How long did you plan on breastfeeding and where are you now?

[smallestangel]

Hi

I've had a few problems that have discouraged me, but I'm still hanging in there. Since having the c-section from hell, it's been rough from the get-go. I really haven't had a pain free nursing session since we came home from the hospital.


I decided to breastfeed when I first became pregnant and I've always said my goal was one year. Right now, I'm just taking it day by day. Six months alone seems like light-years away.


So, what were your nursing goals? Did you surpass them? What were some things that got you over the hump when you felt like weaning, but didn't.

Thanks!

Amanda & Jacob :)

[LucyG]

Amanda,

It sounds like you've had a rough start! It's great that you are persisting, and I think you will start to find that things get easier the longer you nurse.

I planned to nurse at least a year, but didn't really have any definite notions of how long I'd continue after that. My DD is almost 14 months old, and we are still going strong. I am not planning to wean her anytime soon, but I will admit that it's a bit of a relief that she eats more food and nurses less than she did as a younger baby. It can be very stressful to be someone's entire food supply, can't it?! At this point, it is very evident to me that she gets more than nutrition (though that's a big part of it) from nursing. The comfort factor is a huge boon now that she is a toddler.

Something that really kept me going during rough spots was to talk to friends who had nursed (or were nursing) their babies. They could understand what I was going through, and I could see that the benefits would outweigh the problems if I continued. This board has also been a huge help. It's great to communicate with other moms going through the same issues. I applaud your efforts, and I promise that nursing really does get easier and more enjoyable the longer you do it!

[amyinNC]

Hi Amanda,

I initially planned to nurse 6 months or so - but told myself I'd give it 3 months, then see how things were going. We had some rough times. I used a nipple shield with DS for over 6 months. I got a terrible case of thrush, then mastitis 3 times! The funny thing is that while you've got something awful like mastitis, it's a terrible time to quit (I didn't want an abcess) - and when things are going great - I thought why quit when it's going so well. Of course I had lots of support from friends and a local lactation consultant.

We're now at 9 months and it seems really hard to stop nursing. Who wants to mess with bottles. At about 6 months, it really becomes so much easier to nurse than to bottle feed.

What's keeping me going now is that my mother in law asks at least weekly "when are you going to WEAN????" Maybe we'll keep it up until he's in kindergarten :)

Hang in there. It can be so hard at first. It really does get easier. You have the right idea, just take it a day at a time.

Hugs,
Amy
mom to Andrew 7/9/2003

[jbowman]

Amanda,

You are wise to take it day by day. When I found out I was pregnant, I really wanted to breastfeed too. My long-term goal is to breastfeed for 12 months. In order to attain that goal, I've set smaller goals--my first goal was simply to try it and to see how it went. Fortunately I didn't have any problems, so I set my next goal: 6 weeks, then 4 months. DD just hit four months, and now I am going for 6 months. This has really helped me b/c each time I hit one of my "milestones" I think, "I am woman hear me roar!" These "mini" goals have given me a lot of confidence.

Plus, as everyone says, breastfeeding gets easier with time. DD nurses for shorter periods and less frequently (it is a bit shocking when you come to the realization that the baby doesn't eat ALL OF THE TIME anymore!).

I like that I save money by breastfeeding and that I am providing my daughter with nourishment--that helps me. I also like the closeness. Of course I also like pumping--it gives me freedom if I need to be away.

I joke that I am so used to breastfeeding my daughter that I'd nurse in front of the pope!

Good luck and hang in there--there is a lot of support on these boards--many of the women in this community are very inspiring!

[firstbaby]

I also had my heart set on BFing and we were fortunate that my DS has been an "eater". We got the hang of things quickly but during the times that he would root constantly and eat every 1 1/2 hours during growth spurts, I would ask myself if I could keep going. My initial goal was to see how it went until 6 months. Then as my return to work date approached I worried about being able to keep it up once I went back (at 12 weeks). My DS is now 13 weeks old, and pumping at work hasn't been bad (I got a lot of support from this board). So we are back to the 6 months goal, but then I realized that once he starts some solids (around or before 6 months) he'll nurse less - so going until a year shouldn't be so bad after all :)

What has kept me going is my mom. When my sister was born very prematurely they weren't sure if she was going to live. My sister had to stay in the hospital for 6 weeks after she was born and my mom pumped bottles (with a manual pump) for every feeding that she couldn't be there to nurse her in the hospital. Every time I've wanted to give up, I feel like a wimp considering the commitment and sacrifice my mom made.

Good luck - you can come to these boards anytime for support!

