breastfeeding question

Replies

• wannanother

  Nov 30, 2007 11:43AM

  hi sorry i cant answer your question, i didnt breastfeed my first (gave up after a half hearted attempt) but am considering it with next one (im 4 months preg) and know what you mean about going out and about, this is one if the things that worries me, but id like to ask how your other children were with you breastfeeding, my girl is 3 and i dont think she'd like it or understand it as her doll shave bottles and as far as she understands babies have bottles, im scared she will be jealous etc, did you find this? (sorry to gatecrash your thread)

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• icecreamloverpissedoffwithBE

  Nov 30, 2007 11:44AM

  i set a goal of 6 months, and now weve reached that and i dont want to stop yet.
  
  once you get over the first problems in the first couple of months it really does get easier.
  
  i found people tend to just ignore you when out in public. I've bf at the top of a mountain before coz lo wouldnt take the bottle id expressed.
  I would ussually express a bottle to take with me everywhere tho.
  
  I'm one of the fortunate ones that has found it reasonably easy after his first growth spurt, and now am thinking i'll go on bf as his main drink (he is currently being weaned too) till hes old enough to drink cows milk at around 1yr old.
  
  
  xxx

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• pixie_woo

  Nov 30, 2007 12:03PM

  Hi
  
  I knew I wanted to at least try bf so I said that even if I only managed it for 24 hrs it was better than not at all. Once I'd got passed that I set 6 weeks as my target. Once I'd passed that I set 16 weeks as my target (after 3rd imms). Now my LO is 19 weeks old and I've started to wean him onto a bottle, we're doing it gradually and its suiting the both of us.
  
  Bf is a really wonderful experience and would highly recommend it but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't suit you.
  
  I've only fed in public a couple of times (I normal manage to express milk and take a bottle) but I've found that loosely draping a muslin cloth over my shoulder hides any flesh.
  
  Good luck x

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• hayley_l

  Nov 30, 2007 12:37PM

  i didnt b/f my first my 2nd i only fed a few weeks, my 3rd i set a goal of 4 months and fed her till she was 21 months (although only morning and night after a year) and isaac is 7 months and im still feeding him, i dont know how long i will carry on for it depends on how long he is happy for.

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• KirstyMacey

  Nov 30, 2007 12:48PM

  I fed my lo for 4 weeks but i had a really good try but it just wasnt for us she screamed at me as it wasnt coming quick enough for her and i wasnt eating enough as all i wanted to do was sleep when she did!! I was a bit disappointed that i couldnt do it longer but now we are really happy and i know that i have her 4 weeks of goodness. I was probably say express a bottle if you wanted to go out but like you i wasnt comfortable doing it in public and i know we should be but thats just not me and when i did bf i ended up flopping them out in all different angles to get her latched on lol!!!!
  
  Like pixie says dont beat yourself up if you want to stop but just do what feels most comfortable for you and lo good luck x

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• CarolynB3

  Nov 30, 2007 1:40PM

  I bf my first for 12 months, my second for around 6 months as went back to work full time when he was 14 weeks old and it just got too difficult with the nursery and expressing has never worked well for me.
  
  Current lo is 13 days old and I am really struggling with feeding...she is quite small 6lbs 14 now and is only putting about an oz on every 5/6 days. I have loads of milk, but midwife reckons she only seems to take the fore milk. I was previously so against formula feeding but to be honest I need to do what is best for us both and at night we are both crying as I so want her to get a full tummy and she doesn't...and then she will only sleep with me as midwife has said that she will sleep next to me whilst being hungry, but wont go into her crib when hungry...so hubby is in a different room to us as we cannot all sleep together.
  
  So, I have just given her a trial run with 3oz of Aptimil and she took 1.5 oz fine. So I plan to top her up during my evening feeds after I have breastfed.
  
  As for feeding in public, my first one I would feed absolutely anywhere...but now my boobs & nipples seem so massive it is almost impossible to be discreet...well I could if I fed her in whilst sitting in a duvet cover!!!
  
  I have come to realise that basically I need to just go with the flow and as long as Violet is putting on weight and happy, then I am happy!!
  
