Support thread for bf 6-12 months

[Hulla]

We've passed the ebf stage but we're not quite extended bf-ers. Any other "inbetweeners" want to join me in a general support thread?

We can chat about anything - bf & weaning, night feeds, going back to work, coping with pressure to stop, biting when feeding (ouch!, whether to stop, whether to carry on...anything.

Pull up a comfy chair and lets support each other. Chocolate biscuit anyone?

I thought I'd stop at 6 months as well! I knew so little about BFing. It was only when I researched BLW that I thought about BFing past 6 months.

I didn't have any plans for when to stop, always thought that if I managed to bf (was convinced I'd struggle to get started) then I'd like to continue for at least a year, as that is what my mum did. It never occurred to me to stop at 6 months, and its only talking to other mums that I realised this is what others did. Amazing how much we're all influenced by those around us isn't it.

Before I started, I thought I'd bf to 6 mths. Once I started I just kept thinking, 'if I can just get through to 6 wks'. Then it gradually got easier, til now, when I think it'd be nice to carry on til a year, at least past when I start work. I'll be bringing home plenty of germs to strengthen her immune system and she could do with my antibodies.

I also only knew of bf past 6 mths from channel 4 documentaries. Luckily lots of people round here bf so bfeeding dd in public isn't too outlandish. Tho dd does like to pop off the boob and hang off my lap upside down leaving me a bit 'ahem' exposed.

Feeling a bit of a zombie today, dd has started to wake in the night and not want to go back to sleep, sigh. Is this typical of 8 mth olds?

Sometimes she'll go back in her cot but only if she can hold my hand and twiddle my fingers around. Everytime I think she's asleep I try to pull slowly away and am greeted with wails of outrage.

gs I have two friends with babies a few months older than mine, and both BF past a year. This really helped give me confidence, and also helps when MIL suggests I stop (as I can explain that I'm not a loon as others do it!!). A mum I've met locally was under so much pressure from family to stop that she did, at 6 months, despite the fact that she didn't want to. I think that's really sad.

tasmanian BB went through a short phase of doing that at 8 months. Is co-sleeping an option?
I found BFing so hard for the first 6 weeks, but definitely not hard enough to consider FFing. Now I'm so glad not to have the expense or the hassle. Like today, we went to visit my mum who moved into a new house yesterday, so things are chaos. BB mostly BFd as it was a job to prepare a meal, and he was absolutely fine. Got a few comments from my mum about how 'in her day' 'babies were on 3 meals a day at 10 months old'...tried to explain that yes, he usually is, but can also get by on BM.....

Hi all, in the early days I have to say I found bf so hard that my aim was only ever to manage another day. Or sometimes just another feed! Then for some reason I got it into my head that I'd aim for 17 weeks - think I read some bit of research that compared bf babies to non bf babies in terms of resistance to infections and the bf babies only counted as bf for the study if they had been ebf for 17 weeks iyswim. Not sure what kept me going. Like Hulla I was probably depressed too but also perversely determined not to give up. Anyway here I am at 7 months and it seems hard to believe I ever felt like that.

Tasmanian I know what you mean about the night wakings. My DD has never been a great daytime napper but until recently - she's 7.5m - her night time sleep hasn't been too bad. Now she's waking at all sorts of random times - not necessarily distressed, in fact mostly wanting to play The adult Cosy Tigers are not amused.

Cara you posted while I was writing. Am heartened to hear it was a short phase! And that's so sad about the mum who gave up at 6 months

tasmaniandevilchaser and DrCosyTiger DD went through a bad period of night waking at around 8 months. It did take a while to settle back down properly, but was probably made worse by going on holiday and then teething. She's now 10 months and back to her old self and generally sleeping through

Hi! DS is 6mo on 9th Nov. I always wanted to BF to 6 months and am pleased to be just about there. Now thinking about BLW and continuing BFing. I go back to work in Feb so can carry on for another few months at least.

It's not been without it's challenges. DS had an undiagnosed tongue tie for the first month and went from 75th centile at birth to just above 2nd centile at 4wks. Fortunately he appeared happy and healthy in every other respect so I pig-headedly persisted with BF and never gave in to the temptation of formula!

The other challenge has been teeth! He got his first tooth the day before he was 19wks and the second followed a couple of weeks later. Initially he kept catching me and I got v disheartened but it's not so often now.

Most of my BFing friends are planning on giving up at 6mo so I thought I'd join this thread for encouragement & support. Hope that's ok!
Ses

Well done for keeping it up cosytiger - it's amazing how many really tough things you do with a newborn baby! When I look back, I just think how did we manage it? The early part of this year is a blur to me. I heard a newborn cry the other day at baby clinic and remembered how it makes you feel so stressed and helpless.

Welcome ghostly yeah stick with it! Who wants to be mixing up formula for 6 months?!?

Welcome Ses

Thanks Cara
v impressed with you managing 4/5 BF each day. Just shows it can be done. I was thinking I'd have to give some formula or spend ages expressing when I go back to work.

Thanks greensnail

I wanted to EBF for the 6 months but then I had this idea that BANG babies started eating properly and needed, like, no milk, or just a bit in the evenings or something. I had no idea how milk is the main source of nutrition for the first year and how gradual the change from milk- to food-dominance actually is.

lol at the adult cosyTigers unamusement. The adult MotMots are likewise unamused. But entirely unsurprised.