[pritchettzoo]

How old is your son now? If you've been doing it for more than 6 weeks and it still hurts, you may have some latching issues or thrush or... If it's relatively soon after his birth, the pain may go away once your nipples get used to it.

It hurt like hell for me the first 4 weeks. My goal from the beginning was at least a year, but when I was in so much pain, I made the goal 6 weeks. By six weeks, I was pain free (although nursing almost constantly thanks to a growth spurt!). People kept telling me her latch was off if it hurt, but I could tell she was latched correctly (and an LC I trusted said she had a good latch), so I thought *I* was insane. I've since read posts here that say red-headed and fair-skinned people have a more painful time of it. I'm both, so maybe that was it. My DD will be 7 months next week, and we're going strong!

Good luck. Make some smaller goals and celebrate when you reach them. If you can give some more information about your son's age and what kind of pain you're experiencing, someone here may be able to point you in a helpful direction.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[JenCA]

I planned to nurse for at least six months, perhaps a year or more. Unfortunately, I encountered more problems with bfing than I care to share. I weaned DD at three months.

[C99]

Amanda,

I hear you on the difficulties and questioning yourself. Before Nathaniel was born, I had every intention of BFing for a year. Then he *was* born and we encountered a ton of difficulties (8-day NICU stay w/ nursing-resistant nurses, preemie, nipple shields, mastitis, thrush, etc.). I remember telling myself that if I got through the first month and was having doubts, I could switch. Then I made it through the first month and gave myself a goal of 3 months. At 3 months, I made the goal 6 months. At 6 months, I made the goal 1 year (although we night-weaned at around 7-months). And then at 1 year, I couldn't imagine trying to wean him completely, so at nearly 15-months-old, he still nurses 4x day.

It's hard, I know. But you can do it with determination and a great support network!

HTH

[HallsofVA]

I know what you're going through. After having an emergency c-section, which resulted in a slow nursing start in the hospital, then a cracked nipple that got infected in the third week which put me on antibiotics and pain pills and required me to nurse from only one side (and pump the other), and my inability to find a comfortable nursing position other than the football hold, and a son who wanted to eat almost every hour from 2 weeks until 6 weeks, I was ready to give up after five weeks. Everytime he nursed on the sore side, the worst shooting pain would go through my elbow and arm. Luckily, I have a wonderfully supportive husband who reminded me of the benefits of nursing, but said if it was too painful then he'd support me if i stopped.

Needless to say, my son gained back all of the weight he lost in the hospital by the 2 week appointment, he's been running at the 90-95 percentile in weight, my cracked nipple healed, we learned to nurse in more positions and locations, and we've been able to get him to more of an every 3 hour schedule, and now at 3 months, everything is going well and I don't regret sticking with it. Everytime I heat up a bottle, I'm reminded of how much easier it is to nurse. I hope to make it through the year, but I'm heading back to work tomorrow so we'll see how that goes.

[houseof3boys]

Amanda if you have not had a pain free nursing session, I agree with Anna that there might be an issue with thrush or latch. I had undiagnosed thrush for 8 weeks despite going to my ob and Ryan's ped (both are severly uneducated with ALL symptoms of thrush since it is sometimes not as plain and simple as a white tongue or rash). I would cry almost everytime he nursed (and it was a lot in the beginning) and just grit my teeth and pray for it to be over. Once I went back to the LC and they diagnosed us with thrush and I got treated, I had that wonderful feeling of nursing pain-free for the first time. I didn't know how I was going to make it when I was in so much pain, but I kept telling myself that no matter what I was going to nurse. I am so glad that I didn't give up since here we are at 10 months and my goal is 14 months.

The beginning can be tough but at around 5 months it becomes sooooo much easier. At 7 months, you won't even remember the pain and suffering!! LOL.

What kept me going was the support of so many wonderful nursing moms on this board and how much I was determined to give my child the best nutrition possible.

I would highly recommend a visit to an LC just for peace of mind that things are right with Jacob's latch and there are not any underlying medical reasons why you are having difficulty. I wish I had gone to the LC a few weeks after Ryan was born for this very reason. I saw 4 LC's in the hospital when he was born because we had latch issues and had to use a nipple shield for a while and pump. I hope things get better for you soon and please keep us posted on things!!!! :)

[lizajane]

i can TOTALLY understand about not having a single pain free nursing session. i was in horrific pain for 4 weeks, and the pain continued until 6 weeks. but i am SO GLAD THAT I DID NOT GIVE UP!!! i absolutely was NOT going to quit until 12 months, come hell or high water! i talked to every lactation consultant in the book, 2 women from la leche came to my house, i made an appt with the lactation consultant at my hospital and i cried. a lot.

