Forum home Pregnancy Pregnancy

How long are you planning to breastfeed for?

Hi girlies, was just curious to know, out of those of us planning on breastfeeding, how long do you hope to carry on? I was talking to somebody today who BF her son for nearly 3 years! She said he never seemed to want to stop and she was happy to let him continue. He weaned himself off eventually and it wasn't in any way upsetting for him or his mum which i suppose is the main thing! However, with the best will in the world i just can't imagine me breastfeeding a 3 year old! I'm pretty sure my upper limit would be one, but i would probably move on to follow on milk when i started weaning at 5-6 months. I have no idea why this is, i think probably because i wasnt very successful with feeding the boys and would consider myself lucky to get that far!
Obviously if i was lucky enough to have no problems this time around and made it to 5 months i would see how i felt about carrying on and if i was happy to then i would, but you've gotta stop some time, right? I plan on using breast and bottle from very early on, so hopefully the baby won't be overly upset when i decide to stop.
Whats everybody else planning?
xxx

Replies

  • I'm only going to have 6 months off work so i'm going to breast feed on maternity leave, and then hopefully express milk when i go back to work, however i can see us weaning onto formula not long after that.
  • Hi lynz

    I'm hoping to breastfeed for at least 6 months, but it's my first so never done it before, and have no idea what it's going to be like etc! but it would be good to get to at least 6 months then decide from there. can't imagine keeping going for 3 years though

    aileen xx
    32 weeks
  • Oh i'm glad i'm not the only one! The lady i was speaking to seemed quite shocked when i said i was only planning on feeding for 6 months, it was making me feel like i was being selfish or something! Its not to do with wanting my body back or anything like that, although i must admit the thought of those little teeth does make me shudder! Ouch!!
  • I hope to breastfeed for 1 year. Obviously this being my 1st baby I have no idea if this will happen or not!

    My reasons for feeding for 1yr are that I am too tight to buy formula and too lazy to use it! I cant imagine sterilising and making up feeds etc when (and hopefully if) I can do it myself just by popping baby on!

    I think breastmilk is perfect for the 1st year, BM changes compared to age and needs of baby and also changes due to the season (will be more fluid in hot weather etc). From 9mths baby will only need morning and bedtime feed so I can carry on when I go back to work at that stage!

    So lets see how I get on... You can all point this post out to me when im struggling come April/May!!
  • I'm not comfortable with the idea of breastfeeding, but I feel breast milk is the best so I'm hoping to express. If I don't have any luck with expressing I will probably breastfeed for 6 months.
  • Monique Nicole Thats a nice idea, even if you only get a small amount of milk and top up with formula you'll still know baby is getting some of your milk! I believe there was a lady on the baby forum who did the same thing because her baby couldnt latch on, and expressed for about 4 or 5 months! I cant remember who she was, but i'm sure someone will, she would probably have some really useful tips for you.
    Dinks, i know what you mean about formula, bottles and sterilizing! It seems like a right hassle lol. I know it goes against all advice, but i actually stopped sterilizing at 6 months, as soon as the boys started picking things up from the floor, putting their shoes in their mouths etc etc. I just put all their bottles and dummies on an intensive wash in the dishwasher, which was actually much more convenient! I'd chuck it all in the night before and it would be ready for the next day.
  • Hi ladies

    I only planned to feed my son for six months but ended up feeding him for 2 years! It was just so simple and easy. I'm all for an easy life. After 10 months you only feed morning and night and at night they fall asleep at the breast and its just lovely...i only got bit once or twice and it only hurts for a while!!! I'm planning on feeding this one till it feels right to stop be it 6 weeks, 6 months or 2 years - no pressure x x

    Kirsten
    15+2 x x
  • Well, I'm aiming for at least six months but will probably start combining breastfeeding with bottle-fed expressed milk at around four months if possible. I do need to have contingency plans in place by September as I have at least one conference to attend and, while the baby will be welcome, the venue isn't ideal for breast-feeding on a regular basis. We will see.

    I have to say, I am hoping to be successful enough at expressing to avoid formula (follow-on or otherwise) altogether. Like Dinks, I'm tight :lol: (and I'm not convinced by the claims of their advertising campaigns).
  • I plan to breastfeed for 6 months initially and then see how I feel after that. Once I start weaning I think I may move over to formula but as its my first I won't really know until he's here!

    29 weeks x
  • Glad im getting a reputation for being tight! :lol:
  • I can see me expressing most of the time as I like to idea of sharing the feeding with my partner, family and friends. I will breast feed when i can as i think it is a way of bonding but the idea of it doesn't seem quite right for me, some see it as natural but I feel a little uncomfortable about the whole thing. So with and electrical pump at tv remote at hand I shall be expressing as much as I can as I want my baby to have as much of my milks goodness as I can give him but If I can't then follow on formula it is!
    I'm not a person that could breast feed in public either I think its a personal thing. I have milk freezer bags at the ready also lol!
  • im still breastfeeding grace whos 9 1/2 mths and she only has mrning feed.Its been so convenient and a lovely experience so i definately plan on feeding the next ine until we r both ready to stop xxx
  • i bf my oldest daughter (now 2) for 3 months as she wasn't getting enough from me by then, she was feeding every 20 min or so and just cried all the time and so i gave her formula as atop up for a while and just bf inbetween. Then i just stopped bf altogether and i don't regret it at all. It was nice to have my body back, be in normal bras and start feeling like me again. My youngest is now 17 days old and i am bf her and she has done very well from the very start and i will probably bf her until she is about 4 months old and then start using formula. I know they say breast is best for at least 6 months but formula is designed for babies so i don't see a problem with it at all! Everyone is different and i know a lot of mums who bf for a year or more and they were happy to do so but i also know a lot of mum who use formula right from the start too or after a couple of months.

    xxx
    http://b1.lilypie.com/bWDC0/.png


    http://b3.lilypie.com/QPXl0/.png

  • I want to return to work as soon as poss so i am going to do breast and bottle straight away, and hopefully only BF for 6 months. I hope this all goes to plan! x
  • I breastfed my son for 1 year and 2 weeks by which point he was drinking cows milk. I hope to do the same thing this time - but you do never know what will happen. I loved feeding my son - it was really tough for the first couple of months but it did get easier and was the best choice for my family.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions