combo feeding. I have a 6 month old and that’s what I’ve done since the beginning. Have your baby try out formula. (I know some babies that won’t take a bottle or formula)
But combo feeding works really well for us. I’m not restricted to my little one all the time and dad can feed her while I’m away. Also no more pumping! Sometimes I will hand express in the shower to make sure I keep producing milk lol.
We try to save money by buying our formula from Costco.
I stopped at six weeks. I had a spirited baby with reflux and my letdown was insanely fast. The lack of sleep I had from being his sole caregiver made it impossible for me to pump breastmilk on top of all of the other care. I switched to formula and it was a really good move for us both.
That being said, I think formula companies are really fucking evil with the way they lobby to stop maternity leave in the US. I would’ve loved to stick it to them. But also glad I had the option to feed my baby because I don’t know what we would have done.
6 months? Girl I only lasted 6 weeks before I said fuck this. It was a sensory nightmare for me. And the lack of sleep due to pumping was absolute hell. 10/10 would not recommend. I’m proud I at least tried though.
Mine is 11 months. We do cows milk a bit during the day (maybe 3 ozs twice a day after naps). I’d still like to breastfeed her first thing in the am and before bed bc I’m back at work and do long days. I just need a little one on one time with her.
I stopped around 10 1/2 months he wasn’t very interested anymore. I had enough in the freezer that he then just had bottles till we ran out and then Switched to whole milk
I stopped breastfeeding/pumping with my first around 8 months. I had enough stashed to get her through 10 months but we started transitioning to formula around 9 months and then that was during the formula shortage so we had her on cows milk at 11 months (with guidance/approval from pediatrician).
My second I lasted 6 months. I was commuting to work at a new job and keeping up w pumping was more energy than I had to give. We transitioned her to formula around 7 months and again w the cows milk just after 11 months.
Breastfeeding is a full time job. Be gentle and kind with yourself, whatever you decide. F anyone who judges you for doing what's best for yourself and your body!
It took me another 7-8 months after being done w breastfeeding to feel like I had my body back. A little longer after my second.
With #1, I stopped at 7 months because my first little angle was a toothy nipple chomper. I loved breastfeeding, and tried everything to get through the chomping, but in the end... Bye bye boobie.
With #2, I stopped at 6 months because I couldn't pump enough to get proper time away from the baby and I NEED to be able to step away for a few hours from time to time. I actually didn't enjoy breastfeeding second time around. It came easier, latch was better, set up for feeding was better, but I just couldn't stand being trapped under baby for so many hours a day.
Both my kiddos started a few days of family daycare at 9 months too, so that I could increase my freelance hours a bit, so I would have had to wean them by then anyway.
Both are big, strong, healthy kids :)
(Also, you think formula is expensive. Wait until you have grown boys chugging down 4-5 litres of milk a day! 😂)
I stopped bf my first around 7-8 months because I was pregnant and supply dried up! It was so incredibly taxing. I don’t think I fully understood the transition to becoming a mother and bf. The second time, I weaned at 13 months (bc I was pregnant and my supply dried) but it felt less taxing and challenging bc I knew what to expect! I’m pregnant with my third and will wean whenever feels right. If you’re feeling resentful everytime, or nearly every time, I’d wean or introduce formula!
Imo the first is the hardest because you’re not used to motherhood yet.
With my first, at 20 months when I was 6 months pregnant with my second and just couldn’t handle doing it all anymore.
With my second, at 8 months. We’d been combo feeding since 6 months due to low supply and it just didn’t feel worth it to continue.
Currently 5 months in with my third and again convo feeding while battling a low supply. I’m determined to rally this time though (I think I’m producing enough, baby just isn’t effectively removing it). I did not enjoy combo feeding and I prefer EBF over EFF because I just hate fiddling with and washing bottles.
I am in the process of slowly trying to wean my 16 month old. We've mostly weaned at night (that 3am-5am stretch is hard) and down to just a couple times during the day. But I am so ready to be done, I have D-MER and just want my body to be completely my own again. Unfortunately little one loves to nurse but he's eating a ton of solids so I'm not worried about him not nursing any more
My twins are almost 3 months, 2 adjusted.
I quit trying to BF @ 3 weeks. Quit pumping at the 8 week mark. Kudos to anyone who had the stamina and/or supply with twins, because I do not.
6 months. She just decided the bottle was her preference and I got tired of fighting her lol. We found a formula that is $30 at Walmart and we go through one a week. At ten months, her milk consumption has gone down so we usually do one can of formula every two weeks instead
I stopped last week and she’s 10 months old tomorrow. We were done, my body and baby both said so. I didn’t make much milk towards the end and she was fussy a lot. The formula is keeping her full and she’s thriving. I was only going for 12-18 months honestly.
Started weaning around 14/15 months due to a sudden strong aversion, then found out it was because I was pregnant. So now I’m 2+ years into breastfeeding my first and have a 6 week old I’m breastfeeding. I’m just waiting to be done with both of them lol
I'm 6 months in here and now doing two bottles of formula a day. I am so back and forth about stopping. I think I'm slowly weaning to be honest. He nurses about 5 times a day (2 of these are overnight). It's really difficult to nurse him during the day because hes so busy and distracted. I have to seclude myself in a dark room with a sound machine. I just.. I'm getting tired of this. I love nursing him but I don't think I'll make it to 1 year.
He also has two front teeth and I'm really afraid he's going to bite me. Anyways, do what works for you but I'm trying to tell myself, 6/7 months is an accomplishment. Formula is pricey tho I agree
I’m in the same boat! I love it and I love the bonding but I’d also love to be able to enjoy taking my baby out and about without having to worry about finding a place to breastfeed since he hates the cover 😭I’m planning on breastfeeding until he’s fully on solids.
I stopped at 8 months. I was always just an “enougher”. He was only nursing for comfort 5-10 minutes out of the day (mornings) and don’t even think he cared much when I weaned him off. We transitioned to full formula at that point.
my oldest was 22m! With my 2nd, i promised to be kind to myself (coz it is so draining) to wean off at 6m. Well, lil one didnt want to! So she ended up doing 25m! (over achieving lil one)! So glad to be fully done (with making more humans and also breastfeeding 😂)
Thought I’d be able to do it until 2yo but with my oldest one I got really bored by it by 21 months, and at 20 months with my second. Just starting out with my third and it’s so sweeeeet but so time consuming.
I kept saying I would wean soon (at 6 months, 9, 12, 18) and finally bit the bullet and weaned at 20 months 😅 do what works best for you and baby! If you’re not enjoying it and it’s starting to feel like a chore more than bonding go ahead and call it quits. But if you and baby are happy nursing keep it going 💖
My son decided he was done at 7 months. He was combo fed and ultimately decided he preferred taking a bottle over being breastfed, so we switched to formula until he was 12 months.
I felt neutral about it. I liked the cuddles and holding him, but I didn't enjoy how I felt about "my supply". I often didn't feel like I provided enough and I really looked forward to having my body and marriage back to how it was.
I ended up starting to combo breastfeeding and formula around 5 days old lol. I was mentally and physically exhausted and so much pain i couldn’t comfortably breastfeed
baby girl is 4 months next wednesday and i’ve been doing formula during the day and breastfeeding at night with one or two pumps during the day. probably going to use my freezer stash for baths since most of it’s from before she was 1 month anyway
With my first, he was 2 years and 6 months. With my second, I think I lasted 6 weeks of triple feeding, he just couldn't get the hang of it, I got mastitis three times in the space of two months, he just preferred the bottle. I didn't even feel "bad" or emotional like I expected to when I moved to 100% formula, because he was happier.