so my goal was 12 months. we are down to nursing one time/day at 12 1/2 months. i had a hard time going to bed the first night i didn't nurse in the evening because i was so sad. i try to pay close attention every time i nurse him in the mornings now, just in case it is the last time. it breaks my heart to THINK about the last time!

i am weaning because i want to get pregnant again next month and i just don't think i will have the energy to nurse while pregnant. and extended nursing really isn't for me. i know that it definitely isn't for me now that i am nursing a one year old, even though i will be very sad when we stop. and i really am so happy to nurse him that one time per day. but part of me does want to wean. he looks like a little boy now instead of a baby. (i have a very tall child.) and i am ready to move on to (my view of) toddlerhood. but the other part of me wishes that i could just let him decide when he is ready to stop. who knows how long i will nurse my second child. probably not past 18 months, at the very latest. probably 12-14 months. we'll see!

at any rate (i am rambling because this topic is so close to my heart!) i would encourage you to hang in there. i don't know how long you have been breastfeeding... but just know that at 6 weeks, the pain usually disappears. at 3 months (after a growth spurt around that time where you will nurse A LOT) you will only nurse every several (4ish) hours, and maybe not at night anymore (my child slept from 10pm-5am at 9 weeks) and SUDDENLY each nursing session will be less than 10 minutes. faster that preparing a bottle, feeding it, and cleaning it up.

so good luck and best wishes for a happy nursing relationship if that is what you want. :)

[Rachels]

I planned to nurse for at least a year, and we're still going strong at 22 months. Support and information were what kept me going. We had a very, very rough start, and she nursed every hour during the day for the first five months. It was not easy. I surrounded myself with nursing moms and midwives, and that really did make a difference. I got help from a fantastic LC, after two less-than-fantastic LCs. And I read this: http://promom.org/101/index.html every now and then. It strengthened my resolve to do what was best for my baby, no matter what.

Toddler nursing is pretty great, FWIW. I never thought I would be nursing a two year old, but it is one of the sweetest things I've ever been a part of.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[smallestangel]

Thanks guys. It really does help so much to hear how you've hung in there and what helps get you through.

We've had thrush for three weeks now and before that I was terribly, painfully engorged. During that time, Jacob was unable to latch on because my nipples were flattening out. I didn't realize what was going on and thought he was rejecting the breast. I didn't expect breasfeeding to be a breeze and I know that it could be much worse but I think what made these things bring me down more than normal was that I was already upset about how my L&D went. I had a really rough time in the hospital with my two day induction and then subsequent c/s. Add to it that I had a really hard time finding help in my area. That made me feel even more discouraged.

But, I have finally found a LC, so I think we're slowly on the mend. LLL has helped too (they got me through the engorgement). Today was the first day I didn't cry when he nursed on my "bad" breast, YAY! The gentian violet seems to be helping (fingers crossed!). My husband keeps me going as well and is really supportive of whatever I decide. I'm sure I would of quit two weeks ago if it wasn't for him.

Like I said, we're still hanging in there. I'd hate to give up right before it gets good! :)

Amanda & Jacob (born 3/11/04)

[suribear]

I had a very similar induction/ c/c experience the first time. We had a lot of BF problems initially, but after the first couple of weeks things DID improve and we went on to nurse for two years. I'm going for two years with #2, also.

Yes, hang in there! It does get easier. I used labor pain relief techniques to deal with the initial nipple pain. That subsided in about a week or so - it's worth it!

Funny story... I was really impressed with myself after the c/s with #2, thinking that my BF technique was really good as there was no pain. Then I went off the narcotics :) Oh well.

Kris

[msarna]

When I found out I was pregnant, I wanted to nurse for at least 3 months (until I returned to work). Well my baby girl is five months, and we are still breastfeeding. My goal now is one year.I pump 2xs a day at work, then take the milk to my caregiver the next day. It is a little hassle with big payoff! The right pump makes all the difference too. Formula is used in case of emergency, but now that she is starting solids I think we'll be fine.

In my opinion, I am much closer to my daughter because of breastfeeding. Because I am a working mother, I don't get to spend much time with her during the week, so the most time I get with her is during our bedtime routine. I couldn't imagine not breastfeeding her. I get pressure everyday about "are you STILL breastfeeding?" I actually considered weaning her, then I reminded myself that I decide what is right for my child and I not society.

I have not had one single problem with breastfeeding once we really got started. It was rocky at the hospital, I had an emergency c/s and she was very jaundice and was not getting enough milk. Once we got home I tried breastfeeding again and she caught on immediately and even got to the point where she would no longer take bottles!

