Closing Up Shop
Next week Milo turns eight months old and thus I have decided to stop…breastfeeding.
I have several reasons for this, so before the Breast Is Best fanatics start blowing up my email—both for calling them fanatics and for the sarcastic eye roll in their general direction—hear me out.
First, I am a terrible milk producer. Both Monkey and Milo lost weight at two months old and we were required to start supplementing them with formula to preserve their health. All of the breast pumping, mother’s milk tea and herbal supplements I tried to increase my milk supply were met with marginal results. They simply weren’t getting enough from me.
Second, since starting solids a couple of months ago, Milo has become less and less interested in nursing and more interested in being independent (i.e. holding his own bottle, self-feeding etc.). We still snuggle and nurse at night, but during the day he is very much his own man.
Third (and most selfishly), I want my body back. Since returning to work part time, the stress and time commitment of breastfeeding and/or pumping was becoming too much for me.
So there you have it. That is why I’ve decided to start weaning a few months early. I know this is a VERY sensitive topic for some people and an ongoing debate.
Opine, please.
Kristin Steiner ... on Being Super 
Don’t feel bad, you gave it a good go and lasted much longer than most women. I had high hopes of BF’ing Remington until he turned 1 but had to wean early when he was just 8.5 months because I started a new job and there was nowhere for me to pump (unless you count the womens bathroom, which is just gross). It was just in time too since he sprouted his first tooth at 9 months and began biting everything in site. At 10.5 months he now has 4 teeth and the thought of BF’ing with those daggars in there is terrifying:)
Congrats on making it to 8 months!
Christina
I used to go on and on about how great breastfeeding is, and do it forever and blah blah blah, but the more moms I met and the more stories I read online, I realized that I was merely blessed with having an easy go of it. I’m way less vocal now, and I think it’s up to the mom when and if to breastfeed, because everyone’s situation is different. And it really only comes down to your baby’s health and happiness in the end. If that’s intact, then you’ve done your job.