Post by MamaMaui24 on May 14, 2012 13:48:09 GMT -5
(Mrs.MauiBride24 from the boards)
How long have you been bfing? 15 weeks How long do you plan to bf? I plan to pump only 12 months and then I will try to only nurse AM & PM so we'll see how long that lasts or how long DS wants to.
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? the snuggles and closesness that only a mother can give. giving him the best nutrition. so easy (now) - no clean up (besides the spit up), no bottles. least favorite - pumping!
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Easier. I am so lucky that we didn't have any problems BFing. Pumping is a beating and I know why so many women quit BFing when they go back to work because of pumping.
Give you best advice for those just starting out? Read about BFing while pregnant, be sure to see the LC in the hospital and stay in touch afterwards. Take the ice pack pads home from the hospital and put them in your bra when your nips are sore those first few days.
Just thought it might be nice to do an intro post.
How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?
I would love to EP until 12 months but am taking it a month at a time.
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
I EP. Least favorite is cleaning all the damn parts. Favorite is knowing that I am providing food for my baby for FREE!
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
I am a second-timer so it's easier than expected. My best advice is to try not to stress about your baby's eating pattern. Don't watch the clock. Just feed when your baby is hungry otherwise you will drive yourself crazy.
Post by sparrowsocks on May 14, 2012 19:57:39 GMT -5
I'm Kate. I have been breastfeeding for 1 year tomorrow! I plan to go until 2 if she wants and if my supply holds up. I will not be pumping at work next school year, and we are going to ttc so who knows.
We have had lots of struggles: flat nipples, I had my gall bladder removed when she was 5 weeks, I forgot to take my thyroid meds and tanked my supply when I first went back to work so lots of supply issues at various points, thrush twice, mastitis over Christmas, and even more issues once my period came back.
I love the closeness, the health benefits, the fact that she is EBF despite all the struggles.
I have an amazingly supportive husband and family. Surround yourself with positive support and a pedi who actually has breastfeeding knowledge.
My LO is 6 weeks old and I plan on Bfing for atleast a year if not longer. But I am taking it day by day. Sooo we shall see!
Other than the bonding aspect, I love how convienent Bfing is. There isn't much I hate about it except that I feel gross a lot due to leaking and all that jazz.
Bfing as been very easy for me... I've been lucky. I haven't dealt with cracked/sore/bleeding nips and LO caught on right away. With that said, while I have been fortunate in those aspects, I have major NIP anxiety so... Anyone with advice in that category...I'd appreciate it!
Have you been to any BF support groups or LLL meetings? It's nice because you bring LO & everyone is nursing. It helps you feel more comfortable & you can practice NIP.
I havent been yet but plan to... I loved the LC at the hospital and she kept trying to get me to go... she referred to it as the "breast fest"... I hope to go but was hopeful to get in a routine first before I throw too much on my plate. FWIW, I went to the mall today with LO because DH was home sick from work and I had a little NIP action... I'm struggling to not over expose myself though... I had to use the nursing cover I had which made it too obvious.
How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? Almost 14 months; plan to continue until LO self-weans
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? Favorite: the snuggle time! Least favorite: when LO is teething he tends to nip a bit, ouch! I also second the comments about pumping. It is a PITA. And worrying about supply.
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? It was harder than I expected at first...even though I knew intellectually how often babies eat, nothing really prepared me for the reality of it. I would say, be patient and give it some time, they won't be eating around the clock forever! Oh, and lanolin.
I've been breastfeeding a year. I don't know how long I plan to go - we'll see how things progress. I might TTC in the fall, so that will probably change things.
My favorite thing about breastfeeding is that it just solves everything for my LO. Anything that was wrong before bfing is fixed by the time he's done. It just makes him so happy. My least favorite thing about it is being the only one that can do that for him - sometimes, I just want to run away for a while and have a break.
I'd say it's easier than I expected, as I heard so many horror stories. I've had a pretty easy run - no cracked nipples, no mastitis or clogged ducts, no thrush. My favorite book is "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding", and having support from LLL and a local breastfeeding group made things more smooth for me.
Hi I'm Jenn- my dd is 13wks tomorrow. My plan is to bf for at least 18 mos but I'm not oppoed to extended bf if that's what she wants.
Fave thing is that it's private time alone with my dd and I can steal her away whenever I want saying she wants to nurse. My least favorite is that I'm currently still attached at the boob (no bottles yet) and can't go out yet.
It's easier than I expected. Most my family gave up on bf early, and my bff (and only momma-friend) suffered extremely cracked and bleeding nipples.
Best advice for newbie would be to stick to it. Your body will adjust.
Post by textbookcase on May 16, 2012 12:22:31 GMT -5
How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? I've been BFing for 4 months. My first goal is a year, but I think I would like to go to 2.
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? I love the special bond with dd, and I LOVE the milky smiles. Least favorite at the moment is biting my nips while teething.
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? I wasn't able to BF the first two, it was MUCH harder than I thought it would be. This time has been much easier. I agree with pp, patience and persistence if you're first starting out.
Post by EloiseWeenie on May 16, 2012 14:13:26 GMT -5
I breastfed my son for 8 months (6 months nursing, 2 months pumping).
I've EBF my daughter for over 7 months, and I hope to make it a year.
Favorite- free, Lease favorite- sometimes I get sick of always being touched.
My daughter is MUCH easier to feed than my son. My son was a ferocious eater, and ate for 30-45 minutes. My daughter is gentle and eats for 15 minutes.
Best advice- try not to stress. Use Ameda hydrogel pads for nipple soreness.
How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? I have been bf'ing for 7.5 mos now and plan to go at least 12 mos.
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? My favorite is just being able to spend that dedicated time with her. My least favorite is worrying about my supply.
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? I was lucky and she latched really well and has been a great nurser, but I have had supply issues since about 9 weeks and that has made the whole experience really stressful for me. My biggest piece of advice is to just be really adaptable.
I've been bf-ing for just over 14 months and intend to continue until he's at least 2. In September I'll be looking at returning to work part time, so some things will need to change then. Right now I'm still nursing on demand (probably 4x a day) and overnight.
I like bf-ing because it's easy in terms of preparation - ie. there is nothing to prepare! It's just there. I don't like bf-ing because it sometimes limits my wardrobe, and because sometimes I feel like I need a break, but he wants to nurse.
I think it's easier. To be honest I didn't really have any expectations going in except that I wanted to give it a shot - and it's worked out beautifully.
Best advice? Give it time, get support and be patient.
Just thought it might be nice to do an intro post.
How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
I have been BFing for 3.5 months. I'm hoping to go for a year. Probably not much past that though.
My favorite thing is the ease of doing it while at home. Whip it out and feed my kid. No prep or cleanup. Especially now that my nipples don't hurt with the fire of 1000 suns like it did the first 5 weeks. My least favorite thing is how I stress about feeding my baby out and about. I don't LOVE NIP but I've done it. Wish it wasn't such a big deal.
It was what I expected this time around. With my first DD she sucked at latching (would scream at the breast from day 1) and my milk never really came in much and I always had to supplement, so it was super frustrating. I'm just thrilled that it worked better this time around.
Just thought it might be nice to do an intro post.
How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
I've been breastfeeding for 3.5 months and hope to continue to a year. My favorite thing about it is the ease of nursing. My least favorite thing is worrying about pumping enough at work (I just went back this week). It was easier than I expected to start nursing, though my nips hurt so badly during latch for the first few weeks. My advice for new moms is nurse as much as baby wants in the first 6-8 weeks, even if it feels like it's constant--toss the books that say every two hours. You'll build great supply that way.
BFing 3.5 months. Love the ease of nursing, hate the stress of pumping at work and worrying about supply. Hope to make it a year. Best advice is to nurse as much as baby wants (for real) in the first eight weeks.
BFing 3.5 months. Love the ease of nursing, hate the stress of pumping at work and worrying about supply. Hope to make it a year. Best advice is to nurse as much as baby wants (for real) in the first eight weeks.
