How long did you breastfeed for?

[charlotteheys85]

As it says, how long for?

i've only been b/f 4weeks and already really running me down, my Lo is feeding soo much, hes wanting boob between 8-15 times a day at moment, thought it might be comfort so tried dummy few times, he spits it out after realizing theres no milk coming out of it!

my boobies are so sore.. i want to carry on, and i'm def not giving up that easy, but just wondered how long did you feed for, and any suggestions to helping them settle after a feed..

it feels like feed, sleep for 20 mins, cry.. feed etc.. etc.. all day at moment :'( xx

 

[locust]

Im still breastfeeding at 12 months and exclusivley till just last week Till 8 weeks Id say is tough then it gets a bit easier. There are hurdles most steps of the way tbh alot of fuss and fun and refusal to feed all day because the world is too interesting and feeding all night instead amongst other phases..but feeding an older baby/toddler is just amazing! Totally worth hanging in there it will get easier and you will enjoy it more later on. It sounds like you are going through a colicy stage too with the unsettled times and constant suckling. Co-sleeping is quite a life saver..lots of contact, lots of suckling, lots of DVD`s, creams for nips anything to get you past this stage. After 8 weeks (ish) it gets alot easier. Hang in there hun your doing a fabulous job and giving your LO a life long gift. x

 

[trixipaws]

i breast-fed for 8 months (and really missed it when i stopped!) the first 2-3 months are the hardest- i REALLY recommend sticking with it coz once u past 3 months its a breeze and u will SO enjoy it. and i'm tellin u you'll get tired of making up formula quite quickly. its so much more faffing around than whipping a boob out! after a couple of months on formula i couldnt wait to get her on to cows' milk so it would be easy again! (i gave in at about 11 and a half months was so fed up of boiling/mixing/cooling!)

 

[Lisamj]

I breast fed for 4.5 months. The first 2.5 were exclusive bf, thereafter I introduced some formula top up for the last feed as I couldnt' provide him with enough by the end of the day. He was never an easy feeder, but as I hit 4 months it became a nightmare - taking an hour to feed....not staying latched on....rubbish supply etc. Went to bottles at 4.5 months.

Try if you can to get to 6-8 weeks, I personally feel thats when you start to get into a routine and become 'good' at breastfeeding.

L x

 

[maria1976]

Im still breastfeeding now and I can just remember what its like at the beginning, the best advice I can give is to relax and put your feet up whille baby is feeding non stop, and I agree about the co sleeping! When i finally realised i could BF lying down

 

[charlotteheys85]

Im still breastfeeding now and I can just remember what its like at the beginning, the best advice I can give is to relax and put your feet up whille baby is feeding non stop, and I agree about the co sleeping! When i finally realised i could BF lying down

thanks so much for all postive replies helps soo much

i've just found out i can b/f lying down to lol.. sooo much easier!! i wish i knew this when i struggled to sit up and would cry whole time he fed when i was still "healing down there"

i want to keep b/f till atleast 3month, hopefully alot more, as pple have said its saves making bottles etc, cheaper etc.. jut gotta get thru this lil stage xxx

 

[maria1976]

have u got a bf buddy?? if you havent i can always pm you my number to help you getover any hurdles

 

[LisaJ1986]

I'm still going!!! Not bad for someone who really hated the idea of breastfeeding til my OH begged me to give it a go! I agreed 2 weeks! I almost gave up then too as it was so draining. But i fought on and set my heart on 6 months! Yet i carried on! Little bugger refuses to take a bottle so she's giving me no choice really!

The 1st 6 weeks are the hardest! Gets so much easier from there! If you make it that fat you have done a fantastic job!

 

[mum's the word]

We all have a tough time in the first months hun, and I gave up on my 1st son with it at 6 weeks, I didn't find bottle feeding marvellous either-babies are draining whatever you do until a pattern emerges in everything.
I breastfed my 2nd for just under 13 months-it just got easier and easier and more and more enjoyable, plus the convenience of always having milk ready is a major pro versus bottle, I din't have to plan my days around making up enough feeds.
It would have been a shame if my only experience of breastfeeding was my 1st-all negative, I used to wonder how anyone could enjoy it. Now I know how satisfying and relaxing it CAN be once you get over the tiring first hurdles it's actually one of the main things I'm looking forward to with the new baby.