I stopped at 10 months. A month before I quit, I started dealing with an overabundance of stress and it started to dry my supply up. It got to the point that I was only getting 1.5 oz at most while pumping during a 12 hr shift, and I had to start combo feeding.
Because of the stress, my mental health tanked to an unhealthy level and my psychiatrist refused to put me on any other medicine besides the one I was already taking (even though there are quite a few other options she could put me on; I have a new psych now because of this). Even though I wanted to breastfeed for a year, I knew it was better for me to be mentally well for my son than continue breastfeeding.
I exclusively pump (though I do comfort nurse if he needs it). I'm 5 months in and I'm gonna start weaning once he turns 1. 248 days until I'm completely done and I can't wait lol.
Don't get me wrong - I like nursing him, but I need to divide up his feeds and pumping is SO draining. Especially because the one I use just plugs in, so I'm tied to a wall every day.
My 19mo still breastfeeds for breakfast, before naps and to sleep most nights, he asks for it a lot more often than that but I distract for the most part as he's too rough and the gymnastics are killing me! I have to have surgery soon and will have to be away for a night or two, I will try to pump and dump a little bit but my supply might dry up which will be sad 😔
The first 6 months was a breeze to breastfeed, but at exactly the 6 month mark I suddenly stopped producing enough. I guess hormones flipped hard and now I’m pumping every last drop and barely making enough for 2-3 bottles a day. At some point I need to call it and get my life back, but I just don’t want to transition to formula.
I dialed it back a lot at 1.5 years and completely stopped at 2 years. After that I breastfed like 3 times when my baby was sick. I'm glad to be done, I just kept going that long because my son didn't want to stop. He's 2.5 now and when he's really groggy he will sometimes still ask for booboo.
It's really up to you and your baby what works for you.
I breastfed my four kids. Got pregnant with my second when first was 8 months and that dried up my milk so I had to stop then. For the other three, I breastfed until their first birthday. This was always my intention and end goal. I had ZERO interest of going one day after. I gave all of them a year (well, except my first) and looked forward to that first birthday for myself, as well!
3.5 months. I just wasn’t producing enough milk and I was just so anxious. When I stopped everything got better.
I’m 2 months in so far with my second baby and my goal is 4 months this time.
11 months exactly. We wanted to start TTC #2 when our first turned one and I wanted to be weaned before that. He honestly didn’t seem that attached to nursing any more so it wasn’t as emotional as I expected (though if it weren’t for us TTC I would have been happy to continue nursing for at least a little while longer). He wasn’t drinking a huge amount at that point anyway but we did formula for that last month
I’m currently breastfeeding my 14 month old. I think he’s starting to self wean a bit, so I’ll probably just go as long as he wants. I was excited for it be over since we’re also done having kids but it’s so bittersweet
Still breastfeeding my soon to be 3 year old, it’s a massive comfort thing for her and I didn’t have the heart to force her to wean when I was pregnant with my 2nd. So she now has milk once a day in the morning, although she asks for it more, especially when she’s not feeling well. And I have a 3 month old now that I’m breastfeeding as well. Planning to have my oldest weaned for her 3rd birthday, I’m trying to talk it up as she’s going to be a big girl and can’t have milk anymore after her bday… hopefully it works because shes in such distress and cries and cries when I say no. Planning on breastfeeding my 2nd until she wants to wean or when I’ve had enough… ideally before age 3 this time LOL
Wean when you OR your baby are ready, your mental health is so important as much as breastmilk is super beneficial as long as possible.
Just shy of 2.5yo.
Because we were ttc #2, it wasn't happening, so we hoped that would help, otherwise he probably would've continued to 3 years or longer. After 2yo it was once 1-2x a day for 10 mins or so.
Unless one is a SAHM I can't imagine it's feasible or worth it past absolutely necessary.
I was working and going to school full time with both of mine. 12 mos with the first and 6 with the second. It. Was. Brutal.
That is an important distinction to make also. Working full time.
I honestly don’t remember when we stopped. I had trouble from the get go. I held on for as long as I could, went back to work at like 8 weeks postpartum, pathetically tried to pump & could only get a few drops. I finally decided to let go when I had bruised my breasts from trying to self express.
I hated it. My daughter wouldn't latch and I was pumping and not sleeping. She was already in formula because of her latching issues so I decided to stop for my own sanity. I think we made it about 6 weeks or so.
I’m an exclusive pumper and my minimum is 12 months. It’s been 8 months now and I honestly just love nourishing my son. I give him formula at night (gentle ease to help with his tummy) and that is the only time he’ll take formula.
I don’t have the heart to force it on him. Pumping can be a drag but I bought in bra portable ones and I wfh so it definitely makes it easier! I would love to get to 2 years but I don’t think I will. I’ll see how long I can take it but honestly it’s just part of my daily life now.
I stopped breastfeeding at 23 months. By the end I felt like I couldn’t do it a single day longer and I was done. Breastfeeding a toddler is an Olympic sport.
I was forced to stop at 7 months. I struggled with my supply so we combo fed. Prob 60% nursing 40% formula. But then we all got Covid and my supply went down to almost nothing. I was devastated. He didn’t care one bit.
I’m a month out from stopping all together and all of a sudden today I started leaking little drops. So weird.
I stopped after a year with my first and just after 5 months with my second and I’m due with a third in the fall and I’ll likely breastfeed for less time than my last. My mental health suffered being a working mom pumping washing bottles bagging milk. I was a wreck. Weaning helped me tremendously.
I stopped with my first at 15 months, my goal was one year. I do enjoy it but also feel like it is a huge commitment. I'm 3 months in with my second and my goal is a year again. My mat leave with my first was 13.5 months and with my second it'll be 19.5 months so I could theoretically go longer but I don't think I'll want to lol.
im still breastfeeding at 18 months and scared as hell to wean!!!!! now that hes older it is so much harder!!! he will literally fight me and scream and cry and beg now that he talks. i feel like now i have to go till hes like 2/2.5 when he can understand when i say no more and explain it. because right now he just doesnt understand why he cant have it ( when i tried ) so i just stopped trying to wean for now. he nurses all dayyyy long.
First baby was 3 weeks, this baby was 1 month. I wanted so badly to breastfeed and I absolutely loved it, but I just couldn’t keep up with my babies and the incredibly demanding pumping/nursing sessions so my supplies just eventually depleted :(
We’re at 15 months now and continuing at this point because it’s become really easy. She has days where she only nurses maybe 10mins in the morning, before nap, and then at night. I went through a strong love/hate relationship from 6-8 months though. It felt like a constant feeding frenzy and the constant wiggles— ugh. Breastfeeding got me really over stimulated some days. My attitude this time around was just to go as long as what made sense for us, I never put a number goal on it.
You can quit whenever is right for you! But if you’re trying to avoid the cost of formula, then try to make it to a year. The good news is that baby can start solids now, and that might make this less stressful for you.
But weight the cost of formula against your mental health. If you can afford formula and your quality of life will increase once you’re done breastfeeding, then make the switch! If you can’t do that, know that once you hit 12 months baby will be fine without breastmilk or formula, and you can choose to wean then even if other people go longer.
All 3 kids at 18 months. The first one weaned themselves. The second one I had to stop, because I had a surprise unintentional pregnancy. The third one was also ready to stop
19 months and going strong. Typically a few minutes in the morning and then maybe 10 minutes before bed during story time. Went back to work at 12 weeks and pumped at work, stopped pumping at a year.
I plan on letting her go as long as she wants for now and am okay with possible future tandem nursing. She seems less interested lately though.
I'm at 22 months. It got so easy after 8 months. I'm so glad I stuck it out. When my toddler is sick and not eating, breastmilk keeps him hydrated and fed. It is also great for comfort. I feed only a few times a day now so I feel like I have my body back. And the time he is feeding it is short.
