How long do you plan to BF?
chickybuns
Posts: 1,037 Member
I was just curious to what other momma's plans were. I plan on at least 6 months, but would ultimately like to make it to a year. I also nurse and pump. It will be nice one day not to lug the pump with me to work everyday, but I would feel guilty quitting too early and not giving my little guy my milk. I am hoping to build up a stash so maybe I could quit at 10 or 11 months and have enough to make it a year. But right now I only have maybe 10 days worth, but who knows how he will do with solids in a few months...maybe eventually he will take less milk.
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I'm aiming for the whole year, but I have days where I don't enjoy breastfeeding and contemplate stopping sooner. I've started pumping a bit to build a stash because if I do stop before the year I'd like to give her at least some breast milk.... I'll see what happens when the time comes, though.0
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I'm planning to make it to the 1 year mark.
Max is getting really efficient at eating, so feeding him isn't taking up much time. I'll also be on mat leave until then, so I don't have do do the whole pump at work thing (high five to you moms, that's commitment!).
I'm assuming he'll nurse less frequently as more solids are introduced as well. Breastfeeding is going well here, so I'm keeping the milk factory in business
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Trying to go the whole year again this time...last time I made it to 10 1/2 months, but I'd really like to go the whole year. I'm only nursing about 4x a day at this point (she eats a lot at her feedings ), and will most likely keep that up when she starts solids. I also have a good stash in the fridge...said today it looks like I have enough to feed a small baby army. 0
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Our short term goal is 1 year, but I plan on baby led weaning. I'm not going to get too much into solids until closer to a year and I plan to let him nurse until he decides he's done. Like Max, he's become pretty efficient so it's not taking up too much time. There is no point at which breastmilk isn't good for a child, so I have no cut off in mind. Interested in seeing how my mom deals with it if he nurses until like 3 or something. I would be stoked to have so much snuggle time with my little guy. I'm also interested to see what he thinks of my milk when I hopefully get pregnant in the next few months, if not already.
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I pumped w my first son for the last 6 months-(he started biting me) weaned him off boobie milk around 1 yr old when he finally took cow milk. I was maybe 2-3 weeks shy of the 1 year mark w the 2nd daughter (breastfeed her exclusively pumping occasionally for outings.but she self weaned before turning one..
This third time around i'm hoping to go a little over the 1 year mark only because she's a winter baby so i'd like her to get the extra immunity from it so she doesn't get sick too often.
I have to say pumping exclusively like i did w mys first was sooo much harder and I hated it. I enjoyed breastfeeding 2nd baby exclusively. it was much much easier. if she hadn't self weaned I would of breastfeed a little longer.0 -
We are currently a few days shy of 6 months! I originally thought of only doing it until 6months but I actually really enjoy it - things are going so well. Im not ready to break out the bottles so my goal is to hit a year! 0
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I'm shooting for 8 months. I'm a school teacher and pumping at work right now, which SUCKS...I figure that, if I can make it until school is out in May, I can then stop as summer comes to a close and avoid pumping at work next school year. We'll see, though...right now, I can't imagine not giving it to him.0
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At least a year. After that, it'll depend on how long little man wants to continue, though I'm definitely stopping by age 2 this time. I did the baby-led weaning with the first child...who decided he was going well past 2.0
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As long as my milk supply is in. I "dried up" when my 1st was 8 months old, and 6 months with my 2nd. Now my 3rd is almost 8 months and my milk is staying strong! So excited, I work midnights and pump at work, so expect the stress of haveing to do that and not being able to nurse as often my milk will eventually stop. But I hope it keeps up for a year or maybe when she is 15 months. We will see0
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I am planning on a year or near it at least! I luckily get 1year off so haven't had to pump yet. With the other two kids I continued until 11 months and 13 months.0
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If you had asked me when I was pregnant, I would have said 3 months of breastfeeding, followed by 3 months of pumping (so he is used to the bottle), then formula. Then I had such a hard time breastfeeding (because I had to go back to the hospital after he was born, he got used to bottles), that when I finally got him back on the breast, I was like, "I just invested so much time in doing this...now I understand why women end up feeding kids until they're 5!!" So...new plan is probably until he is around 1 year. (Return for my investment in making it work!) Also, I HATE pumping. It's not so bad when I'm just doing it to produce a bottle or two for the babysitter if we're going out, but when I was doing it exclusively for the first 5 weeks of his life, I was pretty miserable. I have so much more respect now for the women I know who pumped exclusively long-term. I had no idea what they were really doing before.0
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My goals are in 3 month increments. I made it to the first 3 months- now aiming for 6 months. Ideally, I'd like to make it to a year. I can't see myself doing any sort of extended nursing though- more power to the women who do though! I think it's great- just not something I am interested in. (who knows though, only time will tell)
I do have quite a stash of milk in my deep freeze (at least a couple hundred ounces). I feed her first thing in the morning and pump the other side. Pump two or three times while at work, nurse as soon as I pick her up from daycare then nurse again after bathtime, and pump one more time before bed.
