100% breastfeeders - please come and say hello - feeling a little isolated here!

[Miaou]

I'm the only bfeeder in RL in my group of friends, and it seems that much of my postnatal group on here is mixed feeding. I've now reached the point where the tiredness is getting to me and I have reached a low ebb. Many people (out of kindness) have suggested I should begin weaning or introduce a bottle, which I am really not ready to do. Fortunately dh backs me all the way but I would like to chat to other 100% breastfeeders (past or present), just to reassure me that I'm not my own!

Just come and say hello and maybe we can offer each other a boost if/when we are feeling down!

Hi Miaou, keep meaning to catch up with the post-natal thread and keep failing miserabley! Sorry you're feeling a bit down just now - sounds like you're doing an ace job though so try not to worry. I'm bf too, have been expressing but most of it is sat in the freezer as I find it really hard watching dd getting a bottle of ebm so she's only had the odd one when I've been out and dh has needed to give her a bottle. Stick to your guns and do what your heart's telling you not your well meaning rellies/friends, it can be hard when in RL everyone seems to be doing it diff - my ante-natal group in RL are lovely but there's a lot of diff views mainly because folk are returning to work soon and so have diff timetables/aims to reach in terms of getting organised. I handed my notice in Wednesday and when talking to my RL ante-natal group felt awkward as I think am only one not returning to work at least part-time. Hang on in there you're doing great - sorry for the long waffle!

hi there miaou!
We moved from mixed to 100% bf (see today's 'proud' thread), and believe me I was assailed during that time by doubts and some doubters (sadly incl dh ). Well done on keeping going!

Kathryn, my ds is being a bad sleeper right now too (6mo). So you're not alone! I've always avoided getting too hung up on the holy grail of sleeping through (although it would be nice, esp as I work too!). Co-sleeping makes the night feeds a lot easier.

Agree with frogs and would add (re - weaning before 6 months), how is

cooking vegetables
puree-ing vegetables
sterilizing all feeding equipment
shovelling said mass into infant

easier than nursing?

We're also going into winter now, and the immunity breastmilk gives your baby will help protect against winter colds. Last year my dd had 2-3 colds over winter (none serious, or lasting more than a few days). At the mother and baby group a lot of the other children did seem to be sick most of the time - and a sick child is really going to keep you up at night!

Well done. You've done the hard bit - now enjoy it!

Right I am going to c&p some comments on here:

"But you know it wouldn't help you if you introduced a bottle, and I bet you'd feel more miserable if you did."

"As for the tiredness, be kind to yourself"

"When I'm feeling rational, I know that formula doesn't guarantee a good night's sleep, and nor does a spoonful of baby rice, so I'm just sticking with the original plan."

"It can be hard when in RL everyone seems to be doing it differently"

"You have done a great job to get this far, and remember that it does get better in the long view.. i know some days are worse than others (and nights!) but generally it will get easier."

"So in essence: We are doing a great job, and you are not alone. I am with you! A moral supporting boost is just what we need."

Now I am going to print this out and look at it every day (or squint at it at 4am!!)

Aren't you all lovely. What would we do without mumsnet [smiley][smiley]

foundintranslation - you went from mixed to 100% breastfed??? Respect

softymom and frogs - yes you are right. I am intrinsically lazy and will hold off for as long as poss!

Hiya Twiga - I knew there were a few of us 100% b/f but kinda didn't like to ask...sensitive subject, isn't it (in general, not on our postnatal thread in particular).

Me too Miaou, 100% breastfed DD until 6 months and she's still bf now at 21 months. I still get comments now - everyone wanted to know when I was going to give her solids.

Just stick to your guns. Your doing a great job!

Hi Miaou

I bf dd and ds 100%.

I think a bit of a dip at 16 weeks ish is normal - you've done what seems like forever and it seems like ages to go but stick with it and it'll be gone in a flash!!

Then you can enjoy that lovely bit of just evening and night snuggly feeds for as many months as you like!!

Miaou, I know what you mean by sensitive subject, there are a couple of folk in my ante-natal group in RL who have had to give up and I feel guilty feeding dd in front of them sometimes - probably more my issue than theirs but I know how down they were when they made the decision. How's everything else going?

yeah hang on miaou if you want to.
I bf dd1 excl till 6 months mainly due to history of allergies/eczema. she has had no problems at all with her skin oor allergies and she is a remarkably unsnotty toddler.
I intend to do the same with dd2, fingers crossed.

It starts to get harder as your bf friends start to drop out and some (all of my freinds form my antenatal club) started pressuring me to stop too. Which in the end just mant I hardly ever see them any more as I didn't like the pressure. I didn't think it was anyone elses business.

