Younger Moms and Breastfeeding

Mayueth - posted on 02/27/2010

Hello im 25 and have an 8 month old baby girl. Im still breastfeeding and in the beginning I too felt alone like I didnt have support. Most of my friends my age didnt breastfeed or if they did only for a very brief time. But I stuck with it because I knew Im doing the best for my daughter. And i found support online and read lots of article and books regarding breastfeeding. The good thing was that my dboyfriend supported me 100% regarding BF and still does. So I love him for that.

Angela - posted on 02/27/2010

I"m not as young as you, I'm 26 and this is my 3rd baby. With the first I was hospitalized(at 4 and 6 weeks) and pumped but my milk dried up, and with my second we got to 10 months, this time I'm going until she's done. I really don't understand why people don't try. I LOVE it! How often do you get to be so closely bonded to someone as when you have a baby? Why not continue it when it's so good for you and the baby? I wish I could have more kids just to breastfeed. I absolutely love it. It's the best thing I do for my kids. They are all very smart and healthy. Only one of my friend's is my age and breastfeeds but everyone else is older that breastfeeds. Hopefully we are setting a good example for the next set of women who try. And my baby won't take a bottle, she absolutely love it and the closeness. Good luck to you and good for you!

Ashley - posted on 02/27/2010

Your not alone! I had my son when I was 18 and breastfed him exclusively until he was 17 months old. My husband and I are expecting a second in July and I plan on doing the same with him. I wish there were other young moms that breastfeed. Its so much healthier for your baby and for you and I hate that some don't even try! Its not hard and everyone can do it unless they have other medical reasons. I really wish that young mothers were more educated on the benefits of breastfeeding their babies. I have 5 younger sisters that don't understand why I choose breast over bottle, I think this should be taught in their health class! Congrats on breastfeeding, and I hope it brings you and you baby happiness!

Rebecca - posted on 02/27/2010

i had my daughter at 24 and breastfeed her for 15 months, keep up the good work!!! out of all my friends i am the only one who nursed and i can see a difference in my daughter, health-wise and intellectually compared to my friends children. you are not alone!!!! and besides, breastfeeding is soooo much easier than fixing bottles, cleaning them, ect(maybe im just kinda lazy, haha!) !!! and the bonding experience is amazing, as you know!!

Rian - posted on 02/20/2010

I have to say that I am very impressed with you ladies that are younger and breastfeeding for an extended time. You all should be very proud of yourselves. I am 26, so not that young and have been breastfeeding for 10.5 months. Even at my age people still look at me funny when they find out that I still breastfeed. My original goal was 4-6 months, but once I got the hang of it I quickly changed it to a year. Now we are almost there!!! We have had our share of ups and downs. She now has 10 teeth and every time she gets a new tooth, she goes through a biting stage. Not fun...but I tough it out because I want her to have the best. She had bad reflux when she was little and so many people would tell me that I would probably need to put her on formula because if she was spitting up that bad there was no way she was getting what she needed. Well...they were wrong!!! She is and always has been healthy and weighs 20 lbs now. So screw those people...hahaha. Sorry for the long post, but again it's great that you are breastfeeding your baby....keep up the good work!!!

Elisa - posted on 02/20/2010

I'm 21 and I have a 7 week old and I'm all about it. Its Free(big plus!!) and so easy. I really don't get why if you are physically able to why you don't. You can always pump if you go to work or whatnot. You go girl for breastfeeding and you aren't alone, we are doing the best for our babies!

