Exclusive BF for 6 months and need some support!

[lilyo]

I've been pretty much exclusively breastfeeding my DS since birth and he will be 6 months in 2 days. He has never had formula but takes pumped breastmilk in a bottle for the dreamfeed on a regular basis and occasionally during the day if need be. I love breastfeeding and don't intend on stopping however, more and more I feel I need a break. DS has been going through the 6 month growth spurt (previously he went 8-9 hours between the DF and morning BF) but is now eating again between 4-5AM. This has been going on for 5 days so the growth spurt must be over by now. I've reduced the night feeds to only one breast for the past two nights to try to remain on schedule with the morning BF by 8AM.

In any event, nightwakings are out of control. He has never STTN (8-9) hours and always woke at least once in the night despite not being hungry and not being fed at those times. He has gas pretty regularly and we give pro biotics. In any event, my pumping output for the DF bottle has really dwindled and it is really discouraging and I totally need a break. One full night's sleep in 6 months is all I want! I have been toying with the idea of supplementing with a bottle of formula but am feeling sooooo guilty about it. I'm worried that it will cause a whole new set of problems with his tummy and just provide more justifications for night wakings. And I really feel so guilty about even thinking about supplementing with formula even though I have told friends that there is nothing wrong with it if they need a break...

Any advice?

[Amberp]

Well done on coming this far with breastfeeding! I too am exclusively BF my DS and he is almost 7 months.
I can empathise with your wanting a break, I find it doubly hard running round after a 2.5yr old as well as feeding my DS. It takes a lot of stamina to continue...esp with those night wakings! You are lucky that your DS takes a bottle of EBM as my LO doesn't want a bar of it. We offer him a little water after solid meals and he generally just chews at the nipple and gets a dribble every now and then!
Don't feel guilty about supplementing if you feel you'd like to. Easier said than done, I know, but you have given your son the very best start he could get and a  bottle here and there won't do him any harm. I think you just have to watch for any allergies in the first instance but it should be smooth sailing for you. I would like to put my DS on a bottle for the night feed as I feel by the end of the day my supply may not be enough to get him thru. He was waking up to 4-5 times but now down to once or twice (if we are lucky!) My biggest worry is the initial accepting of a bottle instead of boob... So I will be facing the same thing as you soon, just gotta take that first step and get the courage up to do it. Sorry lots of rambling and little advice but I'd love to know how you get on!