Just posting to share - I had my first day back at work today - DS2 (nearly 9 months) had 2 mornings at the childminders and I did leave him with a carton of formula each time. Today I took round a tin and the bottles but didn't bring anything home. I fed him a lot when he woke at 5, a little when I sat down to breakfast, a bit more at 8 before we took him to the CM, a little bit when we got home between 5.30 and 6, and to go to sleep. I expect to feed him when he wakes up, usually any time from now in the next hour or so, and possibly again in the night, then early hours.

He eats quite a lot with us as well. DS1 was only a few weeks older when he started with CM, but I think she's feeding DS2 on more baby type food - DS1 said he had eggs on toast today, CM stressed it was only DS1, and I said, oh, DS2 loves egg on toast. I guess I should have talked to her more about what he eats.

mrsmotmot I don't think anyone has told my BB that he is meant to be stopping milk at some point! My target of a year is looking a bit shaky at the moment. Oh to be able to go out and get drunk again

Thanks Cara [happy] The newborn phase seems so long ago now I've almost forgotten how awful it was. I might even just be starting to think that one day I could possibly go through it again. Maybe.

Welcome Elkie, Ses and MrsMotMot. Hope the adult MotMots are doing well today. The Cosy Tigers are a bit happier as last night was definitely an improvement.

For those who are working - I've had a couple of days at work now when I've just not had the chance to express and it doesn't seem to have affected my supply on the 4 days I'm at home with DD.

Oops that was meant to be a

Hello ladies, can I join this thread?

Ds1 is 10 and a half months - is 1 just before Christmas. I have 2 dd's who are 5 and 3.

I am still on maternity leave and go back when ds is one! (He is my last baby!)

Am still bf ds1 - though he will not (or very rarely) feed during the day. So basically feeds morning and evening (perhaps with a nightfeed) - he has been like this since about 9 months.

A bit worried really if this is enough at this age - would expect it after a year but would think he would/should feed a bit more? Can anyone share their experiences as to how many their similar age lo feeds?

Apart from not bf much, I don't have any worries about ds - is a healthy little fella who eats solids well - but really only drinks water through the day (I do make sure he eats yogurt etc).

Am I worrying for nothing?

Grateful for any contributions

MrsMotMot - I recognise that! All my friends had stopped at 6 months and when I found out I was having twins, my goals were much less - at first I just wanted to make it to 6 weeks; once I made it to 3 months though, I felt I could set my next goal to be 6 months and I will be there on Sunday. It wasn't until just a couple of months ago that I realised that if I stopped at 6 months I'd have to feed them formula as they'd still be getting all their calories from milk. I was so devastated when DTD1 had to have formula in hospital (she had a tongue tie and wouldn't feed) that I just don't want them to have any formula now, so the decision to keep going was simple. (I'd say easy, but I have to say that feeding two isn't easy exactly!)

Welcome hotmama, my BB was born on the 18th Dec, when was yours? I am expecting a mass influx of pressies as all the relatives do xmas and birthday at the same time!
I would say that if he's not asking for more, he's getting enough milk. My BB feeds differently to yours, probably 4 feeds a day - but when I am at work, he has more food and less milk. He is BLWd though so has taken to solid food more gradually.

I contstantly worry about/compare my BB as he doesn't walk, crawl or bumshuffle yet - and instead sits in the middle of the floor like a big pudding. My OH commented the other day that babies have more differences than similarities, perceptive of him I thought.

Hello again!

cara - it's so easy to compare isn't it rather than just be fascinated at the different things are lovely babies are learning and doing. DS was one of the first to roll over and get teeth but still isn't sitting up yet. I think it's because he's fascinated with his toes and keeps just leaning forwards to play with them!

1stMrsF - hi! I remember you from our May09 thread. V impressed that you've managed to BF your DTs!

Hello all I'm v.surprissed to find myself still bf dd at 6.5 mths. Ds went onto formula at 3 mths so i could go back to work, but i work from home now so i've kept going. I'm weaning dd and she has 4oz of formula off dh in the evening, then the rest of her milk is from me. but recently her feeds have become shorter and less frequent. No night feeds as she sleeps through with just a feed prebreakfast, mid morn mid afternoon and a top up after her formula. Is this enough ?

hello everyone, my DS is 9 months and still feeding twice in the night and shows no sign of dropping any daytime feeds. I've tried leaving him, at night to see if he may self settle, but he crys ( not hysterically or I'd go in) on and on until he's fed, tried going in to comfort and not feed but that makes the crying hysterical so then I have to feed! I've been practising putting him down for his daytime naps awake whereas before I was feeding him to sleep. He's got used to this now and is very happy to go to sleep alone, often chatting happily to hiomself, but it doesn't help him self settle at night as some would say. I expressed one night feed last night and he only took 100mil, so I'm wondering if he really is hungry. Through the day he feeds little and often, so must just be the same at night. I'm tring to encourage bigger feeds in the day by delaying feeds a little till he's really hungry, but its still not making the nights any easier! Fell much better for venting that, thanks for listening and any advice very welcome!

staines I missed your post! Hello!! Come back! (saggy after 10 months of bf? Really? So I have about 3 weeks to wean dd and save my boobs? )

lucky I don't know the answer I'm afraid but someone else might have some advice. Welcome to the thread though and well done bf to 9 months!