How long will you breastfeed??

lesleyn21 · October 2011

How long do you plan to breastfeed??

lvisser · October 2011

12 months +

ETA - I have said with all three kids that I would BF as long as it was working for BOTH of us.

With Rylee that lasted 11 weeks...

Kai lasted 14 months.

I HOPE to go past the 12 month mark with this baby too.

katcarls · October 2011

My goal is 12+ months again. I nursed DS until he started self-weaning around 13 months.

erbear · October 2011

As long as we're both happy.

My older DD weaned herself around 17 months (we were nursing morning and evening).

bootsnbananas · October 2011

My 6 year old weaned himself around 9 months and Julia refused to nurse when I got knocked up. She was only 4.5 - 5 months when she stopped completely. I was devastated.

I think it is going to be harder this time with a 13 month needing attention but my 1st goal is 6 months and then 12. I have some underlying health issues which may force me to stop breastfeeding earlier but I am hoping it all works out.

NicoleD715 · October 2011

I plan on around 6 to 7 months.

8Laura9 · October 2011

With my oldest son suckling my breast he never did bite me but, did chew a few times on them so I'd just simply remove my breast from him which lead to him only suckling without biting or chewing on them again. He self-weaned at about the end of his 13th month.

With my second son he stopped suckling on my breast about 9.5 months. He continued taking my breast milk which I just simply pumped giving to him in his bottle until he started on regular whole milk a few days pasted his 1st birthday.

I would've continued breastfeeding longer if I'd seen the need in doing so at least out to 18 months or so! I did however donate to the hospital all the breast milk I'd pumped up until that point for my son so they could use it for those babies who needed it so disparately!

As for this next baby I will breastfeed him/her as long as necessary! I plan on 18 months! We'll see how this works out as time goes on! I however don't see it going no 2.5 years as recommended by some of the articles I've read on breastfeeding! I definitely will not breastfeed as one woman did for her daughter of over 5 years! Hope this helps you in your quest!

ETA: That's right I said 2 and a half - YEARS!!!

ETA: for clarity!

pinksweetpea2 · October 2011

At least a year, probably more. Lily weaned at 15 months and I was about done then. I would like to think that I would go to 2 years, but I am not sure...I was pretty touched out by a year.

mieuxmieux · October 2011

12+ months. With K, we had a problem with biting so I exclusively pumped from 6-13 months. I am praying we don't have the same problem with LO2.

WildcatPrincess · October 2011

As long as we both want to. DD weaned when I was 10 weeks along (so around 16 months) and I was happy with that. I did want her done before the 2nd half of the pregnancy. But if I wasn't pregnant I'm not sure how long I would have gone.

TheOriginalSP · October 2011

I'd ideally like to make it to 18 months, but 2 is my overall goal.

With my first I wanted at least a year, I only made it to 6 1/2 months due to supply issues.

With my second I wanted at least 18 months but I only made it to 10 months due to supply issues (thanks to pregnancy).

Since this one will be our last, I'm nursing as long as I possibly can!!!!! I loved nursing and I was devestated both times when it didn't work out to go longer. I just pray that my next is cooperative and that my supply keeps up!

mommy2be1991 · October 2011

EBF for 6 months, then hoping to continue once I go back to school by pumping, but not totally necessary. I would like to go 12 months, but being a fulltime student I'm not sure how easy that would be...

Mamasaurus · October 2011

Ideally, I would like to wean no sooner than 12 months and no later than 24 months. Of course, if I have a little biter or a child that wants to go down to night feedings only at 10 months/still wants night feedings at 13 months, I'm not going to force the issue.

krazykat415 · October 2011

as long as its working for us. but I quit before they are 2

My first son I nursed 9 months. then he at that point kept clomping down and pulling back and I couldn't take it. He wasn't getting the point and we stopped

second son- 15 months but at that point I was just his pacifier

third son- He was 20 months old and I was a pacifer and said okay you need to self soothe

JhawkCE · October 2011

I was planning on a year. I exclusively bf for a year and I still bf him at night at 15 months. I'll let him keep going until he feels like stopping or until it causes contractions. I'll do the same with this one. Once you get past the hard part it's a hard habit to break.

BeanieWeanie · October 2011

I BF DS till he was 2, and probably would have carried on once a day if I wasn't pg. I'll do the same with this LO.

KatelynEA90 · October 2011

As long as I can.

I will probably pump and bottle feed when she gets teeth if we're still breastfeeding then.

I will also probably pump and bottle feed when she starts walking and running around too.

And after 1 years old if I'm not pumping and feeding yet, I'll start then and try to wean her into cows milk.

I'm a FTM so thats why there's a lot of 'probably'. It's all subject to change.

ghdst1 · October 2011

I was able to go 13 months with DS. He self weened at that time. I EBF for 10 months and then for the last 3 i did a combination of BF in am/pm and formula duriong the day....I was so over pumping at work. I plan to try for 12 months (or more) again to avoid paying for formula.

Shawnee11507 · October 2011

This is my first, so I'm not sure- however long it works out for. My first goal is 6 months and my 2nd goal is 1 year. I will have to go back to work full-time after the first 3 months, so I hope I am able to pump a lot.

thumperbrat2669 · October 2011

I am going to take it day by day with DS. I had to many problems with my other LO's. I never made it past 2 months. I plan on BFing as long as I am able to!

gekeler6 · October 2011

Minimal 6 months, hoping for longer.....or until the baby bites my boob.

