'Every breastfeed counts' - but does 30 ml a day count for much?

[xandrarama]

DD is 16 months, on apparently permanent nursing strike (5 weeks tomorrow). 30 ml is about all I can manage to express these days. Is it worth the hassle? Not sure how great nutritional benefits are in such tiny quantities.

Well I don't know the ins and outs of exactly how much benefit there is at 16 months, and if i were in your shoes I would probably think 16 months is a fair whack and call it a day.

There is also stuff about nursing strikes on kellymom that might help if you want to get him back to the breast

I posted on your other thread, too ... but re this ... I would imagine there was some transfer of antibodies, even from 30ml.

I think the line comes when YOU feel the effort isn't worth the benefit. Other people may have all kinds of things to say about it, but ultimately you're the one with the pump on your breast.

Not to trivialise your distress, I hope, but I considered carrying on just for the extra cup size I get whilst feeding .

*him?

her sorry sorry about that!

yes toastielove is right this is about whether you feel it is worth the hassle.

By the way, if you do want to continue, I really think you should. I suspect that my DH would be a little about me doing the same, but I hurried my DS off the breast because of my DH's squeamishness about extended feeding and have since resented him bitterly for it. This time, with DD, I will give up when I want to. I hope it coincides with when DD wants to, but if not ... well, I also might express until I feel ready to close that chapter.

It has just occurred to me that you might feel self-conscious when your parents are there, you see. I hope you let this be your choice x

Thanks Im and Toastie! Yes, I am torn between being lazy and not wanting to bother with the pump, and wanting to eke out whatever (marginal?) benefits of bfing I can for as long as I can.

Good point about feeling self-conscious. I am fine expressing in front of my mum, but for my poor old dad's sake would obviously have to disappear behind closed doors... Breast pumps are so much less discreet than babies.

You've both given me something to think about. I do feel ambivalent about closing this chapter, as Toastie puts it.

Extra cup size - alas! Mine deflated months ago and I have been wearing bras one size too large ever since...