Nikki - posted on 02/20/2010

i had my first baby at 21 and nursed her for two years, i went to a support group and it was mostly "younger" moms there most of them were in their mid twenties. but i know a lot of younger moms that either stop because of bad advice/support, or just don't do it for whatever dumb reasons they give

Jessie - posted on 02/20/2010

hey I'm 21 and I am breastfeeding my son she just turned 5 months yesterday. I started to breastfeed him and after about a month my bf wants me to stop at 6 months and he wanted to start giving him bottles so he tried to give him at least one bottle a day i did it for about 2 or 3 weeks but it was upsetting his belly so i stopped giving him formula now he will not even take a bottle and he spits out formula but I don't mind i want to breastfeed him until he wants to stop or at least until he is a year old. I like breastfeeding it has made me every close with my son and that is a bond that no one can take. some of my friends breastfed some but for no longer that 2 months.I am the only one of all my friends that still breastfeeds and it is kinda weird being the only one but i don't care cause its what is best for my son. I just talk to some of the older women i know that breastfed their kids and it kinda gives me some support. yeah it was a little hard in the beinging with no one being able to help in the night and still not being able to leave him for long but i don't mind my son needs come first and he is worth it!!!!!!!

Brittany - posted on 02/19/2010

Yes and no... I'm also 22.. I have an almost 10 month old. I still breastfeed also. Only one of I think 7 of my friends around the same age breastfeed. One started then stopped after like 3 months. She made up some stupid excuse.. But, I don't really let it bother me.. They can go right ahead and not give their child the best thing for them, and spend all that extra money on formula. Keep on doing what you're doing!

Erin - posted on 02/19/2010

A friend Iwork with was 15 when she had her first child and she breastfed him even though her mother had to bring him to her school a couple times a day for her to do it. And that was 10 years ago!!! Kudos to all those girls who buck their friends and the limitations and 'inconvenience" of not being able to live their lives like other teens for the sake and health of their babies.

Heather - posted on 02/19/2010

Im almost 20 and I have an 11 month old. None of the people that I know breastfeed. My sister-in-law does but she is a lot older then me. I know a few people my age that have kids and none of them breastfed. My friends that dont have kids dont really understand why I cant just leave my daughter for the weekend with someone else. It is def a battle.

Jenni - posted on 02/19/2010

I'm 25 with a five month old, so I'm not that young, but I have had support from friends and family that bf or formula feed. I have found it interesting to educate those that do not have experience with bf- mostly friends/family w/o kiddos yet. They ask the neatest questions- "How do you know if he's getting enough?" "Does he just stop when he's full?" Hopefully you can take some of that negative energy and input a positive comment about breastfeeding. Even if it's just a small one. I wish you luck and keep persevering!!

Jheycee - posted on 02/19/2010

i'm 23 now and my daughter's 1 1/2 years old. although i wanted to wean her out now, i am proud to say that i breastfed her from day 1 and despite of formula milks that are readily available, i chose to breastfeed my daughter to give her the benefits that i know is helpful for her.and i will still choose to breastfeed on my future child ( if there are plans on having a second child) :)

Dana - posted on 02/18/2010

I'm not a young mother (I'm 30 with an 8 month old), and I just wanted to add my personal observations. I know quite a few mums from different backgrounds and different ages, and it seems that breastfeeding rates are low across the board, whether young or old. The only trend I've been able to see is education of the mother, that is tertiary educated mothers and those who are qualified in childcare seem to be more likely to breastfeed. I'm not saying that's true for everyone, just a trend I've observed in my personal life.

The only reason I can think of to explain this is that tertiary educated mothers are more likely to educate themselves about childbirth and childrearing including the benefits of breastfeeding. And those qualified in childcare have probably been educated about breastfeeding as part of their training.

When I was pregnant I found that, in order to find information on breastfeeding, I would have to go out and get the information myself, read up on it, attend classes, ask questions, etc. So, based on that, it seem that education about breastfeeding to every single pregnant woman and their families is the key to improving breastfeeding rates. A policy to supply formula on prescription only to new mothers with the condition that they've attended breastfeeding education classes and can pass a simple test on its benefits and what to do when problems occur. Even being handed a brochure (as it happened at the hospital where I had my son) and expecting everyone to read it is not educating, in my opinion. Videos, classes, pictures, etc can all be used to educate, they should be compulsory to every new mother (but there's no profit to be made from that, so it's unlikely to happen anywhere)

Sorry for rambling.