My advice, HANG IN THERE!!! The benefits are so worth it!

[hez]

Hi!

Spent the weekend away from the computer, so just saw your post. Wanted to add my congratulations on your baby & congratulations on making it this far BF'ing. If a friend of mine hadn't told me there was a 'magic' window at 6-8 weeks, I would have thought it was just me (though I did have a couple things I had to figure out along the way, too)... Things got really good for us at 7 weeks, so keep hanging in there! We also delivered via c/s after induction, and I feel your pain.

We did baby step goals-- first it was to the 6-8 week mark, then 3-4 months, and then once I got back to work (pumping) it was a minimum of 6 months. Now I'm seriously eyeing that one year mark. It definitely helps to have a very supportive DH, friends/co-workers who've BF (and pumped), and a lot of personal stubbornness :) If I had to single out any one thing that helped, it was my DH: he was willing to get up every couple hours to help us latch on at the beginning, and his support in general made a huge difference.

Wishing you the best as you get through the 'start-up curve'!

[jerseygirl07067]

I am so glad to hear that you are hanging in there! My initial goal was six months but I never thought I would could make it past one initially. DD took such a loooong time to nurse. She was a very lazy and sleepy nurser and the whole session would take like an hour and half!! I had some barriers along the way (DD not latching on due to a flattened nipple, an inverted nipple, plugged ducts, and an excess lipase issue causing me dump my freezer stash and start over again) and remember hating anything touching my nipples in the beginning.

Things got way easier at about six weeks or so. DD became much more efficient! However, I do remember getting more nipple pain at about 6-8 weeks and wasn't sure why. Turns out it was DD's suck just getting stronger and I just had to adjust to it.

Now DD is almost four months old and I feel like a pro! She nurses in 10 minutes and only 5-6 times a day at the most. Luckily I have returned to work full time but work from home which makes things easier. I also pump in addition, to build a freezer stash and I think it really has kept my supply up! I will likely extend my initial goal of six months up to possibly a year! (The only thing is that I would like to start trying to conceive again so I will see how that goes..)

I also think for me, what helped me to hang in there was not only knowing all of the great benefits of BFing to DD and me, but the fact that my own mom was not super supportive of my efforts to BF. She keeps pushing for the darn rice cereal and giving DD more bottles, only making me more determined to go longer! (But I think deep down she is secretly wishing she would have tried harder to BF instead of giving up after only a FEW HOURS- LOL!)

Good luck on reaching your goal!
Marcy

[mharling]

My deep-down goal was to nurse for at least a year. Early on, the goal in my head every week was to nurse 'one more week'. When we made it to 2 months, my goal every month was to nurse 'one more month'. Breaking it up that way made it seem much less daunting and yes, it did get easier every month.

Good luck; you are smart to take it day by day!!

Mary
Lane 4/6/03

[msarna]

My mother is not very suportive of my breastfeeding either. There are so many things that have changed since we were kids and it is hard to make my mother understand and respect the ways I want to raise my daughter.

[barbarhow]

My initial goal was 6 months. We had a pretty miserable time for the first 4-6 weeks due to thrush, mastitis, latch difficulties, etc. I had to shorten my goals and really took it day by day. I told myself that if I had to give up I would. I returned to work after 12 weeks-pumping 3 times a day. Slowly I have cut back on the pumping and decided this morning I would stop pumping at work. It has now been 12 1/2 months and we are still going. I never dreamed I would still be nursing. I love it. That being said-I think I am ready to start thinking about weaning. I am right there with Liza-it makes me so sad to think about it. We, also want to try and get pregnant in the next few months. I know that it is possible to still bf and get pregnant but am pretty certain that I don't have the energy to bf, work and be pregnant.
Hang in there. It definately gets better. Use the support of the mommies on the boards. They are without a doubt the single most influential factor in my ability to continue bfing.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[nitaghei]

Amanda,

Haven't read the other posts, so sorry if I'm repeating. Taking it one day at a time is the best way. And hopfully, you've been checked for thrush and latch problems. How old is your baby? Things do get better around the 6-8 week mark, and after 3 months it's Easy Street!! :) So hang in there - it gets better all the time!

My inital goal was 6 months. We had major problems in the beginning - DS was in NICU with ABO incompatibility jaundice, aggravated by a vacuum extraction. He had nipple confusion, and wouldn't nurse. When I was exclusively pumping, my goal went to 3 months. Though, more realistically, it was just getting through each day. When he started nursing (at 8 weeks!)- went back to 6 months. Well - it's 15 months, and we're still BF'g. I work full time outside the home, so I also pumped for 14 months. I'm sort of hoping he'll self-wean in the next 4-6 months, but there's no urgency.

