I mentioned in my last post that I had weaned Reiner. This is kind of a tough post to write (I feel like it some kind of secret or something), it's such a mixed emotion sort of topic.
When I was pregnant, I just assumed that I would formula feed. I wasn't really interested in breastfeeding, no reason why. But as I got closer to my due date, I started pricing things out, and there were so many different products on the market that it was overwhelming. Which one is good? Is it the best? Will he like it? blah blah blah...
I was quickly back to the idea of breastfeeding. In the beginning it was really convenient, and cost effective for sure! I would recommend breastfeeding to any mom in a heart beat. I really would! It's such a wonderful bonding experience- that I didn't fully understand until I tried it myself. There's something really cool about being able to sustain life like that. When he was born, I said to myself, "Let's try to make it through 6 months." and I did. He was a fabulous feeder, and I had a great supply.
Which is why the decision was so hard to make to switch to formula. It's been wonderful to be able to wear my clothes again post-preg (after being too big for them last year), but by the time he was 6 months- I was getting so sick of having to choose every outfit around being able to feed him in public.
QUICK NOTE: We started feeding him formula while he was being babysat once he started solids at 4 months (Pumping was just getting to be too much).
We had him on the SIMILAC ADVANCE while we were out, and he liked it. We had a couple of sample cans that I had been sent while I was pregnant. I started trying to give him those kinds over the last week (here and there), and he would not take the bottle at all. I was so torn (it really was an emotional thing to figure out). Jared said to buy some of the kind that he liked originally and try that- which was a really good idea. He took to it right away (I also bought a different kind of nipple for the bottles, they're a lot softer and more flexible). He's been on the SIMILAC ADVANCE for 6 days now.
I loved breastfeeding, it was such a good experience (like I said above), I'm pretty sure I cried to Jared a few times about how guilty I felt that I wanted to "quit". It might sound stupid, but I really felt like I was giving up for selfish reasons. Which I kind of am right? I really just want to wear sundresses, and not have to dress in layers- or have only ONE bra that I wear endlessly. I'm SICK of wearing breastpads (couldn't go 5 minutes without them it seemed, I was leaking ALL the time). I just feel like someone who wants to BF and can't will be judging this post because I had a perfectly good supply, and I'm just letting it dry up.
I have to hand it to any mom who makes it the full year. PROPS to you. That takes a lot of dedication. I think the other reasons I'm feeling sad are the hormones that I am sure are still flinging around my body. Also that this first (almost) 7 months have FLOWN by so quickly. This is just another thing that reminds me he's only going to be my LITTLE boy for a short time.
I guess I don't really have much advice in this post? But I hope it helps you feel less alone if you're thinking of weaning your little one and feeling bad about it. Whenever I have my next little one, I definitely want to BF for the first 6 months again, and then see how I feel from there. The way I see it is "every little bit counts". If you breastfeed even 1 day, that's better than not a all right? (Maybe? I don't know).
Also- if you don't want to breastfeed, that's fine too, no judgement at all.
When I was pregnant, I just assumed that I would formula feed. I wasn't really interested in breastfeeding, no reason why. But as I got closer to my due date, I started pricing things out, and there were so many different products on the market that it was overwhelming. Which one is good? Is it the best? Will he like it? blah blah blah...
I was quickly back to the idea of breastfeeding. In the beginning it was really convenient, and cost effective for sure! I would recommend breastfeeding to any mom in a heart beat. I really would! It's such a wonderful bonding experience- that I didn't fully understand until I tried it myself. There's something really cool about being able to sustain life like that. When he was born, I said to myself, "Let's try to make it through 6 months." and I did. He was a fabulous feeder, and I had a great supply.
Which is why the decision was so hard to make to switch to formula. It's been wonderful to be able to wear my clothes again post-preg (after being too big for them last year), but by the time he was 6 months- I was getting so sick of having to choose every outfit around being able to feed him in public.
QUICK NOTE: We started feeding him formula while he was being babysat once he started solids at 4 months (Pumping was just getting to be too much).
We had him on the SIMILAC ADVANCE while we were out, and he liked it. We had a couple of sample cans that I had been sent while I was pregnant. I started trying to give him those kinds over the last week (here and there), and he would not take the bottle at all. I was so torn (it really was an emotional thing to figure out). Jared said to buy some of the kind that he liked originally and try that- which was a really good idea. He took to it right away (I also bought a different kind of nipple for the bottles, they're a lot softer and more flexible). He's been on the SIMILAC ADVANCE for 6 days now.
I loved breastfeeding, it was such a good experience (like I said above), I'm pretty sure I cried to Jared a few times about how guilty I felt that I wanted to "quit". It might sound stupid, but I really felt like I was giving up for selfish reasons. Which I kind of am right? I really just want to wear sundresses, and not have to dress in layers- or have only ONE bra that I wear endlessly. I'm SICK of wearing breastpads (couldn't go 5 minutes without them it seemed, I was leaking ALL the time). I just feel like someone who wants to BF and can't will be judging this post because I had a perfectly good supply, and I'm just letting it dry up.
I have to hand it to any mom who makes it the full year. PROPS to you. That takes a lot of dedication. I think the other reasons I'm feeling sad are the hormones that I am sure are still flinging around my body. Also that this first (almost) 7 months have FLOWN by so quickly. This is just another thing that reminds me he's only going to be my LITTLE boy for a short time.
I guess I don't really have much advice in this post? But I hope it helps you feel less alone if you're thinking of weaning your little one and feeling bad about it. Whenever I have my next little one, I definitely want to BF for the first 6 months again, and then see how I feel from there. The way I see it is "every little bit counts". If you breastfeed even 1 day, that's better than not a all right? (Maybe? I don't know).
Also- if you don't want to breastfeed, that's fine too, no judgement at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment