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Working Moms
jeffrae
member
WM who are still BF
jeffrae
member
in Working Moms
How are you keeping up with it? Addy is knocking on 10 months. She gets 1 or 2 bottles of BM at daycare and the other 2 or 3 bottles are formula. We finally had to supplement at 8 months as my supply tanked (pumping 3x/day = 12-15 oz to pumping 2x/day = 4-7 oz a day). I am still "mostly" EBF at nights/weekends. But I just can't help wonder if I make enough for her at
night/weekends? I am always worried about leaving her hungry (though
she does not seem it).
I am having such an internal struggle with continuing breastfeeding. She is now starting to eat solids (2x/day), so her milk intake is going down. I have been dairy/soy free for almost 9 months now....and am just ready to not have to worry about it anymore. Are my 30 minute pumping sessions worth it (it is so hard to get in some days)? I am also having an issue dealing with people who make those stupid statements "OH! You are STILL breastfeeding??" I mean, seriously....she is still an army crawling baby with no teeth - not a full blown toddler. I guess my point in that is that I feel that I am starting to lose my breastfeeding support network irl.
I feel like I would be much happier looking back and having gone to a year+, rather then 10 months. I need encouragement.....sigh.
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Re: WM who are still BF
I swear there is something at 9 months that every woman must go through. It was around then with both kids that I hit the wall so to speak. But I pushed through, and you can too if you want.
I am proud I bf for an entire year (and then some) with both kids. It's something I had to work hard at, but it was worth it for me to keep going. But like you, just do what works...if it's formula during the day and bfing when you are home, your body can adjust to that. If you want to pump once or twice a day, keep going....it's worth it in the end.
ditto. i read more issues with WM at the 9 month mark than any other time! I had to supplement for a couple months at that time.
ignore the naysayers.
I weaned DD around 10m because I was pg and just couldn't keep up. I had planned to and probably would have pumped until 12m and then kept nursing as desired after that until at least 15m.
At the time I was so upset about weaning her (and she was a walking toddler with 6 teeth!), but once we weaned, things really did get a lot easier. DH could put her to bed and wake up with her more at night, she slept a lot better when we could just give her a bottle and she'd go to sleep on her own, and I just felt more liberated.
I'm not sure what I'll do the next time around...
Ditto on ignore the naysayers-- do what makes YOU comfortable. You've already give your LO much more than most get.
I stopped pumping with DD1 at 8 months. Like you, my supply was tanking for pumping. I still was able to nurse morning/night till a year when she self-weaned. Just do whatever works for you!
This time, I am still pumping and its not so bad. I think I am going to make it to a year. But I would not feel bad if it had worked out the same as last time. You gotta do what works.
I get the "you're still nursing" comments too. Especially at work.
Totally agree with madhatter on that 9 month point- I was there too. You're at the point where nursing is so easy as far as calming them down, ect, but then you're exhausted from pumping at work and a year seems SO far away !
Anyway, i was pumping at home in the evenings to barely break even for bottles, ect, and work was getting crazier. I kept telling myself "just one or two more weeks", ect. Anyway, I finally set myself a goal of 11 months b/c i knew I could continue to nurse morning and night to a year.
Anyway, after all, I kept pumping till right at 11 months. I stopped the daytime pumps and kept on nursing when I was with him morning and night (and naps for weekends). I had a big freezer stash so we used that during the day at daycare.
And we're still nursing at 18 months (morning and night). I wanted to keep nursing at least through flu season. Your milk supply can usually adjust, and it became so much less stressful!
Anyway, whatever you end up doing, try to relax! You've done a great job!
Carter James
I'll join the chorus and agree that nine months was the hardest point! My supply was tanking, I was taking More Milk Plus like crazy, spending a lot of time pumping and totally stressing about it. But, I kept it up. The payoff for me was getting to nursing DS at night and on the weekends and after all the pumping was over. I stopped pumping at 12 months and didn't wean until 18 months, and it was great. And how long I BFed DS was noboby's business but mine, even when he was a "full blown toddler."
So, I am happy to offer you all the encouragement in the world, but you should do what *you* want to do. If you feel like you will be happier if you keep going to a year, then keep on going until you know that you are ready. You can always stop BFing when you have had enough, but once you stop, you can't start again. Good luck!
Hey there. I really struggled at right around 9 mos, too. I didn't realize how common it was! Would have been nice to know.
There is a great yahoo group - PumpMoms - that got me through that tough time. Some tips for supply that I learned there: gatorade, non-instant oatmeal, marshmallow root in combo with fenugreek/blessed thistle, dark beer. I think the beer actually helped me or helped with the stress part of it... for me I think the mental part was a large part. When I had the supply dip I stressed and that was such a vicious cycle. Anyway, the yahoo group is great for virtual support and lots of good info!
My DD is 15 mos... I'm down to pumping once a day and think this will be my last week of it. And nursing still on weekends and evenings. She is definitely a full blown toddle, but when nursing she is my little baby. She throws her self into my arms in a cradle position and that time is still so precious to me. She is definitely heading in to terrible two territory, so I love that we have this peaceful time together still. Seriously, screw what other people say. Totally normal to still be nursing. I know we won't be doing it too much longer, but for now it is absolutely the best thing for us both!
You have done such a great job so far! You should definitely be proud and feel good about it!
I echo many of these sentiments expressed and I am struggling with the same thing. I pump 3x a day at work for about 30 minutes each time. It is a strain and I dread it each time. Even with 3 sessions, I am only able to pump about 13 - 14 ounces total. DS just dropped a bottle at daycare and now only drinks two bottles of 3.5. - 4 ounces each. I also give him BM in his morning cereal. I worry that isn't enough -- but he continues to gain weight, etc.
I have always tried to stay low key about nursing and just take things day by day and not put any pressure to make it to a year. That being said, I am hoping that I can make it to a year. I have a good freezer stash but I stress about it all the time.
I also get a lot of grief or rude comments from people at work about "still nursing." I try to ignore them but it is hard.