Laura - posted on 02/18/2010

What's crazy is that everyone always acts surprised when I tell them I'm breastfeeding for at least a year. My doctor was ecstatic, he must not see many women doing it anymore which is really sad. I understand people want to be able to go out and drink and what not, but what I've discovered is that I don't even want to do that stuff now. I mean, I'm home pretty much all of the time, but I don't care. I used to be able to pump a little bit, and now I can't at all, but I don't mind. I'm lucky enough to be a stay at home mom. And I'm saving us so much money! I just can't imagine not breastfeeding. I had trouble at first because my daughter was so small, and I'm really large chested. It took about two months for her to get the hang of it. Now she's an expert, I'm an expert, and it only takes 10 minutes tops to feed her. I'm really proud of myself. I don't think I could ever just switch to formula. Breast is definitely best :)

Joni - posted on 02/18/2010

I do!!! I was 18 when i had my 1st son & breastfeed him till he cut some teeth so bout the same time. Now i have 3kids & breastfeed them all. It is truly the best thing for them. But when i had my 1st some of my friends were havin kids also. Some of them didnt even try & the other ones gave-up i think the big factor is they thought it was time consuming when really u dont have to get out of bed n the middle of the night to warm a botttle, just pop out a boob. & then they say it makes ur kids smarter that i believe, my 1st son is 7 now, 2nd grade & has never had any trouble in school, he reads@ the level of a 4th grader & gets all A's. Now i think what if i wouldn't have breastfeed would he just be a reg. joe. Don't ever let any1 make u feel weird bout it. Ur doing the best thing 4 ur baby girl! & the way i always cn it, if they got something 2 say there just mad they couldnt do it & ur the stronger person!

Heather - posted on 02/18/2010

I'm 21 and my little girl is 2 months old. I know a few others who have had babies around the same time as I did. One couldn't breastfeed anymore and the other decided for multiple reasons to just give up. I had lots of problems and we've stuck it out. Latching problems in the beginning where I wanted to give up and we even tried to supplement with formula one night to give me a break. She refused to eat until I was ready a little later. We found out she had a tongue tie and once that was fixed she began latching so much better, but still not right. Once that happened the on demand feedings weren't as often so I wasn't constantly in pain. One day she magically just got it and then we began to struggle with her keeping her food down. My supply started decreasing and I was told by the pediatrician to supplement with formula to help her put on some weight. With all the milk she constantly spit up, she wasnt able to keep enough down to gain any weight. She started to get frustrated at the breast because it wasn't flowing as fast and her reflux was bothering. We've gotten everything taken care of, and I'm so happy we're still sticking it out. I went to a breastfeeding class and talked with some other moms and it makes me so happy to see other young people breastfeeding. I've noticed not only do a lot of younger people breastfeed, but older mothers as well. I'm not sure why, but I wouldn't change my decision!

Mary - posted on 02/18/2010

I am a labor and delivery nurse. My oldest daughter was born was I was only seventeen (of course she is now 17 herself!) I breastfed her, but even then it seemed like I was the only young mother who did. I think as far as my patients go, the younger you are the less likely you will. It is sad really, but keep it up, it is well worth the dedication and effotr it takes. Be proud of your decision. You are giving your baby a great start in life!

Dayami - posted on 02/18/2010

Yes!!! Everyone else thinks it is too hard or time consuming. I think it's awesome, easy and my husband is so proud of me.

