What is your breastfeeding goal? Did it change?

jenn43 · November 2014

Just curious what goals people set initially, and how those goals changed. My initial goal was only just to try and see how things went once I started back at work. I went back 2 weeks pp (yes, I realize that is insane

, so I didn't want too put too much pressure on myself. At 3 months I wanted to make it to 6 months. Now that we've done that I'm shooting for a year or longer. Really I'm most excited about dropping pumping after a year and getting to join the extended breastfeeding thread!

DecafGrandeMocha · November 2014

Great question! My initial goal was a year but with LO's tongue tie/high palate/latch issues (only 2 months old and two frenetomies already), I'll be content to reach 6 months. I'm still aiming for a year though with LC help!

flcl · November 2014

Agree, this is a great question! Before LO was born, I felt obligated to at least give it a try. After he was born, things were so difficult... he was tongue-tied and tore me up. His latch was so bad I ended up having to supplement 1 feeding a day to give me a break until we were able to get the tongue tie fixed. I felt so guilty and cried every time we supplemented. In retrospect, it really was the best thing I did because it allowed us to continue BFing. After that, I was happy if we would make it a month. When we reached that, the goal turned to 3 months, then 6, and now we'll be at 9 soon! I'm hoping to make it a year and see how things are at that point. Sorry for such a long answer!

ejb23 · November 2014

Initial goal was 1 year now that I'm at 14 months I'm hoping to last until my DD is ready to wean herself (and hoping that's at least after cold/flu season is over!)

lauranicole91 · November 2014

With no one around me having BF I set my sites really low. I said 6 months. Then when she hit 3 months I remember thinking "wow almost 6 months already?! We will definitely make it!" So I changed my goal to 1 year. Once I hit a year I stopped capping myself off and just say I'll go till she's done. She's quickly approaching 3 and nursing A LOT (8-12 times a day), so I'm just following her lead.

nolemomma14 · November 2014

My initial goal was 1 year. When DS was first born I was a little overwhelmed and a year seemed daunting, so I decided to just try and get to 3 months. We made it there, and my new goal is 6 months, DS is 4 months now. I feel like if I can make it to 6 months then I would definitely like to get to 1 year, and then go from there.

opheliainwaders · November 2014

I went into it thinking I'd BF exclusively, until DD was as least 2, per WHO recommendations. My mom BFed, I live in a BFing friendly place, I figured it was all NBD.

Well, DD came early and couldn't suck/swallow, so it took us several weeks of supplementing/pumping/learning to nurse before she was EBF. Then I had health issues over last winter and wound up supplementing to make up for falling supply (only when pumping), so she had some formula then, too. So my EBF plans didn't happen.

But! Now she's almost 1 1/2, and we're still nursing! I don't know when we'll stop, but I'm willing to play it by ear and see how it goes.

VitaLuna · November 2014

My goal was a year, but when she was born early and small and we had major latch (and supply) issues, I was shooting for 6 months no formula. After I made it there, my goal was a year (with hopes to go longer). We're now at 15 months and she seems to be slowing down some. I just stopped pumping at work, but nurse on demand at home.

becominggold · November 2014

My goal is 1 year. We have made it three months! We had a rough start, but for now things are smooth. He does get two bottles a day at daycare ( only there 4 hrs), and so far I have been able to keep up with pumping what he needs. My supply for pumping is a little up and down so I have told myself if he ends up needing one formula bottle at daycare it is not the end of the world! I don't want to make things worse by stressing about it.

lilies&orchids · November 2014

With my first son, I gave up BFing quickly (about 3 weeks), but this time around I really wanted to try harder to make it work. My ultimate goal was a year with no formula, but I started small with weekly goals. Those weeks turned into months and I eventually surpassed my goal by a month when we weaned at 13 months. This board was a huge part in helping me reach my goal.

vvvvvfee · November 2014

my initial goal was 1 year, but i really wanted to make it to 2 years. DS had trouble latching at the beginning, and unfortunately the LC at the hospital got us started on a nipple shield. DS wasn't transferring enough milk and was losing a lot of weight, so we briefly supplemented with formula until his weight was back up. the first 3 months were really tough for me. i did a lot of, "i can't believe he wants to nurse AGAIN! he JUST NURSED! it's not TIME YET!"-- once i got past that and was just like, "ok, he wants boob, here's the boob" things got a lot easier.

i didn't have supply troubles with pumping (DS preferred nursing to bottles, anyway, so he'd often skip the last bottle and just wait for me to get home). once we got to 1 year and i didn't have to pump anymore, ages 1 to 2 were quite easy. nursing past 1 year has been the most rewarding part, IMO. i've had a little trouble with limit-setting past age 2, but i'm happy that DS is still nursing at 27 months.