She drinks between 8-10 oz while at daycare and I'm able to supplement that with about 10-20 oz extra/day. Pumping is such a commitment and so time consuming. I know you know that but that would be the only reason I would consider stopping early. It's such a chore- set up, pump, break down, keep everything in a cooler/fridge, make sure I'm not totally nipping out before returning to work, making sure I'm freshly pumped before a workout, making sure I have all the parts (I'm really good at forgetting the storage lids at home), It's also not that comfortable for me. Sorry for the mini rant.
At the end of the day, I know this milk is the absolute best for my baby. I always knew it was important but didn't realize I'd feel so strongly about it until I had a kid.0 -
We're doing child led weaning, I hope to tandem nurse after baby three, but we'll see! We're at almost 16 months and still nursing 12-18 times a day 0
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I'm with BeckyJill. I'm 30 weeks pregnant right now but plan on taking it as it comes. I had major supply issues with my first and nursed him as much as I could as well as pumped. I was able to create a very small frozen stash. AF returned at 3 months postpartum, so I stopped frustrating myself with nursing/pumping (if I EP'd for a day, I'd get maybe 3 ounces). I woke up the next day with one really full boob and one normal boob, so I pumped one more time and got the most I'd ever gotten in one sitting. From there on out I "dried up" and had no issues with leaking, though I think I wore breast pads for a couple of days to be sure. I finished out my freezer stash (I'd alternate a breastmilk bottle with a formula bottle except at night, which was all formula), and then my son was completely formula-fed. We started introducing solids at four months anyway, for whatever that's worth.
This time I'd like to use little to no formula (I will consider it at night because they sleep longer with it), and the first time around I didn't mind pumping that much. My son will be in preschool, so it will be me and baby alone for the daytime, which should help. I have nothing against formula-feeding, but it was so expensive!
I'd like to hit the ground running, if possible, by getting started right away and avoiding the missteps I took in the hospital last time, then I'm taking it one month at a time, or even one week at a time, if I have to.0 -
I'm enjoying nursing now, but have to use the shield, which is a pain in the booty!!. He latched once without it and it hurt soo bad. I need to try it again but I'm scared. I pretty much pumped for the first 12 weeks due to lip tie and he is rough. It is better now that he is bigger, but I'm so worried about when he gets teeth. I don't enjoy pumping but I've become used to it. It does take so much time. Now I usually give him a bottle in the morning to get his vitamin D and I usually need to pump before he gets up. I also give him a bottle at night so I know he is full around 7 and then he nurses before bed.0
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I have one year mat leave so I plan to BF the whole time. Thank goodness the horrendous pain of the first few weeks are gone! I was calling my LO the little torture machine lol0
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I'm enjoying nursing now, but have to use the shield, which is a pain in the booty!!. He latched once without it and it hurt soo bad. I need to try it again but I'm scared. I pretty much pumped for the first 12 weeks due to lip tie and he is rough. It is better now that he is bigger, but I'm so worried about when he gets teeth. I don't enjoy pumping but I've become used to it. It does take so much time. Now I usually give him a bottle in the morning to get his vitamin D and I usually need to pump before he gets up. I also give him a bottle at night so I know he is full around 7 and then he nurses before bed.
I always did a bottle in the AM and pumped because that was always my best pump of the day - a big deal when I was getting so little, and I sort of used it as a gauge for how much I might produce that day.
I was fortunate to have my dad and BIL (both pediatricians) making me feel less guilty about using formula. My dad said that at least we knew he was getting enough iron. He's been big on making sure my son gets enough iron as opposed to other nutrients that he's most likely getting plenty of, like calcium.0 -
My goals are in 3 month increments. I made it to the first 3 months- now aiming for 6 months. Ideally, I'd like to make it to a year. I can't see myself doing any sort of extended nursing though- more power to the women who do though! I think it's great- just not something I am interested in. (who knows though, only time will tell)
She drinks between 8-10 oz while at daycare and I'm able to supplement that with about 10-20 oz extra/day. Pumping is such a commitment and so time consuming. I know you know that but that would be the only reason I would consider stopping early. It's such a chore- set up, pump, break down, keep everything in a cooler/fridge, make sure I'm not totally nipping out before returning to work, making sure I'm freshly pumped before a workout, making sure I have all the parts (I'm really good at forgetting the storage lids at home), It's also not that comfortable for me. Sorry for the mini rant.
At the end of the day, I know this milk is the absolute best for my baby. I always knew it was important but didn't realize I'd feel so strongly about it until I had a kid.
