Extended breastfeeding
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: Toddler Times
Forum Description: Is bubs growing up and getting into everything? How do you train them to use the potty? When do you start feeding solids? Share your tips and advice here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22371
Printed Date: 23 November 2024 at 10:45am
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Topic: Extended breastfeeding
Posted By: weegee
Subject: Extended breastfeeding
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 9:11am
Disclaimer before I start: there may be another thread about this somewhere but you just try searching for breastfeeding and sorting through all the results 
Inspired by the article on extended breastfeeding in the latest issue of the magazine (Yes! I finally got a copy! Thanks so much Tammy!), I've been giving this some thought lately. I mentioned the WHO guidelines to my DH (up to two years of age or beyond) and he was fairly... umm resistant is probably the best word. My son is only 4 months old and I am already being asked when I'm going to wean him. So far I've fobbed them off by saying he's not ready for solids yet and that I will just see how we both go with the breastfeeding. (Note this comes mostly from my MIL who had inverted nipples so didn't bf any of her 3, and my SIL who did bf but was never very natural or comfortable about it and who thinks I'm mental for using cloth nappies.) While sometimes I think I would quite like my boobs to myself again, sometimes I think if you are still capable of breastfeeding your toddler, and both enjoying it, then why spend the time and money to use follow-on formula? I had previously been in the "if he's old enough to ask for it he's too old" camp, but actually being a breastfeeding mum has changed my mind somewhat on this. Please note I don't intend this thread to be a discussion/b!tchfest on the merits or otherwise of extended breastfeeding  What I'd like to know is, if you have continued breastfeeding after around 12 months, have you encountered resistance from your partner, extended family, friends, or random strangers? And how have you dealt with that? Has your partner, in particular, come round?------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Replies:
Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 9:26am
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I didn't BF as long as some but I Bf'd until 15 months and didn't encounter any resistance. Then again apart from the fact that I enjoyed BFing, formula is bloody expensive and BM is better for baby I was also advised by a specialist that my best chance of preventing my baby from developing coeliacs disease (which I have) is to put off giving her gluten until after 12 months and to still be BFing when gluten was introduced. No one ever questioned my decision. Having said that when I went back to work fulltime at 5mo I had a very hard time expressing enough for Michaela's day feeds so she was partially formula fed until 12mo when she went onto cows milk. Stand your ground hun and ignore the comments. Your MIL and SIL probably mean well but it's not their boobs or their child so they really have no right to comment. You need to do what feels right for you and what you think is best for your baby. BFing is such a special time and it doesn't last forever. -------------  
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Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 10:10am
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It's still only early days for me in terms of extended BFing though I intend to keep going for quite some time if all continues to go well.
I haven't had any comments about it. I am actually quite well supported as my sister is currently BFing her second child (he's 15mo, she fed her first for 2+ years) and the 5 people on my PIN group are all continuing to BF at the moment - all the babies are 12 months+. My DH is very supportive - he recognises the health benefits and appreciates the financial benefits too! -------------   
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Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 10:11am
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I intended to BF Benjy as long as he wanted until around 2 years of age.
He absolutely loved booby and once we got past the 2 hourly feeding I was happy to continue as long as he wanted it. DH wasn't too bothered about it, I think he did miss my boobs being his territory a bit, but after forking out for formula when Ella stopped BF at 9 months he wasn't going to argue about getting the milk for free! I got the same questions and comments from family members and it got to me quite a bit, but I knew I was doing the right thing for Benjy and I. I just quoted the WHO recommendations at them and got DH to tell them to back off if it got too much for me. As it turned out though, Benjy self weaned at 13 months. He just loved his food and decided he preferred his milk from a cup like big sis. As Jo said, BF is so special, if you want to keep going don't let anyone else's opinion or comments sway you. You'll regret it if you stop for anyone else but you or JJ. All the best Weegee! ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: MonicaMouse
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 10:24am
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It's such a strange topic, that you from what I've heard from discussions, you either get given grief for FF early, or BF late - makes you feel like you can't win!
Anyway, I'm in the same boat as Monster, still early days with extended BF (Blair is 13 months on Friday). I had always said that I would BF if I could, and we would just see how things went. B still has 3 BF a day, somedays he takes less than other days, and somedays wants water straight after. At the end of the day (IMO) it's your body, I'm lucky that DH is supportive, and not one family member has asked me when I plan to stop BFing. In fact it was a factor with deciding if I was going to return to work, just because I didn't feel like I would be able to express enough, and besides, I'm too lazy to bother with formula  like the others I've found BFing to be a special time and one I know I cherish------------- 
Blair 15/10/2007 Daniel 30/07/2009 |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 11:21am
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I am still B/F Ella and I can't see us stopping anytime soon. When I was pregnant I never really thought about b/f I just assumd I could do it and luckily we haven't any problems. I first thought I would feed her until 6 months, and then closer to the time couldn't stand the idea of wearning her so I thought a year tops...then a year came around and I thought it works for her and it works for me, then why should I stop.I think the only reason I would have stopped at a year was because everyone assumed I would. I do get the occasion comment now about still feeding her. DH is quite supportive and is happy for me to continue feeding her (althought he does think past 2 it is a bit strange), my family don't really comment on it. I am the only one left in my postnatel group still b/f (but it has been that way since around 9 months, so I don't really notice it anymore) and a couple of my months have commented that I have turned into a 'earth mother' (just coz of the feeding and using cloth nappies), but it is more in fun than actually being mean about it. Most people are surprised that I am still feeding...but say 'good on you' or lucky Ella.
I love b/f Ella and I know that when the days to wearn her I will be quite sad, as it is our special time together and it is a bit of reminder that they are only young for such a good short time. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 1:18pm
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I'm still feeding Charlotte, however some days she has none at all, some days it's just a comfort suck and I'm sure she's getting nothing and others its a full on feed. She is down to one or two feeds a day (if she has a feed, some days she "forgets")
I had intended to feed until one, and then I said two,and now shes nearly two I'm thinking, when she's ready. I do feel a bit conflicted tho, as much as I love it, and its our special time, and something no one else can do for her, I do sometimes think i would like my body (and my sex drive) back, as I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for 4 years now... My husband hates it, and has been trying to get me to stop for AGES and AGES now, however he has given up commenting as he knows it goes in one ear and out the other, I guess he thinks of my breasts as his, lol, and the kids have had them for too long, lol. I tend not to feed her in public now if she asks (juice?) as i had a quite negative expereince at a playgroup from 2 young bottle feeding mums, I almost cried. They were feeding their children, the same as as Charlotte, both were standing in front of their mums drinking, when Charlotte climbed up on my knee and patted my chest, and cuddled in for a feed. She would have been about 15 months? I haven't been back, or fed her in public since. It was bloody awful. I think imagine the outcry if I had done and said the same to them for using bottles. I would like to see extended BF "normalised" in society, as lots and lots of mums feed beyond mum, but very few feed in public because of the same reason I mentioned, however, even breastfeeding a baby isn't really "normalised" as it should be. i love it, and its free, and its exactly what she needs at the time, and full of all the good things she needs and nothing she dosen't. i don't worry if she is sick etc as she feeds more and I feel good knowing my body is nourishing her when she can't do it herself. I  breastfeeding.------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 1:30pm
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Thanks so much for your feedback ladies, especially you Annie, I was starting to think my DH was the only one, or that anybody with a resistant DH didn't do it! I guess I will wait and see how we both go and not let anybody else dictate to us.
A bit OT but I've always been rather bloody minded and scornful of some societal norms, so I think I might be able to do it in public because I'd be comfortable standing up for ourselves if questioned. For example - I have never shaved my legs! ETA - yes I am a crazy tree hugging hippie but I'm lucky to have blonde hairs so it's not as big a deal as you might think  -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 1:34pm
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I hardly ever bother with mine, either, lol! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 2:06pm
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Aww good on you Weegee.
I really wanted to continue to bf Jack for as long as he would have me but a mixture of things caused us to stop around 13 months. My partner kept on me to stop as he was getting sh*t from his friends and I was getting it from their gfs. None of them bf past 6 weeks so it wasn't something they were comfortable with. In the end The pain from pregnancy and Jacks biting helped the process come to an end. I'm still breastfeeding Caprece now and I'm a lot more confident about my decisions so I was kinda waiting for the reaction so I could say my part but noone cares. They all think I'm a bit of a loonie anyway and my partner is a lot more comfortable with it now so we are happy to continue. Caprece is a bit like Charlotte sometimes she only has one little suck and other days she seems to spend the whole day drinking and she has weaned herself off one boob. I don't really bf in public but thats because she doesn't ask for it and we don't sit down at the mall anyway. My only issue I have is that the longer I bf the smaller my boobs have gotten so I have to be careful with what I wear or they get lost in my clothes lol. I would love it to be more accepted to bf past one, and hopefully past two. Everyone doesn't need to do but it would be nice if people accepted it as a 'normal' thing to do. |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 2:36pm
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You are so right, Rach, about wishing it could be more accepted as normal.
Interesting you say about Caprece weaning off one boob, Charlotte has done the exact same, did it months ago, lol. Looks very weird! They were lopsided anyway but now its just ridiculous! This would be a good support thread, I think... *wonders if Emma would sticky...* ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 3:03pm
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Benjy did exactly the same too!
I was lopsided for about 5 months after he stopped feeding off my left boob, before he weaned himself altogether. ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and:
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Posted By: chonni
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 5:23pm
milas still bf and shes almost 15months its amazing how fast people go from keep bf its good for the baby t you can stop now shes to big, that can get a mum really confused but im not ready to stop i love it and anyone who doesint like it doesint have to look haha  ------------- 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 5:33pm
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just being nosey here fats but what did they say that was so rude?
my mother was the one alwasys asking when i was going to stop breastfeeding and my answer was always the same... "when he is ready". i fed gabriel till he was 14mths and toby till 26mths. and funnily i was in the if hes old enough to ask for it he can go without camp too.. till one day he asked for it at a friends place...i think he did it to shock her cause she couldnt get why i did it so long either... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 7:42pm
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I also thought it was really good that the last OHbaby mag had an article about extended b/f. It is something that is not really talked about that much, and when I was pregnant it never ever occured to me that nearly 1 1/2 years later I would still be b/feeding Ella. I love it when I ask Ella is she wants some milk and she gets all excited and starts gathering together all of her soft toys so they can sit on her lap while having her feed ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 9:59pm
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Aww that is so cute!!! -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 10:40pm
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Biz, they both looked at each other and mouthed oh my god, then asked me (in "that" tone) How old is she? I replied that she was about the same age as their two, and how old were they when they stopped BF (knowing they probably hadn't) and the youngest looking one (who was busy texting her boyfriend) said ewww, no, i so didn't breastfeed, its gross. And theyother one screwed up her face and turned away. and by young mums, I mean barely/early 20's, not teen mums, just so no one gets the wrong idea of my post! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 November 2008 at 10:42pm
lol, Charlotte does they same, gets her dolls and she claps her hands and sings with delight! Juice! juice! then she will often pull off and give me a milky grin, pat my boob and go Juuuiiiccceee!! SO cute! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Mum2Ella wrote:Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 12 November 2008 at 10:01am
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a good link about a celeb who actually bothered to bf, and is an extended Bf'er. great example!!!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4757648a1860.html ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 12 November 2008 at 10:50am
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I have breastfed McKayla until 2 years 8 months. She stopped by herself. Yes, yes I know I must change my ticker still. Will see if I can do that today.
Grant and me were both keen to do breatsfeeding. We didnt even buy formula to have as "safekeeping". However right after I had McKayla she latched on by herself and then a lactation consultant came in and wanted to show me all kinds of different positions. I kept on telling her I will call if I need help and I was just really tired. To the point that that night I almost gave in and said this child is going to be a formula baby. I had a MIL that started giving solids at 2 weeks and strongly beleived in formula. And to be quite honest it was hard at times. Dont discuss too much right now just continue for as long as you and your baby feels comfortable. And if hubby isnt talk to him about it and see what he has against it. It might be that he isnt use to anything else so feels uncomfortable about it. My biggest thing that I use to say if someone tried to cause a fight was: You do agree babies and toddlers need milk? Now why do you think it is better to give them scientific formulated fake milk or milk that was made for a baby calf over the milk that is made by a human for a human offspring? Just give them a thought and they generally dont have a come back for it. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 12 November 2008 at 1:34pm
Lol Caprece calls it juice too, I love how their eyes roll back and they relax so much in your arms
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 12 November 2008 at 9:25pm
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Caleb is still BF but only morning and night. He gets too distracted when we are out to BF and is happy to drink water out of his sippy bottle anyway.
