How many moms are still breastfeeding?

Genia - posted on 02/26/2012

pretty - you mean you want her to stop nursing? Here's some weaning info - http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index...

Pretty - posted on 02/24/2012

My daughter is now 18mnths 1 eweek still breastfeeding her,i want to remove how can i do it help me

Nicole - posted on 02/24/2012

I have 11 months old I am still feeding and pregnant again :)

Genia - posted on 02/24/2012

my daughter is 2.5 years old and still breastfeeding. =) She will until she's ready to stop.

Lisa - posted on 02/23/2012

I breastfed my first two sons till they were 2 1/2 years old. And I'm breast and bottle feeding my third son who is now 4 months old due to me having to work and not being able to pump enough milk for when I'm gone. But I do breast feed him whenever I'm at home. And I plan on doing so till his at least 6 months.

Nicola - posted on 02/23/2012

8months here which for the uk is pretty good. Most people I know bottle feed and if they do breastfeed 6months is your max and then on to food as quick as possible. Having bottled by older two due to lack of support first time round and severe silent reflux second ( although we did make 25months with he night feed) I'm very proud of myself this time round. As is my hubby.x

Maree - posted on 02/22/2012

hahahaha...that'd shut them up !!!!!!

Jodi - posted on 02/22/2012

"The more they see it the less they will stand there with their mouths open :-0 "



Laura, perhaps they are just thirsty! lol You should offer them a sip sometime! lmbo



ETA- my twins will be 13 months in just a couple of days, both are still nursing 3-6 times a day and once at night!

Kate - posted on 02/22/2012

My son will be 9 months on March 5th and still breastfeeds a lot..he eats 3, sometimes only 2 meals of solids per day and breastfeeds on demand. Up to a year, breastmilk/formula is still their primary and most important source of nutrition. If you can breastfeed past a year, even better!

Laura - posted on 02/22/2012

Hi ladies you all are doing a great job :) I think we need to hear it sometimes. I am still breastfeeding my 26 month old and am currently 19 weeks pregnant with my second and she is not slowing down :)

Amanda - posted on 02/14/2012

my son is 10 months today 2-14-12 I am still breastfeeding him., He loves this time when I am at work thou he takes bottles with breastmilk in it just started him on a sippy cup he loves the indpendents , but then when I get home its back to breastfeeding

Natalie - posted on 02/13/2012

28mth and going strong! :)

Niki - posted on 02/12/2012

10 1/2 months and still going!! It hasn't always been easy or pain-free and I have a love/hate relationship with my pump, but I'd do it all over again for my little man :)

Laurie - posted on 02/12/2012

My youngest is 5 mo and going strong. I nursed my now 3 yo until 14.5 months when he self weaned. The AAP recommends breastfeeding for at least a year, the WHO for 2 years.

Laura - posted on 02/11/2012

Katie breastfed until last month. She will be 3 in March. Obviously not exclusively. I started feeding her solids at 5-6 months but still nursed her frequently. She slowed down after she reach about 18 months to only before naptime and bedtime and if she woke during the night. Then around 2 she would only nurse before bedtime and if she woke up at night, a couple of months ago she stopped nursing before bedtime and only nursed if she woke during the night for a minute or two before falling back asleep. Just a month ago she stopped wanting to nurse all together. I have always been a firm believer in child led weaning. The last year and a half most of her nursing was really comfort nursing and not really feeding, but apparently she still needed the emotional connection that nursing fosters. Now that she is getting older she decided for herself she no longer needs that from me. I have to say, I actually miss it, but I feel really good that it was her decision and it was such an easy transition. No crying, feeling guilty as she pulled my shirt etc, etc, etc. I think nursing is a very personal relationship between a mother and child and no one has the right to judge when you decide to end that relationship. Trust me when I say, NO ONE in my family except my husband supported my decision to practice extended nursing. I did get support from other moms and my pediatrician though. When they get older and need to nurse less, you won't even need to do it publicly so no one should have anything to say about it anyway. Stay strong and do what's best for you and your child. If you feel like you need more support in your decision and you're getting flack from family and friends, look up your local chapter of La Leche and go to a meeting or look for an attachment parenting group in your area. They are staunch supporters of extended breastfeeding and have been a fantastic source of support for me. Hope that helps. Stay strong. Did you know that only in the US is extended nursing frowned upon. The world health organization recommends it for at least 2 years and most countries, yes even industrialized countries, nurse on average between 2 to 4 years. There are more of us out there than you're aware of. Reach out, we'll support you!!!