How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? 1 year and 6 days. Past my goal! I'm hoping DS self-weans soon. I wanted to be done now, or soon, but he doesn't have any interest in dropping the morning/night sessions. I have guilt over forcing him to wean, so for now I'm sticking with it.
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? Favorite is the money savings, and knowing that I'm giving him the best start possible. Least favorite is pumping and everything that comes with it - an employer who doesn't find it necessary to obey federal law, and daycare workers who think that my bottomless pit of a baby really needed 25 oz of milk in 10 hours.
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? Way harder. Seek help until you get what you need - from pediatricians, LCs, peers, etc. Don't quit on a bad day.
My name is Chelsi and My DD is Evangalin. She is almost 9 months now which is crazy. How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? I have been breastfeeding since the second she was born, so almost 9 months now. I plan to breastfeed to at least a year but I plan to let her self wean.
What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? My Favorite thing is the bonding, not having to lug bottles and formula around, and knowing I am doing a wonderful thing for her. My least favorite thing is that the sole responsibility, like night times, is on me 100% of the time and then when I was working I hated pumping, it just never came easy to me.
Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? I would have to say it is easier than I expected but those first few weeks, coupled with the baby blues, were hard. My best advice to starting out is to relax and trust your body. Also get a babysitter and just take a walk with your husband. I would pump some milk so even though I would feed her just before I left and I wasn't going to be gone long I wouldn't feel pressured. It helps with the baby blues too!
Hey I'm a newbie here, but I've been EBF for 4 months. At 4 months 1 week we introduced rice cereal with pumped milk on a spoon, just to get her started on a spoon a little here and there. That was last week and today we did our first sweet potato puree (potato and pumped breastmilk) about 1/2 oz. so I guess I can't say we EBF anymore, but she hasn't had a taste of formula, and I plan for her to get 100% of her nutritional needs from breastfeeding for a year. It was 8 weeks, then 4 months, but now I can't imagine doing formula unless I stop producing but I don't forsee that being a problem, I can mass produce. My favorite part of BF is the love I feel for her when she's feeding. Not that I don't love her when she's not, but it is such an amazing feeling to know I am comforting her and nourishing her. My least fav thing is having to get up and pump in the morning when she's still sleeping. Nooo fair. Oh and NIP is too stressful. We spend a lot of time in the vehicle hiding behind the tinted windows. Overall BFing is waaaay easier than I expected. I had heard such horror stories, and besides the first 2 weeks with some cracking, it's been great, a good way to get to know her and figure out what she's "telling" me. Advice for those starting out ... Well I'm no expert but I think it's just to know that even though it hurts and is demanding in the beginning, it DOES get easier. I couldn't imagine going to formula now unless I have to.
Post by mrscurlygurl on May 22, 2012 21:38:13 GMT -5
Hi, I'm Jenn. DS is 2 months. I hope to BF for a year. Favorite part is the ease of knowing his food is always ready and watching how content he is while he eats. Least favorite things are the pain when he doesn't latch correctly (which happens less now) and pumping. I want to have a stash so DH can do some feedings and for when we want to go out, but I hate having to clean bottles and pump parts...
Post by weathergirl on May 24, 2012 11:54:35 GMT -5
Hi, I'm Jen. Our DS is 2.5 months old, and I've been ebfing since the beginning.
My favorite part so far is the bonding with my little guy and sense of accomplishment I feel knowing DS is growing based on something my body can do.
My least favorite part is what a challenge how tough it is to go anywhere. I have not really mastered NIP at all.
Bfing was a lot harder than I thought it would be. We had major latching problems in the beginning. DS was tongue-tied, and I apparently have flat nipples, so we went to four LCs until we found one who could help. DS had a frenectomy when he was 5 days old, and I use a nipple shield for 5 weeks. We are all set now, but the first few weeks were rocky and emotional.
As for advice, my LC says she regularly meets with pregnant women and will look at their nipples and help diagnose any potential latching problems and come up with a game plan. I wish I had found a LC I trusted before giving birth and had my nipples looked at. Just having a plan in the hospital and knowing I had someone I trusted to call would have made a huge difference. Now I tell all my pregnant girlfriends to meet with a LC before the baby comes.