Thankyou mumsnet ladies!

[AnyFuleKno]

I am so delighted to be able to say that I have now been breastfeeding for six months.

I really did not think I would get to this point. Things got off to a very rough start and H was sent out to buy formula and bottles. Thanks to this board they remain unused.

I have been lurking on MN for about a year so you won't recognise my name, but I am really indebted to the people who post here. I don't know anyone in RL who has breastfed successfully and this place has been like a surrogate community for me. Seeing other people posting about the same problems I experienced helped me so much. The best advice I picked up from here was

"Never Give Up At Night"

"Just get through today, don't think about tomorrow"

Somehow I stopped counting the days and started to really enjoy it.

So thank you from my gorgeously chubby dd and from me, grinning ear to ear

x

[Tortington]

aww thats so lovely

[wabbit]

MN did wonders for me and ds I learned to babymoon !!

wonderful that it's been such a successful journey for you

[TinkerbellesMum]

Glad to hear you did so well! BF is wonderful when you settle into into it and accept the wisdom you posted! (Couldn't have said it better myself!)

Do you plan on continuing? I'm at 21 months (22 next week ) and nursing a toddler is the best! Actually every stage is the best for it's own reasons, but I do like this stage

[AnyFuleKno]

Yes I'm hoping to carry on for another six months at least, all being well

[MrsJohnCusack]

that's lovely! and great posting name too

[TinkerbellesMum]

I made targets for myself. To do it, to get to six weeks, six months, a year and then it was just see where we go with it, but with an aim to go to the minimum recommendation of two years. If you really enjoy doing it, try looking at 12 months as a milestone more than a target, because I'm sure you will enjoy continuing.

[AnyFuleKno]

That's great advice, and like you say it's great to have goals in mind without having a fixed point for stopping.

I must admit I was inspired by a nigerian doctor I met who told me to breastfeed for at least a year, and said women in Africa breastfeed everywhere including in Church. I'd love it if we could be that relaxed about it here and I did think about it when I was nervous about feeding in cafes etc!

Unfortunately not everyone in the medical profession is so encouraging and seem to assume you are bottlefeeding by default, for example nurse saying 'have you given her a bottle yet today?' when I took her for jabs.

Thanks all for replies, was worried this would drop straight off the board with no responses!

[moondog]

Well done Any.#You must be very proud of yourself.

[AnyFuleKno]

Thanks moondog, I do feel proud but again it's something that I can't really talk to anyone else about as other mums in groups are bottlefeeding and wouldn't want them to think I was being competitive or anything. I do find it very difficult to talk to anyone about it really as my sister, mum, MIL and friends go on the defensive when I mention BF and seem to feel like they have to explain how difficult BF was for them in order for them not to go through with it.

I suppose one reason why I posted was so that you would all know that this board is helping lots more people than the ones who post here. I will be sending anyone who asks me for advice in the future here.

[lackaDAISYcal]

well done you

I had my epiphany at about 16 weeks after a difficult start and kept going mainly due to the advice and support I had on here and from my lovely MW who is also a breastfeeding counsellor.

Unfortunately we have stopped now as I'm pregnant and DD (now 11 mo) just went off it and refused to feed . But I plan on BFing this bub until he/she self weans.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Lovely post AFK, and welcome to the wonderful world of posting. You'll never escape now!

What a shame you don't know anyone in RL who has breastfed. Maybe you could join in with some LLL meetings, to meet more likeminded people?

[tiktok]

: AFK