Amanda - posted on 02/18/2010

I have to say congrats to all the young moms who have chosen to b/f....I think it dosent matter the age(im 26 and b/f my 4 month old) we all feel alone at some point...and i as well had a few moms give birth right around the same time and are about the same age and gave up after three days or so....if they new the benefits and read about it im sure they would have gone longer...I think thats why i enjoy this group b/c when i have a question i can come on here and get help or advice...one of my favorite saying is IM A BREASTFEEDING CO SLEEPING BABY WEARING MOMMY and IM TO LAZY TO FIX FORMULA!! I plan on b/f for as long as possible...wish i had the support when i had my eldest she was two months premie and couldnt suck swallow and breathe at the same time so they put her on the bottle and about a day before she left they tried the breast and i could never get to latch...i did however pump breast milk and gave her it that way...but then once i had to go back to work pumping all the time and trying to keep up my milk supply wasnt there and had to switch...wish i knew about all the support groups and stuff then...So i am so excited to be b/f my four month old and she latched...once again CONGRATS to all the Young moms who b/f !!

Brooke - posted on 02/18/2010

I know how you feel.. I am 23 and a single mom (with zero help) and I breastfeed my 4 month old son! When I got pregnant I was not for it but now, I dont know what it would be like to not bfeed him now. One time I thought I was drying up and i pumped like crazy, and cried.. haha but anyway I plan on nursing him for at least a year, if i go over awesome if not at least I made it to a year!

Chelsea - posted on 02/18/2010

I am 22 I breastfeed my 4 month old. My cousin is 19 and breastfeeds her 4 month old. Both of our sisters attempted breastfeeding all of their children but only got a couples months of it. They were semi lazy about their diet and it affected their children negatively. It helps when you are a healthy person on your own to nurse. PS we are all pretty young moms. My sister was 17 with her first.

Anna - posted on 02/17/2010

hey i was 17 when i had my baby and he is now 7 months. it makes me quite angry young grls who dont even try it out coz your baby gets so much goodness and hey thats what we have them for! i new i was always going to bf and i plan to do at as long as i can. but recently i went to my partners cousins wedding and went a day and a half with out Kaleb( he has formula every now and again) and becoz i wasnt expressing as much as id feed him my milk supply dropped incredibly. so i only get to feed him myself during the night and twice if im lucky during the day.so that kinda anoyed me but atleast i still have some milk

Angelinah - posted on 02/17/2010

Hi, Im 23 and I have a 2 1/2 month old boy, I BF too, a lot people our age dont but im surprise at the # amount of young BF mothers.

Sarah - posted on 02/17/2010

First of all, I think it's absolutely wonderful that you are a young mom and have chosen to breastfeed and stick with it for this long! Keep at it and don't let anyone else's opinions bother you! I am 25 years old & I have a 5 month old son. I had every intention in the world to breastfeed him from the beginning, but unfortunately I had a lot of problems. My son had a difficult time latching on & I had to supplement with formula per doctor's orders due to my son having jaundice & weight problems. Plus, I am on a medication & I constantly had to worry about how much of my medication was being passed through my breastmilk. I tried my hardest to breastfeed him for 2 months (with supplementation) but I didn't have the proper support or information needed to help me with my decreasing supply/latching issues. I put my son on formula exclusively at about 2 months & I do regret not giving it another shot with help from more professionals. With that said, I do intend on giving breastfeeding another try when I have my next child.

I also wanted to say to the mom who said, " In our generation, many are into the "easy" way out... formula ... Atleast our babies dont stink... Formula is nasty (if you ever smelled it)." Was that ridiculous comment REALLY that necessary? My formula fed son does NOT stink. He is a precious little child, as are ALL the children here regardless of where their milk comes from. We are all here trying our very BEST to raise our children to be happy & healthy. I think that all moms need to stick together and stop giving each other crap just because we are raising our children in slightly different ways. Just a thought.

Marissa - posted on 02/17/2010

I don't understand why more people don't breastfeed! Unless there is a legitimate reason why they can't, of course. It's such a great bonding experience for you & your baby and it's FREE! I'm 21 and breastfeed my 7 month old son and plan to until he weans himself. Good for you hun! You're not alone though!