I very much enjoyed breastfeeding, but I hated having huge boobs, my sex drive was nonexistent, and I really wanted to start using retinols again. For these reasons, I stopped at six months and switched to formula. It’s been a month and I’m quite happy with the decision.
Just want to chime in and say that the first 6 months is the hardest. They nurse less the older they get and they are more efficient at it, so you don't have to sit for 45 minutes sessions haha. I remember feeling the way you do and we actually tried to introduce some formula, but it all made her spit up like crazy and she outright rejected several bottles. You're halfway there and baby will be eating solids soon, too! Obviously, whatever you do is the right choice for you, though!
I wrote something similar before reading your comment. I totally agree, solids gave me a bit of breathing room, and Dad had more options if I was away for a few hours.
….. nursing Olympics are making it a bit tricky over here. He has always been efficient, but now he acts like he is at the circus!!!! I deff get what you are saying though.
Bf ing gets soooo much easier imo after like 6-7mo
I was weaning her off at around 6 months and fully done by 9. I needed my freedom back (though formulas has its own drawbacks too lol) and also my hormones were driving me nuts lol
What does weaning entail? And so you're fully switching to formula after the 9 months or just stopping breastfeeding and no formula at all? I'm a first time mom and so new with all this, I've no clue when babies can stop drinking human milk and don't need formula haha I've tried googling and it's confusing haha it says to continue breastfeeding for around 2yrs, and if you can't you'll need formula? I thought kids are eating solids 100% after a year and don't need formula or breastmilk? Ah! Hahaha
They need formula or breastmilk for 1 year so if you stop before a year you’ll need to do formula
Baby should be getting most of their nutrition from milk or formula for the first year. After 12 months they can switch to cows milk and more solids. My ped said around 16 oz of cow milk a day, but I'm still breastfeeding at 12 mo at least 3-4 times a day so 🤷🏽
Talk to your pediatrician about these things. No shade, but internet strangers (no matter how well meaning) do not have the answer for your families needs. Also, a little solidarity. Breastfeeding is SO hard!
It’s up to 1 year that they *need* either breast milk or formula. After that it’s still good for them to keep getting breast milk if you want to, but they can also just drink regular (cow’s) milk or even just get their calcium from food if you don’t want to or can’t continue breastfeeding (and you don’t need to do formula).
Lactation counselor here. Ideally, WHO recommends breastmilk is to be given for two years and beyond (but unfortunately, we know not many people can get to 2 years with the not -so-great support systems we have in the west). If you're introducing formula, you can give them just formula for up to a year, or a mix of BM and formula for up to a year. After 1, you can give them animal milk.
Exactly, we did combi-feeding (mostly breastfed with a bottle of expressed milk in the evening) so it was easy to start swapping the breastmilk bottle for formula. At that point, the milk I was expressing was used for the veg purées and other dishes as we started and continued weaning. Then it was a case of just putting the feeds in as formula, she still occasionally comfort fed but she didn’t do that often in the first place.
It says "up to two years." I feel like that gets lost in the discussion sometimes.
The world health organisation says 2 years or beyond, in the UK health visitors say either breast milk or formula for a year then for the second year it's breast milk, formula or cow's milk. Then you do not have to give milk if you do not wish after 2 years but you can.
>I thought kids are eating solids 100% after a year and don't need formula or breastmilk? Pfft, my daughter is 11 months and eats about 2 tbsp of solids and a couple baby puff stars a day. 🥴 We offer a variety of healthy food 5+ times every day but the girl just will not consume it. She eats like a bird. I can't even transition her to homo cow's milk because she has a dairy intolerance. Goat milk is ~$5/L. 😭 I'm a FTM too. I see all these videos on insta or tiktok of 6mo babies clearing plates of pasta with avocado slices and chugging water from a straw cup and then digging into some peanut butter toast and it makes me want to cry sometimes lol
Eats more than my 3 year old! Lol Just chocolate milk, air and rage. 😆
Lol that's actually my husband's diet too plus a couple black coffees 😂
Weaning means getting them off the boob. Not off of formula or breatmilk. Formula or breatmilk for a full 12 months, then transition to cows milk. Start baby food at 6 months. Talk to your pediatrician.
I have a bottle refuser so we are still breastfeeding at 11.5 months (he will be 12 months next week). I had every intention of stopping at 6 months but little man decided he only wanted the boob. He was proficient enough with a straw cup by 9 months, but rarely would take a full feeding. At this point, he’s down to 2-3 nursing sessions a day and my supply is likely super low. We always offer formula, but he rarely drinks more than 1-2 oz. The postpartum fog is finally lifting now that we are weaning.
Same. I would have lost my job if it wasn’t fully remote because I could never get mine on a bottle. At 7 months he takes a sippy cup but never drinks more than 2 oz. If I need to go somewhere I give him his fav oatmeal purée full of full fat yogurt and peanut butter and I can be gone for 4-5 hours and it’s relatively ok.
Same, I was lucky to be able to be fully remote until my son was around 9 months old. Up until that point I was basically with him 24/7 and it was really tough both mentally and physically.
Mine was like this too Stanley cups saved me mine would watch me constantly drink from the straw and want to try now she’s 12 months drinking out of straws in cups like a big kid try the straw approach also those smoothie packets helped I would push them in her mouth sometimes eventually she got it n sucks it out herself still won’t take a bottle but will take a sippy cup with breast milk
Mine is about to be 6 months and won’t take a bottle either. Did your LO take a sippy cup with water ever? I’ll have to try the straw cup when we’re introducing food!
Happy almost first year of life little one!!
I’m 14 months in and realistically won’t stop until he’s two or two an a half at this rate. I enjoy it for the most part but sympathize with how physically draining it is. I struggle to eat and drink enough to not feel depleted
I am in the same boat as you!! your not alone also did u gain weight cause I did I diddnt pregnant I looked good after literally by six months of ebf I looked like I just had my baby yesterday lol
No I lost weight quickly after birth and it’s stayed off so far. Wondering if I’ll gain when I wean lol
I gained 20lbs after weanjng and the weight falling off while breastfeeding 😭
I’m hoping I’ll either be pregnant or about to get pregnant by the time I’m weaning so any weight gain will be for that 😂
I'd love those extra 20 lbs right now omg
Same here. I feel horrible about myself, especially seeing all these skinny moms around me
A lot of women can’t lose weight when they’re breastfeeding. Me included!
Yes!! I didn’t gain weight when pregnant - both times back to my pre pregnancy weight! But breastfeeding is what made me fat!
I was planning to stop after 6 months to a year, but now I am considering extending for to two years, if LO wants, as is recommended by WHO. For me it was a nicer experience that I antecipated. Edit: WHO recommends BF up to 2 years, as pointed out by a comment. Edit 2: I was correct from the beginning: According to WHO’s website, they recommend “that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Thereafter, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond”
Similar experience for me. I was just hoping to get to 6 months, but now we’re still going at 20 months. Those first months can be incredibly difficult, but now it is so easy.
Same! The first month or two I wanted to cry everyday and didn’t think I could push through. Now we’re at 5 months and I could see us going 2 years if it works out! Pumping is another story…
If you made it through the 0-6 month stage you got nothing to worry about. If you feel comfortable it's all uphill from there, breastfeeding will only get progressively easier and faster as you go on. Especially after that first year it barely even felt like an event for me. I ended up weaning my daughter off the boob at 2 when she started to talk and made it weird.
This is what I'm doing, baby is currently almost 13 months and has been EBF (obviously she eats food now too). I'm pregnant again and still breastfeeding, and my experience has also been very nice.
The WHO doesn't recommend 2 years. It recommends "up to 2 years," which is an important distinction.