DP used to ask all the time when I was going to stop but I think he's given up now. He can see how much Caleb loves cuddling up to me first thing in the morning for a feed to want to take it away from him perhaps. I've never had any negative comments about extended breastfeeding but then most of my friends and family have kids that have all been breastfeed so I don't expect any negative comments. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: sparkle
Date Posted: 12 November 2008 at 9:57pm
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I still fed Coop at night, I love it, it's our time together and I'm pretty sure we're both not ready to give it up!
I'm the last in my coffee group to still BF, but they are all really supportive. Ladies at work ask all the time how long I'm going to feed for and they all get my standard response "till he's 5" just to shut them up! DH's grandma was over for tea tonight and didn't believe me when i said I was going to feed Coop. She didn't think I could still make milk after so long! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 12 November 2008 at 10:13pm
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Lol, I say I'm going to go to school and push my titties through the fence, that gets a laugh or 3 (and a few really???? looks, lol) I'm aiming for hopefully no longer than 2.5... ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: EmDee
Date Posted: 14 November 2008 at 10:09pm
ROLF - I love it! I bf Ollie til he was 16mths (he was ff during the day as I was working full-time and couldn't keep up with expressing). I wanted to keep going, but was about 5mths pregnant and it was hurting too much. I cried the day that he asked for it and I told him no  .
I plan to bf Lily for as long as she'll take it up to around the 2.5yr mark. This time around when I returned to work I was better prepared to keep expressing and so far I'm proud to say we haven't had to use formula yet. I'm lucky in that I have a supportive DH (though I'm sure he'd love to have my boobs to himself). Also I haven't had any comments about still breastfeeding - or maybe I just haven't noticed ... ------------- DS 8 DD 6 DS 4 DD 2 |
Posted By: Daizy
Date Posted: 14 November 2008 at 11:43pm
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Wow, you are doing an amazing job keeping up with the bfing!
I love bfing, I really do. Keira was fed up untill 18 months and probably plan to do it about the same with Maddi. Its going to be a sad day when I have to stop. With Keira I had never even thought of giving her formula so she was only ever breastfed untill 1 and then we slowly introduced cows milk. By that stage I decided it was easier to just feed at home as she would never sit still enough for me to keep discrete. By about 18 months we were down to just one 'comfort' feed at 4am and it was getting tiring not being able to have a full night sleep. One morning I just decided not to feed her and she went back to sleep and never woke for it again. If I even mention the fact she used to feed from me now she gets all grossed out and embarrassed. It was great for loosing all that extra pregnancy weight too, just a shame I ended up loosing my boobs as well ------------- 
 
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Posted By: pomikiwi
Date Posted: 18 November 2008 at 4:08pm
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I'm hoping to BF longer than a year this time. Unfortunately I fell and broke my ankle very badly when DD was 11 months old and required surgery, I still managed to do 1 year and 2 weeks but my milk supply dropped off very quickly and DD couldn't be bothered with it any more adn I wasn't ready for her to stop.
Oh and I put DD straight onto cows milk once she stopped BF, if your child is eating well then there's no need really to fork out for follow on formula. Saying that normal milk is bloody expensive these days. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
DD-Carys Amelia 17.03.06 |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 19 November 2008 at 8:09pm
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*bump*
Charlotte likes to get up on my knee at the moment and "assume the position" lol. I'm thinking about weaning, have been for a bit, on and off. Part of me would finish tomorrow if she would have a bar of it, but (the bigger) part of me wants to do it forever, then she is still my baby.... ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 19 November 2008 at 9:17pm
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I so know how you feel Annie, for me the actual feeling is still slightly uncomfortable and I have never really loved that time but her love and the benefits for her have always outweighed it. Sometimes I think it would be lovely to wean tomorrow but then theres part of me who can imagine feeding her for another year or so
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Posted By: DJ
Date Posted: 22 November 2008 at 8:23pm
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good thread girls!
I'm still feeding Anyssa, and for the last couple of weeks we've been down to just morning and night. She hasn't missed her lunchtime feed at all. I'm not sure when I'll cut another feed down, but at the moment I'm happy to carry on like this I'm wearing normal bras and can wear anything I like without having to worry about boob access - that is great. I'm also still losing weight without dieting or doing much exercise, so I think the bf is helping. On the advice of MonicaMouse I've decided to continue to "go with the flow" about how long to feed. She still loves it first thing in the morn, but is sometimes more interested in her books before bed, so I'll take her lead. Very cute about the bubbas that get their toys to snuggle in for a feed! DP would probably prefer if we stopped bf soon. He thinks it is a bit "sick" when we're all in our bed in the morning and she lifts up my PJs and latches herself on. ETA- Its good to have this support here - most of my coffee group seems to be weaning just because everyone else is, and it seems to be the norm. I've just read "what to expect, the toddler years (the 12mth section) and it strongly advocates stopping bf at 12 mths, but the reasons it gives are very unconvincing! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 22 November 2008 at 11:38pm
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Why in the hell would a "book" advocate stopping??? Not when who reccomends for at least 2 years!!! Dumb!!!
What reasons did it give? Would love to laugh at them, lol. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: DJ
Date Posted: 24 November 2008 at 9:07am
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OK here goes. Heavily paraphrased coz it's long:
From pages 31-32, What to expect, the toddler years: 1If you don't initiate weaning, your child will be rushing home from school for a snack at the boobie 2.Most paediatricians recommend weaning at a year because: a) the child has already gotten optimum benefit from bf, and will be easier to wean at one than 2 b) milk cannot meet nutritional needs alone c) milk pooling in the mouth can cause tooth decay d) reduces appetite for solids e)mothers spend so much time bfing that they forget to play games with child etc f) feeding lying down causes ear infections g)toddler and mother become overdependant on each other (and cut Dad out of the picture) h) baby won't learn to self-comfort (from hurt etc) if they are used to getting boobie i) effect on spousal relationship - it says that bf may satisfy your emotional and physical need for closeness and deminish your interest in sex I've run out of time for a response to all that, but "whatever" pretty much sums it up.... ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 24 November 2008 at 3:26pm
 That actually really annoys me what stupid reasons.
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Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 24 November 2008 at 3:42pm
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That is appalling! -------------
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Posted By: Deez
Date Posted: 24 November 2008 at 4:30pm
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Oh Im still feeding....Lycan is nearly 2.5 years..i think i'll just keep going till he doesn't want it anymore...hopefully that will be by the time he is 3 years old.....although i must say having him still on the boobie at the moment is a god send. Peyton is only 3 weeks old and when they are full and she's a sleep i get Lycan to relief the pressure....IYKWIM.
