How long to BF for?

[catwoman75]

I'm struggling with bf (3 weeks in )but going to persevere for a bit longer. I know a year is reccomended but can't see myself lasting much longer than a few months.

So the question is why is 2 months better than 1 and why is three months better than 2? If I'm going to give up bf early - ideally how long should I go.

I know this is a bit jumbled but I'm massively sleep deprived and seem to have lost the ability to write in coherent sentences.

Theres a list here of how each extra bit makes a difference.

Take it one feed at a time, and feel proud of each one.

Totally second the one feed at a time idea.

Each night I used to wonder if I should make that day the last but I'm pleased that I managed to give dd some breastmilk each day for 6 months.

Take it a day at a time. The first 6 weeks is the hardest - it gets easier, honest . 3 weeks is a big growth spurt tie (as is 6 weeks) and it can seem like they are feeding endlessly.

Are you getting support in RL - help around the house, food etc.? Remember you are still recovering from the birth as well, so be kind to yourself

You're, hopefully, (fingers crossed) just about to get into 'a little more sleep' territory.

DS2 is 5 weeks, and now goes to bed at 9pmish after a feed, I wake him at about midnight when I go to bed for a full feed (I find it makes a big difference if I allow him to take a quick top-up feed and fall back to sleep, he then wakes up an hour later, if he has a full feed -for us that is both breasts til he comes off- he sleeps much better) he wakes for a feed about 5/6am so I manage to get a good 5 hours uninterrupted and then normally snooze til about 8am-ish.

hi catwoman75, just wanted to add that i know how you're feeling too!

I can honestly say that for the first 2months of bfing I really don't like much at all (actually hate is more the word) find it so hard and constant, the next 2 months I tolerate-it seems less difficult but from 4 months I absolutely LOVE it, it becomes so easy, baby starts draining the breast really quickly, I feel confident feeding in public and its such an instant comfort (oh and the baby weight has fallen off despite eating like a pig) I bf my dd for 11.5 months and now ds is 5m and i'll easily make it to a year now, can't imagine gving up now but at 3 weeks I was doubting everything...

catwoman just to echo that it is hard and the first 6 wks are tough, but that goes for the Bottle feeders too. nobody gets it easy with a baby.
its so rewarding to do it yourself and you ll be mighty proud and should be already well done.

i did it tiwce , and loved it. the feed quicker as time goes on and you're so free to get out and about with them if you on leave or a sahm.

GL
hth

yep catwoman many of my mates who gave up, found it was just as difficult with the formula feeding to get enough sleep and then couldn't get their BM back up.
I found the first bit really, really hard, but seemed to turn a corner at around 6/7 weeks when it was no longer 9 to 11 feeds per day, but 7 to 8. My DD is 5 months now and, honestly, BF is soooo easy now.

Thanks - as I said I'll keep going for a bit longer. I tried to give a formula feed yesterday as I'd destroyed both nipples on the pump and couldn't face her anywhere near them. My mum tried to give her a bottle but she literally had about 1/2 an ounce under duress. It looked like such a faff as well that I'll def try to keep bf for a bit longer just to avoid all that sterilising and winding and mess.

Anyway once again, thanks for all of the support.

Some of the things that helped me:

co-sleeping if they are waking a lot at night and you're happy with having them in bed with you

getting DH/whoever to do as much as poss apart from feeding (nappy changes, baths, getting them dressed, walks, playing) so you can get some rest between feeds

eat and drink properly, fluids esp

try different positions - feeding lying down is great once you get the hang of it

try a sling so you can feed with your hands free

also, do you need to be pumping at this stage? I found it a hassle and only did it when I went back to work.

I thought I would breastfeed for 6 months and after 6 weeks I thought arghhhhhh - how am I going to make it to 6 months! After 9 weeks something clicked and I started to actually enjoy breastfeeding! DS is now 6 months and I am just going to keep going and see where we end up; it is so easy and it seems a shame to stop now we have got the hang of it. I expressed for a while but DS never would take a bottle but it gave me a taste of the faff of sterilising etc.

DD is 10 weeks and I started going to a local breast feeding drop-in session at 4 weeks for the support and confidence thing.

The group that I go to is really well run and very social. They really help if you have any concerns and what I found is that it really helps to keep me on track.