A positive breastfeeding thread

[ItWasADarkAndStormyNight]

Through the mastitus and the growth spurts, thrush and poor latch to the curling up contently with your baby feeding and gazing up at you, holding on to your finger and the best feeling in the world.
Shall we share some positive bf stories so that when it gets tough we can remind ourselves why we do it?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11417490

yah!

-DS3 dropped below his birth weight for various reasons at 3 months old.

• implemented a plan of 2 hourly feeding, expressing and any other way of boosting supply.
• still bfing at nearly 1 year and DS has reached 25th centile last week.

So two fingers to the paediatrician who told me that I tried my best but my milk just wasn't enough for my little one.

I love the little sigh of happiness that he does when he has finished on the breast- a bit like the first sip of wine after a hard day.

Well done
It's great when they do that drunk on milk thing isn't it

Still BF at 1 year too.
So many moments I will cherish forever.

One to share: my MIL (not too keen on BF at all) was wondering if DD had had enough at 2 months old once... and to that DD emerged from my breast to look at her with eyes semi-closed and milk dripping down her chin... and MIL laughed "surely looks like it! you look drunk on breastmilk baby!" :)
I was so proud of my LO to keep her quiet hehe! ;)

I love the milk drunk thing as well.

DS2 is 6 months now and does this crazy lunge grinning thing when he is latching on. Cracks me up.

And the eye rolling because it is just soooo gooood. He is an appreciative baby.

awwwww I loved BF my three - fond memories of ds1 - while sitting at GPs surgery, he needed feeding at about 7 months. He decided that, while chatting to the boob, he would try and get his toes into my mouth at the same time. HV walked past as he was doing it and he was chortling away with a mouth full of boob, and exclaimed that we were the perfect advertisement for BF!

also ds2 was very poorly baby (RSV + HIB)at 4 weeks, and was very crotchey when he came off the ventilator. I was allowed (!) finally to BF him. Nurses all gently cautioned that he was very very weak still and he might not be able to manage much of a feed... Despite all the tubes and wires and drips and assorted lines, he latched on like a goodun, had a monster feed, doctors were delighted and let us go home two days later!

both boys were bf until 11 months, when they weaned themselves. 'twas a sad day.

That eye rolling thing is sooooo lovely... but sometimes looks a little spooky when I can only see the whites of her eyes, heehee! I love it when she unlateches to "coo" at me and then gets right back to it... :)

oh yeah, the eye rolling is good.
the little chat half way through.

the chubby cheeks that your milk has grown.

I get the most lovely little smiles mid feed.

I love being told off for making her wait, by her growls whilst gulping

she kicks her legs against my tummy in a slow run when content

She chuckles to herself if I 'eat' her wandering hands.

Was feeding my DD 7 weeks old in the reception area of our lesiure centre when a lady patted me on the knee to tell me how great it was to see someone breastfeeding.

I felt very proud of myself. And grateful that someone would take the time out to make me feel that way.

I love the last feed of the day. It feels like we're in our own little bubble. Ds fed until he was 9 months I'm really making the most of it this time as I know it will be over all to soon.

I agree on the last feed of the day. Even if I've been rushing around, tired and stressed, I'm calm and relaxed after the bedtime feed.

oh this is so nice to read. I've been BFing for 9 weeks and the last week has been so hard I'm getting teary and thinking longingly of formula... but I love that milk-drunk face, and I love when DS falls asleep on my lap, one arm flung over the breast.

Having DD regain her birth weight and more in the first week just on my milk.

After it all went wrong in the second week (nursing strike, formula, mastitis, hellish pain), now finally exclusively breastfeeding after 3 months of giving bottles in the night.

DD stopping crying the moment she sees me reaching for my bra and the wonderful panting sounds of anticipation.

The little hands cupping my breast.

The beautiful smiles when she's had her fill.

The milky puke (yes really) because I know she's getting more than enough.

These are all great.
Ds was born early and whisked off to NICU, I wasn't allowed to hold him or feed him for the first few days, he was put straight on to formula. I went mad expressing until my nipples bleed (bad idea!) Whe he was two days old I was allowed to hold him and he started routing, the nurse put him on my breast and he was away! He did a 5 minute feed and I've never been prouder in my life.
He's now 6mo and ebf, we've just started weaning.
I love the way he snuggles into the breast, they way he comes off and smiles at me then gets right back on.
My dm is always trying to take him off as she thinks he feeds too much, now when he see's her coming near during a feed he gives her a look and starts gulping with extra conviction because he's figured out her game

Not ALLOWED to feed him? Did they say why? . Which hospital? (I see a strong letter of complaint in my future).

I express for the milk bank to support women with babies in SCBU who want to BF but can't get enough. I don't bloody do it so some idiot hospital stops mums from BFing when they want to .

hey gaelicsheep - I remember you from your dark, early days and it's amazing to hear that you're still going strong.

Itwasadarkandstormynight- that really is a hard start to your DSs life- sounds like he's making up for it now though.

It was people like you that helped keep me going crikeybadger. And DD herself, who made damned sure I had no other real option because it makes her so happy.

Oh that little chuckle they do when they are attached and you do something funny. Not so cute when they smile at you with a mouth full of milk and it is still pumping out though.

It is all so easy now as well, the first few weeks are a test of patience but now it is definitely the easy option.

He was put straight on a drip, a nurse came and pumped a bit a colostrum off me which was left in the freezer and not used til I found it and asked the nurse. I wasn't allowed to take him out of the incubator until the second day, the nurse still didn't think he'd be strong enough to latch which is why I was so proud when he got straight on there and helped himself.
Now feedings so easy and I'm so glad I wasn't discouraged and carried on.

With DD3, it was the wandering little 'underneath' hand exploring my ribs while she gulped away.

And my DH sitting cuddling each of our babies, at some point before weaning and saying to me 'You grew all this, you know. That's pretty amazing.'

Now, many long weeks later its the knowledge that DS knows what he wants as he refuses to touch formula, also now he's being weaned he'll eat anything else happily enough so long as its not mixed with formula.

I love trying to make DS (17mo) giggle while he's latched on!

I also love the look of bliss on his face when I've been out at work all day and then feed him when I get home.

I love BFing, though it's been tough sometimes. Will be sad when DS and I stop.