My partner encourages me to BF as long as possible. He's a strong believer in if you can do then do it as long as you can or till your child weens itself off..... -------------  
Lycan and Peyton = Moon and back!! |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 24 November 2008 at 7:51pm
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OMG I can't believe someone would write those stupid reasons. At first I thought they were just funny, but now I am actually really annoyed, coz some people are going to read the book and actually believe what the author is saying. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: DJ
Date Posted: 24 November 2008 at 8:43pm
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Cluck cluck cluck little Peyton is a cutey! What a great name ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 2:01pm
What a load of cockamamie! Is it an american book??? ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 2:07pm
| OMG I cant believe that is in a publisehed book. I have read lots of things in parenting books that I dont really agree with for myself and my child but OMG that is INSANE. |
Posted By: DJ
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 4:25pm
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Yeah, it is an American book (this is the Australian addition). It is 1994, so the latest version might be different. The book is part of the "What to expect when you're expecting" series. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 9:05pm
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My fave is that mothers forget to play games cos they are too busy feeding!!! ROFLMAO!!!!!!!! had to be a MAN that wrote that rubbish!!!! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 03 December 2008 at 3:35pm
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it probably was ! so there you go ! like most things men say its not worth taking any notice of
Milk pooling in babies mouth will cause tooth decay , um , no it wont, are bf babies unable to dribble the milk they dont need out ? and I dont know much about teeth , you know, just worked as a dental assistant for 5 and a bit years, but from what ive heard , milk is pretty good for teeth ! haha I bf C til she was 13 months, I was ready for my body back by then , but more of a reason was she self weaned. This bubba i'll bf as long as i can , its funny , I hated bf at first (the pain) but man I loved it once I got the hang of it, nothing better than when they look up at you with their big milk drunk grins
as for those cows you mentioned on the first page Annie, you should have stood up and squirted milk at them , haha! ------------- 
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Posted By: NovemberMum
Date Posted: 05 December 2008 at 9:47pm
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Im still in the early stages of extended breastfeeding.
I have no plans to wean Megan just yet she still has around 3-6 feeds a day. I am the only one in my coffee group still BF'ng half of them stopped before 6 months and the other 2 one stoppped around 10 months and one just stopped in the last week her son is 13 months. I too have a very supportive husband and has no problems with me letting Megan decide when she want to wean, unless of course she is still feeding when she is 8 (i plan to have her weaned well before then if she doesnt self wean) and like others formula is too expensive and Im too lazy to make up bottles. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: EmDee
Date Posted: 05 December 2008 at 10:16pm
I felt that way too. I made a deal with myself, if I still couldn't deal with it at the end of 2 weeks, then I'd give up. And while it still hurt it was getting better. I'm really glad I stuck with it, its such an beautiful experience. And OMG at that book, what a load of rubbish! Definitely sounds like a male author! ------------- DS 8 DD 6 DS 4 DD 2 |
Posted By: BuzzyBee
Date Posted: 16 December 2008 at 3:05am
Almost 21 months old and still going here  God I LOVE LOVE LOVE breastfeeding, a bond that no one else can share with my son.
A few months back I was so close to weaning him, his sleeping is still all up in the air at night, and now that he knows how to climb out the cot ...at around 3am every morning I have a certain little someone climbing into my bed and lifting my top for some 'bitty'. |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 16 December 2008 at 11:40am
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22 months and still going here, too. Slowly weaning, tho... ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 16 December 2008 at 12:15pm
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lol that's so cute ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: DaniB
Date Posted: 21 March 2009 at 8:53pm
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I'm new here, but thought i would add my bit, my partner and i had sort of discussed extended bf'ding while we were pregnant, dp was breastfed until he was 2.5yrs old so for him it was completly natural, and i had no objections to it at all. Now 15 months in and still breastfeeding i don't know what we'd do if we weren't so much of our relationship and day to day parenting and bonding rely's upon it. Support is the key, we have encounted so much resistance along the way including from our gp. But i think if you do decide to do it you won't regret it when baby/toddler does decide toself wean. <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b2.lilypie.com/wXavp13.png" alt="Lilypie 2nd Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a>
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Posted By: Alanabanana
Date Posted: 24 March 2009 at 12:55pm
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[Hi I'm new here I've just read this whole thread and found it facsinating. I always had in the back of my mind that I would breastfeed Taylor until he was 1 as that was what my mum had done. However at around 6 months he pretty much weaned himself off. He had been quite grizzly for a couple of weeks and I just put it down to teething. But I soon clicked that my milk alone was not enough for him anymore so we started feeding him on 3 meals of solids (followed by a bottle) a day right from the start. I breastfeed him during the night but then he started sleeping right through so there went the breastfeeding. I was a bit disappointed as I love the feeling and it intensifies the bond so much. But he didn't seem to miss it and he was much happier from then on so that made me feel better.
I have to say I really admire all you mums that carry on with breastfeeding for 1 year, 2 years or even more, and I find it quite surprising that some of you experience negative feedback about it. Breast milk is the best thing you can give your baby. It is tailor made for their little bodies so how can doing it for longer, be a bad thing. I think you should be celebrated for persisting with it and giving your baby the extra nutrients and antibodies that formula cannot. I say ignore people with negative views on it. You're doing a great thing, don't let anybody make you feel otherwise and doubt your descision. I say good on you and keep up the great work. I only wish I could have been so dedicated
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 03 April 2009 at 4:26pm
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So Rowan's still having a morning and evening feed and now I'm pregnant again I'm hoping to just drop one and then all going well tandem feed her when #2 comes along (assuming she doesn't self wean/ doesn't get too uncomfortable before then)
Anyone fed sucessfully through pregnancy and gone on to tandem feed? I'd love to hear suggestions about which feed is best to drop (as I honestly can't decide) and just general experiences. -------------  
 
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Posted By: angel4
Date Posted: 03 April 2009 at 5:35pm
| I would love to hear from those of you that have breastfed during pregnancy too. How did you find it. I would like to breastfeed henry until he self weans but am now wondering what happens if i get pregnant? can I breastfeed two babies? and do it while pregnant? I read somethng somewhere about feeding while pregnant taking nutrients away from the unborn baby. is this true - surely it cant be - our bodies are amazing things. Sorry all that didnt make much sense |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 03 April 2009 at 6:45pm
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There's a whole section on tandem nursing and nursing during pregnancy on http://www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.html - kellymom (my second favourite site!) -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 03 April 2009 at 8:10pm
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Bobbie- if it was me I would drop the morning feed, as I think this would be easier than dropping the evening feed (you would just need to make sure that you can get breakfast ready fast
It was so cute today, Ella decided that her 'bubba's' needed to have milk as well, so sat down on the chair in her room that I feed her on, lifted up her top and tried to feed her bubba. When she found that no milk was coming out, she decided that I had to feed bubba instead....and then proceeded to give me several other soft toys to feed as well. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 05 April 2009 at 12:08pm
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Thanks weegee - I have been to that site before but I'd forgotten the name.