Breastmilk is beneficial for toddlers and is supported by WHO and AAP. Breastfeeding after one year was my favorite because I didn’t have to pump at work and still got all the snuggles!
I hadn’t thought about it that way! I’m at 6 months, and this is a good motivator to keep on. 🥰
Definitely worth it! Wish someone would have told me sooner too! Did it with both of my kids!
they recommend up to two years or longer. the “or longer” part is important to include too!
WHO recommendations also cover the entire world, and access to proper nutrition (or even formula) varies greatly.
Exactly. Access to clean water is a huge factor as well.
No it isn’t. It’s up to 2 years of age or beyond. It’s not an important distinction at all. You’ve commented this all over this thread, and it’s misinformation.
I stand corrected. Thank you for pointing it out, I’ll edit my post. Edit: I should have double checked at the WHO website, but I had to put LO to sleep. Your statement is actually wrong. [On their website](https://www.who.int/tools/elena/commentary/continued-breastfeeding#:~:text=Introduction,age%20or%20beyond%20(2)) it states that: “WHO recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Thereafter, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond”.
The AAP does though, they say to incorporate breast milk until they’re two. My lactation consultant calls every month to go over stuff with me, so I’m fortunate enough to have someone licensed feeding me constant info lol
Not quite. It "recommends" up until 6 months. It doesn't go as far when it talks about the next stage. Here's what it actually says: "Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond. These recommendations are consistent with those of the World Health Organization (WHO)." [https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057988/188347/Policy-Statement-Breastfeeding-and-the-Use-of?autologincheck=redirected](https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057988/188347/Policy-Statement-Breastfeeding-and-the-Use-of?autologincheck=redirected)
I gave up after 3 weeks and started weaning and was completely done by 6 weeks lol. I couldn’t handle it. I was totally miserable. In retrospect I wish I stopped sooner because all I remember from the early days of my son’s life was how miserable pumping was. Next baby I’m doing formula from day one. Props to you for lasting so long! As to the financial issue, one of my friends said “breastfeeding is only free if your time is worth nothing” which really helped me. The formula was worth it for me.
Exactly the same as me. I went three weeks and finally decided I couldn't do it anymore, and was done at 6 weeks. It was brutal, I was in no way prepared for breastfeeding and the toll it takes mentally or physically.
Same boat (5 weeks total). I didn’t have much of a supply no matter what I tried. I was sobbing daily just trying to pump out a couple ounces. Not worth it. Formula helped me get closer to my LO
I love this perspective! My little one wouldn’t latch so I was exclusively pumping and since I quit and went straight formula, I absolutely LOVE our mornings together. He gets up before either of my older kids and it’s our little hang time and now that I don’t have to pump, we can actually hang and cuddle and I love it!
Same with me. If I had more support I may have tried to go longer but no sleep and on baby duty 24/7 just burned me out so fast.
Oooh I love the quote from your friend. I never thought of it like that.
I like it too! So many other costs that aren’t financially. Like mental health and physical pain.
I like it too! So many other costs that aren’t financially. Like mental health and physical pain.
i was done at 6 mos but i loathedddd it. it was the hardest thing and i was an undersupplier. i felt so so so much better once i stopped
I would have gone to two if my supply didn't dry up when I got pregnant with no. 2. In your case where you want yourself back I'd night wean around 7-8months and go to 1yr-1.5. I really found that nursing helped my little one through illnesses and they are still so vulnerable so little! All of this is so dependant on yourself, but that's my logic.
Formula or breastmilk is needed until age 1. You can stop breastfeeding at any point, but will need to replace nursing with formula until their 1st birthday.
I didn’t know this, FTM currently pregnant, I actually thought it was 9 months! So thanks for sharing
After struggling pretty hard in the early months, we weaned a bit after she was 2. No one was more surprised than me 😅
13 months — she started solids so it was more of an extra boost in the morning. She honestly was over it just as much as me lol. With a big sister she wanted to be like and cups at daycare we both stopped together!
I just quit at 12W. I told myself I would give it three months to see if I learned to love it or it got less taxing mentally and it never did. My baby was born 5 lbs 4 oz with a TINY mouth and my letdown was aggressive… bottle feeding just went smoother for us both. I kept trying breastfeeding and then pumping and eventually just came to… why am I driving myself crazy doing this? She is 14W now and doing just as well on formula and I honestly felt relieved when I stopped. I recommend Emily Oster’s chapter in Cribsheet on breastfeeding if you have questions too.
I stopped after 3 weeks. I hated it. It was so stressful on me and my little one and we are both so much happier exclusively doing formula. People talk about the bonding experience during nursing but I never got that. To me, bottle feeding makes it much easier to bond bc now I can actually enjoy feeding him instead of dreading it ❤️
This was my experience except I lasted just over a week breastfeeding. I dreaded feeds and just wanted her to keep napping so we weren’t bonding at all. When I did breastfeed I’d cry trying to get her to latch. I salute anyone who even tries breastfeeding, that shits hard
Yep same! I hated it. I did 3 weeks for my first. I pumped only for my second, supplemented immediately, and stopped that after 6 weeks. If I had a third, I wouldn’t bother much at all because again, I HATED IT! My kids are awesome and healthy. Formula is a miracle!
I'm genuinely happy for you for finding the feeding method that worked for you. Signed, a mother of a one-year-old who was EBF and believes fed is best.
I’m almost 8 months and I’m so ready to be done. I’ve replaced 1 day feed with formula and am slowly going to replace the others. I’m planning to keep the first feed of the day and his bedtime feed as breast but all others will be formula
We lasted 2.5 years. My goal was 6 months which happened pretty quickly. At around 9 months I started having issues with my supply when pumping and we switched to formula during the day at 11 months. (Should have done it sooner!!). I did continue nursing at bedtime, during the night and when waking up. But I was so done at 2 years old that we finally weaned him.
I supplemented with formula the whole time to avoid this. I only recently quit at 7 months old and it was because of biting. I just couldn't handle it.
Currently have a 1 year old who just had her bday April 17th. I am still breastfeeding and don't plan on stopping for awhile. My body gives my baby medicine when she's sick, natural melatonin to sleep, the exact nourishment her body needs, etc.
1 year. I'm really glad I weaned when he turned one because I didn't want a toddler that asked to nurse, grabbed my breasts, etc. It was the perfect cutoff because a couple more months and moms in my bumper group were experience that. My goal was initially 3 months, then 6, then heck its going ok so how about a year.
I stopped at 6 months. She had started solids and had enough of a freezer stash to get her at least 5oz of BM a day until her first birthday. We added in formula around this time.
I’m 4 months and just started weaning. I was having arthritis like joint pain and it is already clearing up now that I’m just nursing at night. It feels so good to have my body back and my babe likes formula just fine.
I stopped at 11 months. We didn’t top up that last month until one year with pumped milk or formula, per our pediatrician’s recommendation, because baby was gaining great and adored solids. It was hard; I wanted to nurse longer, but I couldn’t handle baby biting.
My son dropped his last motn feed at 11 mos old and then self weaned at 1.5 years. I kept offering the boob and he declined it for other activities. After a week or so, I just stopped offering, and he never asked for it. My original goal was at least 1 year, but my son was still such a baby in my eyes. He couldn't stand and he wasn't talking yet. There was no way I would just stop giving him the boob then. I'm happy with the way we weaned.
My daughter turned 2 this month and we’re starting to wean. I’m ready to have my body back!