AllTheTeaInChina · November 2014

I set short term goals of 3mo then 6 mo with the hope if making it 1yr and avoiding formula. When DD1 was 6mo old I was still planning on stopping at 1yr so I could have a break until we TTC again. When she turned 1yr I wasn't ready to be done. She wasn't either. I did stop pumping. I got pregnant when she was about 22mo and we still BF before bed and naps. She self weaned just before her 2nd bday. I never thought I would do it that long.

jnnfrrose6 · November 2014

With DS, I was aiming for a year even though I told everyone I'd be ok with 6 months. When we got close to the year mark, I was ok with going longer if he wanted to, but after nursing him on his first birthday, he never nursed again. I didn't offer at that point, but he didn't ask either. He was perfectly content with his sippy cup.

Now with DD, I'd like to go a year (or longer) since I was able to with DS. 7 more months to go, so we'll see how we do, She seems to "pop off" more often than DS did, so I've been struggling with being comfortable with her getting enough, but so far we seem to be doing ok.

crash916 · November 2014

Initially my goal was one year EBF. We made that goal in July and are still nursing. I am 29 weeks KU and never thought I would consider tandem nursing, but that's my new goal.
It's super cool to see all the mamas out there surpass their initial goals!

clwheel · November 2014

I was open from the beginning that I really wanted to BF and to make it at least to one year, but I was also open to if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I never thought I would truly get attached to it. Knock on wood things have been going quite well and we are still going very strong at 5 months old. I think I'd like to get to a year and then drop pumping at work and nurse nights and weekends. I have a nice frozen supply so we can get that during the day for awhile. I'd like to be done, done by 2 years old but I'm open to stopping between 1 - 2 years.

jenn43 · November 2014

Thank you so much for all the responses! I love hearing others' stories. I've been completely surprised how much I love nursing, and I have many thanks to this board for all the support and excellent advice.

DecafGrandeMocha · November 2014

WSS ^

starkbaby22 · November 2014

My goal at first was just to make it through the first month. It's hard! After nursing my first for 9 months then pumping until a year, that was my goal for #2. That didn't go as planned and DD2 only got BM until 9 months. This time (Due June 6) I plan to nurse as much as possible for as long as possible. Those first three weeks are so rough!

kujess1 · November 2014

From the beginning, I have wanted to BF for 1 year+. I really wanted to be successful BF'ing this time around, because with DS, I had so many issues I ended up quitting at 7 weeks. DD is now 13 months and it's still going great. I quit pumping at work as soon as she turned 1 year. Now, I plan to go till 18 months, and re-evaluate how things are going then.

Coconuthead · November 2014

My original goal was one year but I mentally broke that down into smaller, more manageable segments. I would say to myself "make it to six weeks", then "make it to three months". "Make it to six months"...etc. By the time we were at six months I knew I wanted to make it to two years. Right now we are at 15 months and he is still nursing constantly. If he self weans before two I would be content with that. If he is still going strong at two I will reevaluate.

amackattack · November 2014

From June 14 over here! Loving this thread. My goal is to make it 1 year, no formula. We are at 5 months now, and I'm getting ready to ship a donation to the milk bank of 200 oz. My thing is, I don't really want to nurse past 1 year, but I'd love to provide breastmilk until 2 years and would consider pumping to do that. Is that weird?

Right now she nurses all the time, maybe even more than when she was really little. She has started biting in the past few days and has her bottom teeth, and this is starting to terrify me, so we'll see what happens.

kmos816 · November 2014

My goal was 6 months- and we are now at almost 7 months; she has not been EbF since about 5 months. I don't have any more goals, now I'm just taking it day by day. Pumping and traveling for work took its toll on me so I'm just glad to have made it 6 months!