Mum2Ella I think you're right. We've done without breakfast BF the last two mornings and she hasn't really noticed. She did ask briefly this morning but was easily distracted which was good. -------------
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Posted By: toniellis
Date Posted: 07 April 2009 at 1:36am
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I have done extended breastfeeding, BFing while preggy AND tandem feeding. In fact I have been continuously lactating for well over 4 years now LOL!
Alex was 10months old when I conceived Blaire, he breastfed the whole way through my pregnancy, tandemfed him with Blaire for a year & then I weaned him just a couple of months before his third birthday. I promptly got preggy with Erika, Blaire breastfed through my entire pregnancy & then I tandemfed Blaire & Erika for 9 months. I just weaned him just a month ago. Erika is still going strong & I don't see ny reason why I won't breastfeed her until she is around the same age as my boys were when I weaned them. I have to say that when I had Alex, Hubby was NOT keen on me breastfeeding for as long as I have... He has come around to the idea & in the end was defending me against his mother who put a lot of pressure on me to put my kids on a bottle. My mum also did but she at least did it more subtly LOL! For me it has just felt right & I am happy with my choices. I also do part time co-sleeping, have done with all 3 of my kids as it suited me to do so but you should hear some of the abuse I get for that!! ------------- Mum to Alex (11), Blaire (10) & Erika (8) and Damien (6) Successful HWB VBA2Cs! Soon to be surrogate |
Posted By: NovemberMum
Date Posted: 07 April 2009 at 1:15pm
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my 16 month old has been asking for more BF's lately not sure what is up with that...she has already had 3 feeds this morning.
she will go up to my feeding chair and start tapping it and say "booby" lol ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 07 April 2009 at 1:38pm
Toni you legend!  That's great!
My mum mentioned to me the other month that I wouldn't be able to concieve while BFing - the next day I got my BFP - but that's all that's been said by anyone apart from the standard 'oh are you still breastfeeding?'
I love that I have fed for longer than most of my Coffee Group especially since I had flat nipplesand had to use shields in the beginning and Rowan started out cup feeding because she couldn't suckle properly. -------------
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Posted By: toniellis
Date Posted: 07 April 2009 at 4:28pm
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LOL Bobbie, thanks. I don't get many comments anymore and I know some people are just being nice & don't get it, but I don't go out of my way to push my opinions on other people so I don't see why they should do it to me. My MIL has been the worst for this by she seems to be getting over herself now LOL! ------------- Mum to Alex (11), Blaire (10) & Erika (8) and Damien (6) Successful HWB VBA2Cs! Soon to be surrogate |
Posted By: first
Date Posted: 18 April 2009 at 9:11pm
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I'm bfing my son (8months now) and I am wondering do you just feed your older babes morning and night or do you just let them tell you when they want booby.
I am not wanting to stop bfing yet but am yet to make a decision if I'll stop once he's 12month or whether I'll continue. I am assuming that if it is just morning and night then really not too many people would know that you are still bfing. Do your kiddies take a bottle as well or what do you do when you want to leave them with someone for the night for example? Thanks for answering my questions. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/"> 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 April 2009 at 10:01pm
| i was talking to a lady at my sons kindy the other day and she breastfed her twins till they were 3! shes my new hero.... toby fed the longest - till 26 months - but i guess we will have to see how long eden will go for. and i got pregnant with the next while i was still feeding too.... unlike you toni i didnt tandem tho....wasnt sure how i felt about that...and my boobs got so sore anyway we stopped breastfeeding when i was 2 mths along, both times. I'm not having any more children tho so not sure what reason (or excuse) i will use to stop feeding eden... lol! |
Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 18 April 2009 at 10:05pm
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Hi first, I've always demand fed my boy but he fell into fairly predictable patterns for feeds over time (teething and illness aside). He uses a sign to ask for milk. He's now on morning and evening feeds, a short afternoon feed (he's sometimes too busy to ask for this if we're out and about) and sometimes during the night if he wakes. We took the babyled solids approach, so milk took a higher priority for the first year, he didn't settle into his current pattern until about 14-15 months. I'm sure there are many people we see often who don't realise I'm still breastfeeding, but if they ask I have no problem telling them what we do.
He's never really taken to EBM in a bottle. I've left him with DH for a weekend a couple of times since he's turned one and he has been fine just with food - plenty of it - and water (he has cow's milk on cereal). I couldn't see the point in expecting him to take a whole feed from a bottle at that stage. I found he increased feeds for a day or two after I got back though, but that might have been to boost my supply again. Not sure if this is of interest to you too, but I've also recently started wearing underwire bras again. My supply is very settled, so they're comfortable and I feel a bit less mumsy with a bit of lift, IYKWIM. -------------
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 18 April 2009 at 10:31pm
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Hey first both of mine kind of cut back a bit once they got to one anyway. Neither ever had a bottle but they didn't really need one if I went away for the night. I didn't have any problems giving them the odd drink of cows milk in a cup if my boobs weren't available.
I started wearing underwires again when Caprece was about 8 months, I am quite small in that area and my milk settled down quite fast second time around. |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 April 2009 at 10:50pm
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sorry first i missed those questions...
eden is still having about 3 feeds a day, but my oldest boy had cut down to just one by the time we weaned at 14 mths... none of my kids have had bottles. if i needed to go out for the night i just hoped for the best, but my kids were old enought for milk not to be an issue for them by that stage any way. and when they were little if i went out without them it was for 3 or 4 houlry periods lol! my maternity bras are so old and skanky one even had safety pins holding it together (did throw that one out tho) but i do wear an underwire one too seeing as eden is 13 mths and my supply is pretty much sorted. |
Posted By: first
Date Posted: 19 April 2009 at 8:33am
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Thanks for your answers to questions. I"m pretty sure that I'm going to continue until he wants to stop but it is nice to see how other mum make it work. I work at home looking after children so going back to work isn't a problem if he does continue to want day feeds. My only concern was having to be around to feed him all the time as my DH plans on taking me away for a day or two when DS is 1year and 10day (our anniversary), but it sounds like he'd be okay just drinking from a cup for a day or two. While you are away do you express to keep your supply up or is it so well established that you don't need to?
