How's breastfeeding going? Updates!

Nicole - posted on 09/13/2012

Yes I am still nursing my May 2011 baby girl! She loves her "MommaMilk"! It is the only time she truely relaxes. She nurses 4-5 times a day and has been on this schedule for quite a while. No sign of stopping anytime soon. :) I will nurse her for as long as she wants to nurse. We both enjoy it so much!

Laura Zoey - posted on 09/12/2012

Anyone else still breastfeeding their may 2011 baby?

Fierna hasn't changed her pattern much, she nurses about every 2-3 hours in the day and like 3-4 times a night. She nurses to sleep for nap and night.

It's going really well! No complaints from me :) she's such a sweetie when she's nursing, she's actually safe and calm lol which is rare for Fierna :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 08/06/2012

Yep Fierna still asks to nurse frequently, like 8-10x a day/night. My three year old is nearly weaned though :)

Toni - posted on 08/06/2012

I'm still breastfeeding when and as she wants, which is pretty frequently. I know there are a few here that are still bf'ing.

Michele - posted on 08/06/2012

I am still breast feeding, but only on request. What that means is I mostly nurse when she first wakes up, or maybe once in the evening since I am working and she is at daycare. I am working on weaning off, but it is slow for me. I do not pump anymore because my production decreased greatly in the last four months. I still enjoy it, and love connecting with her still, but I am getting tired. How did you all wean?

Portia - posted on 08/04/2012

Anyone still breastfeeding?

Jeni - posted on 05/10/2012

Isaac is finally eating! Not sure if i mentioned here or not. He is still nursing pretty consistently but not as much as before. I am still holding on to 15 lbs post baby weight and its been a year sigh….Nursing def didn't help toward losing weight lol I get so many cravings not as much now as i use to in the beginning but still.

Laura Zoey - posted on 05/06/2012

Fierna still nurses frequently round the clock, like sometimes a stretch of four hours or something but usually every three or so. I work from home and haven't left her with anyone really yet so I have no pressing need to get her on solids quickly.
She adores eating and demands food often though, and so she eats food most every time me or Eric eat.
I'd guess she nurses about 8-9 times a day. Including 3-4 times at night.
M also pumping for a mom from HM4HB once a day s I'm trying to increase production for a while.
Eric is down to nursing every few days and I think he will wean himself completely in the near future.

Jessica - posted on 05/06/2012

I've gone back to work full time so Rose now nurses when she gets up, then either when we get home (if she's starving) or before bed (or both!). Then I'll nurse her if she wakes in the night, but that has slowly declined in the last week. I plan on keeping up 2x a day as long as we both want it! Unfortunately I will be working late every Thurs, and this past week she was in bed when I got home (I knew she would be) and she slept all night! So I had nursed her before work and not again for 24 hours!! That was painful! I thought about waking her when I got home, but I want her sleeping all night and I know my body will adjust... :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 05/06/2012

Yay Jen! That's wonderful :)
The laid back easygoing toddler nursing is so nice IMO.
Like, no stress, no worries, just snuggles and extra immunities. Way to go!

Jen - posted on 05/05/2012

I'm proud to have made it to a year! I made it through 2 bouts of mastitis and raw nipples after my son's top teeth came in. I'm still breastfeeding, but I only nurse him when he wakes up, once during the day (if he needs it), and before bed. I still pump once a day during the week and send him with 1 breast milk cup. I plan on doing baby led weaning for the last 3 feedings he has, but depending on my school schedule in the fall I may have to stop the day time feeding if I'm unable to pump during the day.

Laura Zoey - posted on 04/23/2012

That sounds rough Martha! You've done sooooo good already and being pregnant totally changes the ball game when it comes to nursing strikes' your milk changes tastes and it decreases volume and your belly is bigger etc, if he won't nurse he won't nurse! That's so not your fault!

You've done amazing and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. He's a lucky guy and if he's done nursing then don't stress about it. Not the break before your new sweetie arrives :)

Martha - posted on 04/23/2012

thanks Michele! :) I appreciate that...

Michele - posted on 04/22/2012

Martha - don't beat yourself up! He's gotten a great deal of good from you already, and the fact that you are pregnant and nursing is something I hadn't even dreamed of. Every woman's body is different, and you are doing the best you can.

