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Infant feeding

For the first time in nearly ten years, there's no milk in my breasts.

42 replies

Spidermama · 07/01/2008 21:22

DS4 will be three at the end of the month. He has been gradually having less and less milk for a couple of months now. He pretty much stopped altogether for the last 3-5 weeks or so. Today, out of the blue, he asked for some ... and there was none there.

I very nearly cried because it's the end of an era. I've fed all four of mine until they didn't want it any more and now it's all over.

I don't even think I'll get the benefits people talk about because I stopped so gradually there should be no real difference.

I feel like I'm embracing my middle age.

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laura032004 · 07/01/2008 21:25

but at the same time. What a wonderful experience your 3 have had. How many children get bf until they are happy to stop? 1% of babies that get a first bf? Probably less.

Not sure what you mean about benefits?

I'm looking forward to giving up bfing DS2 - have been pg or bfing now for 4 and a half years. Just want to be able to take strong cold medicines again. Sad aren't I!

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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:30

Yes I'm very pleased with how it has gone but feeling a few years older now it's over.

By benefits, I've heard tales of increasing energy levels and upper arm/back weight loss when people stop feeding. But I think mine petered out too slowly to notice.

I must admit I didn't much bother about abstaining from medicines or alcohol once my babies were eating plenty of solids along with the milk. I always assume that when a medicine says 'don't take if bfing' it means if exclusively bfing.

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BroccoliSpears · 07/01/2008 22:32

Congrats on 10 years of BFing. I would want to treat myself to some sentimental thing as a memento.

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emkana · 07/01/2008 22:33

aw spidermama that will be me once ds decides to stop feeding, not for a while yet though I hope (he's 18 months). I have been pregnant and/or b/feeding since August 2000 In fact the only time since then that I wasn't b/feeding was between Feb and June 2006...

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policywonk · 07/01/2008 22:34

Awww. You should mark the occasion somehow. Burn a nursing bra on the beach or something.

I'm sure I will be a complete emotional wreck when I finally stop. Actually, aren't you supposed to get a little hormonal 'low' when you stop because you're so used to elevated levels of that 'love hormone' (can't remember the name - the labour/sex/breastfeeding hormone).

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policywonk · 07/01/2008 22:35

Oh no, broccoli's idea much better. Get yourself a nice little bit of jewellery or something.

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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:36

I think a treat is in order broccoli. It's the end of an era after all.

Emkana enjoy while it lasts. It's such a truly amazing and perfect thing and I'm sure I took it for granted.

It makes me want to get pregnant again.

Did I write that or just think it?

WHOOPS!

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lulumama · 07/01/2008 22:37

that is awe inspiring, spidermama, absolutely amazing

a golden nork pendant, perhaps?

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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:38

PW I'm hoping I'll avoid the hormonal dip as it has all finished so gradually but I find I am sitting here thinking back to all the lovely feeding times and welling up because I'll never do it again.

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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:39

LOL at golden nork pendant.

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LilRedWG · 07/01/2008 22:39

Congratulations!

I thought you were going to say it had taken ten years for your milk to stop after BFing

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lulumama · 07/01/2008 22:39

i did not breastfeed either of mine, and i wish i had. i would rather be sat there sad the feeding was over, than i had never done it, IFYSWIM? do you have any pictures or video of you feeding you could look at and have a good cry?

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LilRedWG · 07/01/2008 22:41

I meant, "Congratulations on feeding for so long and giving your LOs such a good start", not, "Congratulations at stopping" btw.

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NorthernLurker · 07/01/2008 22:42

That is amazing - certainly you need to celebrate your achievement.....but I'm not sure getting pregnant again would be the best way - maybe a new pair of earrings - with 2 gemstones in each ear, one for each baby

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harpsichordcarrier · 07/01/2008 22:42

god spidermama I am blubbing like a baby now.
ten years! such a fantastic gift you have given to your children. really, really priceless.
and to yourself.
bottle of champagne, big weep I reckon.
(really thinking about when this will happen to me now, onluy five years for me )

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Jackstini · 07/01/2008 22:42

Wow SM - what a fab 10 years though.
Am both extremely impressed and very pleased for you.
Definitely deserve a little treat for yourself though as blues quite likely at something this constant coming to a close

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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:43

Thanks Lil.
Lulu there are a few pics here and there of me feeding I'm sure. I'm really glad about that. I should get them out, light a candle and have a good ol' sob. Get it all out of my system and move on.

Just writing on here is getting me going actually.

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lulumama · 07/01/2008 22:44


let it aaaalll out x
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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:45

Wailing a bit too embarrassingly loudly now so must move into a room where I am less likely to be overheard by neighbours or children.

I may be sometime. [half-arsed smile emoticon]

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hatrick · 07/01/2008 22:48

This reply has been deleted

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policywonk · 07/01/2008 22:49

You are very much entitled to a good sob.

Have you ever asked any of yours what they think about bf (when they're old enough to communicate about it)? DS2 is just coming up to 3 and has become quite voluble on the subject. I have vaguely considered recording his ramblings on the subject as some sort of memento.

(Oxytocin! Glad I remembered that before I turn in.)

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callmeovercautious · 07/01/2008 22:50

That is so insipring

I am BFing DD 16m and she is my first (possibly the only!) so I am in awe at 10 years no not shock but wow!

I can't imagine how it feels after so long. Even now for us it is so much part of my daily life I can't ever imagine stopping. She was poorly today so I had to leave work and pick her up. First thing we did was have a nice long feed, then some Calpol! Then some more feeding, and that was pretty much 6 hours of our day, snuggled up and reading books in between a bit more "mook". Ahh. Makes you forget the sore nips of the early days

Perhaps you can continue helping others on the feeding threads and BF vicariously?

Can I be nosy and ask how tandem feeding works? does Colustrum still come in for lo when feeding the older lo?

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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:51

Ahh hatrick I didn't know you were having a DS. Congratulations.

Oxytocin. That's the one.

I'm off to consider what my treat should be.

Thanks for being nice.

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Spidermama · 07/01/2008 22:54

callmeover, yes the breasts sort it all out when it comes to tandem feeding. You don't need to put any thought into it. I all happens flawlessly. Miraculous.

I would highly recommend tandem feeding as it really helps the toddler adjust to his or her new sibling.

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NorthernLurker · 07/01/2008 22:56

That is amazing about the tandem feeding - how do the boobs do that - well impressive!

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