Weaning Your Baby - One Mom's Dilemma

Weaning your baby comes with many questions, emotions, and struggles. It is not a simple process. No mother and baby go through weaning exactly the same way.

I have a dilemma.I have been breastfeeding for 68 months. That’s a really long time. I’ve weaned during three pregnancies due to preterm labor concerns after my first was a preemie. I’ve learned that weaning your baby is not as simple as many say it is.

Weaning Your Baby – One Mom’s Dilemma

So, my dilemma. I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel with my husband to France this summer as part of his work. We are leaving all four children at home with my parents. Baby Girl won’t yet be a year. She is only now starting to explore solid food at 7 months. She doesn’t often take a bottle. I hate pumping and am not very good at it.

Ideally, I would have a big stash to last the full 9 days I’ll be gone and I would pump while away to maintain supply and return to breastfeeding when I get back home.

But….

I’m exhausted. I’ve been breastfeeding for so long. I’m working hard to replenish my body after over 7 years of continual pregnancy and breastfeeding. I hate pumping. I would love to not worry about pumping while traveling around France. I fear issues with air travel and customs when bringing a TON of breastmilk back. I fear not being able to bring it back after working to pump on vacation (whether from flight issues or transporting cold/frozen milk that distance).

But…..

This is my last baby. I love breastfeeding her. I want her to get as much of my milk as she can for as long as she can. I want to nurse her when I return. I don’t think I want our end to be because I said so rather than her weaning herself.

But…..

Slowly introducing formula or donor milk (I do have options for donor milk) now will make the transition easier. Using a bottle more will make things easier on my parents instead of a cold turkey approach and will help babysitters in the time until we leave.

But….

I have major hangups about using formula after the struggles I had with my first – it’s my own personal issue, not anything against those who regularly use formula. Formula is expensive and not as good as breastmilk. But my first did great on formula for 6 months and is as healthy as a horse and incredibly smart. I’m also curious how much bigger that 68 month number can get – competitive side I guess!

But….

I’d love to have my body back.

But….

Guilt.