I do remember having a real hard time at the 3 months mark and crying a lot wishing I could give up - but I had promised I would do it for 6 months and I felt I had to keep that promise. Once I ver came that few days I went on from strength to strength and am still feeding her now. I often wistfully wonder what it will be like to have my breasts back - but am sure by the time sh weans no. 2 will be on the cards. (Hopefully)

Hello... I'm in the same situation... all my mummy friends are bottle feeding. All but one of my friends with older babies have bottle fed. The 'one' breastfeeder has moved down south recently so is only available to moan to by phone!

Just think of all the lovely things about breastfeeding: Loads of cuddly time with your DS, not faffing with bottles etc, very portable - you can take your boobs anywhere, your DS thriving on your milk only, the money you have saved.

Is there any way you can get a 'rooming in' type weekend? i.e. Sit on the sofa with bisuits and juice, several DVDs and just do loads of feeding and cuddling. Presumably you'd have to find someone to take your other two though so maybe not very practical.

Big hugs though - you're doing great

I'm one too! Ds is 7 months and has been sampling solids for a couple of weeks now - still prefers the boob though! I'm stressing a bit because I'm back at work in 4 weeks time and I need him to be happy during the 3 days he is with my mum. I'm hoping he will cope with early am/late pm b/feeds and then solids and water during the day.

I am bf my dd who is 16 months,bf my ds2 who is now 10 till he was 2.5 so i'm guessing dd may do the same.Ds1 was bottle fed(now 14) don't regret it exactly but i wish even one mw has asked if i wanted to try bf him.Don't remember anyone asking if i planned to bf at all.It's hard work cos i also childmind during the day and dd is up most nights once or twice for a feed.I do believe it's the best thing tho and that keeps me going when i'm flagging or just plain knackered!! I tried expressing but never happened for me,she also never had a bottle,put her on cup at 4 months just to practice and she drunk well from a cup at 6 months when i weaned her.

miaou - only managed it with lots of MN help, a hired hospital expressing machine and a big dollop of bloody-mindedness . ds was jaundiced, weight slipping, formula pushed on us at hosp and then he started refusing the breast. For the first 3 to 4 weeks I would try him at the breast, give ebm or formula, then express. At about 3 1/2 weeks he just stopped refusing - think he'd got the hang of it better - and a few days later I could give the last bottle. Since then bf's mostly been a piece of p*ss - I've been very very lucky to have had no probs with pain, mastitis etc.

hiya miaou,

am a stubborn 100% bfeeder, despite ds's recent interest in biting (he's 9 mths)...
he was bfed until 6 mths, never had formula yet, & actually would still rather boob to most any food atm.

just skimmed over this thread - what abt hand expressing? i have a pump but have never got on with it, so if i need to leave some milk for ds i just hand express straight into the bottle/cup. cheap, quick, easy - works for us

stick with it miaou, you're doing the very best thing for your baby !

hi Miaou - fellow ante/postnatal Aug 05er here! I'm still 100% bfing - had thrush and bit of pain at start but okay now, going well after nightmare 1st time round. IKWYM about tiredness - guess bfing saves faffing with bottles & at least an excuse to sit/lie around some of the time, if that helps?
best wishes

fit, that is truly impressive - well done! Where would we be without mumsnet, eh?

Agalch, you bring up a good point too re introducing the cup - those who have done this before, when did you introduce it? What did you give them to drink, and did you use a cup with a lid or not?

Can I ask are any of you planning to go back to work? I was hoping to feed morning and evening and express but not having great luck expressing. Like the idea of water in the day but feel I should supply some milk to childminder just in case.

See my earlier post Tinker.......I'm going back 3 days/week in a months time and am hoping to muddle through with am/pm feeds and him having water and solids during the day. I hope to bf more on my days off - hope my supply adjusts accordingly as I don't fancy sore boobs and wet patches in the office!

..I'm thinking about supplying my mum with a cup of expressed milk maybe. He seems to be quite adept at drinking from an open cup so this could be an option - hate expressing though!

Sorry Roobie, did see your message. Which cup have you been using?

Not read the whole thread, but DS was 100% bf until 6.5m, demand fed until about a year, and is now bf twice a day at nearly 20m.

Hi miaou, ds is 4.5 months and is 100% bf following, wait for it:

milk coming in at day 6 while he was in NICU
naso gastric feeding formula
cup feeding formula
mixed feeding until week 6, gah, what evil times they were.

Am with you on the tired of it feeling - but i make mine pass by going and doing something new and finding bf so cool then - a trip, find the nearest one of us and visit for a few hours so. i'm with mandymac as well, with the responsibility of being the one who feeds (and loves the night feeds tho not the sleeplesness). But I tell myself it only this heavy duty for half a year or so, and when the foods are added I look forward to be being freer for larger chunks of the day. hth, xfx