Michelle - posted on 02/10/2012

my daughter is 21months and I still breastfeed at night

Chellie - posted on 02/09/2012

My son is just over 2 1/2, he'll be 3 in July, and I have been starting to wean him now. I always believed in nursing on demand as much as possible.



Keep up the good work! The longer you breastfeed the more pressure you will get from strangers/family to quit. But there are so many benefits! Keep going as long as you can!

Jénean - posted on 02/07/2012

I nursed until 22months and I am currently nursing my 5 1/2m old :)

Ricki - posted on 02/07/2012

My two year old is still on booby :) All my children have had booby till 2 or 3yrs old.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/07/2012

I'm not going out of my way to force people to watch, I just think its a normal thing and if someone finds it so offensive it strikes me as funny and I'm glad to let them desensitize themselves by seeing me casually feeding my baby.

Maree - posted on 02/07/2012

I don't really think it is using a child to make a statement though...if it is then i guess it could be considered 'wrong'..in someones opinion (not mine) but if the mum is just going about her own business feeding her baby but at the same time finding it amusing that people are being so silly,then i don't see the problem...not sure about anyone else but i have a sense of humour and find it funny. It's not like they are rubbing their boob in someone elses face !!!

Personally i think going up and attempting to "educate" someone is offensive and rude,if someone tried to "educate" me on bottle feeding it would be worthy of a few choice words...

Jessica - posted on 02/07/2012

That is great keep it up forget all those looks the important thing is that your little one is healthy and growing strong I as well breastfeed my baby boy and there is nothing wrong with that at all don't let the ignorance of others get to you.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/07/2012

I'm sorry, I just believe it's wrong to use your children to make a statement.

Sarah - posted on 02/07/2012

I breastfed my son until 14 months. He self weaned (actually just up and quit one day). It turned out I was pregnant. I nursed my daughter until 15 months and only gave it up because I got a knee injury and was put on sustained release narcotic painkillers, no way to pump and dump and maintain my supply. I was very sad to have to quit. Keep nursing her happily, who cares who judges? You're doing what's best for your daughter and you!

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/07/2012

I think it's fine to "shock 'em till they quit caring"

People used to be so upset to see a knee or a shoulder or god forbid a bellybutton.

But people didn't cave to the society's prudish demands and they got over it.

Now I'm not going to try to make nudity the norm or anything but if everyone is ok seeing tube tops and low rise jeans and v neck shirts then they can gawk all they want and yeah it is sort of funny to see someone get all flustered over me feeding. It's funny because they are acting so unreasonable.

I think it is teaching them too.

The more they see it the less they will stand there with their mouths open :-0

Maree - posted on 02/06/2012

If they ask...great,but if they stare and give disaproving,embarassed,dirty looks then what's there to teach?? I'm not going to take it apon myself to educate someone who gives me a "look"

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/06/2012

Maree, how do you know you can't teach people? If someone asked me I'd explain. That's what you do, not enjoy making people feel uncomfortable. Maybe if you troubled yourself you'd get more supporters

Maree - posted on 02/06/2012

I don't think lauren means that she loves making people uncomfortable....it's probably just that she is proud of what she is doing and maybe thinks it's a little funny that people get uncomfortable about something that is so natural...there is nothing really that can be done about those people other than "teaching them" which i personally couldn't be bothered with so you may as well just be amused by them gawking rather than trying to hide so they are not uncomfortable.

They can and should "educate themselves"...but i don't think the looks are usually uncomfortable ones anyway (from my experience)...i think they are mostly disaproving ones which should just be ignored because they don't matter.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/06/2012

Janice, I do agree that it's more that they tend to be not that they are.



However I'd say the odds are more 50/50 because you have to take other factors such as environment, lifestyle and genetics. I'm in better health than my husband because he was around two heavy smokers when he was a baby and I wasn't. Both my girls are in better health right now than their cousin for the same reasons.

Janice - posted on 02/06/2012

It is my understanding that BF babies tend to be healthier not that by BF they are automatically healthier. These numbers arent real but here's how I understand it.



Of 100 babies who are BF - 5 have health issues while of and 100 who are FF 10 have health issues. That still means there are 90 healthy FF kids. So BF increases the chance of health but doesnt insure. At least thats how I understand it.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/06/2012

Lauren, why would you love that people are uncomfortable? It seems like an odd reason to enjoy breastfeeding in public to me. Do you want your kids to think that doing something that makes people uncomfortable is OK just because you 'love it'? Maybe instead of intentionally making people uncomfortable, you should try to educate people instead?



Laura, nevermind children, try compairing adults. I'm perfectly healthy and aside from back in August I have never been hospitalized for anything more than just having my babies. As a child I never had an ear infection, I only caught chicken pox and pnuemonia and never missed school aside from those illnesses. I also have no allergies aside from latex and I was on formula. My husband has scarred lungs and bronchi from having pnuemonia twice, his colds usually turn into bronchitis which makes them last longer, he is deathly allergic to peppers of any kind and he was breastfed. I'm quite sure that doctors couldn't tell a breastfed adult from a formula fed adult either.

User - posted on 02/06/2012

HAHA my favoriate place to nurse is the Toyota dealership when they are changing my oil I get so many uncomfortable stares I love it. My little boy would drink water and juice but no milk out of a sippy cup. I started him a week ago drinking 1/2 whole milk and 1/2 my milk and he loves it.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/05/2012

I think it might be hard to tell at this age, I think long term medically speaking humans fed human milk likely fare better.

As I said, formula is a close imitation but I have to believe that it will play a part in the lifetime health of an individual.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/05/2012

Thanks Laura, I always think it's funny how I'm healthier than my husband who was breastfed. I credit genetics though. I'm just big on doing what's good for mom and baby.



Honestly I don't believe a doctor could tell the difference between my two girls because my older one had more formula than breastmilk and aside from the kidney reflux when she was almost 4 months she's been just fine. My baby has been primarily breastfed and is only 2lbs less than my 7 year old was at nearly 11 months. My 7 year old was 6lbs 8oz at birth and my baby was 5lbs 10oz. I'm tempted to bring my older one along with the baby for a check up at the clinic and just randomly ask one of the RNs.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/04/2012

Megan I agree!

My brother was formula fed as well and to all aperences he is a normal healthy child :)

Science is coming a long way to make formula as close to breastmilk but I'd think they will never be able to recreate it as human milk is living and designed for humans.

But I'd think only a dr would be able to see subtle things to indicate if a person was fed breastmilk or formula.

Amber - posted on 02/04/2012

my daughter is 10.5 months old and i am still bfing. i plan to keep bfing till she's about 18 months. maybe longer.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/04/2012

Laura's right to a point. So far the only thing I've found breastmilk lacking in is Vitamin D. And before anyone gets on my case for that. My pedatrician office back in New York and the downtown clinic I go to here in BC both advocate EBF (I have a book from BC Health advocating breastfeeding past 2) and both have advocated vitamin D drops. Part of it is because I'm from a northern climate and I moved further north another part is that vitamin D can decrease the chance of getting diabetes and helps absorb calcium.



ETA: I will add however that I was formula fed as a baby and have had no serious health problems until after my first child and my thyroid started acting up. My first daughter was also formula fed and also had no serious non genetic illnesses. So formula while not as good as breastmilk won't necessarily leave your baby wanting. That's all I can really say on here though without a warning.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/04/2012

Well the good news is when a mom delivers a baby premature, her milk is more fatty then if she delivered a full term baby.