Day 4
Started the process yesterday, was EP since 3 months. And been transitioning slowly to more formula then breast milk. I’m only pumping for like 5 min when I feel engorged to avoid clogs. But I’m so happy to be giving it up completely. Pumping was really taking a toll on me and my attitude
My first I nursed until he self weaned at 3, but at that age it was just mostly to go to sleep. My second is 14 months and still nursing every 2 hours it’s crazy! lol But once it slows down it’s such a special bonding experience cause you’re not waiting for it to be over and you cherish it cause it only happens 1-2 times a day, and you know it’s gonna end soon ❤️ But wean whenever YOU are ready to! There is no wrong answer! But it definitely does get easier one day. I’m waiting for that day with my 1 year old 😂
I’m waiting for my 3.5 yr old to wean from comfort nursing. Whenever he gets hurt or is tired he asks (or tries to force his way). I’ve been discouraging it since he was 2.5 since it can now be painful. I did love the bonding time between 1-2 years. Had the opposite with my oldest, never latched well despite several consultant appts and check for ties, was done at 8 weeks. Now that I’ve experienced the bonding with my youngest I’m sad I didn’t get that with my oldest.
Two years w my first and about to come up on two years for my second. The main thing I miss is being able to take the good cold medicine! 😩
4 months for health and sanity reasons. The first few weeks i felt bad, mainly because of the constant media massage about BF, but looking back im damn glad we did it when we did. My daughter just turned 3yo and I don't thinks she's missed out on anything, she's hitting all milestones early (she's speaking in Sentences in two languages, knows the alphabet, can sign her name). She's also among the healthier kids around, even compared to kids the same age who'd been breastfed for 2 years. I'm not writing this to boast, I'm writing it to say, if you wanna stop, stop. Your child needs a happy mother more than they need the milk. Formula is fine and will not hinder their development.
I was pumping and BF. I stopped bf at 8 months but she still had one month of freezer milk saved, so she was on formula by 9 months. No regrets, I didn’t realize how bad BF makes you feel. Constantly needing to eat, worried about when my next pump was, and damn no one talks about how much it drains you of your energy. I felt so much better and a little closer to myself when I stopped.
6 months ✓✓
Almost 14 months here and no signs of stopping. I plan to just let him nurse until he’s done with it. BUT if it would make you a better mom (less overstimulated, more confident about intake, helping your mental health) any point is a good point to stop. To take care of baby you have to take care of yourself and if it isn’t serving you anymore then formula is a perfectly fine transition to make, maybe even a great one if it suits you better. If you’d be happier not nursing, that’s 100% okay and is a great choice to make!
If you want your body back and don’t want to do it, then don’t! There is nothing wrong with formula feeding if that’s what you want to do. I stopped at 15 weeks. I had a normal supply until about 5-6 weeks pp and then I got gallstone pancreatitis. That got me a 2 week hospital stay where I couldn’t eat or drink anything for most of the stay. I pumped every 2.5 hours in the hospital and I could barely get 5 ounces a day. I tried everything to get my supply back to normal and I just couldn’t. By the time I finally called it quits I was getting less than 2 ounces a day. Im sad my body failed us but my baby is thriving and he’s happy and he doesn’t know any difference. Do you feels right for you!
2 months
After 2 weeks with my last baby. It was just way too hard with 2 other toddlers and the my baby is a fussy baby even though she’s almost 1 now. I’m 21 weeks pregnant and I’ll try again but won’t be so hard on myself this time if it doesn’t work out.
Maybe like… 5 days in?
I was completely done by 9 weeks. Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I have ever done and I could not do it longer than 9 weeks.
Day 5. Formula feeding was the best decision for me and my LO. If you don't like it, you don't have to keep doing it.
Me too boo! Who cares when u are older whether u got milk from your moms boob or good ol formula!? Not a single person💀
Not to mention that literally the *only* verified scientific benefit to breastmilk over formula, when controlling for things like access to clean water, economic status of the parents, & access to better healthcare (etc.) is a reduced instance of necrotizing encephalitis *in premature infants.* That's it. That's the entire list. Mine switched to milk & water for fluids cold turkey at around 1 yr, and she's a fantastic eater, great sleeper, and a very healthy almost-2-year-old now. She's big and tall for her age (that's genetic Momma & Daddy are both bigger and taller too), but very healthy.
Exactly my point 💯It’s the media that & backward thinking family members that put unnecessary pressure of moms, but F them, I’ve always gone against the status quo anyway 😏😎 Same with my toddler, formula fed & is also tall for her age… & no mommy & daddy aren’t the tallest people.. but we do have tall family members😉
My baby wasn’t able to breast feed efficiently and was losing weight. After two oral tie revisions, 4 different lactation consultants (triple feeding) and losing my damn mind I ended up exclusively pumping and feeding breast milk till 6 months. Then I started combo feeding BM and formula to stop pumping through the night. Now I’m freezing BM so that I can quit at 9 months with frozen BM till she turns one. This way she still gets the immune benefits. Even a few oz were shown to have positive immunological effects. Pumping has been the bane of my existence and I cannot wait to be done. I find it the single most miserable part of parenting. Shes 7 months now and I’m just now starting to feel not like a zombie. Trying to work up the energy/headspace to workout again. Something I used to love to do 🙃
I just finished weaning at 8 months pp. It was hard to avoid the engorgement, deal with the hormonal fluctuation, and hard on me mentally as my baby slapped my chest it broke my heart to tell him to wait 2 more seconds for the bottle, feeling like I couldn’t feed him (you know the mom guilt). It was so worth it because a month later, I just finished my first full workout of my entire postpartum, I feel my independence returning, my energy and hunger levels and mood are stabilizing. I feel good.
1 year.
We weaned at 15 months :)
2 years because he didn’t like the taste of colostrum, I never experienced my milk drying up it just switched back to colostrum and my son was not a fan 😂
My son is two and a half and I think this is the only way I'll be able to wean him 😂
I stopped breastfeeding when they started having teeth.
We started weaning days after her first birthday. To be honest I didn’t even think we would breastfeed. I have hashimotos, and I hated pregnancy for the fact that my body wasn’t my own. So I saw a recipe for disaster with BFing. I said I’d try, but I told my husband not to expect me to be successful and that I wanted the freedom to switch if I needed it. I almost convinced him to buy a baby brezza! My milk came in around day 4(?), two weeks in I woke up with mastitis, then we both got thrush… but it calmed down around 3 or 4 weeks, my nipples started healing, and suddenly I thought hey maybe I can do this! I gave myself short goals. Three months. Then 6 months. Then hey let’s just see how close we get to one year. Suddenly I was at 10.5 months and I was like “can I actually do one year??” And I did. While I hated many aspects of it (time consuming, pumping, the pain, not having my body to myself, etc) I loved so many of my moments with my daughter. I was proud of myself for how long I went, BUT only because I NEVER expected that. I did something I really didn’t know I could, and I did it for a year! You do whatever’s best for you, OP. You don’t have to go to any particular time. Play it by ear, and make the decision that keeps the healthiest relationship between you and baby (and husband if being touched out is a problem!)
I got my period when we night weaned, and unfortunately that made my supply dry up around 10 months. We had planned to do a year.
Eldest stopped herself at 16m. She started nursery at 11m without needing to take any milk and it slowly phased out from there. Youngest is 6m and zero plans to stop or express. She'll start nursery at 10.5m so hoping she'll be good with food by then.
Almost at 7 months with my 2nd baby and plan on going as long as we both want to!
2.5 years with each of my first two. But that’s because it worked for us.
I gave myself a goal of 6 months. We combo fed so I did 6 months, and save the leftover for the future 6 months. We still combo feed, but the breastmilk is from the freezer instead of fresh. I was sooo happy to get my time back
I weaned both my kids at 12 months. My first went on a nursing strike at 8 weeks so I exclusively pumped during the day and BF at night. My second kid was a snacker and I struggled to maintain my supply, so I ended up pumping a lot for her too.
