BFers?

drbethc

How long do you plan to nurse for? Originally, my plan was to nurse until DS turns 1... I can't believe that's about 4 months away....Now, I'm thinking I don't think I'm ready to stop. I guess I'll follow his lead and stop when he's ready...I can't believe ill have an 8 month old in a few days...;(

khill86

My plan was to go until 1, too. I'm definitely not ready to stop anytime soon. I'd like to go to at least 2, if DS wants to.

I've just been trying to decide if I want to wean down to 2 feedings a day after DS turns 1 or just keep going on demand. I think I'll have to see where DS is naturally at a year.

stepper1725

I hear you! It's going by so fast. I plan to nurse as long as DD wants, my guess is this will drop down to 2 -3 times per day once we start her on cow milk. I work full time, so I plan to drop to one pumping session a day once DD turns a year old and then drop it after a month or two. I'll really miss bf'ing!

GracieBlue

My original plan was 6 months.  That was before dd was born.  We had such awful latch and oversupply issues that I changed my goal to six weeks.  Happily all worked out finally - I kept stretching my goal as I hit different dates (6 wks, 3 mos, 6 mos).  Unfortunately my supply is now tanking - otherwise I would bf until a year at least.

Sigir

With my dd who is now 8 I went to about 3 yrs. my plan had been to go for a year, and like everyone here, time passed and she was still my baby who loved mama's milk and I saw no need to stop. And nursing an older baby or toddler is awesome... When they say "yummy" or my favorite that my dd used to say "your milky tastes the best, like strawberries, mommy"... I loved that. That being said the older they get the harder they are to wean. My dd was not ready as we approached 3 so we had a weaning party for her and the first few nights were hard.

With this baby, and my age, I need to ttc right away so if she is not reducing her sessions on her own I plan to encourage weaning more at the 1 mark. Hopefully she cooperates!

topaz7777

My goal was 4 months which I have passed obviously.  I think I'd like to make it to a year, but now that my supply is dropping I'm definitely becoming more interested in stopping.  I'd also like to TTC as soon as possible.

jess9802

I'm planning on going until a year, because by then I will be more than ready to quit pumping at work. I've had to add a fourth session in the evening to make sure I get enough milk for DS's bottles the next day, and I'm tired of stressing over it. But it will be hard. DS is not a snuggly baby, so the only cuddle time I get with him is when he's nursing, and it's been such a sweet and rewarding relationship. I will really miss it.

Sigir

jess9802:

I'm planning on going until a year, because by then I will be more than ready to quit pumping at work. I've had to add a fourth session in the evening to make sure I get enough milk for DS's bottles the next day, and I'm tired of stressing over it. But it will be hard. DS is not a snuggly baby, so the only cuddle time I get with him is when he's nursing, and it's been such a sweet and rewarding relationship. I will really miss it.

Just FYI after a year you dont need to pump at work anymore to keep your supply in the evenings and weekends. I only pumped to one year, and then as you can see frm my pp kept going for a few more on weekends and in the evenings. By a year your supply is so well established it becomes much more flexible. We just transitioned to cows milk at daycare.

Just wanted you to know its not all or nothing at that point.

gitiggr

My original goal was 6 months, and I absolutely hated BFing until somewhere between 3 and 4 months for various reasons. Then we found our groove and it's been smoother sailing. I've been a SAHM this whole time which I'm sure has helped significantly. Thats all about to change next week when I start school from 9 to 1:30 mon thru fri, so DS will be in daycare.
I started pumping after the morning feedings about a month or so in so DH could give a bedtime bottle. I'm a little worried because my "stash" has dwindled down to only enough for 7 bottles. And for the past almost 2 months I have to pump twice a day just for his bedtime bottle, and more often lately I've had to supplement with some formula. So anyway I have no idea how things are gonna go next week when I'll have to pump two more times a day to make up for his daycare bottles. I just hope I can make enough! Oh and I absolutely hate pumping and I'm pretty positive we wouldn't have made it this long if I hadn't SAH.
So to finally answer your ?, my old goal was 6 months. I'd like to make it to a year even if it means supplementing with formula a couple times a day. But I draw the line at a year cuz I'd like to have 'me' back.

jess9802

Sigir:

jess9802:

I'm planning on going until a year, because by then I will be more than ready to quit pumping at work. I've had to add a fourth session in the evening to make sure I get enough milk for DS's bottles the next day, and I'm tired of stressing over it. But it will be hard. DS is not a snuggly baby, so the only cuddle time I get with him is when he's nursing, and it's been such a sweet and rewarding relationship. I will really miss it.

Just FYI after a year you dont need to pump at work anymore to keep your supply in the evenings and weekends. I only pumped to one year, and then as you can see frm my pp kept going for a few more on weekends and in the evenings. By a year your supply is so well established it becomes much more flexible. We just transitioned to cows milk at daycare. Just wanted you to know its not all or nothing at that point.