------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/">
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 19 April 2009 at 10:04pm
| I never went away for that long but you may find you get a bit engorged so may want to express a bit. I probably would of had a few expresses throughout the day just to make sure I didn't lose my supply. |
Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 20 April 2009 at 8:15am
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Thanks for the question first, and for the answers ladies! I'm hoping to keep at least the moprning/nights feeds going as long as we're both happy, so it's good to have some tips.
Re: going away, I haven't had that luxury yet (!) but Natalie went on a nursing strike a month or so ago for 4 days (so I may as well have not been here)....I just expressed at her usual feeding times, and although I did find that my supply had dropped off when she finally started feeding again, it was back to normal after a couple of days. If you're only 'missing' 2 or 3 feeds a day, you still might want to express for your comfort, and just be prepared it might take a couple of days to get your supply back to normal.-------------  
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Posted By: first
Date Posted: 22 April 2009 at 10:15am
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I'm sorry I keep coming here with plenty of questions. It does seem a bit silly really because I know I'm not going to even think about stop bfing until my boy is 12 months but I still want to be thinking about further than that.
I have bfed my boy since birth and appart from a few bouts of mastisis and the normal sore breast for the first couple of weeks things have gone well. But I"ve never experienced that oh I just love bf that everyone talks about. People keep telling me that if you bf beyond 12 months that its more for the mother than the baby. WEll I can't say the I love bf, I"m more a I just do it cause its good for my baby and its easy. Does that mean that I should stop at 12 months? I'm happy to go on if DS still wants it because I want him to decide (at I think I do). Please don't think I hate bfing, I do enjoy it to some extent but not hugely like I feel I'm somehow meant to. Sorry if this is a big confusing ramble. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/">
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 22 April 2009 at 10:24am
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first I'm in exactly the same boat, I like breastfeeding because I like doing things I'm good at iygwim, but have never had that feeling of loving it either. People who say it's more for the mother than the baby don't know what they're talking about (although I'd be lying if I said the weight loss benefits and prospect of holding off AF that little bit longer don't appeal!). I'm with you, I plan on stopping when DS is ready, whenever that might be - which is certainly not in the immediately forseeable future here. -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: Nic01
Date Posted: 22 April 2009 at 11:20am
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I found BF easy but have never really 'loved' it - it was more something that I did that I knew was good for my kids. However I've found now that Bella is down to 1 or 2 feeds a day, I enjoy that time with her more - it doesn't feel like such a chore IYKWIM & I'm not so tied down during the day because she only BF at night. I always planned to BF until 12 months & then see how i went - with Matt he started wesning himself at 13 months & by 14 months just wasn't interested at all. With Bella it felt like more of a chore & I planned to just stop at 12 months. However, like I said when I was down to 2 feeds it became less like a chore & more enjoyable. I've just dropped her morning feed recently, but will probably continue with her night feed for a while longer - she seems to really want it before bed & i'm enjoying just having that 20 minutes or so quiet time with her. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Siananigan
Date Posted: 03 May 2009 at 4:40pm
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Oh it's so great to read this forum, I am currently on another forum being heckled from all sides for saying mothers should be able to feed as long as the relationship of bf is working for them and their baby. In fact the WHO recommends 2 years plus and the world average is 4.5 years.
Anyways we are only at 10 months but I intend to go for as long as my wee bundle of magic needs it. In saying that I am sure we will come to a natural cessation somewhere between 1-4 years. I was also 'resistant' to the idea of extended breastfeeding. i thought it was for crazies. Funny how things change! This is a nice website with some info http://breastfeed-for-how-long.blogspot.com/ ------------- http://lilypie.com">   [/url]
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Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 06 June 2009 at 12:55pm
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well, wish me luck....have decided that I am going to wean Ella this week. Have been meaning to do it the last couple of months, but wasn't feeling strong enough to do....but have decided to get on with it. Last night I managed to convience her that she was a big girl now and didn't need mummy's milk and distracted her by giving her a milo and she was fine with that. So hopefully the next couple of nights will be Ok and then I am going to drop her early morning feed (she wakes up about 5.30 wanting milk and then goes back to sleep). ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: first
Date Posted: 17 June 2009 at 2:49pm
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Good luck!!! And lots a hugs of strength.
I have a question. Did you let your baby just drop feeds by themselves or did you stop the feeds. I want to keep BFing after he's one but I think I only want to do morning and night. At present he has 7am (big feed) 11am (he varies how much he takes) 1500 (usually small feed) 640 bed time feed is average length feed. Already if I am out he is happy to forgo one of his day feeds (11 or 1500) which is handy if its just not convenant. I don't mind him taking those feeds but I don't want to be having him ask me for them if we are out and about. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/">
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Posted By: NovemberMum
Date Posted: 17 June 2009 at 6:58pm
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when my daughter got to about 15 months I basically stopped offering but if she asked (she would say booby) I would give her a feed, around 13 months I stopped giving her a feed after lunch.
Today she only had a feed around 8:30am, I still giving her a BF before bed but decided to drop that..I think she is getting used to that. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 17 June 2009 at 8:02pm
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I have always had to actively drop a feed, as Ella would always ask for it. I usually just tried offering her milk in a cup instead or distracting her. weaning her, wasn't as hard as I thought.It was a lot easier because she understood when i told her 'mummys milk all gone'. she still asks for it every now and then, but then when I remind her she says 'Ok mummy'. also giving her a milo before bed instead of the feed was a great idea and she now loves milo and gets all excited about it. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 25 June 2009 at 10:20am
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I'm not bfing anymore but Caprece dropped all her feeds herself and I didn't offer.
First I never really loved it either but I knew it was beneficial and that made me like it. In saying that I'm loving having my body back to myself again. That whole 'anything over one is for the mother' is a load of sh*t as long as baby is getting breast milk it is beneficial for them as well as for Mum as well. |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 16 October 2009 at 9:14am
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Since I started this thread in the first place I thought I would just bump to let you know how we're doing with breastfeeding here. JJ is 15 months now and we're showing no signs of stopping. I started thinking I'd try the "don't offer, don't refuse" method but I was just doing an awful lot of not refusing so now I'm not even thinking about weaning yet.