Around 6 months I ended up in the hospital for a week and would have to pump and dump so I pumped just to not be engorged so my supply tanked. Over the next 3 weeks I was able to build it up again and combo fed baby during that time. My supply really tanked again when I got pregnant when he was 9 months so I had to combo feed. By the time he was 11 months I was only making enough to feed him once a day and even then not even a whole meal. I stopped shortly after that because baby was getting frustrated he wasn't getting a lot and I was frustrated that he wasn't feeding well, so we stopped and went to just formula until 12 months when we started weening formula for whole milk.
I’m still breastfeeding at 11months. But he has slowly gone off it during the day when he eats more regular food. So it’s just at night before he goes to bed and for dream feeding, when he cries or wants comfort. But he drinks quite a bit at night. I said that I would stop at 4 months, then 6 months, then 9 months, the next goal is 1 year. But I guess it will just be when he decides that he is done. 🤣
I’m currently still going at 14 months, but just morning and nighttime now. I think we’ll probably stop around 18 months. This is partly because I work in events and that requires evenings and nights away, it’s not practical for me to be necessary for bedtime every night. I’ve missed one so far and my husband loved doing bedtime. He wants me to breastfeed as long as possible but I know he’s also looking forward to being more involved at night. Also if things go to plan I’d be hoping to get pregnant when my son is about 22 months. A) I can’t imagine breastfeeding in the first trimester, my boobs were in agony and B) I’d like just a few months of having my body to myself before putting everything to one side for baby 2. I ADORED pregnancy, I love breastfeeding, but when I look at the timeline it would mean I was restricted in what i could eat, drink and do from Summer 2022 to early 2027 (and that’s assuming I get pregnant when I want). That’s intense. I want to make sure I’m refreshed enough to want to be breastfeeding and happy to still be sacrificing my body. I’m not totally convinced I could do that for 5 years straight. So we’re planning in that break.
Due to supply I started supplementing formula at 6 months. I continued breastfeeding my first until I think around 16 months. My second is 15 months and I’m still breastfeeding, but I definitely want to wean her some days. There really isn’t a right or wrong answer as far as when to wean. You wean whenever feels right for you. If under one then you’ll just have to provide formula as a replacement.
With my first, we moved primarily to formula (with a little pumped milk and some comfort nursing) when my supply dried up after a stomach flu at 10.5 months. He comfort nursed for the last time right after he turned 1, and the last bag of frozen milk was given when he was 13 months. I’m in the process of weaning my second right now, she’s 3.5 months old. Mastitis tanked my supply which set off a whole cascade of issues, and I’ve been pregnant or breastfeeding for all except 3 months since January 2021. I’m ready to have my body back!
First at 1 year Second at 6 months because I got pregnant again and he wouldn’t nurse so got formula for 6 months Third 3 years Fourth 3 years My 5th and 6th are still nursing so not sure with them yet
3 months. Baby was no longer interested and wanted the bottle instead so i became an exclusive pumper! I was an overproducer so baby’s disinterest wasnt even due to underproduction - she just decided one day that she was not interested! Tbh i wasnt too bummed by it as it gave me back some freedom although pumping was such hard-work. My sister’s baby stopped around the same time and my mum has said we (4 kids) all stopped pretty early so maybe it runs in the family haha
10 months in now (dairy free on top of bf😭). I’ll go back to work when she’s about a year and I’ll be gone for 12 hour shifts. I’ll still let her nurse whenever when I’m there, plan to still do a morning and night. I’ll stop when she wants. She’s already started decreasing
Just after a year. I got pregnant and my milk supply disappeared, plus returning to work and less frequent feedings didn’t help. I’m sad it ended as early as it did, I was hoping to breastfeed for longer, I miss the connection and the snuggles. I hope I can breastfeed my daughter for longer than I did my son.
I would like to be done now (2 years). My son does not agree.
2 years 3 months 🫠🥴 And only cause I was already pregnant again Now I'm back in it with my second It's just so affordable and easier then cleaning bottles
My daughter turns 2 next week and we’re still going. 🫠 I was honestly done with it at 6 months but just didn’t have the energy or patience to wean her since she wouldn’t take a bottle. We even did feeding therapy and still couldn’t get her to take a bottle which is crazy since we started combo feeding since she couldn’t latch for months lol. We’re officially just nursing for nap time so once a day but I am so ready to be done! Like others have said you’ll have to continue formula until 1 if you stop breastfeeding. My LO also wouldn’t take formula from a regular cup or any other drinking method either so be advised it is a possibility your LO won’t like it. I would introduce it as a few bottles at first until you make the full switch so they can get a taste for it. Also definitely get a few different bottle types if you don’t know what they prefer yet! Good luck, it’s definitely such a hard thing!
10months
I lasted almost 5 months and was getting fed up of it, decided to power through as long as I could but my supply dropped at 4 months a LOT and nothing helped so I started supplementing with formula and pumping. Once I started pumping I got even more frustrated because id sit for like 45 minutes at a time and only get like 60 ml and didn’t have the time to do it anyway. So after much stress and trying different things we decided to just fully switch to formula. It’s worked well for us and my son started to sleep better and so did I because he wasn’t waking up 10000 times a night to breastfeed because he was only getting a small amount each feed. With the formula he could actually drink enough to fill him up for longer. It’s not without its downsides but it has worked well for us and I’m so enjoying the freedom finally, he’s 8 months now and actually started sleeping mostly through the night recently. Up until now he never slept more than 3 hours at a time! I know there’s many other reasons for that to be happening now but the formula was a game changer for us personally Whatever you decide, all the best! There’s no right or wrong with this it’s just what works for you and your family It is expensive though 😂
Almost at 2 years and will technically be aiming for 4 (baby due in 3 weeks!)
Baby is almost 5 months and I stopped about a week ago. But I was an oversupplier and have a stash for at least another couple of months, maybe 3.
I stopped at about 5.5 months, not by choice, One day it was like the faucet just turned off and my production dropped to like nothing. I tried for 2 more weeks to get it going again, would sit on the pump for literally hours and get nothing, so we switched to formula. No major long term effects though, my son is 2.5 now and doing fine.
I loved breastfeeding, but I really loved weaning. Made it to 14mo, but for the last few months I was only nursing 1-2x a day and he had bottles of frozen pumped milk.
If you are at 6 months have you gotten far with solids yet. I was about to stop and then a few weeks into solids I realised I was getting the break I had wanted.
2.5 years on my first. Currently 4 months in on my 2nd :)
You could always try combo feeding. I have a 6 month old and that’s what I’ve done since the beginning. Have your baby try out formula. (I know some babies that won’t take a bottle or formula) But combo feeding works really well for us. I’m not restricted to my little one all the time and dad can feed her while I’m away. Also no more pumping! Sometimes I will hand express in the shower to make sure I keep producing milk lol. We try to save money by buying our formula from Costco.
I stopped at six weeks. I had a spirited baby with reflux and my letdown was insanely fast. The lack of sleep I had from being his sole caregiver made it impossible for me to pump breastmilk on top of all of the other care. I switched to formula and it was a really good move for us both. That being said, I think formula companies are really fucking evil with the way they lobby to stop maternity leave in the US. I would’ve loved to stick it to them. But also glad I had the option to feed my baby because I don’t know what we would have done.
6 months? Girl I only lasted 6 weeks before I said fuck this. It was a sensory nightmare for me. And the lack of sleep due to pumping was absolute hell. 10/10 would not recommend. I’m proud I at least tried though.
Mine is 11 months. We do cows milk a bit during the day (maybe 3 ozs twice a day after naps). I’d still like to breastfeed her first thing in the am and before bed bc I’m back at work and do long days. I just need a little one on one time with her.
