Breast Feeding

we can talk here

Just checking in as a fellow Breastfeeder

me too! or I guess that should read me two
hope there's more of us in our group!

how's everyone's supplies doing?

Mine took a huge dip last week but i think it's starting to get better this week.


There are a lot of us on here who are EBF!

My supply has leveled out a bit I was making way way too much and leaking like crazy but now I am only squirting every now and then and can make it through the night mostly dry LOL. I gotta say it is much nicer now that he really has the hang of breastfeeding and can latch without much guidance. Those first 6 weeks were WORK!

Hi there! EBFer here too! All is well. Demand is high, supply is good. It's so smooth that it's hard to believe it used to be painful and difficult. My poor aunt just had her baby 12 days ago and is struggling big time. I so remember those days. But here I am more than 12 weeks later. Never gave up & goin strong!

not gonna sugar coat it, my supply stinks. I ebfed dd1 for 13 months, she never took a bottle. I really thought I could do it with the twins, but I just can't keep up with what they need. I struggled with it for a while and then realized, it is what it is. I bf them at each feeding and then they get a bottle of formula. Unforunately, the amount of formula they want is increasing which tells me the bm is not. When I pump I get about 3 ounces - not horrible, but not great, and definitely not enough for two growing girls ...anyhoo, that's where I am with bfing right now, and I will continue to do it for as long as I can....

Good for you for trying with 2 babies!!!!! That has to be tough. Just remember than ANY BM is better than NO BM so stay strong girl!

Toribear5 wrote:Good for you for trying with 2 babies!!!!! That has to be tough. Just remember than ANY BM is better than NO BM so stay strong girl!

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello!

I agree with Crystal, it's so easy now that it's hard to believe it was so hard in the beginning. I was just thinking about the one night I had an absolute breakdown. I sat on the kitchen floor next to his PNP crying because my nipples hurt so bad I didn't want to feed him. Half the reason why I was crying was because I was so ashamed of myself for feeling that way.

Phew! I'm so glad those days are over.

I must say, I love breastfeeding. I love it. I used to be in the category who thought it was "weird" (sorry!) but I always knew I would do it. I only wanted to do it for 6 months because thats what I always thought was what you were supposed to do. Now, I am going to be really hard pressed to stop!

I'm so glad we have a lot of us who are BFing, it's nice to have such a great support group. I only have 2 friends who have babies, and both of them don't breastfeed. So it's nice to have you all to talk to!

Hey ladies! Bfing here too. I'm with the rest of you finally loving it! It took us soooo long to get going steadily that it stunk!! I used a shield for 6 weeks. Once he came off the shield, my nips hurt like the first few weeks all over again!!! It was brutal! DS even threw up blood one night. Still not sure if i was internally bleeding from my nips or if he was bleeding...I suspect it was from me, though I couldn't see any actual cracks. I wonder if it will be painful like that next time around as well.

I was thinking the other day about my bfing relationship with my son and I was feeling bad because I only plan on bfing until a year. Then I felt horrible! I started thinking...so he hits one and I'm going "happy birthday, here's your bottle. No more boobie for you!!!" The guilt!!

I considered pumping until year two, but it is really about the full experience. At that point, he should be able to have cows milk..unless of course he has an allergy to it

Question for you ladies...if you are BFing...when are you planning on TTC your next one (if you're having another)? I want to start trying when Carter is about a year, but I'm worried that I won't get af back! I'm 4 months PP (as of tomorrow) and still NOTHING!!

Speaking of...Rachel...did you test yet??

Besides those first couple weeks, BF has been really easy for us too. He latches no problem and has had no confusion b/w the bottle and boob. i am very passionate about it and even though i have like 5 sample cans of formula in my home, i've never looked twice at them.

i *somewhat* don't mind those middle of the night feedings b/c it's quiet mommy and baby at the breast time. i gave brett a bottle once before and it just didn't feel "right." i have nothing against women who FF but i think BF is the right decision for us.

I still think my supply has taken a hit so I pray I can get through it!

Do all of you pump too? I have the Freestyle and love it.

I was just thinking the other day how easy it is now and how amazed I am by that. Those first 6 weeks were really tough and man did my nips hurt! Now it's like we're both pros and he and I both enjoy it so much I can't see stopping until at least 12 months. I'm almost sad that he's going to have to start eating real food in a few months

Laureen, No I haven't yet.. I'm going to buy some tests today. It's funny, when we were trying, I bought internet cheapie tests in bulk and I started testing at 7DPO. Now I'm like "Noooo! I can't test!!" I'm afraid to be pregnant because I don't want to stop breastfeeding. That's really my only qualm! (Other than the boring reasons, like money). I feel like you on stopping breastfeeding. I only plan to BF till a year, because thats when we are going to start "trying". But then I know what you mean "Happy Birthday, here's your bottle". I feel guilty! My husband wants me to EP once he hits 6 months. He is still uncomfortable with me nursing an older baby I guess. I think he's worried I'll never stop!

I am planning on a year. Our biggest problem at first was his tongue tie and he had to learn how to use his tongue on day 2.

My biggest concern is feeding him with his hip-spica cast on. Quin loves his feeding time but I'm not sure how it will work. I know it is possible to BF while in the cast, but I don't know how hard it will be to position him. We want for me to still feed him at least a couple times a day just to make it more like his normal daily routine, but realize he may need to be bottle fed more often.

As for "happy birthday here's your bottle" you could just say, "you're one year old and you can use a sippy cup now." Or something like that.

