I love breastfeeding

[TiffanyDoggett]

I’m hoping to start a happy, gentle breastfeeding chat about the things we all love about breastfeeding. It’s always mentioned on here when things aren’t going right and I’d love to just chat about the happiness and contentment it brings me and my baby.

*This is not a discussion thread about BF vs FF. I’m pro informed choice (when you have a choice) about how you feed your child.

It also relieves trapped wind and instantly cures hiccups!

It's become my go to so I can read ds a bedtime story. Easy now I don't have to do that careful newborn latching on.

I really do think there is a oxytocin and prolactin high sometimes. I find feeding him make me feel balanced if I'm a bit frantic unless said feed is 5 minutes before I have to get ds1 to school!

It's a bit like having a superpower- however upset she is, bf calms her so much faster than anything else, and it's so easy (after the early weeks / months). It really makes me feel happy too. Bf both my babies has been one of the happiest experiences of my life.

Oh, reading this I miss breastfeeding! I fed my two for 10 and 12 months respectively and loved it so much. I loved sitting up with dd in the middle of the night, just the two of us in a cocoon of love in the dark.

A woman on the bus was trying to juggle a very fidgety and tired baby this evening and I longed to suggest she just stick him on the boob (I'm not entirely crazy so I bit my tongue and just coo-ed at the gorgeous little boy)

I loved and love it too! Current dc is 3years 5 months and still going strong! Older siblings fed for 15 months and 3.5 years respectively. I had dreadful problems at first with all of them but had s great infant feeding team to support me.

I agree that it's so convenient to just 'go' without worrying about having to bring loads of supplies or hurry back home for the next feed. I don't always enjoy the co-sleeping night feeds (especially when DH seems to think there were none, simply because he didn't wake up!), but the cuddles are so lovely, and knowing that it makes him feel better 99% of the time, even at 16 months, is wonderful. Sometimes now he asks for 'milsh' and then does this adorable, smiling, breathless 'yeah, yeah, yeah' as he sees I've understood him.

Great to have a quick and easy way to solve all unhappiness - I love that the German word for breastfeeding is 'stillen' - i.e. make the baby quiet!

Lovely to have a cuddle with baby while they are feeding especially if they are doing the cute smile-at-you thing at the same time (less lovely if they're pinching you with their razor sharp nails at the same time....)

Great not to have to worry about packing milk when you head out.

Great to be able to cosleep and feed baby without actually waking up properly.

I wish I'd carried on for longer with ds one but stopped in the hope he'd sleep better at 18months. He didn't sleep any better and I'd lost my magic back to sleep power!

We had a soppy old Labrador growing up and whenever my older sisters or aunts were breastfeeding on the sofa he'd come and lie, protectively in front of them till the baby had finished feeding. It's so sweet that other mammals seem to know what's going on! Sadly he was long gone by the time I had mine.

Finished feeding both of mine.

But co sleeping, so much easier than getting up.

The cuddles and the fact that you can instantly soothe them.

It was hell at first but the convenience if never forgetting your boobs weighs it out.

The ear imprint left on my arm afterwards, Don't know why but I will miss that.

@Ratbagratty I am being earmarked as I type!

What a lovely thread

Oh I loved feeding my boys.

My second boy used to stroke my chest really softly as he fed & he still does it now to my arm when he's sleepy. Beautiful.

I marvel that our bodies are capable of doing this amazing thing. I found it incredible that my body, and my body alone supported my boys for the first 6 months of their life. Nature is awesome.

Also after 6m with hungry DS2 I was the skinniest I've ever been in my adult life. An effortless diet!

ratbagratty - I had forgotten the earmark!!

Im 15 months in to feeding dd2. Her sister fed for 20 months before a bad cold made breastfeeding impossible for her so I decided that was a good time to stop.

I love the milk drunk faces when they’re tiny, it’s free, convenient, and all the snuggles.

I feed to sleep still for naps and bedtime and in the afternoon on my days off we snuggle on the sofa and I just get to lay and cuddle her and watch tele while she sleeps and feeds on and off for an hour or two. I’ll miss it when that stops!

Plus I’m guilty of whatever is ailing her, stick a boob in her mouth and that sorts it. I really need to find another way to calm her down when she’s upset as at the minute I take the easy route!

Reading this thread and a few drinks makes me want another newborn

DD is nearly one now and at the moment i love the post-work reunion bf! I also love that we jumped on a cross country train yesterday with minimal baggage.
I didn't think I would love breastfeeding or carry on for so long. Tbh night weaning has saved my sanity but I remember those midnight MN sessions fondly now.
I'm going away for work next week and instead of using it as an excuse to stop I've got my haaka as the number one item on my packing list. lovely thread OP

My nearly 3 and a half year old is a boob monster this morning. He usually feeds morning and bedtime with the odd one after or before a nap but today he's has 3 feeds already. I love our feed times. Unless he's a fidget which drives me nuts. I might have to start swaddling him if he continues

Hatstand I remember those reunions after work with ds1. I'd come home and he'd launch himself at my top!

She's fine until we get home and she spots the sofa, then she starts shouting and hitting me with the palm of her hand as if I'm a giant ketchup bottle

DD is 2 years 3 months and still has one feed first thing most days. She brings her teddies with her and gives them all a feed (from me) first! I remember my first day back at work when she was 8.5 months. She eventually tried to feed from DH about 4pm, as if deciding maybe you will do!

I love how it is only me that can feed him his milk. It's a beautiful bond, and it's so calming.

Although at the moment he has 8 teeth and is eating me alive!

This is what my ds1 did with his dolls a week ago. I love that she has something to rest her feet on!

Gah didn't post pic

I felt destroyed after my labour (10lb9oz back to back brow presentation boy who eventually arrived, blue and not breathing, via huge episiotomy and forceps).

Despite the baby’s being whisked off to NICU for monitoring rather than the quiet skin-to-skin I’d hoped for, and despite my expectation that establishing breastfeeding would be painful and difficult, with the help of brilliant midwives it just worked. Watching my baby’s jaundice disappear and seeing my body help him to thrive really restored my faith in my own body when I’d felt let down by it, and broken.

Besides those pretty specific mental health benefits for me, it’s free, portable, hygienic, tailored nutrition for him etc etc.

And yes to the ear prints on my arms!