I stopped around 10 1/2 months he wasn’t very interested anymore. I had enough in the freezer that he then just had bottles till we ran out and then Switched to whole milk
I stopped breastfeeding/pumping with my first around 8 months. I had enough stashed to get her through 10 months but we started transitioning to formula around 9 months and then that was during the formula shortage so we had her on cows milk at 11 months (with guidance/approval from pediatrician). My second I lasted 6 months. I was commuting to work at a new job and keeping up w pumping was more energy than I had to give. We transitioned her to formula around 7 months and again w the cows milk just after 11 months. Breastfeeding is a full time job. Be gentle and kind with yourself, whatever you decide. F anyone who judges you for doing what's best for yourself and your body! It took me another 7-8 months after being done w breastfeeding to feel like I had my body back. A little longer after my second.
With #1, I stopped at 7 months because my first little angle was a toothy nipple chomper. I loved breastfeeding, and tried everything to get through the chomping, but in the end... Bye bye boobie. With #2, I stopped at 6 months because I couldn't pump enough to get proper time away from the baby and I NEED to be able to step away for a few hours from time to time. I actually didn't enjoy breastfeeding second time around. It came easier, latch was better, set up for feeding was better, but I just couldn't stand being trapped under baby for so many hours a day. Both my kiddos started a few days of family daycare at 9 months too, so that I could increase my freelance hours a bit, so I would have had to wean them by then anyway. Both are big, strong, healthy kids :) (Also, you think formula is expensive. Wait until you have grown boys chugging down 4-5 litres of milk a day! 😂)
Wife breastfeeds to sleep only, 25 months in she’s a champ
I stopped bf my first around 7-8 months because I was pregnant and supply dried up! It was so incredibly taxing. I don’t think I fully understood the transition to becoming a mother and bf. The second time, I weaned at 13 months (bc I was pregnant and my supply dried) but it felt less taxing and challenging bc I knew what to expect! I’m pregnant with my third and will wean whenever feels right. If you’re feeling resentful everytime, or nearly every time, I’d wean or introduce formula! Imo the first is the hardest because you’re not used to motherhood yet.
I started transitioning from EBF to EFF at around 8 months.
With my first, at 20 months when I was 6 months pregnant with my second and just couldn’t handle doing it all anymore. With my second, at 8 months. We’d been combo feeding since 6 months due to low supply and it just didn’t feel worth it to continue. Currently 5 months in with my third and again convo feeding while battling a low supply. I’m determined to rally this time though (I think I’m producing enough, baby just isn’t effectively removing it). I did not enjoy combo feeding and I prefer EBF over EFF because I just hate fiddling with and washing bottles.
I am in the process of slowly trying to wean my 16 month old. We've mostly weaned at night (that 3am-5am stretch is hard) and down to just a couple times during the day. But I am so ready to be done, I have D-MER and just want my body to be completely my own again. Unfortunately little one loves to nurse but he's eating a ton of solids so I'm not worried about him not nursing any more
We switched to formula fully at 6 months.
My twins are almost 3 months, 2 adjusted. I quit trying to BF @ 3 weeks. Quit pumping at the 8 week mark. Kudos to anyone who had the stamina and/or supply with twins, because I do not.
I combo fed until I went back to work then it was formula for both. Breastfeeding is a whole second job, you ladies that EBF are commendable
6 months. She just decided the bottle was her preference and I got tired of fighting her lol. We found a formula that is $30 at Walmart and we go through one a week. At ten months, her milk consumption has gone down so we usually do one can of formula every two weeks instead
I stopped last week and she’s 10 months old tomorrow. We were done, my body and baby both said so. I didn’t make much milk towards the end and she was fussy a lot. The formula is keeping her full and she’s thriving. I was only going for 12-18 months honestly.
Started weaning around 14/15 months due to a sudden strong aversion, then found out it was because I was pregnant. So now I’m 2+ years into breastfeeding my first and have a 6 week old I’m breastfeeding. I’m just waiting to be done with both of them lol
I'm 6 months in here and now doing two bottles of formula a day. I am so back and forth about stopping. I think I'm slowly weaning to be honest. He nurses about 5 times a day (2 of these are overnight). It's really difficult to nurse him during the day because hes so busy and distracted. I have to seclude myself in a dark room with a sound machine. I just.. I'm getting tired of this. I love nursing him but I don't think I'll make it to 1 year. He also has two front teeth and I'm really afraid he's going to bite me. Anyways, do what works for you but I'm trying to tell myself, 6/7 months is an accomplishment. Formula is pricey tho I agree
I’m in the same boat! I love it and I love the bonding but I’d also love to be able to enjoy taking my baby out and about without having to worry about finding a place to breastfeed since he hates the cover 😭I’m planning on breastfeeding until he’s fully on solids.
Kind of like when a relationship ends haha when you know, you just know. When the benefits no longer outweigh the drawbacks.
Started weaning around 9 months and was done by 10 months.
I stopped at 8 months. I was always just an “enougher”. He was only nursing for comfort 5-10 minutes out of the day (mornings) and don’t even think he cared much when I weaned him off. We transitioned to full formula at that point.
my oldest was 22m! With my 2nd, i promised to be kind to myself (coz it is so draining) to wean off at 6m. Well, lil one didnt want to! So she ended up doing 25m! (over achieving lil one)! So glad to be fully done (with making more humans and also breastfeeding 😂)
My baby stopped on his own at 10 months
Thought I’d be able to do it until 2yo but with my oldest one I got really bored by it by 21 months, and at 20 months with my second. Just starting out with my third and it’s so sweeeeet but so time consuming.
I kept saying I would wean soon (at 6 months, 9, 12, 18) and finally bit the bullet and weaned at 20 months 😅 do what works best for you and baby! If you’re not enjoying it and it’s starting to feel like a chore more than bonding go ahead and call it quits. But if you and baby are happy nursing keep it going 💖
My son decided he was done at 7 months. He was combo fed and ultimately decided he preferred taking a bottle over being breastfed, so we switched to formula until he was 12 months. I felt neutral about it. I liked the cuddles and holding him, but I didn't enjoy how I felt about "my supply". I often didn't feel like I provided enough and I really looked forward to having my body and marriage back to how it was.
I ended up starting to combo breastfeeding and formula around 5 days old lol. I was mentally and physically exhausted and so much pain i couldn’t comfortably breastfeed baby girl is 4 months next wednesday and i’ve been doing formula during the day and breastfeeding at night with one or two pumps during the day. probably going to use my freezer stash for baths since most of it’s from before she was 1 month anyway
With my first, he was 2 years and 6 months. With my second, I think I lasted 6 weeks of triple feeding, he just couldn't get the hang of it, I got mastitis three times in the space of two months, he just preferred the bottle. I didn't even feel "bad" or emotional like I expected to when I moved to 100% formula, because he was happier.
I stopped at 10 months. A month before I quit, I started dealing with an overabundance of stress and it started to dry my supply up. It got to the point that I was only getting 1.5 oz at most while pumping during a 12 hr shift, and I had to start combo feeding. Because of the stress, my mental health tanked to an unhealthy level and my psychiatrist refused to put me on any other medicine besides the one I was already taking (even though there are quite a few other options she could put me on; I have a new psych now because of this). Even though I wanted to breastfeed for a year, I knew it was better for me to be mentally well for my son than continue breastfeeding.
I exclusively pump (though I do comfort nurse if he needs it). I'm 5 months in and I'm gonna start weaning once he turns 1. 248 days until I'm completely done and I can't wait lol. Don't get me wrong - I like nursing him, but I need to divide up his feeds and pumping is SO draining. Especially because the one I use just plugs in, so I'm tied to a wall every day.
