How long did you breastfeed?

mstigerlily · Dec 20, 2005

How long did you breastfeed your children?
I will start...I breastfed my son until just after his 3rd birthday.:)

I am SO GLAD to see these answers because some times I feel embarrassed to say I am still nursing.

#1 was 6 weeks early and in NICU for 2 weeks plus I had a retained placenta that may have affected milk supply. I pumped but she wasn't gaining like she should so I quit when she was 6 weeks old.

#2 was full term. Nursed her until 16 months, quit because I had a breast lump that needed to be removed and Dr. said it "might go away on it's own if I quit nursing" It didn't - so I had it removed (benign)

#3 was full term. He will be 2 in March 2006 and is still nursing.

June55Baby · Dec 20, 2005

First - Preemie Twins - Nursed/Pumped for 4 months - Had no support, everybody thought I was CRAZY ! ! ! If I'd had support I would have done things differently. Of course that was 27 yrs ago, I was just glad we all survived!!!!

Second - Term - Nursed exclusively for 9 months - to my disappointment weaned himself at almost 2 yrs. (now 24 yrs old)

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Dec 20, 2005

#1 - 5 mos

#2 - 3 mos

#3 - 2 mos

#4 - 1 mo

#5 - 19 mos but would have nursed a lot longer - he weaned himself.

There is a 14 year span between # 4 and #5. I have to say I do regret not nusring the older ones longer, but I dont feel guilty about it. I did what I could do under the circumstances with the level of support that I had available at the time. :) I am however a bit miffed that I was told "Oh formula is just as good" by the pediatrician.

MIA-RN1, RN · Dec 20, 2005

#1 for 12 months

#2 exclusive for about 2 months, alternated w/ forumla til about 5 or 6 mos

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 21, 2005

My children weaned themselves somewhere around 18 mo. Not my doing; they just had better things to do, I guess.

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Dec 21, 2005

about 5 months, though never exclusively...

but I'm proud of managing that with twins (very hungry twins -- always have been!) and having to go back to work at 6 weeks. My first pap after they were born showed "signs of inflammation" and I had to use a lady partsl cream for a week. Though the doc never mentioned it, the enclosed literature with the cream said something about not nursing while using it, so for most of that week I expressed milk in the shower, etc. and I'm sure after that never had nearly as much as before. My babysitter (who was wonderful in many, many ways) was not supportive of breastfeeding. She wanted to have bottles and powder formula.

It got easier as time went on but when they were newborns I hated sitting still that long (feeding two babies who would fall asleep while feeding, and when they were that little I couldn't feed 2 at once -- just couldn't make it happen) and it was wet and messy. But then when they were older, I guess the milk just didn't come fast enough and they developed this "bite/pull/twist" routine that I couldn't cope with. Hurts just to think about it today...

missninaRN · Dec 21, 2005

#1-12 months. This was 21 years ago, and I withstood a lot of people suggesting I just bottlefeed because it was easier and would help the baby sleep better. I'm proud of myself for sticking with it for a year in spite of the lack of support.

#2-3 months. A very old school doctor told me I couldn't breastfeed while on a certain medication and I believed him. My milk had already dried up by the time I found out he was wrong. I wish I had contacted La Leche. My son had lots of ear infections and bronchitis, and has had pneumonia 5 times.

stpauligirl · Jan 3, 2006

Unforrtunately only 4 months the first time around. I didn't have much knowledge or support back in 1984. I am very happy to share that I was more successful 14 years later with my second child and nursed him for 2 1/2 years :)

stpauligirl · Jan 3, 2006

My children weaned themselves somewhere around 18 mo. Not my doing; they just had better things to do, I guess.

You are so lucky, my youngest didn't want to stop. Someone suggested to me to tell him that 'they are broken' and it miraculously worked. One evening of fussing and it was over!

So for all the moms who have children that don't want to wean. Tell them that THEY ARE BROKEN!

CyndieRN2007 · Jan 3, 2006

Breastfed my baby 24 months. I remember when he was teething he would rub and grind his little gums on me and look up and smile, oww, you little stinker!!!!! Hee hee, little brat. He is 8 years old now... :lol2:

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Jan 3, 2006

6 months only, even though I wanted to do more...sadly I went to RN school/work and just couldn't seem to keep it going well. I would have tried for a year at least :).

suzanneuthscsa · Jan 3, 2006

#1 24 wk Preemie who spent 3 mos in NICU. I pumped for 6 months but never got much after the first 4 weeks. I think it was due to getting the depo shot after 3 weeks which they told me would not dry my milk up, stress with having a critical baby, and lack of knowledgeable support from the medical staff. I kept trying valiantly to pump for 6 months getting maybe an oz at a time, but finally acknowledged that it was stressing me out more than it was helping him at that point. I am so thankful my milk supply was so plentiful the first month because he had enough to be exclusively breastfed until he was released from the hospital at 4 lb 3 oz. I think it makes a difference preventing NEC; we never had a single NEC scare.

#2 32 wk preemie nearly 4 wks in NICU. Much more successful this time around. I pumped so often that I got an overabundance of milk. I would get 12 oz at a time! I had a freezer full of it. It overwhelmed her and I had to continue pump/nursing her until she was 3 mos old and got my milk supply down to a normal amount. She continued nursing until she was 14 mos. My husband's mother died of cancer and between time spent at the hospital and her teething she suddenly didn't want the breast anymore.

Both of these experiences taught me alot. When I am done with nursing school, I really want to work in the NICU so that I can help mothers successfully breastfeed. They need it so badly, but it is always very difficult when you factor in stress, lack of bonding, etc.