Just curious how many other moms here were breastfed and if you were or not, did it impact your decision to breastfeed your own child?
My mother breastfed my brother and I until we both weaned around 18 months. She has been one of my biggest supporters and the fact that I was breastfed definitely influenced me to breastfeed my daughter.
Re: Were you breastfed?
No, my mom did not breast feed me or my sister. She was 17 when she had me and 19 when she had my sister. I think her age was a huge factor. She had my brother when she was 25 and tried to breastfeed him but gave up after a few weeks.
I'm planning on breast feeding my LO but her decision has not influenced me one way or another. Too me it's a very personal choice that only I can make.
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Yes, but only for 3 months. Since I am 42-- that was a long time then as most people formula feed at that time.
Honestly however it had no bearing in why I breastfed my son for 13 months and why I am breastfeeding my daughter. I am doing it because research indicates it is the healtiest option. Therefore, unless I am really medically not able, I intend to do it for at least 6 months and take it from there after (same as I did with son).
for me it was just a logical decision- nothing to do with why my mom did or did not do.
I wasn't. My mom was 17 and a senior in hs when she had me (I was her first time and clearly an oops!!) everyone told her formula was better for me. That said, she's been a huge supporter of me bf'ing. My IL's didn't seem too excited (despite the fact that she bf dh) but now that he's doubled in weight since he was born and is doing so great I think they are coming around. That and they see that I'm not budging :-)
Eta- her choice had no impact on mine. I read the research and decided this was best.
I was EBF until 4ish months, then I got formula while my twin was EBF past 1yr. I'm not bitter. Haha.
My younger sister and brother were BF past 1yr as well.
My sisters BFed their girls - one sister EBF and the other BF/FF. To me, it was not a question, I wanted to BF. Plus, I am cheap and didn't want to buy something that was free.
My mom and sisters didn't BF much past 1yr so they are starting to question when I'm going to wean LO. My MIL said to me that BFing past 1yr was "gross" so that's my motivation to keep going. DH does not know if he was BFed or not.
It's certainly the "norm" in my family - I don't know if I could have dealt with the pressure/questions to FF. The weaning questions are distracting now.
Yes, but just for a couple of months or so I think. Mama had to go back to work and so she switched me to formula. She did the same with my brother. BTW she is jealous of my double electric pump- she wishes they'd had those in the 80s.
She did somewhat influence me, but mostly it was my own decision based on research and like pp said why pay for something that's free!
I was for 2 months. My mom stopped after several problems with BF... which turned out my own BF experience was a carbon copy of hers. She had suffered PPD and at that time it wasnt really a "thing" yet so she was completely without support. When I started flying down that same road she was a constant place for support for me. I pump now, but I didnt give up which is due to my moms encouragement.
And seeing her now with my DD makes me happy that we BOTH are enjoying life with a new baby around and I wish there was more BF support for her when it was her time!
My Mom BF all four of her kids, me included, past 1yr. Interestingly enough, since she SAH none of us have ever taken a bottle. Although she admits that her choices, like BFing, were outside the norm (late 70s - early 80s) and she was "that weird hippy" lol.
My sisters both BF their children, and it's pretty much the norm in my family. H's family is all FF. So there's not much support from that side. They aren't openly against it, but I think they just don't understand why it's so important to me/H. Although MIL did ask if there was a medical need to wean at 1yr? I just laughed and said no.
In a way yes my Mom's decision did impact mine. I knew before having kids that we were breastfed, and my sisters had kids before I did (1st niece born when I was 19) so I think growing up/living with it as the normal way to feed babies made it the default idea. I never considered FF as an option. And having them around for support was invaluable in making BFing a success.
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Despite being children of the early/mid 80s, my brother and I were both breastfed. He had no interest in nursing and she stopped with him at 11 months (and did cow's milk, not formula).
I was breastfed until I was 3, much to my father's dismay and mother's delight.
ETA: I never really questioned whether or not to breastfeed... formula feeding always seemed so foreign to me. And the more I researched the topic, the more I was sure I wanted to do it.
DH and his 3 younger siblings were all breastfed, although his mother passed away 10 years ago before we met and I do not know for how long each was breastfed. My ILs don't live locally, so I didn't get any support, positive or negative, from them.