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[mamicka]

Planned on at least a year. TRYING to start to wean now, at 9.5 months. In general bf has been easy for me, but the extra boob-weight has me wanting to quit ASAP.

BF itself is such an awesome experience & I would do it for as long as you possibly can.

Allison

[ohiomom]

Aiming for a year and now close to 8-1/2 months. Getting tired of pumping, but the women here have been fantastic at encouraging everyone to stay the course if that's what you want.

After the pain went away and 2 LC visits for tips/support, BFing really has been a joy for this working mom. It's one thing that only I can provide and the closeness is amazing.

Good luck!

[gisele]

My goal is 1 year. I am at 11.5 months :-)

It's not been easy, since I work full-time. But I think it is worth it. I'm not sure what I'm going to do after the 1 year mark. I think after that we'll see how it goes. I don't mind continuing to nurse, but I do need to reduce the time at the pump, since I need some more freedom from it for work.

[sntm]

my original goal was a year, modified to 6 weeks after we had a lot of BFing problems (flat nipples->poor latch->mastitis and cracking->pain) but everyone is right, with assistance in correcting the problems there does seem to be a magic window.

my goal keeps getting longer. by 6 months i was sure i wanted to BF until 18 months. now, i want to BF for 2 years (and will consider continuing after that, although my work schedule will change dramatically and i may not be able to keep it up.)

good luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[jamsmu]

I hated bfing in the beginning. I was terrified of it... more scared of that than labor, because I'd heard so many horror stories. I told people that I'd like to do it for 6 months, but we'd see. Most of my friends stopped around 4-6 weeks, and my mom was the same. No one expected me to make it.

I think that was my biggest encouragement. I kept saying to myself, I just have to make it longer than ____. But during the first month, with the usual pain and problems, I called the doctor several times and prayed they'd tell me to stop. DS' ped was great. She told me that if I wanted to stop that was fine (even she only bfed for 8 weeks.)

Around 4-6 weeks, DS developed reflux. DH and Mom were certain it was an allergy to Breastmilk, and I wasn't too sure. But I hung in, basically, because, again, I had to do it longer than _____.

Well, here we are at 7 1/2 months, past any of my friends I was "competing" against in my mind. Still doing it, and now I love it. 4 months and 6 months came and went. I even did 2 months cutting dairy from MY diet (no cheese, yikes!). But by then I had learned that I really enjoyed it.

Around 4 months, I weaned down to 3, then 2 times a day. So all meals DS gets formula, and during "snacktime" its bf. This is a great alternative because it allows you some freedom and you're still bonding and enjoying your time with your baby.

Don't have a goal anymore. I guess I'll just keep going until DS wants to stop.

Hang in there... it does get better!

[jubilee]

I can relate to being discouraged about breastfeeding! Before DS was born I wanted to nurse for 6 months. Once he was 7 days old, I just started praying I could get through another day. We have always had to use a nipple shield, and that really upset me for a while. Now I could care less- I mean, whatever works right? We are still nursing at 1 year old, and I play around with weaning now. When I was having a rough time of nursing, I would always think about how much more difficult bottle feeding is. I bottlefed with my first son, so I remember all the prep-time, cleaning bottles, etc. Hang in there, and remember a good lactation consultant can help you out!!

[littleme2]

Hi, I planned to BF for 6 months and now DD is 8 months old today (how time flies!) and we are still BF'ing. I work 80 hours a week and every day after the 6 month mark, I tell myself that I am going to stop. But, I can't. I don't have a good reason to stop and DD really enjoys it and it's our time together. Plus, I HATE dealing with bottles and if I could avoid it, I will.

I also got my period when DD was 4 months old and just had my 5 th cycle. It's really draining to BF during that time plus your supply drops A LOT. So, now I'm on Reglan which causes milk supply to increase.

Hope this helps.
Meetu

[votre_ami03]

One day at a time! :)

My goal was 1 year. I am at 8 mos & 3 weeks. ;) I don't know if/how I will wean at 12 mos. When I returned to wok pumping w/my Isis I thought there is no way I am going to continue to do this for 9 mos! Once I switched to my electric double life got so much easier. Fortunately, we haven't really had any issues, I know I have been very lucky.

Christy, mommy to Nolan 7/22/03

[smallestangel]

Thanks for sharing your stories everyone. It does help! I am the only person in my circle of friends and family who has ever bf'd. So I don't have any personal points of reference. And frankly, I don't get much support for it (aside from my husband). I also appreciate the votes of confidence very much.

