Yes I would like a bloody medal please!

[fruitstick]

I've been breastfeeding DS2 for nearly 7 months. I stopped feeding DS1 at 6 months as I thought that's what one was supposed to do but am planning to carry on with DS2 if I can, at least until he can have cow's milk.

I'm quite proud of this. Not that I think ff is wrong or worse or anything like that but I would like some credit without having to feel guilty about it. I feel like I have to make excuses for continuing (I'm lazy/neurotic about pig flu etc)

So far nobody has said well done and the only comments from family and friends have been 'so are you going to stop now'

So I thought I'd come here instead

Trillian, I did make it clear in my original post that I was in no way denigrating formula feeding.

And, in fact, my thread title does relate directly to a family saying of 'what do you want, a medal?' as a churlish response to achievement.

Nowhere in my post did I even imply that I do it because it is the right thing to do. I enjoy it and am too incompetent to remember to boil kettles but it has been hard at times and I want recognition for that.

Obviously I am not putting on a par with fighting a war (am a bit uncomfortable about that analogy Pen, he may bite but I am unlikely to get a leg shot off, but I appreciate the sentiment )

It really makes me cross that I am supposed to feel embarrassed that I have managed to breastfeed DS in case it upsets someone who either made a different choice or for some reason couldn't do it.

If you choose to ff that's fine; I choose not to run marathons but am quite happy to congratulate those who do, medals and all, without fear of offending the people (like me) who prefer a nice sit down or those who got blisters at mile 10.

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Good explanation Penthiselia - I guess my brain was more sport-oriented, so I was thinking of it being as a race, but one in which not everyone is aiming for the same finish line and not everyone has the same access to training facilities and good running shoes (IYSWIM). As a war medal it makes much more sense.

I like the boob pics by the way

Personally I prefer the second set of boobs - they're perkier

choose your boob medals depending on what yours look like now. mine are like the latter

Can I have a small quiet medal for bf through thrush? God that's a bastard. Got a really tender nipple today as well, am praying to whoever's available that it's not coming back.

Big ol' medal for you Dawnybabes. I had a rough time but didn't have thrush and for that I'm truly grateful. Well done.

And yeah, the self-deprecating thing gets a bit old after a while "I'm so lucky to have been able to bf, no matter how hard it was" and the continual question of when you'll stop after you get to the 6 months mark. Medals for all.

Actually, medals for everyone. Except the nosy buggers who make a big judgy thing about how other people feed their babies when, where, how long, how often. Yes Aunt M I'm talking about you

Dawnybabe, this is for you. Nothing small and quiet for breastfeeding through thrush - that's a major accomplishment.
If you're having a sore nipple now, could it be that you're ovulating? My periods came back when DS was 16 months and the first I knew I was ovulating was when my nipples suddenly got sore as hell when feeding. Now it happens every month when I ovulate .

Actually, I want a medal too. DD bit me last night for the first time with her shiny new teeth - not really hard, but hard enough for it to smart for a few hours afterwards. I told my mum today, looking for a bit of support and sympathy, and she told me smugly that it's clearly time to wean her off the boob then

Oh Dawny, definitely medal for you. I had thrush when DS was a couple of weeks old and wanted to feed all the time. Was bloody painful!

Maybe wine will help

Dita, DS has just got his first tooth too. So far no biting but beforehand he did like to clamp down with his gums and then turn his head

Ah yes - always nice to watch your own nipple getting stretched three inches long, isn't it? DD actually has six teeth now (yeep!) but I've escaped bites so far. Bit scared now!

Give me a minute to come up with a special shiny one for you. I'm still looking for the one I wanted to put on after Jackbaby very gently but deliberately took my nipple between his teeth, grinned at me around it and started to pull it like taffy.

Thanks Jacksmama, that's cheered me up! The nipple feels better today so maybe it was ovulation pain or something.

I hope so, for your sake - I've never had thrush but have heard it's bloody agony. Three cheers for feeding through it!!

On the downside... if it's ovulation pain you can look forward to it once a month now... as I do...

foxy - how did you get the nipples in the second one to be so perky?

Ladyem - you're getting "bitty" cracks when your baby is two weeks?!

Little Britain have a lot to answer for...

Have a rosette and a spangly certificate from me.
DD2 is almost 2.5 and still has the odd feed alongside her baby sister. You get to a point where people stop asking and you stop making excuses. I got to that point after I perfected "the look".