I've always known my mother breastfed my sister for a few months (I think around 4-5), and then breastfed me, but for less, only about 2 months. You see, my sister & I are only 15 months apart, and she always said it was easier to just say "Here, you take the baby" and hand me to my dad, while she took care of my toddler sister! And my baby brother didn't get breastfed at all. Also, all of this was in the 80s and there just wasn't the support & push there is now. That being said, she thinks it great that I am breastfeeding, and I think she wishes she was able to do it longer with us.
That didn't factor into my decision to breastfeed at all, as for me that is based on research & convenience. (Honestly, the convenience of breastfeeding ranks as high with me as the health benefits! haha!) However I am very proud that she did breastfeed me.
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I was FF. My mom tried to BF my older brother and absolutely hated it. She said she felt like a cow and she thought it was gross. I heard that for so many years, that I never thought I would BF. However, as I got older and started thinking about having a baby, my feelings changed.
My mom is supportive of my decision, but she comments often about how she never realized BFing was so much work (and I totally agree with her.)
My family was poor when I was born, so both my sister and I were breast fed as formula was too expensive. My mom even hand expressed milk into little jars when she went back to work.
It probably had some effect on my decision to breastfeed in that breastfeeding was what I saw as the normal way to feed a baby. Sort of an "Of course I'm breastfeeding LO, how else do you feed a baby?"
My husband was formula fed and while my MIL is supportive of my bf'ing, has commented how ff'ing is easier since someone else can do it too. Now, watching the process of bottle feeding my LO now that I'm back at work, I'm glad I can BF. It's sooooooooo much easier to pop LO on the boob than have to prep a bottle.
I am a twin, and my mom BF us until around 6 months, when my brother bit her. We went right to cow's milk. MIL BF DH for about 2 weeks, but then quit. She says that DH was "always hungry" and nursing (which is normal!), and chewed her nipples raw so she gave up. I don't know if he got formula after that, but he was a big baby (10 lbs) at birth, and MIL said that the doctor had her put DH on skim milk at his 2 month appt because he was still so big. That was 40 years ago, so.....different times, I guess.
My parents have definitely been supportive. However, my mom doesn't know why I'm "still" BFing my daughter. (DD's mostly on WCM during the days, but I still nurse in the mornings and sometimes at night). My ILs have been supportive, but they don't know anything about breastfeeding- nobody in their family has done it successfully- so I felt like I was always explaining things to them.
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I always assumed I was, and DH assumed he was BF too. When I was pregnant with my first we both found out within a week of each other that neither of us were. My mom tried with my older brother (born in '80, me and '83), but says she couldn't make enough, so she quit after a few weeks, and then she didn't even try with me. I had a similar experience with my son, and quit after about 8 weeks, but my daughter and I have been EBFing for just over 5 months! My mom has mentioned a few times lately that now she feels guilty for not trying with me after seeing the success I've had the second time around...
My MIL just had no interest in BF, and while I don't think she judges me for doing it, I don't think she really gets it either. She always brags how she had her kids eating cereal off a spoon at 2 weeks.
I was not breast fed. My moms milk came in late and I wouldn't latch when it did eventually come in. It did not affect my decision to breast feed. My aunt breast fed her kids and was actually a big influence in my decision besides the $$$ savings.
My mom breastfed all 4 of us. The first 2 kids she only had 6 weeks off, so they were FF in the day and BF at night. With my brother and I she SAH, so we were EBF longer.
MIL also BF her kids. I think it has helped to have the grandparents think bfing is normal.
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(I had DS right when that formula scare happened in China and it perma scared me, and I just can't bring myself to use formula)
Only for a little bit. My mom said I was "allergic" to her BM. I had projectile vomiting and cried all the time. Finally the pedi had her try soy formula to see if that helped. Apparently it did.
She bf my older until he was 9 months old (so just after she found out she was pregnant with me). She didn't bf my younger brother at all. According to her, my older bro & I wouldn't let her. We were very jealous, and made it very difficult.
For me, it just made me see breastfeeding as a normal thing that you do. But all my aunts and stuff breastfed too. It's just what you do. LOL.
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