Amanda and Jacob :)

[spu]

Hi Amanda,

I'm sure there's lots of great advice in the 3 pages of responses, but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents as well.

I had a c with my twins and we're still breastfeeding at almost 21 months! In terms of weaning, we're going to let nature decide.

I know how painful it can be, and there really is a learning curve for both mom and baby even though they describe it as the most natural thing out there. It sounds like you're doing a great job taking it a day at a time and each week will bring you closer to 'the joy of nursing' as some call it... I promise!

In terms of humps along the way, rest assured, they become smaller and smaller, and eventually nursing becomes almost addictive! Not to mention so very easy...

As for those early months, that was a different story, and I can totally understand how you're feeling. We took it one day at a time, and I was determined to make it, despite the constant plugs, the nipple pain, and lots of other issues. Get all the support you can through friends, boards, LLL, and lactation consultants at the hospital (usually free). I was constantly reminding myself that breastmilk is the most perfect food for my babies and that alone made me even more determined to get over those humps. I couldn't even fathom giving them something powdered and mixed with water. What on earth was it? certainly not something nature made... (ok, maybe a bit harsh, but it helped get me through...)

In addition to the nutritional benefits, nursing an older baby also provides great nutrition when they become fussy eaters or easy distracters and don't want to sit to eat. They'll always want to sit with mama!

And as for going out, you can stay out as long as you want without having to bring a supply of food or bottles. That was huge for me too, esp. with twins.

And when you're out, and they get fussy (like in church or someplace quiet) nursing them quiets them right up and makes them feel right at home when they're done.

My original goals were:
-- get to 6 months and then see.
so I got to 6 months, and it was smooth sailing!

-- next - get to 1 year and then see.
when I got to 1 year, I had no intentions of stopping.

-- next goal?
hmm... it's going so well for us, that mother nature will decide when to wean.


susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte + else

http://sunger2.home.comcast.net/bash/nonflash/year.html

[gour0]

Lol! Before I had Ben, I thought I would bf for 6mos. I always used to think that you should bf until they got teeth. :) Now, he's 13mos and we're still going pretty strong. I'm not really sure what has sustained me, except that I feel really strongly that it is the best thing for him. That, and thinking that he will wean himself when he's ready, I guess. I can't imagine being the one who stops.

[missmelis01]

Amanda-
Congratulations on making the effort and hanging in there.

If you're experiencing pain throughout the entire nursing session, then I would agree with some of the other posts that there is a latch problem or thrush. However, if you are experiencing pain just for the first minute or so of each nursing session, that is called latch-on pain and you should eventually be pain-free (it took me 3 weeks).

But to answer your questions, my nursing goal was 12 months, and I am currently at 6 months. Some of the things that got me through the humps when I felt like weaning (and there were plenty of those times!) were my family, especially my husband, and a weekly BF support group hosted at the hospital where I delivered. I also did a ton of reading on the internet and forums like this one.

Nobody can reach their goals without going day by day, so you are off to a great start. Hang in there!

[calebsmama03]

Planned on 6-12 mos and am at 19 mos and counting :)
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]
Oh my!! #2 5/05

[psophia17]

My original goal was 1 year, but when we had a ridiculously hot summer, I decided that I would aim for 6 mos, just because it was so uncomfortable to have hot little DS's body pressed against my own. But then it cooled down a little and we're now still going strong, so I'm back to my 1 year goal.

Some things that gave me extra insentive to continue were: MIL and Great Aunt insisting that formula was better; the fact that my Mom was forced to stop BFing all three of her kids when we were infants due to dr. misinformation; the fact that I grew up on a farm and if cows can do it so can I; that when DS hit about 6 months all of a sudden he was crazy-fast and going 4-6 hours between sessions (unless it was really hot that day).

If it wasn't so easy to BF now, I would consider stopping, but since I know that DS benefits from every day that he still nurses, I don't see any reason to. As it is, he's very independent and sometimes just isn't interested, and that makes me sad and frustrated, but so long as he's happy and healthy I'm okay with it. I still plan to BF at least 2x a day until he's 1yr, though.

