I dont know what to do ladies. As you know I found it hard to persevere with the bfing, between Awens reflux meaning she fed little and often 90 mins to 2 hourly and often fought the boob making me sore and was clingy it was a bloody nightmare. But i stuck to it and Im kinda proud Ive made it this far. She still feeds 2 hourly with the odd 3 hour break after a meal of solids but ive accepted thats her now and she still fights it when shes acidy and some days it can take me 20 mins to latch her on when shes screaming and fighting and we end up both all hot and bothered. But by and large since I put her on solids shes improved to make it tolerable



And now Im thinking its time to start weaning her onto formula for many reasons. When shes acidy the bottles easier on her because she doesnt have to work for it IYKWIM it just drips in and she gets the hint its there waiting and calms down and drinks. Als I think C is needing more of my time as every single time I feed Awen without fail she will ask for a wee so I think its an attention thing so maybe its less hard on her if i switch awen over. Plus Neil can give me a break too as Im TIRED. At 4 months I thought id be less tired than this but I can still be up at 4 feeding her then up at 6 with both of them and the broken nights are starting to get wearing. Everything thats sensible in me tells me I should do this.



So why knowing all that, and knowing what damned hard work its been and still is do I feel so conflicted. The thought of stopping mkes me feel sad even though some days I could do it cheerfully) and for some weird reason Im fixated on 6 months too, like if i stop any earlier ive given up somehow. I dont know why its in my head this is some magic figure esp in ligt of the fact shes had formula for bedtime feed for 2 months now but i cant shake it off



Some one slap me upside the head and tell me what i need to do cos im driving myself nuts and probably my good friends, you know who you are xxx

Right firstly



We've chatted about this, unfortunately I cant (and wont) tell you what to do - neither can anyone else.



You know yourself that with how Awen's been you have done amazing to get this far, I know you're fixated on the 6 month mark but thats not that far off - only a few weeks so would it really matter to stop now??



But then again if you really wanted to get to the 6 months mark, like I said its not far off so if you think can just stick it out hun.



I know if it were me and I didnt have a fussy little sod who would actually take a bottle sometimes, I would carry on combined feeding for as long as I can stand it.



It's hard hun, I know that and I havent got a potty training toddler (unfortunately ).



So lastly love ya xxxx

Youve done so well fedding her till 5 months. Nothing is magically going to change in the next month is it? Youve got to whats best for c and awen and awen is fine on formula. SO if C needs a little bit of extra attention, give it to her Awen wont notice.

Plus you deserve a bloody break woman! x

I understand where you're coming from. At 4months Imogen, who had always breastfed so well just started screaming everytime I tried to feed her. She would be on and off the boob and was just generally a nightmare trying to feed. I kept trying for a couple of weeks, but I was so tired, frustrated and sad in the end that we made the decision to switch to formula. For us it was the best thing we did for her. She was content again and fed fairly well. It also gave me a break and Matt a chance to feed/bond with her more.

I had 6months in my head too and really fought with my decision as I felt like a failure but in the end I have to look at it and realise Immi was such a happier baby once we changed over that I know I did the right thing.

I don't want you to take this as me telling you the best thing is switching to formula, just wanted to let you know I struggled with the decision too. Deep down you know what is best for you, Awen and Caelyn, don't let guilt/feeling like you've given up come into your decision.

You've done so well getting this far. I struggled with Jamie who liked to eat little and often so tended to eat every two hours and I didn't have a toddler to deal with as well.

I seem to remember posting something like this when I got close to the sixth month mark as I wanted to keep him exclusively breastfed until then and you agreed with the general consensus that I wouldn't be failing to give him formula. Saying that I can totally understand where you're coming from as I did keep going until 6 months (but I am the most stubborn person I know). I also still feed him (although he has the occasional bottle as well now) despite the fact I generally hate bf. There's a part of me that can't quite let go and I feel quite sad thinking of a time when I won't so I totally understand why you're so conflicted.

If its going to be better for her reflux it totally makes sense to put her onto the bottle. However, as I assume you're probably going to do it slowly (I'm thinking of the pain in the boobs rather than anything else) then if you did start and decided you didn't want to do it then you could always up the feeds from you again.

Like the others have said I can't tell you what to do but whatever you chose will be the best for you and your family and in no way will you have failed

aww I think it's such a hard decision to make cos I know if it were me and i'd persevered and done it for so long i'd be angry with myself and would be arguing with myself about what to do too.



why don't you try swapping one feed for formula... for a week or a couple of days and see how you feel, you could up it to 2 or 3 etc if it seems to be going well, maybe C can give the one bottle feed if you think she's up for that and that might help her with the attention too?



Whatever you decide IS the right thing to do and in the grand scheme of things one month isn't going to make any difference.

you know what you have to do here, the battle inside you is telling you what you want, listen to your body that will tell you the answer

bl**dy hell i sound like yoda lol

but you do know what you want to do hun xx

Thanks everyone. Well i decided to add a second bottle in at 10ish as well as the bedtime one. Its been nice that grandparents have fed her last cpl days and saturday im atually leaving her for a cpl hours and taking c out for some mummy time. Yet today and yest I found that i fed her 5/6 and 8 then she had her bottle and lunch so didnt wanna eat til 3/4 and I really missed her. I dunno if that made sense because id spent all day with her but I just missed her. I dont know how t explain it. Tonight I felt it so acutely I mixed fed at bedtime and she had some boob before having a smaller bottle.

I have found bfing so hard I didnt expect to feel like this. I thought i couldnt wait for the time to come to switch her over. I think im doing the right thing upping the feeds but gonna have to give it a cpl week before i drop another.

Not even sure that makes sense lol

Silly woman! Do not feel bad what ever you decide - you always have everyones best interests in mind...but don't forget about yourself...I do think A & C would beneift so from my pov I would push you that way...but I know you will do the right thing regardless of what I think is right!

Thanks Lisa. Long term Im doing the right thing starting now I think. Im getting longer to adjust to the idea and taper off gradually, C is having a go at feeding her and we made a big deal of it and let her have a sticker for her book for being a super big sister and she hasnt kicked off for the loo as much when i am feeding in last cpl days and like I say grandparents are getting a look in.

The best thing for me is taking C out on my own sat, Dads havig awen which ive not really been able to do much before now and Im surprising her and taking her to see Een Ma Wheen (Cars 2) at the cinema just her and mummy. Im so excited as I have literally had no C and mummy time in 5 months. The only other day was her birthday treat and the show me show me roadshow for her bd and even then neil was there. My best mate and her sons coming but its the fact i can just sit in the cinema and cuddle her for the whole film

So yes i thknk im doing right, just didnt expect to feel it this much lol, guess its hard to let go

sounds like you have a plan,

enjoy the film