When breastfeeding isn't working

Breastfeeding is something I'm incredibly passionate about, having breastfed my son for 16 months and he's weaned himself off the breast, I do feel a little sad that it's all over. I even wrote about how I just wasn't ready for our breastfeeding journey to end. For some, in the early day's breastfeeding can be a real struggle. I'm no stranger to this. When I had my first child breastfeeding really wasn't successful and after six weeks we turned to formula.

When breastfeeding isn't going to plan or how you expected it to be, can be so incredibly stressful. Pain, frustration, tiredness and guilt all tend to eat away at you and it can feel like an intensely overwhelming and worrying time. I mean, this is what you're built to do, the most natural thing and you're failing. Pretty crap feeling, right?

When your baby is ready to give up breastfeeding but you're not.

If you follow me over on Instagram you will have seen my #treeoflife post (how completely gorgeous are they?!) and how my breastfeeding journey has officially ended. I'm a little heartbroken and definitely don't feel like I was ready for it to end just yet.

Before writing this I googled the title of this post, just to see what was already out there, there was nothing. It all related to articles discussing "how to stop feeding" or "cues for when they're ready to stop". There is nothing about the mother's emotional side to baby weaning from the breast. Of course, it's absolutely fine if you're completely ready to stop. I mean all breastfeeding mums have moments when they think they've just had enough, I've had plenty of those of the last 15 months. So I was a little surprised when I felt so heartbroken. Almost like an arm had been severed. I mean I had only just written about our breastfeeding journey post 12 months so I couldn't believe this was all happening. 

Perhaps it's because I knew Henry is my last baby. Or that I was just so proud this time round as I didn't have a positive breastfeeding journey with Darcie. 

All I know is that he was done and I was not.

Breastfeeding Post 12 Months

Henry will be 14 months old in three days time and we're still continuing with our breastfeeding journey. Some people may query whether you should continue to breastfeed after a baby turns one, or even when the right age to stop breastfeeding is.

For us, this is still something I am unsure on. To me, Henry doesn't appear to be ready to stop at 14 months. He feeds pretty much just at night now and we're comfortable continuing with this. We haven't substituted any of his feeds with formula or cows milk, as we really don't see the need. He's happy and content and even if I am longing for a full nights sleep and struggle with acrobatic feeding that usually entails, we're still happy breastfeeding. 

So are there any benefits to breastfeeding beyond a year?

Well quite simply, breast is best. Yup, that old chestnut. You will all know if you're a longtime reader, my experience with Darcie (my first child) was very different and she was formula fed from six weeks. I don't have anything against formula feeding mums, nor would I ever want any mum to ever feel inferior just because of the way they choose to feed their child. That's not my thing and I don't get off on making mums feel shit. However, I do think it is worth exploring the benefits of extended breastfeeding if there are any mums approaching this point and wondering whether to continue or not, just like me.

Why does my baby wake in the night?

It's a question that many parents will ask their friends, midwives or even turn to Google. Just why does my baby wake in the night? Many people have their own theories and of course, there could be many reasons why your baby wakes. But something you should be very sure of, it's normal for your baby to wake during the night. In fact, it's a healthy sign that they're waking in the night.

I have recently been doing a little research into why babies wake multiple times in one night. I get a lot of tired mum's ask me my thoughts and so thought it was time to educate myself.

Feeding to Weaning #StressLessWeaning

One element that seems to worry mums is milk intake when weaning. It's certainly an element that has worried me when I was weaning both my daughter and son. At 9 months Henry is loving his food and his milk intake has definitely lessened. I have found that Henry has very naturally and gradually dropped his milk intake as his interest in food has risen.

Henry's typical food and milk intake at 9 months, is now as follows.

Work & Breastfeeding

As most of you will know I head back to work on Monday after being off work since the middle of July. Whilst I wrote a little a while ago how I was feeling about my return to work after maternity leave, I wanted to write a dedicated post about returning to work and breastfeeding. Can they go hand in hand?

Returning to work after maternity leave

Back to work. I have been away from work since the end of July, eight whole months ago. I can't believe it is time to go back already! I think every parent sounds like a broken record when they say this, but, where on earth has that time gone? When I think of how my first day back will be (in two weeks time) a mixture of emotions fills me, sadness, worry, guilt, and excitement. It's a weird combo.

How to survive those first few weeks breastfeeding

We have almost completed four weeks exclusively breastfeeding and to say I'm proud is an understatement. It was around four weeks with Darcie that I gave up, she wouldn't latch without the aid of a nipple shield and she wasn't gaining weight (due to the shield effecting my supply) and so I turned to formula. At that point in time, for us, it was the right thing to do and I do not regret my decision.

This time round is a completely different story. Henry latched really well from the offset, he even latched himself whilst I was in recovery without me even realising! Despite it going really well there has been times when I have wanted to run to the supermarket and buy formula. But thankfully I have had a very supportive husband and we worked through some of the rougher times together. Now I know I am only almost four weeks into breastfeeding and all this could change, but I really do feel we are 'there' now with feeding.

Freida's Feeding Food | Review

I have now been breastfeeding little Henry for two weeks and it has been a completely different experience to when I fed Darcie, it is seemingly going well (more on that in another post). I have been doing a lot of research to find ways to boost my supply, something I struggled with last time and what you eat can really effect supply.