I also (flame me if you must) think its weird when the baby can ask for a drink and they are still breastfeeding. I think bf is a great and natural thing, but when a "big" kid can say, "Mom, I want milk.", and a boob comes flying out.....I think its time to wean. I know mothers will disagree but this is just my opinion and I don't set the rules. I bf all my kids and made it to at least 4/6 months, but breastfeeding twins is HARD! This time I'm determined to make it to a year!!

drewbon13 · October 2011

At least six months, but preferably no longer than a year.

mommybrynn · October 2011

12 months or so-- I had a LOT of trouble with DD and only managed to produce for about 6 months but I am hoping things will go differently this time around!

shouldbworkin · October 2011

Hoping to make it 12 mos at least. BF DD for 13 mos, so it would be nice to make it that long again. But, I will probably be having knee surgery when this one is 6 or so mos old and I'm hoping that doesn't derail things.

kasslynne · October 2011

erbear:
As long as we're both happy.
My older DD weaned herself around 17 months (we were nursing morning and evening).

Erbear. That first sentence is perfect:) I had such high expectations with DS and had such a hard time with it.

I think I will go as long as I can with out getting overwhelmed.

kg_08 · October 2011

I had always planned on BFing for a year, but ended up quitting at 10 months.

I had plenty of milk thankfully and BFing was easy enough for me, but something I didn't expect was how much I wouldn't enjoy it. I felt really tied down, and I never had that bonding feeling people talk about. As soon as the pedi gave the green light to switch to cow milk, I went for it.

Not to mention I didn't get AF at all while BFing, so we also quit to TTC.

jason&robin · October 2011

at least a year

annabelle.27 · October 2011

I bf'd for 18 months with my son, so probably about the same.

bethanno · October 2011

I only plan on doing it for 2 months so I'm not breastfeeding when I get back to work. Plus we want to try for another baby right away.

Mrs_MBed · October 2011

I would love to do 12+ months, but have no experience nursing twins, so I'm just going to take it a week at a time and try to do it for as long as possible.

DD1 was weaned at 19.5 months and DD2 was weaned at 24 months. We were down to naptime/bedtime feedings that lasted about 5-10 mins when I became pg (each time), so I weaned then.

dizzycooks · October 2011

I would like LO on breast milk for at least a year. Whether that means I am feeding her or she gets it in a bottle doesn't matter to me. I am hoping to keep my supply up when I go back to work and then pump in addition to feeding her over the summer. We want to TTC again next summer, but I think we'll have to wait until fall because I will need to be back on hormones and fertility treatments and I can't imagine I can do that and bf. I hope to have enough in the freezer to supply the last few months before a year.

kiarstin · October 2011

I will probably go 9 months to year.

ryry1977 · October 2011

I breastfed DS for 16 months. I am hoping to last that long with DD this time too. I had it easy though for DS, he did great from the start and was easy to BF. Hope my luck holds out for this one too.

92405bride · October 2011

I hope to be able to nurse for at least a year again. Last time I weaned at 12.5 months.

mamatoc&j · October 2011

At least 12 months

TaylorandMel · October 2011

gekeler6:
Minimal 6 months, hoping for longer.....or until the baby bites my boob.
I also (flame me if you must) think its weird when the baby can ask for a drink and they are still breastfeeding. I think bf is a great and natural thing, but when a "big" kid can say, "Mom, I want milk.", and a boob comes flying out.....I think its time to wean. I know mothers will disagree but this is just my opinion and I don't set the rules. I bf all my kids and made it to at least 4/6 months, but breastfeeding twins is HARD! This time I'm determined to make it to a year!!

This!

If they're old enough to be asking for milk and you still want them to have breast milk, then I think it should be pumped. Way too weird to have them breastfeeding after a year IMO.

mbear511 · October 2011

With DS, I planned to nurse for 12 months at least - but he weaned himself around 11 months. My plan is to go at least 12 months again and then take cues from the baby.

EllasMommy2010 · October 2011

2-3 months. It doesn't work for me to pump at work, so I won't go past 12 weeks.

sunnyday016 · October 2011

12-18 months. I stopped nursing DD at 19 months, so I guess I'm aiming for about the same again.

JosF21 · October 2011

I only made it about 4 months with my first, I had a lot of issues. Hoping to make it longer than that this time, and if not, well at least I tried.

KRISTA555 · October 2011

I think the key is to get lots of support, information, and to stick with it. Yes, there are certain situations that make breastfeeding impossible or impractical, but I think in most circumstances, if the mom can just stick with it, she will succeed.

I breastfed DD for 14 1/2 months until she self-weaned. It was rough at times (especially since I couldn't pump so every single breastfeeding meal was directly from the boob for 14 1/2 months!!)... but I was way too stubborn to quit.

There were many times along the way that I didn't think I could continue. Especially when I was getting up a million times a night and could never get a break due to not being able to pump, but I am so glad I continued.

It is such an easy "off" button when your baby/toddler is hurt, sad, tired, etc. You just stick em on the boob and all is right with the world..lol

When I was BFing, I remember saying "Ok, we're gonna make it to 3 months at least"... and then "Ok... we made it to 3 mos.. let's at least make it to 6 mos!".. and before I knew it, we were past 12 mos and still going.

The longer you go, the easier it is. Your baby just knows what to do, and you just sit there and zone out.

I definitely miss it at times, but I'm super happy to get a break before this baby.