Question for BF moms

TaylorHam86

Sorry if this has been discussed before. I don't remember seeing it.

If you're planning to BF, and it goes well, how long do you plan on BFing? And what is your reasoning for doing it for that amount of time?

My husband asked me last night how long I planned on BFing and I honestly hadn't even thought about it. I know it can vary greatly from woman to woman, and I'm interested in hearing different opinions.

Thanks in advance!

Divine0chaos

My goal is the same as it was with my first son, up to a year. Unfortunately due to severe supply issues I only got up to 7 months. So I'm going with a better attitude of as long as I possibly can max a year. It was totally heartbreaker and hard the entire time for me. I want to enjoy my newborn more this time around.

honey740

My goal is always a year. Things happen that are beyond your control so you do the best you can.

RachelCA29

I am planning to BF, and I would like to do it for a full year (basically while I'm on maternity leave). If it's going great it would be nice to continue to pump after I return to work next Spring. We'll see how it goes though ....

I feel like my "minimum" goal for myself is 6 months. Like, if it sucks and I hate it, I want to try to stick it out for 6 months. But again, we'll see how it goes. It could be that it doesn't work for baby and I right away and we FF from the start. I think BFing is my biggest parenting fear right now, because it is a bit of an unknown as to how it will go until baby is here.

Peaceb0ne

I plan on breastfeeding until at least 1 year, up to 2 years if possible. 

krlovell

I BF'd DS for 9 months and then he wasn't gaining enough weight so we had to FF. My goal is still a year but as long as I can still make it at least 9 months like I did with DS I'll be happy. But anything can happen so we will see.

mirdamae03

My goal with DS1 was 1 year. We ended up going 13 months, and he self weaned. It'll be the same goal this time. I loved nursing and hope it goes as well as it did the last time.

sthomas1222

Til LO weans. Most of my friends stop around 2.5 years. WHO recommends 2 years so that's my goal. Anything after that is great as long as it's not causing aversions for me.

danabsd

I BF Beb for a year, kicked her off the boob on her birthday and hope to be able to do the same with this baby.  

kalette

16 months, only because that's how long I went with DD until she weaned.

danabsd

S/O BFing, check out this super weird article/poem/ode to weaning a 5 y/o.  So so strange.

https://thesinglecrunch.com/2014/02/12/goodbye-breastfeeding/

cbrust

danabsd said:

S/O BFing, check out this super weird article/poem/ode to weaning a 5 y/o.  So so strange.

https://thesinglecrunch.com/2014/02/12/goodbye-breastfeeding/

to each their own, but this makes me shudder. 

my goal is a year, but I would be happy with 6-9 months. For me personally, I think its strange when LO's are able to verbally ask for it. But no judgement to those who go longer!

andoll8

kitchencolors said:

Goal is a year, but honestly the answer is as long as it works for me and for the LO.

this.

stina76

My goal is 3-4 months, but we will see how it goes.  I have to go back to work in the fall and my school is not the most pleasant environment for pumping.  We only have 2 staff bathrooms and they are coed. Yuck!  Also, everyone and their mother has a key to the classrooms so anyone can walk in at anytime. So I have zero privacy! 

Miles2Go

sthomas1222 said:

Til LO weans. Most of my friends stop around 2.5 years. WHO recommends 2 years so that's my goal. Anything after that is great as long as it's not causing aversions for me.

This. Dd is 21 months and still going strong. I'm hoping to tandem nurse until Novemberish, at least. Will probably encourage dd to wean before she's 3.

spacepotatoes

I'd like to do it for at least 6 months and then we'll see from there. If I got back to work at the 1 year mark, I'd try to wean at that point if we haven't already. We'll see how my body and LO cooperate!

ksyknelvr73

I had major issues BFing with DS so I have a much smaller goal than most - 3 months. I figure that I will take the approach of "try for 3 months" and then if I can hit that, try for 6 months, etc. At this point, 3 months would be a huge improvement over what I managed with DS (6 weeks).

Mr. & Mrs. Woodtick

My goal is at least a year up to two years.

