Saying Goodbye to Breastfeeding

 

            I would say “I am regretfully writing that mine and Ripley's breastfeeding journey has come to an end already”, but it would be a lie. Not a lie that it's over, but that I regret it. Honestly, it has actually been a huge relief. Do I wish I hadn't breastfed? Absolutely not? Do I wish it would have lasted longer? Yes. So, what gives?

             In a nutshell, I was running out. My supply has been decreasing for several months, but I kept on trucking since I wanted nursing to work out so badly this time around. We struggled so much at the beginning with the whole lip and tongue tie thing that I especially didn't want to give up so soon. I am at peace in knowing that I did the best I could. We did lactation consultant visits, even got the lip and tongue tie taken care of (which I still kind of regret doing, but that's a whole other story), pumped like crazy for awhile to get/keep things going, drank and ate lactogenic things to boost supply, etc. So yah, I think we did just about everything we could.

             Although I enjoyed the bonding, the majority of our short nursing era was just, well, stressful. Before getting her tongue and lip tie taken care of because she took SOOO LONG to nurse and she would still be hungry less than 2 hours later a lot of times. (I know this is normal at first, but she was getting to the age to where it wasn't quite so normal.) As I've mentioned in a previous breastfeeding related post (if I remember right), I even started giving her formula just so I could get a break from the sore tatas and crying every time she wanted to eat. Who knows. Maybe that was my biggest mistake, but I don't think so.

             Longer story short, it was to where she was only getting like an ounce, MAYBE two, from me. For me, it was even more of a pita to have to try to nurse AND give her a bottle, especially if we were out and about. It seemed silly to have to take a bottle if I was still breastfeeding. She was also not even latching on to one side at the end. So, I finally decided enough was enough.

             What's the point of me telling you all this? As with every parenting decision nowadays, it seems, there is a lot of shaming whether you choose to bottle feed or breastfeed or even stop breastfeeding for whatever reason. Let's just be open and honest. If you're happy and confident in whatever way you choose to feed your child, then that's good enough. It doesn't need to be “good enough” for someone else. Let's stop the parent shaming. We're all guilty of it from time to time, I'll grant you that, but in this case, as long as your child is healthy and growing then that's all that really matters. :)

             How about you? Did you breast or bottle feed your children? Did friends or family give you any grief for your decision?