Please may I blow my own trumpet a little bit? And invite others to blow theirs too?

[feralgirl]

Would anyone mind if I just have a small proud moment because DS was 1 year old last week and I'm one of the 3% of mothers still BFing?

Noone in RL has bloody congratulated me but I'm feeling pretty chuffed with myself tbh.

Feel free to blow your own trumpets here:

Well done everyone, btw

I love this thread! I've never been congratulated either and i cannot believe the low stats

DS1 - EMCS 34 weeks gestation, he was only 3lb6, EBM via tube for 4.5 wks then BF. I fell pregnant with DS2 when DS1 was 6 months old, BF through pregnancy and tandem fed for 2 months, DS1 self-weaned at 17months . Still BF DS2 at 5.5months and will continue for as long as he wants to

Neither have ever had formula. I also went back to work full-time when DS1 was 9 months old and studied p/t...until i began mat leave again! We managed fine catching up with feeds whilst i was home.

WELL DONE EVERYONE

Haven't got that far here but would love to give myself a pat on the back for getting to 12 weeks (today) ebf my twins.

Through mastitis and 2 bouts of thrush and about a gallon of tears we are still going - DT1 now 12lbs 4oz (from 6lbs13oz), DT2 8lbs7oz (from 5lbs6oz).

Going for 6 months of ebf, followed by as long as they want! Has been really hard going, and though I havea long way to go, I'm really proud to have got this far

Im awe of 18 mos bf twins! Any tips for getting through cluster feeds at 12 weeks?

Thanks for this thread.

I don't expect congratulations. I fed DS1 and 2 for over 12 months and DD until she was 2.7 when I was glad to give up (I thought I'd be sad but I wasn't in the end ).

I enjoyed breastfeeding and am am very pleased with myself for having succeeded when I have no family experience of b-fing at all but congratulations? For something that's normal? Not needed for me.

Congratulating myself on nearly four years - DS just self-weaned in time for his fourth birthday. (It's been one morning feed every few days for the last year or so, though)

Doesn'tChristmasDragOn - I'm congratulating myself for persisting despite a lot of pain for a long time. I wish I could say I enjoyed it but I'm still battling a second bout of thrush so enjoy isn't quite the word I'd use!

Normal - yes. Easy - no, not for everyone.

Congrats, BTW

Congratulations feralgirl

DD 3.3 years still nursing (plus through my second pregnancy)
DS 15 months still nursing.

forevermore, WHO says children need milk for a minimum of two years for health reasons and the benefits of comfort nursing are always overlooked.

I don't think it takes a certain type of mother to extend nurse, I think it is tied into the families lifestyle coupled with the amount of support the mother receives. As a SAHM I have had the option on nursing my children on demand, not many mothers do have.

Can I join in?

I am still bf 18mo dd, and due dc3 next week, so preparing to tandem feed.

I also bf ds for 1 year

No support at all in real life, apart from dh (who initially said "don't you just go 'baby meet breast' and put him on?" and didn't understand that it wasn't as easy as that, but has since done his best).

[pats self on back]

As for congratulations, I deserve them just for putting up with the constant negativity from MIL!

I never said it was easy.

My Mum used to blow my trumpet for me all the time. However, DD is only 6.5 months and she asked me when I was going to stop. She is really worried about me going back to work in January. I know we will be fine!

Don't know what the fuss is about? Wow you've been able to do something completely natural.....Trust me bf is the easy bit (bf dd 12 months ds 14 months) move on .

DCDO

OK- Normal - yes

Enjoyable - not for everyone.

And, like you, I probably wouldn't feel the need for congratulations if I found it enjoyable.

But perhaps other people had different experiences from you. Perhaps that's one of the reasons that only 3% of babies are still getting breastmilk at 1 year old.

If you don't want congratulations then perhaps you are in the wrong place on a 'blowing your own trumpet' thread.

The point is, it is natural aand it should be normal but hardly anyone does it these days, so those of us who do have every right to feel proud of ourselves.

[sigh]

CONGRATULATIONS everyone, you deserve it.

DS is almost 14 months and still breastfed. Just first thing in the morning now though, plus occasionally later in the day as a comforter. I went back to work when he was 5.5 months but managed to express and he has never had formula.

I'm not sure how I feel about it to be honest. It was incredibly hard at first, he wouldn't latch on for a week and it was painful for months. It's never been anything wonderful or special for me I don't think, I just felt it was the best way to feed him and I am very stubborn! Now it's a great way to settle him when he wakes up crying every morning, and he obviously likes it so I see no reason to take that away from him.

I bfd both dcs til they were one - and I am so very proud of myself for doing so. Never really had the opportunity to say that out loud in RL so very pleased to be able to do it here!

blijemuts, A little empathy goes a long way.

Just because you managed to breastfeed sucessfully and feel it is totally natural, does not mean other mothers have been as lucky.

I had to overcome many issues with my daughter, thrush, cracked nipples, following a terrible 'birth' including a blood tranfusion. I was in a hell of a lot of pain and breastfed through gritted teeth. It took months to get to any thing like 'natural' painfree breastfeeding.

I am not alone, many mothers need a combination of support and good luck to succeed at breastfeeding.

Your statement....

...could easily be so upsetting for a struggling new mother, who isn't finding breastfeeding natural. It will also be very upset for those mothers who really wanted to breastfeed and because of a variety of reasons couldn't.

As I say empathy is a good thing.

Exactly. The thing I kept repeating was that, just because it's natural doesn't mean it comes naturally. For the mother or the baby.

For example, it's natural to show a degree of empathy and consideration for others, but clearly that comes more easily to some than to others.

Well done to all of you... I breastfed DS1 for 5 months and DS2 for 4 months before haviing to top them up with formula. I had problems with uncomfortable tingly letdown, mastitis, and a painful latch in one breast through all of which I perservered, however even though they both fed constantly, my supply was just never enough (as illustrated by their weight gain). This seems like a good thread to ask for advice as I am now expecting a 3rd and would love to achieve what you have all achieved... could you share your experiences? Does everyone have a painful start and have to perserve? Did anyone have supply issues that they were able to work through?

Thank you for any tips!

dinosaurinmybelly, Congratulations on your new pregnancy

My advice would be to post a new thread in this board, asking for advice. The best information comes from Tiktok and she might miss your post in this busy thread.

Without specifics, it is hard to tell what happened in your situation. You had to overcome several physical problems and despite that still breastfeed your children for 4 and 5 months respectively, well done you

Wow, glad to see that so many people feel proud of their achievement! And , yes, BFing is natural but it IS also an achievement, however long you do it for, because there are a lot of things that can make it bloody difficult to do.

I never once seriously considered stopping during the last year but there were months and months when DS was flatly refusing to take EBM and I would have given almost anything to be able to share the hourly night feeds with DH. It's also natural to want to get an uninterrupted sleep once in a while but I couldn't because I had chosen to BF and was determined to carry on doing it.

So YES blijemuts and doesntchristmasdragon, I do expect bloody congratulations from my family and DH at the very least!

In response to dinosaurinmybelly, I was very very lucky in that, from day one, DS and I just 'clicked'. The only thing I found hard at the beginning was the sheer amount of time I had to spend sat on my arse with a baby attached to me. I loved it, but there were sometimes other things I wanted to do (like go to the loo for example).