 

[charlotteheys85]

my original plan was 6weeks, but after reading these post, i want to do it for as long as poss, i feel kinda excited to get past the hurdles and enjoy it etc..

maria1976 i dont have a buddy , but would def be great to have one

xxx

 

[jills10uk]

i have found it easier to set myself little goals, so it was 2 weeks, then when i got to that i wanted to carry on, then it was 6 weeks, then 10, then 14 and now my next one is christmas and i'll see how i feel then. that way if it is all too much and i want to give up, i won't feel guilty as i will have reached my goal. if i had a goal of 1 year and gave up after 4 mths i would be terribly hard on myself so thats why i do the little goals!
for getting so far already, its damn hard work

 

[ASD123456]

13 weeks exclusive, and then moxed till now. At the moment were are down to one feed a day I wish I was still exluisvley breastfeeding.

Keep at it, your doing a brilliant job. Your not far from the point when it becomes much easier.

Alex xxx

 

[Bloom]

i have found it easier to set myself little goals, so it was 2 weeks, then when i got to that i wanted to carry on, then it was 6 weeks, then 10, then 14 and now my next one is christmas and i'll see how i feel then. that way if it is all too much and i want to give up, i won't feel guilty as i will have reached my goal. if i had a goal of 1 year and gave up after 4 mths i would be terribly hard on myself so thats why i do the little goals!
for getting so far already, its damn hard work

Thats what i did and it worked for me my next goal is xmas too but then 1 year hopefully

 

[clarey]

Hang on in there you are doing brilliantly, it will get easier very soon. I found Lansinoh was fab, your HV might have a sample sachet if you ask its quite pricey but worth it in my opinion!

 

[Squiglet]

Lil miss is 10 months now...so 10 months this time round.. it was 9 months before ... Lil miss still feeds around 8 times a day if I'm floating around....otherwise she only feeds around 5. Breastfeeding is really hard... But you feel so much pride and emotion when you take them to the clinic and your HV/MW/doc comments on how well they are doing and that is all your hard work.

I have always maintained that those first 3 months are the hardest because you are still adjusting to the demands of being a new mum. Being a new mum is hard and demanding at the best of times, but having to breastfeed too... well that makes the struggles just a bit more draining. Once you get bfing under your belt it becomes second nature... and the faffing around with bottles etc... just seems absurdly difficult in comparison.

The best thing though is not to think in terms of how long you will feed your LO but to give yourself smaller goal posts. In the first few weeks... A year breastfeeding seems like a long painful eternity.... but if you say... I'm only going to feed her till 2 months.... then when you get there you say well lets make it to 3 months... then 4... then 6....etc... and before you know it a years gone by...

 

[valentine]

Hey Charlotte,

It sounds like you're doing brilliantly. I breastfed for a year and would have loved to have gone to 18 months but DD self weaned around the time of her birthday. I still miss it now - I can't wait to do it again with no. 2!

Valentine Xxx

 

[charlie84]

I am still breastfeeding and there is no sign of me getting rid of the little sucker anytime soon
TBH i myself only started to enjoy breastfeeding at around six months and i love it completely now, will be sad when it comes to an end.
Like the other girls have said set yourself mini time goals and before you know it time will have passed you by

 

[keli]

The first 8/12 weeks are killers but then one day suddenly there's no more pain and you just look down at you LO and you realise its all been worth it. I love feeding Cooper myself and i'm going to do it for as long as he still wants it. To me BF is the most beautiful thing ever and its the best beginning any mother could give their baby. Well done for getting this far and i promise it does get better

 

[charlotteheys85]

thank you so much for replies..

at moment its gettin harder but i'm just going to focus on lil goals like you've all said..

i def want to continue for a while yet, and i am kinda proud i got this far, i thought i'd last a week lol.. role on boobie feeding till crimbo.. ten i'll set my next goal

thanks girls xx

 

[beanie]

Seren self weaned at 20 months and I am still feeding Cally at 9 months. I had horrible starts with both mine and wanted to give up sooo much but persevered asI really wanted to breastfeed. Am so glad I did as some of my most precious memories are of feeding my children.