How to celebrate EBF for six months?

[FreelanceMama]

Yesterday I had an email from someone congratulating me for having breastfed my baby for six months (come 25th July). I hadn't thought about it much until then but actually it's pretty mind-blowing that my little boy has eaten/drunk nothing but breastmilk for half a year. It's not always been easy but I do think I've been lucky compared to some of my friends' experiences.

It didn't occur to me to celebrate it until the email came and now I'm wondering what would be an appropriate way to do so? We'll be starting baby-led weaning soon so I'll be carrying on for the foreseeable future but I'm always up for some form of self-indulgence . Especially as I'm practically teetotal and limiting caffeine while breastfeeding!

Any ideas? Either genuine or comic. So far, I've thought that my partner and baby should feed me for a day - breakfast in bed, lunch out, takeaway...

No, the exclusive bit was for 6 months - but the rest I stand by.

Agree they were not v. good, maples.

Congratulations OP!! That is a very fine acheivement and you should be proud of it! Like you said, it is amazing that you have been solely responsible for your DCs growth over the last year, it is mind boggling when you think about it.

I'm still BFing my 23 month old. And till 12 months she hardly had any solids (so not interested), so I felt like I have EBF her for 12 months!! Bloody hard work, as I couldn't leave her for more than about 4hrs with someone else (although she didnt like me leaving her full stop!). Luckily when I started back at work after a year, and she had to go to nursery, she HAD to survive without boobie milk during the day and then on she started eating all her meals (at nursery at least!).

OP, you could celebrate by spending the money you would have done if you hadn't breastfed and treat yourself. Although even BFing is not without it's expenses ofcourse. I bought some lovely underwired nursing bras and a lot of nursing dresses, so it was not the cheaper option!

widowwadman I couldn't help feeling emotional, breastfeeding has been a profound experience for me, I never dreamed it would have the effect on me that it has. It's been the only thing in my life where I can't say to myself that I could've done better. And I've loved it. BFing is v important to me and managing to EBF to the point I did was a source of great pride for me as I don't succeed to my own standards much in life whereas with this I have. I'm aware that I suffer from low self esteem and low self worth and this smacks totally of that but I don't care. And now I feel great pride in my daughter learning to feed herself and I was surprised that I experienced happiness about it too as I didn't expect to. I don't expect people to understand how I feel and I doubt there's many that feel the same but it's just how I am. I have often felt not good enough as a mum but in this area, even I can't deride my achievement.

I hear what you are saying to an extent, and won't deny I've felt good about myself if I've ever paused to think about it (not often) for having fed for so long, round the clock etc etc.

But I think one (and this applies to me, too) should guard against excessive self-regard, as this is about our children, not primarily about how are children make us feel. That way narcissism (which can be the preserve of the insecure) lies, and it makes no one happy.

personally, if I were the OP, and you want to mark the occasion I'd either go out and buy a big, fuck-off piece of jewellery or something else non-child related and tuck into a bottle of Pauillac. And five double espressos.