I'm studying to be a teacher which meant I had two 8 week blocks of being in school full time, so JJ was in daycare full time then. The first practicum I spent all of my break time expressing in the staff toilets  and got so exhausted, the second practicum I dropped JJ's day feeds so I fed him morning and night and he had formula at daycare. That finished 3 weeks ago now and JJ went right back to feeding 5-6 times a day, my supply seemed to adjust pretty much instantly, it's amaxing how it happens once you've learned to trust your body huh?
My DH got over it - it helps that I have made a few friends through this site who are still BFing their bubbas the same age (although the mums in my coffee group all dropped off many months ago). We went away to Queenstown to visit family a couple of months ago and DH even commented how handy it was that I was still BFing, we could be in the middle of a ski field and if JJ wanted a drink it was right there, "none of that faffing about with bottles" he said. My only challenge at the moment is, I'm not sure if it's a growth spurt or what, but this last week JJ's gone from sleeping through or waking for a quick feed overnight (which I used to be able to almost sleepwalk through) to wanting to nurse for a good hour at about 2 or 3am  It's not that he's hungry, it's not that he can't self settle, he just gets really angry with me when I take him off the boob (he will eventually come off himself but it takes ages!). So I'm awake for an hour or so feeding him and getting hit and scratched and my hair pulled into the bargain Any ideas?-------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 22 October 2009 at 7:22pm
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Ooh, what a wonderful thread, can't believe it took me so long to discover it!
Weegee, that's great that JJ happily went back to full time BFing after having bottles when you were working. I don't have much advice for the midnight boob-feast except maybe feeding something really fulling for dinner, like potato or something that he will really pig out on and hopefully it will last him all night? Jody's a little bit younger but I found that she suddenly needed more food and boob during the day to last her all night. I had dropped a mid morning BF when she started waking during the night. -------------   
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Posted By: Cassie
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 5:35pm
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lol I have no idea how I missed it either Amby! I guess I haven't ventured into the toddler forum very often, but am definitely in that age bracket now!
Lauren is still having 5-6 feeds a day, and a couple during the night as well, she's always been a really frequent feeder and is showing no signs of wanting to give it up. At least we're past the massive growth spurts and hourly feeds! Has JJ stopped those hour long feeds in the wee hours of the morning? Am finding Lauren is doing that at the moment 3-4 nights a week and it's driving me nuts! Did you find a solution or did he just grow out of it? I have a feeling she's not going to sleep through the night for some time and I don't mind those middle of the night feeds - as you say, I just about sleep walk through them too - but the hour long awakeness is pretty exhausting. ------------- ~Cassie~   
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 5:49pm
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Yeah JJ grew out of it not long after I posted, thank goodness (I guess it was a growth spurt after all). Then a couple of months later I decided to bite the bullet and night wean him (DH got up to him and found resettling him easy), so after about 3 weeks he now consistently sleeps through the night (yay and thank goodness, it was necessary now the preggy tiredness has hit me!). -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 7:26pm
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I just wanted to pop in and say
I've been breastfeeding for 17 months today! I never thought I'd be doing it this long, but what else would I do with all this milk?! I know that 17 months isn't really classed as extended breastfeeding, but it's twice as long as everybody I know in RL. So this is my own little celebration with the only people that won't think I'm a crazy hippy
Poop, had to edit to get the numbers right. |
Posted By: palomino
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 8:18pm
| Ok im going to have my own mini celebration since im in the same boat. Been going longer than anyone that i know in real life. Hope i can stick around in this thread for a bit longer! |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 8:22pm
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Oh that's what your FB status was about Flutterby! *click*
I forgot to add - at the ILs christmas do on the weekend, my SIL was asking me about morning sickness and I was saying it hasn't been as bad this time, and maybe that was something to do with the fact that there were breastfeeding hormones already in my system when the preggy hormones kicked in, and she said "but you're not breastfeeding now eh" and I said "no no, I'm still breastfeeding JJ" and she looked shocked and said "is that allowed?"  Normally I'm pretty good at maintaining a straight face but on this occasion I did laugh out loud -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 8:30pm
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ROFL "is that allowed"
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 8:38pm
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i was thinking about this whole extended bfing this morning.
i fed gabriel till he was 14 mths old and i stopped when i was 2 mths pregnant with toby. he then went on to feed till 26 months old i was once again 2 months pregnant with eden when i stopped... so i'm wondering how long is eden going to go for now i dont have an "excuse" to stop! she doesnt seem to want it any less, we go through phases where she does but they dont that last and sometimes she feeds as much now as when she was a newborn! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 8:41pm
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That's brilliant, weegee - I think laughing is about all you can respond with to a question like that!
Well done to those of you celebrating. We're still going along nicely here. To be honest I forget that it's not that common to be breastfeeding a two year old, as I know quite a few people doing the same. It will be interesting to see what happens as my pregnancy progresses. -------------
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Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 9:09pm
| I have seen this thread a few times and have only just now had a look and will have to join you all. Alex is nearly 16 months (I had to think about that one so hope I got it right) and we are still bfing. I sometimes wonder if he is having to my boobie juice and not enough food but seeing some of your comments above I know that we aren't doing anything different to you all (yay!) |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 9:11pm
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OT but CONGRATS monster!!! -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 21 December 2009 at 9:21pm
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Thanks!
ETA: Congrats to you too! -------------
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Posted By: Cassie
Date Posted: 22 December 2009 at 9:07am
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Have you guys gotten the 'so when are you going to stop breastfeeding?' question much since getting pregnant? I seem to get it from everyone who finds out! I just tell them I'm not. Why break these nipples in again if I can just keep feeding? lol most mothers at least seem to get that! lol ------------- ~Cassie~
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Posted By: Rowsieair
Date Posted: 23 December 2009 at 10:18pm
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I'm so jealous :( I would have loved to have BF for much longer but since I had to go back to work and was expressing loads, Toby was drinking a lot of his evening feeds out of a bottle from DH and eventually at 9 months was not interested in the boob at all :( I was killing myself trying to express all the time and keep it up, so eventually it died off completely (then found out I was preg again anyway - hoping to keep it up longer this time) Pressure wise, I felt like I was being very actively encouraged by female relatives (over the phone as they're all in the UK) that I HAD to BF (I wanted to anyway and loved it, but they sounded like they were forcing me!); but as soon as he hit 6 months old they seemed to change their tune completely and any time I mentioned expressing while I was in work etc, I was met by a reaction of "Oh, are you still breastfeeding then?" !!!! How duplicitous!
