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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

How long did you breastfeed for?

132 replies

sea0 · 30/12/2019 20:01

Exactly that really! I'm planning on breastfeeding when our first arrives in April but not to sure how long you're supposed to keep it going?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

b0nnieN · 31/12/2019 10:26

I breastfed with my 1st for 2 years, but hoping to breastfeed my 2nd for only 6 months x

reginafelangee · 31/12/2019 10:33

First for 10 months and second for 15 months

marjoretta · 31/12/2019 10:34

With my first child, I did everything by the book. So didn't give her any expressed milk in a bottle until 6 weeks. At that point, she refused the bottle and so ended up never having a bottle. At 1yr, the health adviser told me don't offer, don't refuse, she'll give up when she's ready. She eventually gave up at about 21 months,

Didn't want to get trapped like that with DD2, so she had one bottle a night from the day she cane out of hospital. She was breastfed until she gave up about 7/8 months.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 31/12/2019 10:37

Eight months, which is a very average number in 'real life' but I always feel like it's very unusual on Mumsnet, where people always seem to have hated breastfeeding and stopped very quickly OR breastfed well into toddlerhood. I guess people who got on fine with breastfeeding but didn't particularly love it are less inclined to post on breastfeeding threads!

christma5isover · 31/12/2019 10:47

As pp have said it's a very individual thing and it's probably best not to set any long term goals straight away. The only advice I'll give is if you think you'll want to leave your child to go out then get them used to expressed milk fairly early on as I do know lots of people who ended up with bottle refusers by waiting until the recommended age. Also familiarise yourself with breastfed baby habits, in the early days they'll want to be attached the whole time they're not sleeping, loads give up as they think this means they don't have enough milk which is very rarely the case. If you can get through those initial tough weeks it's literally the most convenient thing ever as you can go out and stay out as long as possible, change plans at the last minute without worrying about having a bottle and enough formula.

Lillybobtail · 31/12/2019 11:37

Ideally you feed for as long or as short as you want to are happy to. This does depend on good support though, both to continue and to stop when the time is right for you, which is sadly lacking in the UK.

I fed dc1 for 15 months (stopped due to pressure from family), and dc2 for 26 months (stopped because it was the right time to do so).

Aneley · 31/12/2019 14:01

I've just lost my milk after only 25 days and am devastated. I had a kidney infection so doctors put me on strong antibiotics and baby couldn't breastfeed while I was taking them, so I pumped and threw away that milk when she would feed on formula to keep it going for her until we're safe to breastfeed again. However, now that we have restarted, my milk is disappearing and nothing I do seems to bring it back. :( I so hoped to do this for her for at least a year and I know that the important thing is that she is not hungry and growing nicely, but I still can't stop feeling like an absolute failure.

OceanSunFish · 31/12/2019 14:07

DC1 - just over 12 months - I stopped because we started TTC and I didn't fancy being pregnant and breastfeeding at the same time
DC2 - 11 months - she weaned herself off
DC3 - 8 months - I moved him to formula in an attempt to improve his sleeping (it didn't work!)

CmdrCressidaDuck · 31/12/2019 14:15

Aneley - do you have/can you get support from a lactation consultant or breastfeeding group? It may be possible to get lactation restarted with support and pumping. Are you letting baby feed at present?

ohmysoul · 31/12/2019 14:15

Currently feeding 26 month old DD.

pumpandthump · 31/12/2019 14:37

27months with DC1. 11months and counting with DC2. I went back to work full time when DC1 was 12months and he just had food and water in the day. I'll do the same with DC2 next month.

I weaned DC1 as I didn't want to feed anymore, I may let DC2 self wean, we'll see.

FreyaMountstuart · 31/12/2019 14:50

No. 1 - 16 months

No. 2 - 12 months

I found it very convenient!

user1480880826 · 31/12/2019 14:52

27 months.

The most important is the first 2 weeks. That’s when they get your immunity.

SophiaLarsen · 31/12/2019 15:01

I thought any time breastfeeding at all would be marvellous and went into it with that attitude. In the end I fed DD for 16 months, 6 months of that was when I had returned to work full time so fed her morning and evening and during the day when off. She was very adaptable. However towards the end it was harder for her to get milk so it worked well for both of us. I was also lucky she was ok to swap between breast and bottle which made the transition to working full time easier.

Aneley · 31/12/2019 16:22

@CmdrCressidaDuck yes, we even paid for private lactation consultant to help me with this but nothing seems to work - massage, lactation stimulating tea, extra pumping, keeping her on the breast...

Engard · 31/12/2019 17:27

Until her 2nd birthday! I’d wanted to stop sooner but she didn’t.

Merename · 31/12/2019 19:46

The most important is the first 2 weeks. That’s when they get your immunity.

While it’s true that colostrum is the most powerful immune booster, actually there are immunological benefits throughout the whole period of breastfeeding, and especially during the first 6 months while baby’s immune system is starting to develop.

Selfsettling3 · 31/12/2019 19:53

First 6 weeks. I was ill and struggled.
Second child is nearly 6 months and I have no plans to stop soon.
Two years is recommended by WHO and NHS as this is when medically adventurous to keep breast feeding until but some do for long as they and their child enjoy it.

MerryDeath · 31/12/2019 20:11

20 months. it wasn't a problem for me at any stage. when i returned to work at 14mo he was only having a bit here and there/if i was there to give him the idea. not sure if i'll be able to do the same with DS2 as i'll have DS1 to look after too. he didn't self wean as i hoped he would but he didn't object to the gradual replacement of the booby it was all very easy.

ClemDanFango · 31/12/2019 20:13

I planned to feed for 12 months. She’s now 3.5 years and still needs breast before bed.
Hopefully she’ll drop it at some point 😂

Squidgling · 31/12/2019 20:15

Dd1 for 18 months and dd2 was 23 months

Moominfan · 31/12/2019 20:17

4months then combi fed till he was 6months. Then just formula.

APurpleSquirrel · 31/12/2019 20:23

Combi-fed both mine - DD till 21months & DS till 14months - both stopped on their own.

Chociefish · 31/12/2019 20:24

Everyone is different and you just do what feels right for you. Don't be pressured either way by anyone, happy mum equals happy baby. Dc1 self weaned at 18months and dc2 stopped at 4years.
Make sure you stock up on lansinoh!

user1019273703 · 31/12/2019 20:25

17 months

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