There's more fat in breastmilk then formula!

S idk why they want you adding formula, but your milk is always superior to formula and especially for a preemie its not a good idea to do formula as it comes along with increased risks of illnesses and conditions.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/04/2012

Well I'm glad he's doing well now. But don't worry about the weight gain. My baby was 5lbs 10oz at birth and has hardly gained 11lbs since then and she's almost 11 months. My 7 year old is only 51lbs right now and she was mostly formula fed as a baby. The doctors and nurse practitioners all say they're doing well.

Erin - posted on 02/03/2012

He was born 3 months early. So we have to so he can gain more weight and get the nutrients he missed out on.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/03/2012

Don't worry Erin, we do formula too because I hate pumping! It takes 4hrs to get 5oz! FML.



My (nearly) 11 month old is also eatting solids too- she stole a pear from the fridge this evening while I was getting stuff out for dinner and started eatting it. She only has FOUR TEETH and she was gnawing on that pear, even when she was put in her saucer to play, she still had the pear. She then ate the mashed spegghetti for dinner.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/03/2012

What's wrong erin? Why do you need to add formula?

Erin - posted on 02/03/2012

I am going on 9 months. It will be 9 on the 5th of Feb. But we have to add formula to it. =(

Sheralyn - posted on 02/03/2012

My first happily fed until 15 months mostly at nap times towards the end, and I was 6 weeks away from having my second then. Number 2 was put to a bottle at 10 months without a fuss due to hand/foot and mouth going through the family and making it impossible to feed at the time and number 3 is still happily feeding on demand still, usually when upset or resting and shes 23 months :D Sure I get digs from the family about it but all kids are different, while no. 1 and 2 went to solids at 4 months because they were hungry no. 3 wasnt remotely interested until 10 months!

Erin - posted on 02/03/2012

my first son stopped nursing at 16 months due to me havng my second when he woud turn 18 months and i wanted to give him time to wean slowly.

my second son weaned himself at 15 months.

but i plan on nursing my little girl till she is ready to wean herself.

i say nurse as long as you feel it is best for the both of you! :-) good luck!

Kristen - posted on 02/01/2012

My DD turned 8 months on the 27th and she still loves her boob! lol she eats about twice a day and drinks little water but other than that shes always having breast milk and shes crawling like crazy so she can find me when she needs to breastfeed.

Jennifer - posted on 02/01/2012

I don't consider 8 months to be a extended period of time.. but yeah. lol I don't know why you would be getting stares and looks for nursing your infant. The new reccomendations is like 2 years.



my son is 5 months old, but I nursed my first son for 14 months. The circles I run in more like 2 years old is a long time.

Ashley - posted on 02/01/2012

Well done on 8 months! Yes, we're still breastfeeding. I'm still breastfeeding my 26 month old 1-3 times a day, and my nearly 4 month old exclusively. Love breastfeeding it's great for comforting and for nourishment. Even when I'm mad at my 2 year old, we start breastfeeding and those feelings somehow float away.

Maree - posted on 01/31/2012

My daughter is 10 months and yesterday when a shop assistant suggested i give my baby a special formula to help with her reflux and i said..."I won't be giving her formula at all cause she is breast fed and later on will drink from a cup"...You should have seen her face...PRICELESS.

She then said "how long will you be doing THAT for???

I thought it was kinda funny when i said "Oh,2 or 3 years" and she just looked at me dumbfounded and then said "well i think that's wrong"

Babies don't NEED bottles if they are happily breast feeding and growing well...I think many people don't really understand that,maybe they see breast feeding as unnecessary or something that newborns do,not as a drink for toddlers!!.

Don't worry about the "gawkers"...you are doing a good thing..be proud !!!

Veronica - posted on 01/31/2012

My son is 13 months old and I'm just starting to try and wean him and when my son was 8 months old he was exclusively breastfed too. Keep it up and dont worry about the people that give you weird looks. It's really normal, women just reverted back to really wanting to breastfeed after decades of the majority using formula.