DecafGrandeMocha · November 2014

Lcgroenewe said:
From June 14 over here! Loving this thread. My goal is to make it 1 year, no formula. We are at 5 months now, and I'm getting ready to ship a donation to the milk bank of 200 oz. My thing is, I don't really want to nurse past 1 year, but I'd love to provide breastmilk until 2 years and would consider pumping to do that. Is that weird?

Right now she nurses all the time, maybe even more than when she was really little. She has started biting in the past few days and has her bottom teeth, and this is starting to terrify me, so we'll see what happens.

During a painful latching on last night, I started thinking about pumping to provide BM even after BF stops someday so I don't think it's a weird thought! Hope the biting stops soon. That's the biggest reason I'm afraid I won't be able to BF to a year.

ETA: That's an awesome donation of BM.

SidraJedi · November 2014

I'm in the extended BF thread and I remember being excited (when DD was tiny) about being able to join!!! It's a great goal.

My initial goal was foggy but I think I was focused on just being successful at BF AT ALL and then about making it to a year. Then it was two years but I was kind of reluctant at first. Then it became two years/DD self weaning. And finally my goal is for DD to self wean preferably past two years.

DH and I started TTC this month and I will nurse as long as DD likes even if I end up tandom, something I hadn't considered less than a year ago!

[Deleted User] · November 2014

My initial goal was until I went back to work so, 3 months? Then I quit after my first week back and my goal is 6 months (we are at 4 now). After that my goal is one year or until I get pregnant. At one year I'd like to wean to just mornings and nights. We will see! My goals are ever changing.

Lwilson24 · November 2014

My over all goal is one year. I'm really doing 3 month goals though. DD was 5 months yesterday so I'll consider next month a mini victory. I have a weird fear that I will wake up one morning and my Boobs won't work! Hahah it might be because she won't take a bottle and I really don't want to give her formula, or I might just be crazy. Also I'm hoping not to nurse past one year. I would be happy to pump and provide bm but nursing just isn't for me, I don't feel the bonding aspect of it, not sure why. I want her to have only bm, but am excited for her to stop nursing...

BKD1386 · November 2014

My initial goal was 1 year, I wanted to avoid formula entirely, especially with LO's milk protein allergy. Unfortunately I'm going to just have to be happy with making it as long as I have... I just found out last week that my cancer is back, so I'm looking at chemo again in about another month or so. Now I'm just trying to focus on enjoying every day I get, and building up my freezer stash as much as possible. :-S

clwheel · November 2014

So sorry to hear that @BKD1386! Best of luck to you with your treatment! Kick it's butt!

GerardSyreeta · November 2014

My initial goal was 1 year but I hope to make it past that. We are currently 8 months strong

Knottie30597254 · November 2014

mine was six months but I made it to one year!!!!!

DecafGrandeMocha · November 2014

CLWheel said:
So sorry to hear that @BKD1386! Best of luck to you with your treatment! Kick it's butt!

Ditto (sorry so impersonal but she really did say it best!)

Maladroit · November 2014

Well, my initial goal was strongly to BF for at least a year. That changed when I didn't have a fantastic supply, despite all efforts. I'm 5 months out and I BF and supplement, but I am about done with the BF'ing as DS isn't very interested in going to breast and my supply tanked recently. I really wish I could've gone longer, but no go.

bumpuser260585 · November 2014

My initial goal was 3 months since that is longer than I nursed DS1. Then it became 6 months. Now that ds2 is almost 7 months my goal is 1 year.

opheliainwaders · November 2014

BKD1386 said:
My initial goal was 1 year, I wanted to avoid formula entirely, especially with LO's milk protein allergy. Unfortunately I'm going to just have to be happy with making it as long as I have... I just found out last week that my cancer is back, so I'm looking at chemo again in about another month or so. Now I'm just trying to focus on enjoying every day I get, and building up my freezer stash as much as possible. :-S

So sorry to hear that. Cancer sucks! I hope chemo goes as well as it can, and that you kick some butt.

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