FunSizeGrl

My goal is a year. I really hope it works out!

shaunamw

I did just over a year with DS.  It was hard once I went back to work around 6 months, I had to take supplements to help with my supply but I'm glad I stuck with it so I guess that is my goal again.

ns1

I would like to bf this one for a year. I'm cheap and don't want to pay for formula (plus health benefits...blah blah ). I bf DD for 14 months and had a goal of 1 year as well. I'm not opposed to bf'ing longer. For me with DD after 1 year she just really didn't care much and my supply was pretty low after stopping pumping at work (which will definitely stop at 1 year again as pumping is a lot of work).

CamrynnsMommy

I have no had success BFing in the past, only made it a couple of weeks BFing/pumping. If I'm unable to EBF, my goal is to EP. I'm setting small goals, 3 months, 6 months, and I'd like to make it to one year. I'll wean after one year.

Ladiebug30

My goal was a year with my son. We went a little over 13 months. He self weaned. I'd be happy to make it that long again.

katesy21

Hopefully a year like last time. I won't pump at work anymore after a year but I won't necessarily wean completely at that time unless LO is ready.

keeumm

I'd like to try for a year. I hadn't really thought about it either, and I'm glad that this question was asked because it makes me realize I should probably have a game plan. 

Xath

I'd love to make it at least a year, longer if I could, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I can't.  I started having supply issues at 6 months with DS1 and he self-weaned at 10 months.   I had a lot of guilt over that.  

This time, I know we're going to have a lot of stressors in our life over the next year.  So I'm going to do my absolute best to BF as long as possible, but if I have to supplement or FF, it's going to be what it is.  

TaylorHam86

keeumm said:

I'd like to try for a year. I hadn't really thought about it either, and I'm glad that this question was asked because it makes me realize I should probably have a game plan. 

I didn't know what was considered "normal" and don't have any mommy friends IRL. My SIL has 4 kids but she always FF. DH has 2 sons but he's clueless. I'm pretty sure they were FF. So I'm glad I asked! My hospital doesn't offer another BF class until May 1 so I'm kind of on my own with google until then. Hopefully LO will cook that long so I can do the class. Thank goodness for TB and M14!

busterbeagle

I nursed DD for 15m and would like to make it that long again. She self-weaned, and I think that is kind of early for self-weaning, so if DS wants to go longer, we will. My reasoning: self-weaning was painless for both of us (just a little hormonal let down for me, but over quickly), nursing to sleep was convenient, DD is allergic to dairy so keeping her on breastmilk had health benefits over using an alternative milk, and I'm not planning on trying to get pregnant again so I don't need to worry about how it will eff my fertility.

Allibob

I plan to BF for at least a year, up to 2 maybe. Like PP I'll stop pumping at a year, then see what happens. I'd like DS to self wean, but I'll see how it goes. DD didn't take a bottle and didn't like breast milk from a sippy cup, so I weaned her at 19 months when I went away for a few days. Even though I was ready to be done with BF, it was hard for me to forcibly wean her. It was no big deal to her.

Chellbell20

14-15 months when I go back to work. The only reason I stopped with dd was my supply disappeared at 11m due to not having pumping enough at work. I hated pumping with a passion and probably won't continue if I make it that far.

whitehousem

Since you are a FTM, I want to throw in another perspective. I had terrible problems BFing (mastitis, latch issues, DD losing weight-not bc of supply). I ended up almost exclusivly pumping for four months and stored enough extra milk for DD to have breast milk for almost six months. I REALLY beat myself up about not being able to successfully breastfeed. I really wanted it to work and it just didn't. Pumping almost exclusively was pretty miserable for me. When I finally stopped I felt so guilty, but a few weeks/months later I felt liberated.

Some people have an "easy" time BFing and are able to do it long term, others struggle but push through and it ends up working out, others can't make it work for whatever reasons. I'm telling you this so that you know it doesn't work out the same for everyone, and it's great to have goals, but don't beat yourself up if things don't go as you plan. Do it for as long as it works for you, your baby, and your family.