Tiffany - posted on 02/17/2010

You are not alone... i am 24 years old now... i am pregnant with my 5th... for my first i was 19 and i breastfed her til she was 6 months... with my 2nd daughter i was 20 and i breastfed her til she was 5 months... but then my 3rd was a boy and i was 22 and he had a little difficult time growing... he actually lost a bunch a weight when he was just a few months old and so i nursed him until he was 15 months old... i had a miscarriage with #4 and now i plan to nurse exclusively until the one i am prego with now is 6 months but then while offering food i plan to nurse him until he is 1 or older... so all in all you are not alone... I am a young mom and i too always thought that i was like the only young one nursing... all the young ladies my age were just too busy for there kids... so good for you... putting your little one first... it shows you care and you have time for your little one

Jennifer - posted on 02/17/2010

I want to congratulate you for breastfeeding. I never realized how hard it would be, and if I had my son 10 years ago, I could totally see myself giving up. It would have been too painful, too embarrassing to do in public, etc. I would have been too self-centered, too, wanting more freedom than I do now as "the milk factory." (hubby's words)

Candice - posted on 02/17/2010

I am now 26 and I have two beautiful boys. I breastfed both of them. It is a struggle when you are young and breastfeeding. I was only 20 when I had my first son. I breastfed for the first four months and then I made the mistake of giving him a bottle when I had to return to work and we couldn't get him to want to breastfeed after than. With my second, I breastfed for the first 5 months because I got thrush on my boob. It was the most painful thing I ever had to deal with. It felt like needles stabbing my nipple when breastfed, I little would sit there and cry while I fed him. IT is hard because so many people are still uncomfortable around people breastfeeding. With my second I said Tough..to those who were uncomfortable..(including my hubby) because I am not going to sit in the bathroom by myself because someone is uncomfortable. I think breastfeeding is great and everyone should at least try to breastfeed for the first few months because that is the most important time!!

Becca - posted on 02/17/2010

At nearly 30, I'm hardly a young Mom, but I certianly commend anyone who is willing to try. I did encounter one young Mom (16 years) who's story I thought you might find encouraging.

My son was born only hours before her son and we shared a hospital room. Her plan was to breastfeed only for a week because she wanted her son to get the colostrum but she wasn't really commited to the idea of breastfeeding. I remember thinking that this sounded a bit unrealistic (why go through the stress of trying to get started if you have every intention of giving up anyway). Not surprizingly, she tried once and then decided to bottle feed.

However, I was very encouraged by the response of the nurses. While they didn't pressure her to breastfeed if she wasn't comfortable with it, they did sit down and take the time to explain the benefits with her AND her extended family (including her boyfriend and his family). They also explained that her milk would come in regardless of whether she was breastfeeding or not and they gave her information on where to find a breastfeeding support group if she wanted to try again.

The last that I saw her she had attended the breastfeeding group when her milk came in and was sucessfully breastfeeding her son with her family's support. That was a few months back and I haven't seen her at breastfeeding group recently so I don't know if she is still breastfeeding him (our sons are now 6 1/2months), however, I was really glad to see that the nurses at the hospital didn't give up on her even though she was hesitant at first.

Rachelle - posted on 02/16/2010

OH how I sooooo hope you find more young, yet mature and selfless mom, like yourself to support you! Don't feel alone.....feel proud! You're obviously WAY ahead of your young mom peers. Breastfeeding means you have put your baby ahead of your own needs and wants....maybe not completely, but a lot. I know, b/c I've done it 3 times. I spent nearly 6 years breastfeeding and/or pregnant and there were a LOT of freedoms I had to give up. BUT I did that starting when I was 35! I was more than ready for that. I don't think I could have done that at 22. So please, give yourself the pat on the back you deserve. Wish I could be there to do it for you!