DITTO to all of that!! If I was a stay at home mom and didn't have to pump then it would be a lot different. If I can make it to 6 months I will be thrilled!0 -
Going for a year with this one and 9 months in. I've been pumping at work since she was 12 weeks and hope to stop and use up my frozen storage as soon as the weather warms up and just breastfeed before and after work and on weekends. I had to start supplimenting my son w/ formula at about 9 mos as I didn't build up as much of a frozen stash and he ate more that my daughter.... but I still nursed him outside of that until he weaned himself around 15 months. I'm hoping to be completely done at 12 months this time though... as much as I appreciate the cuddle time, I'm ready to have my body be all my own!0
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That's a good point that some of you made about having some point to stop pumping at work. Although sometimes I'm gone aroudn 12 hours so I don't know if I could go that long. But maybe at some point I could just pump once while I'm gone, nurse when I'm with him, and use what I have frozen when I am not with him. We will see how I feel and how much frozen I have a 6 months. I'm pretty sure I will make it to a year as long as there are no major issues. I feel like I have worked so hard to give him milk, I don't want to quit too soon!0
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Mine is 8 months and planning going for a year or so. My baby still loves to nurse and she eats in about 10 minutes. With my last, we stopped at 4 months because he didn't do well with it. I still love to nurse her and the thought of stopping makes me sad. So considering doing baby led weaning. Plus, its helping me loose weight still!) 0
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she eats in about 10 minutes.
I do love the cuddle time with my son, but man I am looking forward to a time when he is that efficient. He can totally take 45 minutes to eat. I'm wondering if it's because right now, 90% of the time, I'm doing side-lying position...0 -
I plan to BF for 2yrs, because that is the WHO recommendation. Last time I weaned my son at 23 months, and I will try the same for my daughter unless she self -wean herself earlier.
Also I want to mention that just because a mom is going back to work, it does n't necessarily has to end BFing. In Canada maternity leave is one year, but lots of mom including myself BF their child after they return to work/school.
My son went to daycare when he was 10 months old, and I kept Bfing him just fine. First he went to the daycare from 8 am to 2 pm, and BF him right after waking up at the morning, right after I picked him up from daycare, and right before bedtime. After a few months he was in daycare full time, 8 am to 4:30 pm, and I just BF him twice a day: morning and before bedtime.
I think it made the transition to the daycare easier for both of us.
I never gave him formula or the bottle, but after he turned one year old I gave him full fat cow milk from a regular cup and he was doing great. This way I never had to wean him from the bottle.0 -
My twins are 13 1/2 months old and are still going strong. I need them to be done by 18 months for our anniversary trip. Most of my children have nursed till around a year or 2-3 months into the next pregnancy.0
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I am nursing my 4th son who is 17 months old. I had a hard time nursing my first (he would just scream and scream and not latch) so I pumped exclusively for 9 months. With my second, I nursed until he turned three. At that time I was pregnant with my third and it was a good time to stop. I nursed my third son until he was about 2 1/2. Again, I was pregnant and nursing was painful due to breast tenderness and hormones. When I had my first I never imagined that I would nurse that long, but once it was going well and I knew the benefits, I was not in a hurry to stop. Sure, there are days when it seems like too much but the next day is better and life goes on. I will most likely let my son nurse as long as he wants, but probably not after age 3 if we get to that point.
To the OP--I don't know how old your child is now but in my experience, my sons did not drink much, if any, less as they got older. However, my ability to keep up with pumping was not the same. I did squeak by without giving any of them formula but it was difficult with the ones who were breastfed (I had a much larger stash when I was only pumping). So, keep pumping and stashing as much as you can now! I usually stopped pumping at work shortly after their first birthday and they were eating solids well and adjusting to the whole milk.0 -
(I'm new here but I figured I'd jump in on this)
With my first I pumped exclusively for 4.5 months, she was born with issues that left her with a really weak suckling motion and even through 4 lactation consultants and multiple pediatricians we couldn't get her to latch on
However my second was a champ. She latched on within the first 45 minutes and has been going strong ever since. Nearly 2 years later I've just decided to let her self-wean. She's down to 2 nursing sessions a day max but still needs that morning one. I don't really mind it but if we decide to have another one I'll be sure to set more limits because weaning her down to the 2 sessions a day was awful. 0 -
My sole plan is to wean my lo before he can say "I want boobies" I'm guessing this will be around a year. His newest trick is to attempt to undress me in public to nurse. I personally wish for a bit more modesty. He used to try to nurse through the shirt, awkward if i didn't catch him in time... Especially when he left wet spots.0
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I'm just curious. When you are down to just two nursing sessions a day, are you still pumping at all? Or does your body just get accustomed to your child's nursing habits?0
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My milk supply is really low so i started taking supplements 2 days ago to help increase it. He's only 8 weeks and a preemie and i'm not ready to stop yet.
With my others:
1~ 6 months
2~ year
3~18 months she's allergic to cows milk and hates soy. I would of went longer for her but i was pregnant and it was causing contractions
4~ 3 months and i wasn't producing milk.0 -
I'm just curious. When you are down to just two nursing sessions a day, are you still pumping at all? Or does your body just get accustomed to your child's nursing habits?
Your body should regulate to what is needed... so at first you may be a bit engorged... but your supply will diminish as you express less. I feel like 72 hours is the magic number for your supply to adjust to demand... but it's been a while since I've taken a class so I could be wrong. BUT, if you'd like to build up a frozen supply (like if you're going back to work) you should pump and bag... but your supply will stay up until you stop.0