Petra

DS - Nathan, 12/29/03

[Chelsey333]

With my first son, I only wanted to nurse for 4 mos. and barely made it to that date. With my 2nd son, I want to nurse for 6 mos. and I am at the 5 mos. mark. However, I am enjoying it so much this time around that I will probably go further, maybe to about 10 mos. I definitely don't want to go past that. I have had a clogged duct or a bleb numerous times and it is painful. Usually I want to stop when that happens. What keeps me going this time, is how soothing it is for my son. My first son hated the bottle and I regretted stopping nursing so soon. With my 2nd son, it is so easy to relieve him when he is upset to just nurse him. I can't believe how convenient that is. Hang in there. It is very difficult in the beginning, it gets easier after 3 or 4 mos. The hardest part for me is the engorgement of milk, but it gets better if you don't pump too much (I was overpumping with first child). With my first child, I was pumping so much, that I had enough milk for 2 kids - which caused me a lot of misery.

[msarna]

Well, as I stated in my earlier post, my goal was 12 months. At 10 and 1/2 months she started biting. I couldn't take it. After my DD made me bleed twice, I decided to wean.

I am thankful we did it for as long as we did, and I do miss it. I try hard to remain close with her in other ways.

Good luck to everyone!

[shamrock]

My 1st goal was 3 months. We made that and I set my next goal at 6 months. We're almost there (DS is 5 months.) I'll be the first to admit that I've been really lucky as far as breastfeeding goes. I still take it day by day though. It seems easier that way when I get down or sore. I'm thinking we'll shoot for a year though. I'd love to nurse until he's really ready to stop though.

[HallsofVA]

Just an update to say "9 months, and still breastfeeding!!!"

[TahliasMom]

I would like to add my story too. When I was pregnant I was very excited about BFing and was aiming for 9 months to 1 year. The day my DD was born I experienced my first BFing problems. It was Sunday and there wasn't a lactation consultant available so one of the nurses from the nursery was showed me how to BF. By Monday my nipples were sore, cracked and bleeding because my DD didn't latch on properly. I was utterly wiped out from a from a very difficult and complicated labor and not sleeping for 2 nights. By the time a lactation consultant came around I was in so much pain that I had lost all interest in BFing. Plus my milk didn't come in until day 4, my colostrum dried up (stress) and we had to use formula. But through the support of my DH, my lactation consultant, soothies gel pads and tons of purelan I somehow made it through the first two weeks. I received my first encouragement when I took my DD for her two week check up and she gained a pound! I felt so proud and it made all the pain worthwhile. So I taked myself into feeding until 6 weeks, then 12 weeks and now I'm at 5 months and haven't given it a thought! All I can say is that I'm so so glad that I didn't give up! And everytime I take my DD for her wellness checkup, her weight is an affirmation that I'm doing the right thing! Plus my DD is only feeding 5-6 times (10 minutes total on both breasts) instead of 10-12 times! My advice is to take one day a time, set realistic goals, and know that the pain is only temporary. The benefits your little one is getting outweights everything!!! And please remember if you can't or choose to wean early it doesn't make you a bad mother!!!
good luck and have a blessed day
Katherine

[mtnmom9]

I planned on BF'ing for 6 months but had to stop at 6 weeks, due to low milk supply (had a really good team of lactation consultants who worked with me...which helped me emotionally)and my health. It was heartwrenching to stop. Had a good c-section, but as soon as was stitched up, everything went wrong and had to be in the hospital for 6 nights afterward. So, physically my body was so bombarded (also a high risk & rough pregnancy)that I wasn't able to heal and get my milk supply up so I had to choose. Had a BF'ing zealot jerk give me a hard time about stopping, but I was going "downhill fast" so my decision to stop helped me actually to be an even better mother to my baby, the mother that I've always dreamed of being. Hope that you're getting the support that you need:)

[smallestangel]

Wow! How times have changed. :)

Thanks to everyone who responded and continues to respond to this thread. Reading my post now, it seems like light-years have passed.

Jacob & I were able to overcome the difficulties we had in the beginning. We've been nursing seven months now and things are chugging along nicely with no end in sight.

It DOES get better. We just mastered the art of nursing lying down (I've been trying for awhile but could never quite get in the right position) so things are even easier now!


Amanda & Jacob :)

[HoneymoonBaby]

I wanted to BF 6 months minimum, 12 months maximum. I made it to 4 months. :(

[jbowman]

It's funny to read this post that I wrote many months ago! I am proud to say that I am still BF and closing in on my 12-month goal! I am so excited! I am more proud of BFing Ellie than I am my dissertation (which is saying a lot, LOL!).

[barbarhow]

Isn't it amazing how you can get into a groove with it. I miss it. This morning DS woke up entirely miserable and ended up throwing up a couple of times. I so wish I could have comforted him by nursing him. What a great thing that was. We made it 15 1/2 months. Pretty wonderful. Would love to go longer next time.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
expecting #2, a Yankee fan, around 5/9/05!

[nan]

No frowning faces! You brought a life into the world ... that is miraculous enough. Your responsibilty as a parent is to care for and love that child to pieces, and you do that however it works for you!!!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Just answering the OP...

I planned 1 year because that was the minimum AAP recommendation. We went to 19 months when ds self weaned.

I had a very hard time the first 6 weeks and took it one feeding at a time. I am very glad that I stuck through it because it got so, so much easier!

Beth

[kimbe]

Hang in there Amanda! You are doing awesome!

[kimbe]

awesome website!

[mudder17]

Well, the first goal was 1 year exclusively BF'd, then after doing some reading it was at least 6 months exclusively BF'd with solids starting some time after 6 months (if she showed all the signs of readiness). We hit the 6 month goal and started her on solids at around 6.5 months. So then my goal was 1 year with practice with solids and letting her wean on her own. We had a tricky moment when my supply dipped at around 8 months and I thought she was going to wean before a year, but I got myself a hospital pump and was able to get my supply back up and we made it to a year! Since then, my goal has been for her to self-wean, whenever that is. I'm hoping she'll continue nursing for 2 years, and then just wean on her own, but in any case, my goal is for her to wean on her own with no urging from me. We'll see how that goes when we hit the 2 year mark. I figure I'll just play it by ear. In some ways I've surpassed my original goals, but I've just adjusted my goals all along the way, and so in a way, I'm still working towards meeting my goals. :)

As for getting over the hump, these boards were invaluable, and the LC at my hospital was invaluable, and having those times when BF'ing was extremly handy (like when we were out and about and DD suddenly became starving, lol, and I didn't have any snacks with me) have also been very encouraging.

Whoops! Just noticed this is a very old thread! Amanda, how did you end up doing?

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif , 18 months & counting


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png

[smallestangel]

Wow! I can't believe this thread is still going. :)

Jacob is 18 months and we're still nursing. He just started sleeping thru the night about a month ago, so no more night nursing. We nurse once in the morning, once before and after naptime (which is still hit or miss), and once before bedtime. Sometimes more when he's having a rough day.

We've come a long way since I first posted. Nursing a toddler now has it's own challenges for sure, but we are plugging away with no end in sight.

Thanks everyone! :)


Amanda

[hellosmiletoday]

The first week was so painful, I didn't know how long I would be able to withstand the pain. But, the pain subsided and I exclusively bf for about 11 months. After 6 mo AF came, and I struggled with low milk supply for about half of any given month. I also have a small cup size which may have affected the supply. After about 11 mo I started supplementing. When she was 14 months I left her with grandparents for 2 days while we waited for movers in another city. DH and I spent an all nighter packing, and although I was a bit engorged, by the time I did pump, I did not get much milk. When I came back, DD seemed to have self weaned anyway. All the milk was gone by 15 months. I never set any definite goals, I just knew that the longer I BF DD the better.

DD currently drinking about 60% formula 40% cow's milk.

Mommy to baby girl 5.8.04

[kep]

Hang in there! My goal was a year, and then when I met that, I made a new goal of 2 years. My son is now two years and four months, and we're still going strong. It has become a really important time for him, and me. Honestly, at the beginning, I didn't think I would make it past six weeks. It was really painful for me, too, and we also had some complications with and after birth. It really, really gets so much easier as time goes by. And time goes by SO fast. :( Just continue to take it day by day, and stay committed. You can do it! It will change fairly quickly from something you are doing solely for the benefit of your child, to something you enjoy doing and look forward to!

Kelli
Mommy to my beautiful little boy, Luke (April 2003)


"Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you.
Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of life."
-Maureen Hawkins

[mudder17]

Woo hoo! You've come a long way, baby! I guess Jacob is not much younger than Kaya! ITA with you about nursing a toddler, but there are definitely rewards to it as well. Kaya is also nursing 3-6 times a day, depending on whether she's having a rough day.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif , 18 months & counting


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png

[Octobermommy]

My goal is to breastfeed for at least 13 months. My daughter is now 11 months old, she was exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then we began solids.

It has not been easy, her eating around the clock, plugged duct, supply issues more times than I want to think about but it is well worth it. Formula feeding was not an option that I was going to use so that made it easier even though I know it was tempting sometimes. My mom says how she admires me for doing it because it is harder than formula feeding but I know how much better it is for my daughter.

Breastfeeding is soooooo easy now. It is a lot easier than feeding solids or a bottle. (My husband gives her a bottle once a day).

Keep going at it and it WILL get better. Make sure you have a lot of support people.

Time will go faster than you know it!