Am I selfish for wanting to stop breastfeeding even though it’s going well?
I’m really struggling with this internally and wondering if any other moms have felt the same.
My baby is about 6 weeks old and breastfeeding is actually going objectively well. I have a good supply, he has a good latch, he’s gaining weight, etc. So this isn’t one of those situations where breastfeeding “isn’t working.”
But mentally… I just don’t want to do it anymore.
I have two older daughters and I already feel like so much of me is consumed by the baby stage right now. Breastfeeding makes me feel even less available — physically, mentally, emotionally — to everyone else in my family, including myself.
I feel like my body isn’t really mine. Even when my husband helps with a bottle feed, I’m still mentally “on.” I’ve been having nighttime anxiety and trouble falling asleep even when the baby is sleeping. Sometimes I just miss feeling like I could fully relax or have autonomy over my own body and choices.
And then the guilt kicks in because technically there’s “no reason” to stop. Baby is thriving. My supply is good. I can do it
But I don’t know if I want to.
Did anyone else stop breastfeeding mostly for mental health/autonomy reasons? Did you regret it? Or did it help you feel more like yourself again