Tanicia - posted on 02/16/2010

hi, im 17 and i breastfeed my 1 month old son. i wanted to breastfeed when i read about all the benefits for him andfor me. i think alot of young dont breastfeed cuz they dont knoe the benefits or dont want to deal with the discomfort. i got use to it an im glad that he's breastfeedin

Martha - posted on 02/16/2010

Jenny - that is SO true! And not just from doctors & nurses but seriously EVERYONE. They were like "ok your going to breastfeed ok". Like they look at me like im crazy. And honestly i dont even think its just younger moms. We're on WIC and when we went for the 6month appointment they gave me like information on what to do for switching from breast for formula. Im like uhhh im still breastfeeding. They looked at me like i had 2 heads. I dont think it was as much as they weren't encouraging breastfeeding, because there was a TON of stuff saying why you should continue breastfeeding past 6mos, but its just sooo uncommon for them to have someone who breastfeeds at all, and no one past 6 mos. Its crazy.

Jenny - posted on 02/16/2010

Do you younger moms feel like your Drs, and nurses and hospital staff just assumed you wouldn't breastfeed because you were younger?? I volunteer as a peer mom breastfeeding counselor, and I always request all the young mommies! I think sometimes no one expects them to try so they don't give them the support they need!!! I was 25 when I had my first, I'm 29 now. So I don't consider myself super young. ( But not super OLD either!) :)

Melissa - posted on 02/16/2010

I turned 23 a few months after my daughter was born, she is 7.5 months old now. I still breastfeed her and I have 3 friends who have children around the same age and neither of them nurse their children. But those friends also complain about how expensive formula is lol. I just laugh and say well, the easy way out does come with its consequences. I agree with Melissa Paul, the tv shows now don't encourage breasfeeding like they should. My mom breastfed all 3 of us and I think that it helps because you have someone close to you to answer all of your questions when you first start off. My nurses in the hospital were also awesome and would come and help me get my daughter latched on when I had problems which was a blessing. I think there are a lot of young moms who don't want to deal with the couple weeks of pain in the beginning....but it's helps your child for a lifetime! Also, as Brittany said right before me, it really helped me shed all my pregnancy pounds off so quickly! Not to mention, it is such a great bonding experience between you and your child! I just don't understand the "well I want to be able to go out and drink" etc etc...well take a couple mins each day and pump and couple extra bottles and freeze them, it's not that hard. I give a high five to each of you young moms that are breastfeeding! Laura, if you ever have a question or want to talk then message me!

Brittany - posted on 02/16/2010

I'm 20 and due on March 9 so technically I can't say for sure, but my plan is to breastfeed as long as possible. I've met quite a few younger moms who aren't breastfeeding and didn't even really consider it. It makes me sad because really it is so much better for the baby and that is what's important. I've heard that it can be really difficult but sticking with it is worth it by far. As far as getting your figure back, breastfeeding is supposed to help you burn calories anyway. :] Another big factor for me is the cost, besides all the other benefits. Formula is so expensive, why on earth waste your money on something that costs more and does less for the baby? Go young breastfeeding moms!

Martha - posted on 02/14/2010

I'm 21 and have been breastfeeding my daughter for a bit over a year now :)
I feel the same way. Too many younger moms have their priorities mixed up and they end up quitting because they'd rather go out and party, or they just make up excuses, It gets annoying. I love hearing other moms my age that get that thier baby deserves the best! :)

Tammy - posted on 02/14/2010

Hi Laura,
I'm in the same boat, my son is 7 1/2 mo and i am 22 now. My family has had quite alot of babies born last year, and only a couple of us are bf, with my bub being bf the longest, which is sad to say cos he's only 7 1/2mo. The other bf baby is only 2mo. It makes me a bit cranky cos i had heaps of trouble when he was first born but stuck it out and am very proud for sticking it out, whereas with other mums the gave up - one mum gave up because she 'didnt pump as much milk out compared to when her milk came in' I absolutely love bf and plan to nurse my son until he self weans. I actually got a comment the other day as I mentioned that my boob was a bit sore, to which was replied with 'oh well you've already bf for 7mo so it doesn't matter if you give up' Gah!