Martha - posted on 04/22/2012

well my 1 yr goal was shot...Micah REFUSES and screamed as of last Sunday. He was down to 1-3 feedings a day...ie before bed and 1-2 at night...but I offered and he bit me..so I gently like popped his mouth as I have done before and comforted him..like normal...he is teething so rough nursing/biting has happened before..but not often...I offered him the other side as well the right side HURT BAD..and he screamed...so I just put him down to bed after loving on him a bit....he went right down...woke up at 1 like normal to feed and SCREAMED bloody murder....I laid him back down after I changed his diaper..and he went back down no fussing...ok....maybe not hungry....(HE HAS NEVER MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO NURSE) and then when he woke at 5..(a bit early for him but hey who cares..) he screamed again..I offered him some real milk bc he was clearly hungry but not wanting to nurse....so I called a lactation consultant who told me to try pumping..I had done that already..and nothing...I used to be able to pump about 6oz but as his nursing demands slowed and my pregnancy progressed...nothing....so now we are on milk. It has been 1 week. I have felt soo down and my pride hurt so bad because for years..the past 3 at least I have heard moms say this....YES I KNOW WHAT A NURSING STRIKE IS...I have offered it to him a few times a day for the past week...but I am chalking it up to my preg. hormonal changes in my milk....I had just entered 2nd tri about a week before this happened..maybe 2...so now that baby is growing faster...ie not the placenta anymore...he seems to not like it...I had 8 oz in my freezer I gave him and he drank it right down but acts as though I am killing him to nurse....I have offered it prob. 1-3 times a day and he could care less...not sure how much milk I have but he turned 11 mo old today...I was 5 wks shy of my goal...but I have beat myself up about it already.....

Laura Zoey - posted on 04/18/2012

Stacie there's no reason you HAVE to stop breastfeeding at a year.

The world health organization recommends two years minimum so if you and your baby aren't ready to wean then don't! More is always better in this case and the immunities increase in the second year.

Stacie - posted on 04/17/2012

i am still breastfeeding. I hate to give it up. Yet, i'm glad I made it to almost a year without using a bottle. I wanted to do better with the second child because I stopped breast feeding with my oldest at 6 months. I wish i went longer.

Laura Zoey - posted on 03/18/2012

I have to say I admire you Martha! Sounds very tiring! But giving your son a year is a wonderful thing and can not be discredited a bit. I hope he takes to weaning like a pro and you can get some rest.

I think I preferred to nurse during pregnancy and tandem feed because it ment more time I could sit on the couch, making food was too tiring for me so I preferred to nurse.

So whatever's easiest is best!

For me nursing is the easiest part of my day lol.

Martha - posted on 03/17/2012

If I was not preggo I think Id be fine with past a year..I did 14 mo but was preggo again last time...with the first one..well preggo with the 2nd and was just soo worn out...and this one too..and him being 9 1/2 mo he is still nursing 5-6 times a day/night....so yea..that plus chasing the big one and taking care of the little one and the 1st tri exhaustion....for me at least ....its a lot! :) happy to do what i have...and fine if you dont agree .....I can respect that

Jen - posted on 03/17/2012

me too Martha (to a year that is)!

Martha - posted on 03/17/2012

shooting for a year...(shouldnt be hard) as he is already almost 10 mo....i do not want to tandem nurse and Ill be about 22 wks preggo when I start to wean :) happy to make it to a year!

Ashley - posted on 03/15/2012

I breastfed 24/7 up until a few weeks ago.

Ashley - posted on 03/15/2012

I mainly breastfeed at night, and morning. So far so good. No plan to completely stop, no biggie :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 03/13/2012

Karen, that's called a nursing strike.

It doesn't mean the baby is ready to wean and it isn't baby led weaning.

Here's a link to a great page on what to do when baby won't nurse.

Some at the beginning is for newborns but there's more on nursing strikes down a bit.

Basically, he prefers bottles because bottles can sometimes be more fun or easy for babies and when this happens they can refuse the breast.

If you wish, you can get through the strike and continue breastfeeding him.



http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby...



Baby led weaning happens but it doesn't happen before two years or so. They need to be weaning gradually and happily and without fuss for it to be baby led weaning. If its sudden, and angrily refusing the breast then it's a strike.





Jeni, check out kellymom.com you will find about the reasons they recommend breastfeeding til two years as a minimum. Basically their immune systems aren't developed fully until they're older and the longer you breastfeed the better off they are!