I know, but I do think I will ready by then anyway for a lot of reasons. It will be bittersweet, of course.

acbfreire

At least to 1 year, but for as long as she wants it.

seansgirl2006

I nursed DS1 until just before he turned a year.  By then he was down to only 1-2 times a day (when he got up and before bed) and I quit when he completely lost interest.  It was sad, but it just felt like the right time to be done for us.  I could tell it was for him too.  I plan to do the same with this baby-follow his lead.

Gnadtkins

Plan to go to 1 year. I was hoping to wean from pump at 1 year, but I have a variable schedule so we will probably wean altogether at that time. I have 3 months of milk in the freezer, so he will get that then. I will miss cuddles, but it will be nice to have my body back and TTC...

EMOmamma

Depends.  If she still has the MSPI issues I will continue to nurse and pump as long as I need to.  If she's able to take WCM I will quit pumping and just nurse morning and night after 1.  

Judging by her personality I don't expect her to self wean anytime soon, but kids always manage to surprise you.  

For 34 of the last 36 months I have been either pregnant or BFing  - I'll be ready to have my body back to myself.  

Rooberrywaffles

I'll nurse till he is 18mos like I did with my first son.

venussapphire

I know! My original goal was 1 year but that is coming up fast. Audrey is still feeding a lot so i can't imagine her stopping in a few months. I will keep going as long as she wants to. I myself love it. It's the reason having another child is on hold. I would hate to have gotten this far and then my milk dry up because I get pregnant. Right now we are waiting until at least her first birthday before trying to concieve.

 I would LOVE to be able to go until she is two.

Gismo123

I plan on bfing till DS weans himself. I just recently read on a board about a mom who wemt 4 years! I think that's awesome.

cchill01

I will go until DD stops.  I'm secretly hoping it's closer to 2 years than 3. 

DD#1 went until 27months. 

Gismo123

cchill01:

I will go until DD stops.nbsp; I'm secretly hoping it's closer to 2 years than 3.nbsp;DD1 went until 27months.nbsp;

I admire you for going so long! When I told my husband I wanted to let DS wean himself and, I was hoping it wouldn't be for 2 or 3 years, he kind of gave me a weird look.

I don't think DH is on board with extended bfing but oh well, they're my boobs and I won't stop bfing until DS wants to stop.

khill86

Gismo123:

cchill01:

I will go until DD stops.nbsp; I'm secretly hoping it's closer to 2 years than 3.nbsp;DD1 went until 27months.nbsp;

I admire you for going so long! When I told my husband I wanted to let DS wean himself and, I was hoping it wouldn't be for 2 or 3 years, he kind of gave me a weird look.

I don't think DH is on board with extended bfing but oh well, they're my boobs and I won't stop bfing until DS wants to stop.

I asked DH what he thought of me BFing for at least 2 years or more when I decided I'd let DS self wean. He was totally supportive but luckily his mom BF his 11 year old sister for 2 years and his Aunt BF his 15 year old cousin for 3 years, so in recent enough memory that his family doesn't find it unusual.

He did, however, burst my BFing bubble when he said, "You can BF DS as long as you want, but I think you need to be prepared that HE may not want to go that long." In my head I think, why wouldn't he? He'll need me forEVER! But at the rate DS is going, I think DH may be right. But we'll see!

Gismo123

khill86:

Gismo123:

cchill01:

I will go until DD stops.nbsp; I'm secretly hoping it's closer to 2 years than 3.nbsp;DD1 went until 27months.nbsp;

I admire you for going so long! When I told my husband I wanted to let DS wean himself and, I was hoping it wouldn't be for 2 or 3 years, he kind of gave me a weird look.

I don't think DH is on board with extended bfing but oh well, they're my boobs and I won't stop bfing until DS wants to stop.

I asked DH what he thought of me BFing for at least 2 years or more when I decided I'd let DS self wean. He was totally supportive but luckily his mom BF his 11 year old sister for 2 years and his Aunt BF his 15 year old cousin for 3 years, so in recent enough memory that his family doesn't find it unusual.

He did, however, burst my BFing bubble when he said, "You can BF DS as long as you want, but I think you need to be prepared that HE may not want to go that long." In my head I think, why wouldn't he? He'll need me forEVER! But at the rate DS is going, I think DH may be right. But we'll see!

I think my DS will be going for a while...if my DH is holding him and he wants milk he will start saying mama and literally try to jump out of my DH's arms into mine lol DS loves his booby time and I love the bonding it has given us.

I think a big reason why I want to go so long is because we had a VERY hard time in the begining with BFing. DS had a bad latch, tongue tie, I had over supply and we had thrush twice. It wasn't until 4 months when it started to not be painful and DS wasn't being choked by heavy let downs. I cherish bfing so much because of all that has happened.

tcu_2003

My original goal was 1 year, but now that it's getting closer (where o' where did the time go?!?), I'm not ready, and I don't think DS will be ready to wean.  So we'll go as long as he wants/needs to.  I'm definitely hoping to be able to drop some pumping sessions after he turns one, though!

zinkyn14

I'm planning on stopping after a year. I love my LO, but I want my boobs back to normal.