------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Cassie
Date Posted: 24 December 2009 at 6:17am
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It's really funny how that happens isn't it? I got the same a fair bit, though it was around the 9 month mark. Lauren still wasn't sleeping well then and everyone was like, well just switch her to formula, you don't need to keep breastfeeding anymore. No thanks! lol
Good luck this time around Rowsieair it's fab that you tried to keep on with the breast feeding despite having to express, sometimes the circumstances aren't right though - hope it all falls into place and baby wants to feed for longer this time around. ------------- ~Cassie~
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Posted By: ellabellame
Date Posted: 24 December 2009 at 9:07am
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It's so good to see all you ladies BF for so long! i'm not saying that it's wrong to stop earlier i'm just saying that i fed Mikey until just after his second birthday and i eventually stopped because of all the comments i was getting, which i wish i hadn't.
It's not like i even breastfed in public, it was just a once a day thing before bed but my friends were telling me that i had to stop because he was too dependent on me and it was weird and i needed a life etc. with maia, i'm going to keep going until she wants to stop (within reason of course) and i think it's awesome that there are other women out there who do the same thing. ------------- |
Posted By: NovemberMum
Date Posted: 30 December 2009 at 1:11am
I was still breastfeeding my daughter when I was pregnant and my MIL said I should wean my daughter (who was about 16 months at the time) as she will probably get jealous with me feeding her brother..I just told her I will let my daughter decide when she wants to wean..as it turns out she self weaned at 19.5 months (around 4-5 months pregnant) but I was more than happy to keep BF'ing her ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: toniellis
Date Posted: 02 January 2010 at 7:06pm
Yeah I always get that question! And its annoying because the main people that ask know me quite well & KNOW that I tandem feed. I got pregnant with #2 when #1 was 10 months old and he just kept going, and I tell you what it was SUCH a relief having a toddler who could help with that engorgement problem when I had a newborn! I tandem fed them for a year before weaning my oldest just before he turned 3. Did the same when I was pregnant with #3 & now preggy with #4 and STILL getting that question! I have been breastfeeding non-stop for over 5 years now, currently feeding baby #3. Have tandem fed twice (both times for about a year) and will be tandem feeding for a third time when this baby is born ------------- Mum to Alex (11), Blaire (10) & Erika (8) and Damien (6) Successful HWB VBA2Cs! Soon to be surrogate |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 04 January 2010 at 7:56pm
I bf dd till she was 18 mnths she self weaned( 5 mnths preggie I think) loads of people (annoyingly my OWN mother) kept saying its time to stop blah blah. I would happily have kept going and tandem fed, but was not to be. |
Posted By: jessm
Date Posted: 09 January 2010 at 11:30am
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(hey Amby, I only just found this thread now & its a few months later than you...)
I'm interested to read this - I've been thinking a bit about weaning lately, the whens and whys and wherefores. I never thought too much while I was preggy etc about it, maybe vaguely that I would stop when DD was ready, which she is showing no signs of yet. Apart from wake-up & before-bed-at-night feeds, we have no routine, I just give her a drink when she asks (sign language - a determined thump on my chest - not the most subtle of signs I must admit...). This can be up to a dozen times a day (or more - I don't count). But a few weeks ago my sis weaned her son, who is 6wks younger than my girl, so of course M&D asked when I was planning on weaning her. I did try to cut down her daytime feeds, which worked for... oh, a day... but have decided that it is hard work (she will only be distracted for so long), and for why? I love the snuggles, its not difficult, its cheap (this is a huge plus in DHs opinion - for the same reason he likes cloth nappies!). She has been sleeping through the night for about 3mths, so no probs there, and I love that I get an extra half hour or so in bed in the mornings because I can feed & doze instead of having to get up & distract her! I also like the easy comfort if something goes wrong in her life (recently we flew to SI & back, and it was quite rough - but when she started to get worried about it I gave her a drink & she either came off settled again or fell asleep drinking - either way no tears!). Haha what a ramble. I haven't had any adverse comments (only the 'oh, you're still feeding?'), and I feed in public cause little miss can be quite demanding & she has no sense of discretion - I figure its easier to sit quietly with her than have her squealing & trying to pull my top off! The other day I was talking to someone & they said it was great to see I was still doing so, & keep it up for a good few months yet, was quite encouraging. On the other hand, not sure what affect it has on ttc. That would be the one thing at the mo which might make me think about actively weaning her. Anyone else had issues in this dept? Or advice? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: jessm
Date Posted: 09 January 2010 at 12:02pm
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Sorry for the long post.
I like that site reffered to, 'The Many Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding.' ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 12 January 2010 at 5:45pm
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Just having a read of this thread I'd always assumed I'd finish BFing at 12months, but now that's only 5.5weeks away () I don't see that happening! Apart from the fact that DD is not at all interested in bottles, I would be a bit sad to wean her just because of outside pressure. Family and friends all think she will be weaned by 12months as that's what I've always said, and most of them think even 12months is too long!
Now I'm thinking of just weaning when she is ready to. The only reason for us weaning now would be people's comments, and that's not really a good enough reason for me. Not sure what my "cut-off" would be, hopefully she'll just self wean so I don't have to think about it ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: palomino
Date Posted: 12 January 2010 at 6:07pm
| 12 months was going to be my cut of, but Brennan wont have a bar of it. I havent really tried but i now days he gets really demanding when its feed time. Im happy to keep going so not going to bother stressing us all out just to wean him. On the plus side now, because he only has a feed in the morning and evening it means we can go out to family things and because i dont have to feed him family etc dont seem to bring up the "oh are you still feeding him" etc... what they cant see wont hurt them. |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 12 January 2010 at 7:24pm
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When I had my first my plan was to feed for a year but sadly we only made it to three months, some of my coffee group friends kept going for a while, one until nearly age 2 and after seeing what a big deal it isn't to keep it up (hardly as intensive as feeding a newborn) I figure I will just keep going until he wants to stop. My only worry is my own weight loss, but that may have happened without feeding and it does seem to have stopped, which is good cos there isn't much of me left
I've only had one comment so far along the lines of "Your STILL breastfeeding!" and he was only 9 months. I was actually gonna go sit in my car and feed him cos they made me feel weird but then I thought screw it and fed right in amongst everyone. SIL fed her girl till 16 months and my mum breastfed all of us so no comments from family......yet. |