Has anyone else has ever felt a bit negative in regards to breastfeeding after doing it for a while?

My daughter is 8 and a half months and I have breastfed her since birth, and have noticed that no one ever tells you about the negative aspects. For example, never being able to leave her with anyone else for any length of time, never being able to have a drink, even if you are sick you still have to be getting up to do the feeding, etc. Has anyone else ever felt like this? I know it's best for my baby, but sometimes can't help but feel a bit trapped.

Sorry, after reading my question I feel the need to clarify - by "leaving her for a length of time" I just mean more than a few hours, not days or anything like that!

Of course! I think everyone does! I completely understand how you feel because I felt the same way!

Hang in there... it will start getting better soon. Up to 9 months milk is supposed to be their main source of nutrition, but from 9 months the balance slowly starts to switch to other foods. I think it was at about that age that I dropped the overnight feeds and gave my son water if he woke. That made continuing feel a bit more manageable.

At 12 months they can start having cows milk. I went back to work at that stage and dropped the breastfeeds (through necessity) down to first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Although I had been tired of breastfeeding at 12 months (literally, I found it exhausting) I was able to keep up 2 feeds a day until my son dropped those last feeds himself at 16 months. I was glad I had persevered and that although I'd made some decisions to drop feeds along the way, it was his choice to give up in the end.

Why don't you express some milk so someone else can do it occasionally. you can even freeze it for a little while so it's always on hand. And at 8 and a half months you don't need to feed her just breast milk now, you can start to wean her off and use some formula. At this stage it won't hurt her at all.

I breast fed for only 3 weeks, and i felt the same so i started expresing it , which is also time consuming. So now i have put her on formula and i feel much more relaxed. I know breast is best but i was getting too tired and stressed when i couldnt get her on my breast, i took the easy way out and put her on the bottle. Well done to u for doing it for so long!

Yes I felt the same way especially when she would get hungry and her dad would say come feed her. I knew it was my responsibility but we're only human and we do get tired. The way i got a little relief was by supplementing with formula every once in awhile. Talk to your doctor if you feel this is something that you want to do. Also your child is old enough to be eating solids so i would try to feed her more during the day. Best wishes