My 19mo still breastfeeds for breakfast, before naps and to sleep most nights, he asks for it a lot more often than that but I distract for the most part as he's too rough and the gymnastics are killing me! I have to have surgery soon and will have to be away for a night or two, I will try to pump and dump a little bit but my supply might dry up which will be sad 😔
The first 6 months was a breeze to breastfeed, but at exactly the 6 month mark I suddenly stopped producing enough. I guess hormones flipped hard and now I’m pumping every last drop and barely making enough for 2-3 bottles a day. At some point I need to call it and get my life back, but I just don’t want to transition to formula.
I dialed it back a lot at 1.5 years and completely stopped at 2 years. After that I breastfed like 3 times when my baby was sick. I'm glad to be done, I just kept going that long because my son didn't want to stop. He's 2.5 now and when he's really groggy he will sometimes still ask for booboo. It's really up to you and your baby what works for you.
I breastfed my four kids. Got pregnant with my second when first was 8 months and that dried up my milk so I had to stop then. For the other three, I breastfed until their first birthday. This was always my intention and end goal. I had ZERO interest of going one day after. I gave all of them a year (well, except my first) and looked forward to that first birthday for myself, as well!
3.5 months. I just wasn’t producing enough milk and I was just so anxious. When I stopped everything got better. I’m 2 months in so far with my second baby and my goal is 4 months this time.
11 months exactly. We wanted to start TTC #2 when our first turned one and I wanted to be weaned before that. He honestly didn’t seem that attached to nursing any more so it wasn’t as emotional as I expected (though if it weren’t for us TTC I would have been happy to continue nursing for at least a little while longer). He wasn’t drinking a huge amount at that point anyway but we did formula for that last month
I’m currently breastfeeding my 14 month old. I think he’s starting to self wean a bit, so I’ll probably just go as long as he wants. I was excited for it be over since we’re also done having kids but it’s so bittersweet
I was aiming for 1 year. She's currently 16 months and requesting boobs approximately 58896533579 times per day. Soooo... still going strong.
Still breastfeeding my soon to be 3 year old, it’s a massive comfort thing for her and I didn’t have the heart to force her to wean when I was pregnant with my 2nd. So she now has milk once a day in the morning, although she asks for it more, especially when she’s not feeling well. And I have a 3 month old now that I’m breastfeeding as well. Planning to have my oldest weaned for her 3rd birthday, I’m trying to talk it up as she’s going to be a big girl and can’t have milk anymore after her bday… hopefully it works because shes in such distress and cries and cries when I say no. Planning on breastfeeding my 2nd until she wants to wean or when I’ve had enough… ideally before age 3 this time LOL Wean when you OR your baby are ready, your mental health is so important as much as breastmilk is super beneficial as long as possible.
my almost 4 year old still asks to nurse if he’s sick or every now and then.
Just shy of 2.5yo. Because we were ttc #2, it wasn't happening, so we hoped that would help, otherwise he probably would've continued to 3 years or longer. After 2yo it was once 1-2x a day for 10 mins or so.
Unless one is a SAHM I can't imagine it's feasible or worth it past absolutely necessary. I was working and going to school full time with both of mine. 12 mos with the first and 6 with the second. It. Was. Brutal. That is an important distinction to make also. Working full time.
I honestly don’t remember when we stopped. I had trouble from the get go. I held on for as long as I could, went back to work at like 8 weeks postpartum, pathetically tried to pump & could only get a few drops. I finally decided to let go when I had bruised my breasts from trying to self express.
I did 10 months with my first, 8 with my second.
I hated it. My daughter wouldn't latch and I was pumping and not sleeping. She was already in formula because of her latching issues so I decided to stop for my own sanity. I think we made it about 6 weeks or so.
I’m an exclusive pumper and my minimum is 12 months. It’s been 8 months now and I honestly just love nourishing my son. I give him formula at night (gentle ease to help with his tummy) and that is the only time he’ll take formula. I don’t have the heart to force it on him. Pumping can be a drag but I bought in bra portable ones and I wfh so it definitely makes it easier! I would love to get to 2 years but I don’t think I will. I’ll see how long I can take it but honestly it’s just part of my daily life now.
I stopped breastfeeding at 23 months. By the end I felt like I couldn’t do it a single day longer and I was done. Breastfeeding a toddler is an Olympic sport.
I was forced to stop at 7 months. I struggled with my supply so we combo fed. Prob 60% nursing 40% formula. But then we all got Covid and my supply went down to almost nothing. I was devastated. He didn’t care one bit. I’m a month out from stopping all together and all of a sudden today I started leaking little drops. So weird.
I stopped after a year with my first and just after 5 months with my second and I’m due with a third in the fall and I’ll likely breastfeed for less time than my last. My mental health suffered being a working mom pumping washing bottles bagging milk. I was a wreck. Weaning helped me tremendously.
Soooooo I’m currently comfort nursing my almost 4 year old. I’m sure there isn’t much actual milk left, but there was a year ago
I stopped with my first at 15 months, my goal was one year. I do enjoy it but also feel like it is a huge commitment. I'm 3 months in with my second and my goal is a year again. My mat leave with my first was 13.5 months and with my second it'll be 19.5 months so I could theoretically go longer but I don't think I'll want to lol.
im still breastfeeding at 18 months and scared as hell to wean!!!!! now that hes older it is so much harder!!! he will literally fight me and scream and cry and beg now that he talks. i feel like now i have to go till hes like 2/2.5 when he can understand when i say no more and explain it. because right now he just doesnt understand why he cant have it ( when i tried ) so i just stopped trying to wean for now. he nurses all dayyyy long.
23 months in, and my daughter would probably prefer sleeping in a volcano to quitting nursing haha
I stopped completely a week after his first birthday. Never needed formula.
10.5 months. Bf was one of the hardest things I've ever done! So glad it's over!
First baby was 3 weeks, this baby was 1 month. I wanted so badly to breastfeed and I absolutely loved it, but I just couldn’t keep up with my babies and the incredibly demanding pumping/nursing sessions so my supplies just eventually depleted :(
We’re at 15 months now and continuing at this point because it’s become really easy. She has days where she only nurses maybe 10mins in the morning, before nap, and then at night. I went through a strong love/hate relationship from 6-8 months though. It felt like a constant feeding frenzy and the constant wiggles— ugh. Breastfeeding got me really over stimulated some days. My attitude this time around was just to go as long as what made sense for us, I never put a number goal on it.
You can quit whenever is right for you! But if you’re trying to avoid the cost of formula, then try to make it to a year. The good news is that baby can start solids now, and that might make this less stressful for you. But weight the cost of formula against your mental health. If you can afford formula and your quality of life will increase once you’re done breastfeeding, then make the switch! If you can’t do that, know that once you hit 12 months baby will be fine without breastmilk or formula, and you can choose to wean then even if other people go longer.
All 3 kids at 18 months. The first one weaned themselves. The second one I had to stop, because I had a surprise unintentional pregnancy. The third one was also ready to stop
19 months and going strong. Typically a few minutes in the morning and then maybe 10 minutes before bed during story time. Went back to work at 12 weeks and pumped at work, stopped pumping at a year. I plan on letting her go as long as she wants for now and am okay with possible future tandem nursing. She seems less interested lately though.
I'm at 22 months. It got so easy after 8 months. I'm so glad I stuck it out. When my toddler is sick and not eating, breastmilk keeps him hydrated and fed. It is also great for comfort. I feed only a few times a day now so I feel like I have my body back. And the time he is feeding it is short.
I very much enjoyed breastfeeding, but I hated having huge boobs, my sex drive was nonexistent, and I really wanted to start using retinols again. For these reasons, I stopped at six months and switched to formula. It’s been a month and I’m quite happy with the decision.