Toni - posted on 03/13/2012

I'm aiming for a year then I'm going to begin weaning from the breast.

Karen - posted on 03/12/2012

My son is soon to be 10months old and he has basically weaned himself :( He REFUSES the breast now every time it's offered. He will only take a bottle to get his milk. I am still very actively pumping though, he's at least getting breast milk from the bottle. We started him on bottles of breast milk around a month old so daddy could feed him too, and so I could have a little bit of freedom like leaving him with a sitter so hubby and I could have a date night etc. He has never had formula, (aside from at birth when his blood sugar wouldn't stabilize I had to give him as much milk as I could then give him about 10cc of formula) Anyway.... I'm a little sad that he has basically weaned himself, I still offer him the breast every time, but he won't take it. As I said though, I pump so he's still getting breast milk.

Jeni - posted on 03/12/2012

I was shooting for one and 1/2, everyone's always told me that past one year it wasnt as beneficial but now I feel like I need to look more into it. Oh and am I the only one that hasn't lost the baby weight lol

Jessica - posted on 03/12/2012

I don't have a "planned" time to stop. My first baby I nursed until 15 months and then it was only at bedtime as I was at work full time. This time we'll go until one or the other of us is done. I am starting back to work at the end of April, so we will see how long we keep up the evening nursing. :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 03/12/2012

I plan to breastfeed until my kids grow out of the need. :)

From our biology I find that between 3-5 years is the normal age for humans to wean so I assume my kids will be sometime around then too.

2 years is the bare minimum for their health so I always shoot for that and beyond then it's up to them.

How about you Jeni?

Jeni - posted on 03/12/2012

HOw long do you ladies plan in nursing for?

Chelsea - posted on 03/02/2012

nursing is going great here, we nurse still almost every 2 hours some time she will go 3 hours, i am able to pump and donate milk, She still wakes up t nurse 2-4 times a night but it will pass, im happy to made the milestone i made for myself which was to nurse Maecyn longer then i nursed her sister which we have done. we really dont nurse in public to often anymore because she is to distracted and doesnt want to nurse till we are somewhere boring and familiar

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/27/2012

I barely notice when she feeds in the night so it's no biggie, and in the day iencourage small meals rather then stretching out her tummy so it could easily be 10x in a 24hr period.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/27/2012

No that's including night time :) her feeding is very erratic though so its an estimation. I'd bet she nurses 4-6 times in the night alone but I never keep track. In the day it's probably 1030 for nap, 1, 4for nap, 8, 10 for night. But then there's times she nurses for a few minutes sprinkled in there too. Not like a big meal but she needs a drink here and there.

Really it's all guesstimating as I don't tend to look at the clock but from breastfeeding literature I read they recommend babies before a year bemusing 6-8 times times a day/night so that's my standerd recommendation.

Solids shouldn't start replacing breastfeeds until over a year.



To be perfectly honest, my son nursed 8x a day with one of those being in the early am until he was 2.5 and I started cutting him down to twice a day. So I won't expect Fierna to do any less for a while either :)

Martha - posted on 02/26/2012

Larua.....your lil one still nurses 6-8 times a day>!? IM NOT KNOCKING IT..I just ...wait are you including nighttime? we get up at like 8...he nurses....snacks like cherios too..or fruit..and then has lunch...baby food/snacks...and then nurses sometimes...and then nurses after his nap...and then before bed...sometimes one or more in there if he is hurting...he is popping number 7and 8 teeth! anyways at night if you include the 1-3 times depending on teeth he wakes me ..we are still doing a good 6-8 i just didnt know if Fierna is still nursing that much in the day....AGAIN no weirdness..just curious

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/26/2012

Tyra if your son is a may baby then let him try some healthy adult foods at the table but continue to breastfeed him 6-8 times a day as before, he can eat foods and still nurse for as long as he wants! My son is nearly three years old and he nurses twice a day and eats like a regular toddler. And my may baby nurses for her nutrition but samples foods here and there too. No rush to wean! The longer the healthier for both you and baby. Decreases both your risks of cancer and other illnesses the longer he nurses :)

You're doing great!

Tyra - posted on 02/26/2012

My breastfeeding is going wonderful. My son just loves to snuggle up to mommy and nurse. He nurses up to an hour at every sitting. I plan on nursing for another few months. However he is already showing signs of boredom on the nipple and he watches everyone eat while at the dinner table. Hopefully we will make it!