This time I'm having twins and I'm going to give it another shot, and I hope it works out better, but I won't put such strong expectations on myself. I already have a swollen lymph node in the arm pit of my "problem" boob, which is way bigger than last time... So that should be fun. That and feeding two newborns with a toddler running around.

Good luck to you!

mmks

My initial goal was 6 months, and then 18 months. Never imagined I'd nurse my son until he was 28 months! If I let him wean, I'm sure he'd still be nursing. The other day he patted my boob and asked for "mamas milk". I wonder what he'll do when the new baby is nursing.
I'm not sure how long I'll nurse this one. Hopefully at least 2 years, but as this is our last baby, I might just nurse it until it goes to school It was very hard for me to stop nursing my son. I loved that time w him. Luckily he still likes to cuddle sometimes!

TaylorHam86

whitehousem said:

Since you are a FTM, I want to throw in another perspective. I had terrible problems BFing (mastitis, latch issues, DD losing weight-not bc of supply). I ended up almost exclusivly pumping for four months and stored enough extra milk for DD to have breast milk for almost six months. I REALLY beat myself up about not being able to successfully breastfeed. I really wanted it to work and it just didn't. Pumping almost exclusively was pretty miserable for me. When I finally stopped I felt so guilty, but a few weeks/months later I felt liberated.

Some people have an "easy" time BFing and are able to do it long term, others struggle but push through and it ends up working out, others can't make it work for whatever reasons. I'm telling you this so that you know it doesn't work out the same for everyone, and it's great to have goals, but don't beat yourself up if things don't go as you plan. Do it for as long as it works for you, your baby, and your family.

This time I'm having twins and I'm going to give it another shot, and I hope it works out better, but I won't put such strong expectations on myself. I already have a swollen lymph node in the arm pit of my "problem" boob, which is way bigger than last time... So that should be fun. That and feeding two newborns with a toddler running around.

Good luck to you!

Thank you! Congratulations on your twins! My younger brothers are twins and although I'm sure they were a LOT of work for my mom, they are so, so special. I know she wouldn't trade it for the world. Their bond is unique and incredible, from the time they were born and still to this day, 22 years later. I would love to have twins. Maybe next time! Good luck to you too.

MissLadyTay

A year. I made it to about six months last time with my son before I started a new more stressful job and my supply tanked. I really want to make it a year this time.

HARLEYSMOM2010

I BF my first until she was 26 months and my second for 4 I weaned them both at the same time this time I plan on bF until 2 at least I think it's an amazing bonding experience l

tjkdlhb

until it isn't right for us anymore.

for DD that point was when I got pregnant and it was really uncomfortable/she dropped a bunch of sessions rapidly.  (16 months).

We'll see what happens w/ this one.  Ideally somewhere between 1-2 years.

JKTTC1

My goal is the same as my son. I BF him until he was 1. I knew I wanted to make it work and stuck to it but went into it open minded about how long it would last and if it would work out!

I pumped when going back to work from Feb-May and then was out for summer. It was hard but I made it work!

babyaotw

My goal would be two years, but I also recognize there's a lot that goes into it, and I need to be flexible. What ends up being best for baby and I is what I will do.

deanna1313

My dr just mentioned that the American pediatric association recommends breastfeeding until a year old. I know a lot of people who made it to a year, but also know a few who were losing to much weight and their drs were concerned so they had to stop a little earlier.

bam326

My goal is 6 months but I will feel a sense of accomplishment if I make it to 3 months. Fingers crossed it is a positive experience!

sisterjanet

At three months old, my son got all four teeth of the really bitey front teeth within a week or two, and we had a well child visit that indicated he wasn't getting enough to eat and we should supplement.  (and I went back to work and discovered I hate pumping with a fiery burning hatred.  It felt weirdly depressing, and it hurt in a way nursing never did.)  Supplementing made my supply decrease.  I continued nursing as much as I could and offered formula if he still seemed hungry and managed to keep nursing at least a little until six months. 

This time, I'm hoping to make it to six months again, longer if possible, and really really hoping this baby gets teeth a little later, and chunks up a little better.