For TTC, a friend of mine never had a period from her first born. He was born in November 2005, she fed him for a year, then around new year's 2007 she noticed her cm was strong. They DTD and she was pregnant, never had period. That child was born September 2007 and she fed her for a year. I'm not sure if she has gotten AF yet, I would assume so. She also was not on any form of BC, I think they used condoms but not sure. I'm not sure if/when we will TTC again. I like one for now.

EBFing here as well!
I Breastfeeding!!

I (regretfully) FF Kaya. I don't have anything against FF but I feel bad that I never even gave it the chance. I had no knowledge about it like I do now, and I thought it was a little weird too... boy was I wrong!

My first 2 months of BFing Scarlet was kind of tough.. We had to use a nipple shield from the get go so it was a real pain in the butt but we got rid of that around 2 months and now BFing is so easy! I feel like a pro!


Now when I talk to pregnant women, or women who have just had babies, I always ask them if they're breastfeeding! It's just an AWESOME AWESOME bond. Plus, I'm the only one in my family who really has ever done it. (My mom has 6 grandchildren and Scarlet is the first BF'd baby!)



Tori - remember when we were having supply issues the other day? Well, I went to a wedding the other night, had a few drinks, and didn't BF her when I got home at night.. HOLY ENGORGEMENT! (I even pump & dumped I was way buzzed! ) I haven't had any problem since. But I am making oatmeal cookies as we speak!


And oh yea, I figured I'd bf until a year at least, but now I don't want to stop.. I'd like to go maybe 15 months if I can, and Scarlet wants to. I don't plan on TTC anytime soon..

Hi! BF'er here too! We've had a really rough first 3 months but we're getting there.

I wish I would have known with Evan that the first 6 weeks were the roughest and then it would get easier. I make sure to tell everyone I know that is BF that after the first 6wks or so it gets way easier because I literally was counting down days to meet that goal in the beginning. As for bottles everybody has their own guidelines but my pedi said no more bottle after 1 year. (E used formula after 6 months) So we only put formula in the bottle (they start liquids earlier like juice before milk) and all the other liquids came from a straw cup (regular straws not the sippy cup straws with the flow control they just p*ssed E off) and so he drank all his other liquids from straws and when he turned one we took the bottle away (I figured he would have meltdown but he really didnt care ). I guess he didnt mind because he had something else. I hope A. will be as easy (fingers and toes crossed!)

Secret: I kinda thought breastfeeding was weird too but for me since we had to pay out of pocket I just couldnt stand paying for something I could produce for free and at the worst of times in the beginning I swear the only thing that kept me going was the dollar signs floating in front of my eyes. I would much rather spend that money on a 100 other things, then I got more and more education about breastmilk and the benefits and it hardened my resolve even further.

jamiemarie wrote:I was just thinking the other day how easy it is now and how amazed I am by that. Those first 6 weeks were really tough and man did my nips hurt! Now it's like we're both pros and he and I both enjoy it so much I can't see stopping until at least 12 months. I'm almost sad that he's going to have to start eating real food in a few months

he doesn't HAVE to start eating solids at 6 months, that's just when most pedi's recommend it...if he is doing well with ebfing and you don't want to start them, don't! you can start them whenever you want - and it doesn't have to be cereal first, read up on in and decide what's right for your family....

I've got a questions about the side lying position.

Does anyone still use this?
I tried this morning at 4 am. I just could not get out of bed right away!

I have big boobs so it was a little hard but she seemed okay with it.
Question about it though.. do you use the boob that is on the bottom when you're laying on your side? I hope I was doing it right..

EBFer here too!! Like some others, I wasn't huge on the breast feeding thing, and chose to do it mainly for the reduced risk of breast cancer BFing provides (both mother and grandmother have had it ) and for her health. Initially, we took to it easily with minimal pain, but then around 5 weeks, we hit a road block that took 2 weeks to push through. Now it's a breeze.

To be honest, I still don't always feel the bonding women talk about when breastfeeding. I feel like I'm always fussing with her leg or her hands or the angle of her head that it's hard to always enjoy. My favorite times are in the morning when she's just woken up and is really hungry. And to be more honest, I actually feel more of the bond when I give her a bottle of expressed milk. Then she looks at me the whole time, but I know she prefers it straight from the tap.

I plan on breastfeeding until a year, even though she'll be using bottles for most of the day when I return to work, and then providing her expressed milk for as long as my breasts will provide it. The whole, walking talking boob eating thing, kinda weirds me out, but that's just me.

Krystina - I love side nursing. I always nurse him to sleep at night that way, his middle of the night feeds, and then any early morning feeds. I don't have big boobies though, so I have to use the bottom boobie. I tried to use the one on the top once and I practically had to lay on top of him. I'd say use whatever breast feels comfortable!

Lisa - I know what you mean. My little guy doesn't ever look up at me when I'm feeding him. But he will stare at my DH when he gives him a bottle.

Krystina... side nursing is so not easy for me and my DD cans... I rarely do it as it kills my back and she doesn't seem to love it.

Side lying with my big ones is difficult too. When I used to use the shield I somehow managed, but now for some reason I can barely do it without smothering him. I can hold my breast so it's not smothering him but I don't feel safe as I'd fall asleep too easily.

I never figured out the side lying thing. I have bf him twice laying down, but I used my top breast and it was a really awkward position for me.

lisa-I'm like you with the walking, talking, boob eating thing. I just feel like it would be weird if Carter walked up to me and clear as day asked "May I have some boobie?" Did you ever see the video on youtube of the 8yr old that was still bfing? That was just odd.