Martha - posted on 02/20/2012

no no...i mean that i think by 2nd tri i will be feeling much better...im only 9 wks this week! but about 4 or 5 more weeks and i should be getting more energy

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/20/2012

Wow second trimester already?!?! Craziness! :) I didn't notice a dip in milk til 20 weeks along and even then I still had milk, just not as much. Some moms see no dip at all.

Micah loves the closeness of nursing so much I bet! Eric never noticed a change in flavor either.

Martha - posted on 02/20/2012

yea Micah could care less about the dif in my milk...He wants and steals solids off our plates so he has a good amount of real food and nurses prob like 5-6 times a day/night....I am happy just takes a lot out of me being that we are on round 3 but I figure if I can make it through 1st tri...9 wks on Wed woohoo...Ill feel more like myself...all the light headed and dizzy nonsense sucks...but thats just 1st tri for me..and yea the puking/nausea isnt fun either!

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/20/2012

She will be :)

Biologically we are designed to nurse two or more years! Nurse her before all solids until a year old, between 1-1.5 years old milk to solids can be like 50-50 and by two years most babies nurse 25-75 milk to solids.

By then they usually just nurse in the morning and night and they're diet comes from food.

My son followed this pattern and now he's almost three and is slowly weaning himself. :)

I expect to nurse all my kids 2-3 years :):):)

And you're lucky to have a knowledgeable dr! Many these days still don't know that 2 years is the recommended minimum age to wean

Nicole - posted on 02/20/2012

my ped just told me that it is best to nurse until age 2 now! my daughter still loves to nurse and I will nurse her as long has she wants to nurse but should I push it until age 2 even if she is no longer interested in it?

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/19/2012

Don't worry Jeni, my son was 10 months before he took to any foods. Turns out he much preferred eating real foods like pieces of bread or cheese or chunks of fruit and veggies.

He also loved refried beans and yogurt.

Don't stress over your son not wanting foods, just keep offering a variety and one day he will find something he likes!

Besides, your milk will be enough for him to thrive on for at least the first year.

Oh try strips of meat, great for extra iron and my babies always enjoy meat, just not the canned stuff. :)

Jeni - posted on 02/18/2012

We're doing great on bfing. The clogged duct took a month to stop hurting but we made it through :) he is still refusing food which idk if it should be a concern. He isn't full on crawling either

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/12/2012

Martha my son never even contemplated weaning in my pregnancy lol. He stuck at 8 feeds a day through the hole pregnancy :) and still was at 8 a day when I cut him down slowly to twice a day when he was 2.5 lol.

Some babies just know they like the mama milk and they're not giving it up no matter what!

I'm sure Eric will wean himself when he's good and ready :) when? I have no idea haha

Martha - posted on 02/12/2012

doing great :) he loves to nurse~! wondering how much he will like it in the next few weeks as I get further along...only about 7 wks now..but my first noticed right away when I got preggo with my 2nd....NURSE could have cared less that I planned to nurse into my 2nd trimester! :) I am starving though! I guess it's kind of fun to be able to eat and not gain YET as nursing plus pregnancy helps out! just making sure I am getting enough nutrition!

Jen - posted on 02/04/2012

Zachary has 2 teeth and he bites every now and then. I just take him off, tell him no, wait a little while before letting him finish. He usually does it when he's already done anyway so usually I just sit him and and he's fine.

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/04/2012

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/bi...



This whole web site is good as gold when it comes to breastfeeding information. Browse around and you will learn tons!



My son has 20 teeth and still nurses, he bit me like three times and I yelled ow! And he cried, I felt bad, I nursed him more. Really he learned fast!

My daughter has 6 teeth and is also nursing and she but me before she got a tooth and that hurt too! I did the same, gut reaction, and she cried and tested it out a few more times but hasn't bit me since unless I'm trying to make her nurse to sleep when she isn't tired lol. But that's my fault :)



Teeth is no reason to wean. Trust me you made it this far you don't need to quit because of some teeth. They really learn fast :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/04/2012

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/tee...

AokisMa - posted on 02/04/2012

Makes sense Laura, thanks. She probably is teething, which brings a new question to mind, what do you do to keep them from trying their new choppers out on you while breast feeding?

Laura Zoey - posted on 02/04/2012

She's probably got some gum pain andso is sucking harder. Phases like that are usually short from my experience! Odds are it will be better in a few days :)