Sarah - posted on 02/14/2010

I'm almost 25, and when I had my first son I was 18, and I breastfed, and I was the only one of my kind.. I nursed him for 7months, and when he started to eat solids, everyone told me it was time to stop. I felt wrong about doing it, but then again I was releived to get out from onder something that I had no support in.
When I had my seccond son , 5 years later, I was experienced, and eager to beat my reccord. He is 16mos, and I am still happily nursing him, and Still no one gets it. My friends think it's weird, and my family thinks it's about time to"cut it out". The only person I have true support from is my husband. I think he's into it because he knows how much it means to me... and how important it is for our son.
Hey .. Be A Statistic... In our generation, many are into the "easy" way out... formula ... Atleast our babies dont stink... Formula is nasty (if you ever smelled it)

Sarah - posted on 02/14/2010

I know where you're coming from. I was 20 when my DS was born and was breastfeeding him. None of my other friends breastfed their babies and only one of them tried. It's very frustrating. My boyfriend and i went on a ski trip over night with our best couple friends and she actually admitted to me that she could never do it. She wants to drink with no problems and go skiing without having to pump and all the ease that comes with formula. Ugh oh well..hopefully our children will learn from us?

Angela - posted on 02/14/2010

Absolutely! I'm 22 as well, with a 4 1/2 month old and we're still going strong. I think its so funny that friends I don't hear from very often, their first question is always " are you still breastfeeding?" and they're always suprised when I say yes. I'm always commended on it, but I do kind of feel like the outsider in the group of mommies I know. I think its just a lot easier to switch to formula and you have to really sacrifice to breastfeed, and sometimes us younger mama's are still childish in some ways and want the figures back, or get tired and just want to let the dads take over at night. We are real tough cookies, the ones who stick it out! Yay to us!

Emily - posted on 02/14/2010

I don't consider myself young anymore, lol! But it does seem like most young moms don't breastfeed. Which is sad that they don't have that support.
Do you have a local La Leche League? Might be helpful to be around other breastfeeding moms.. usually of all ages.

April - posted on 02/14/2010

i'm 28 and not considered a younger mom. but i can relate to feeling like the only one who breast feeds. all my friends are using formula with their babies.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 02/14/2010

Ditto what everyone said. I did see one girl on Teen Mom breastfeed her baby. It was so nice to see! I attend a breastfeeding support group at my local hospital. It's nice to get to talk to other moms that are breastfeeding and now that my daughter is older I can offer advice to other moms who are having similar problems that I had.

Melissa - posted on 02/14/2010

yes, and to add to that...there is this new television series called '16 and Pregnant' which was followed by a series called 'Teen Mom' it was on MTV i dont know if anyone saw it or not, guess it depends where u r from. BUT none of the moms breastfed at all!!! like what kind of msg does that send to the young women? booo. i suppose convience is more important to some over their lil babys health. :(

Coralyn - posted on 02/14/2010

Yes yes and yes. I'm 22 as well, and I have a 5 mo old. High five to ya sister. I knew like 6 people who had babies all around the same time I did, and we were all around the same age and all of them gave me lame excuses of why they didn't breastfeed, and 2 of them didn't even take the time on reading up on it or getting educated about what to do and what not to do so their milk supplies went down, and they went straight for the bottle. some of my family (even my own dad) tried to talk me into switching to bottle but I stuck it out through all the pain, stains, leaks, and awkward times trying to figure out how to nurse her in public. We are the few, the proud, the young nursing mamas. :)

Katie - posted on 02/13/2010

I only have a couple good friends with kids and none of them are still nursing their little ones. I have made quite a few new mom friends since having my son but I can't think of any who have kids around my sons age who are still nursing. My son is 14 months now and I intend to let him self-wean. I think most of the moms I know stopped at around a year. I don't really feel alone though. I would suggest that you go to some LLL meetings. Maybe you can meet some other breastfeeding moms there that you can connect with.