  C.xxx

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• 7tob

  Nov 30, 2007 1:52PM

  thanks for your replies, it's nice to hear different stories of how people have got on and to know i'm not alone.
  it's not that i want to stop we are doing ok for now!!
  i didn't bf my first, but i bf my 2nd for about 6wks and my 3rd for about 8-10wks i can't remember properly, so like i said i'm hoping i can go longer again this time.
  
  lauragcam my kids weren't that fussed really, my daughter is 8 now, my other 2 boys are 4 and 20 months. i explained that it was a natural thing like the animals and that it was a special milk that helps him grow big!
  ella was 4 when her brother came along but i can't really remember what she was like sorry i'm sure she was ok with it though. the other week she was sat in the front room bf her doll!!! that was a bit weird lol!!
  
  i told my son who has only just turned 4 all about where normal milk comes from and why don't know whether it helped.
  when you bf your baby though i would try to involve your daughter let her sit next to you things like that, ask her to get a breastpad for you, she will feel like she is helping too.
  good luck sorry to go on xxxxx

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• sibles24

  Nov 30, 2007 2:52PM

  Not related to thread - sorry!! Callyb - I have a Violet too!! She is 13 weeks now, it's such a lovely name.
  
  I am bf my Violet, and am finding it very different as I bottle fed my 1st 2 - they don't seem to get jealous, Lauren my eldest is more aware of the body so has asked a few more questions but Mia, the middle one, always seems to do something that involves danger just as Violet latches on!! I'm aiming for 6 months but will go with the flow - my hv told me to take each day as it comes - good luck
  Sam xx
  
  [Modified by: sibles24 on November 30, 2007 06:56 PM]
  

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• pen-37297

  Nov 30, 2007 3:53PM

  hi. i have 5 kids and have breast fed them all. my first for a year, 2nd for 2 years, 3rd for 5 months. 4th for 9 months and i am still feeding my 5th who is 6 month old. i love it but i don't set my self goals i just see how it goes with each individual baby. breastfeeding this time has been a bit rocky as on a few occasions i have thought my milk was going but i have worked hard to replenish it and it is still going really well.
  just take it easy and a little time at once and follow your babies lead, with my 3rd baby he just stopped him self at 5 months and i was gutted but put him on formula it was a hard moment to give him a bottle but it was the right one. the same happened with my 4th she just stopped her self and i didn't tear my self up so much about giving her a bottle. every baby is individual and you will know what feels right where feeding is concerned. ggod luck xxxx

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• arg

  Nov 30, 2007 4:18PM

  I was breastfeeding my 3rd until she refused on Monday at exactly 8 months old. She is unwell with a throat infection and cold and I am desperately hoping that she will come back to the breast when she is better so have been expressing 17oz each day to keep up my supply. She was fully breast fed and never had a teat so it has been really hard trying to get fluids in to her all week. I breastfed both my boys until they stopped themselves at 8mths and 11mths but I am sure they stopped because my supply wasn't enough for them which is why I've worked so hard this time to make sure there is plenty!
  pen, have you ever experienced a nursing strike with any of yours?
  
  I have fed all of mine anywhere and everywhere. This lo has been quite a challenge as she has only ever fed in the underarm position so I need a chair with arms to support her but you can usually do it without showing anything and most of the time it just looks like lo is asleep. No-one has ever said anything to me although sometimes I wish they would as I have lots of prepared responses- all very polite! Just make sure you stick to tops and bottoms as it isn't very dignified trying to hoik up a dress!
  
  Keep going as long as you can Michelle, it is so much easier than having to make up bottles, sterilise etc especially with your 4th when time is at a premium! Enjoy your special time together xx

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• Allie73

  Nov 30, 2007 4:42PM

  My original goal was 6 months. Then when my baby was born and I had so much trouble feeding him and had to top him up with formula, I changed my goal to 1 year. But he's nearly 7 months now and he's really losing interest. I know my milk is slow-flowing and I think he's becoming impatient. I keep trying to focus on the fact that I was able to make it this far. I hate breastfeeding in public too. I have large breasts and can't do it discretely. We only go places where they have nursing rooms (Bluewater and Lakeside shopping centres, Debenhams, John Lewis, Mothercare). I won't do it in a toilet because I think it's just gross. I did it in a park once and a few times on an airplane and it was ok. I had a cover up.

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• Anna_Banana

  Nov 30, 2007 6:21PM

  My son is 7 months old and I am still breastfeeding him. I intend to do so until he is 1 and can have cows milk. The only challenge will be that I will be going back to work in a month or so but I am hoping that I can feed him morning and night and express in the day for him. I have been very fortunate and not had a problem with feeding him, other than some initial pain. I hated doing it in public at first,so I would feed him before we went out. The worst thing was doing it in front of my father in law!!!! I have perfected the art of feeding while showing no flesh so now I don't mind feeding in public. Sometimes I will go and sit in the car of I can't find somewhere suitable. I must say I have never had to do the whole bottle and sterilising thing but breastfeeding is so easy, its always there, always the right temperature and in the middle of the night its good not to have to really wake up!!

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