What did you think about bfing BEFORE and AFTER baby?

[Jennifer13]

I was very keen to bf my baby, but the comments 'not once she's walking and talking', or 'once she can eat a steak, what does she really need to bf for?' did come from my mouth!

I completely surprised myself by bfing until she self-weaned at almost four, just because I didn't see any reason to stop (not even once she was eating steak). Now I watch those 'extraordinary bfing' shows thinking 'what's so strange, so her five year old hasn't weaned yet, big deal!'

What did you think about bfing before you had your baby and did you change your viewpoint afterwards?

[nattyfred]

just subscribing as I have to go out but I have a story to tell....

[Traveller]

I used to think it was sexual abuse to feed a child beyond 6 months and I did stop BFing by 1st at 6 months, but not for that reason. My second I wanted to go for a year and lasted 9 months, and with the twins I was so determined to feed until they wanted to stop, but gave up at 20 months as I was beginning to resent their pull on my body. I could not equate extended BFing and sexual abuse any more, I'm not sure why I ever thought that TBH.

[blessedatlast]

Lol, this is funny.. BEFORE I had the boys I always said I would 'try' to b'feed but not persevere and I didn't really like the idea of it.. Not really sure why, I think although I am ashamed to say boobs were sexual to me.. AFTER I had the boys all I wanted to do was breastfeed but sadly never got the chance I still liked that I could express and they had Mummy's milk for a couple of days (Even if it was 1ml every 4hrs and through a tube) NEXT baby I definitely want to breastfeed for as long as I can. It is amazing how Mummy instinct just kcks in and as soon as they were born I just wanted to do whatever I could that was best for them..

[Roryrory]

I read heaps about BF and full expected it to be painful and difficult, but I am almost embarrassed to say it was as easy as falling off a log. No pain, no leaking - very easy for me.

[Nai]

I expected it to be difficult and painful as well from what I had heard - but for me both times, it wasn't difficult or painful. I also expected to stop when they got teeth but afterwards I found out that teeth didn't make a difference really.

[alioops]

before I was not keen on public BF, now nearly everywhere is a suitable place. I never had a problem with extended BF though. DD3 gets hungry and doesnt consider where she is so when she is hungry she needs feeding no matter where.

[*Beema*]

Before hand I thought it would come naturally, it may be a bit painful. But I never contemplated it would be as difficult as it was for us.

I thought that BF'ing beyond 12 months was a bit extreme but I went to 15 1/2 and was upset when DD weaned!

Afterwards I realised that it was bloody hard, and not just for me, for so many others. It comes with a raft of emotions and worries about weight gain, am I feeding enough etc, and saddness as after exclusively BF'ing and top ups with EBM from when we left hospital to 10 weeks, then having to do F top ups that I had no idea how upset I would be giving F.

But it was so so much more rewarding than anything else I have done, I sustained a life, I helped that life grow and develop, and my body did that (even with soem help )

[~Kim~]

I can honestly say i didn't have an opinion before I had a baby - cos it wasn't something that entered my space IYKWIM?
Since baby, I couldn't have imagined how hard it would be or how much it could hurt, but I also couldn't have imagined how passionate I would be about it and the rights of women choosing to do it, nor how well I could turn DH's opinion.

[Peach*]

Before I had DD I didnt even think of how I was going to feed her- i my mind BF was the only option although I just thought women only BF'd till their LO's were 12 months old. Now almost 16 months on DD is still on the boob and I cant imagine stopping anytime soon.

[Catastrophic]

Before DD1 - I wanted to BF and my goal was only getting until 6 months, I thought it would be super easy...

After - I realised how hard it was! But the stubborn me kept me going, then I really started to love the bond and the closeness I felt with me DD, she self weaned at 9 months and I cried!

DD2 - is 10 months and still going! and this time i' want her to self wean as well...

I also now feel (after children) that is isn't easy all the time, it isn't for everyone... But it's the best thing for me - which what matters :P

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Before DD1 i was determined to BF, i didn't buy bottles or anything i just assumed everything would be easy and natural, at the start it was HARD, she would fall asleep, she was lazy and she killed my poor boobs but then we got in our own little groove and i was shattered when my supply dropped after complications from surgery... i was so so upset but i had made it to 5mths.

This time round i am determined to make it atleast to 12mths, i love the bond i get with my daughter while i feed her and knowing that my body is making milk just for her is an amazing thing.

To be honest i can't see myself BFing past 2, i don't know why but i find it awkward (no offence to anyone), maybe it's because DD1 doesn't even have bottles anymore, she hasn't since not long after her 1st birthday and i can't imagine needing my boobs anymore.
Don't get me wrong if Z wants to feed off me every night til she's 4 then i will do it but often when i hear people talk about it i wonder why......

[Lenny]

Before my first child I did think it was normal and natural to bf, but I guess I didn't think I would be doing it once they could walk?!
I joined the ABA just before i had DS1 and it dawned on me that i knew NOTHING about bf. Nothing. Phew, thank goodness i did get a bit of information before hand, or I would have quit for sure. But I am so pleased and proud that i didn't. It was one thing I always felt right about when i was parenting. I was surprised how sad i was having to wean DS1 - i'd have been happy to carry on for a lot longer - even though he was walking!! lol.

Now I feel I need to support other breastfeeding mums, because I know that there were times when i felt unsupported.

[nattyfred]

I was always positive I wouldnt breastfeed...Aside from the fact that I had had breast surgery (yep augmentation as I had next to no boob tissue and always felt out of proportion) My surgery cost heaps and I didnt want to wreck my boobs after my effort to make them pretty lol...I just thought I would definately not have the boob tissue to feed a baby.... I used to joke that Id rock up to the hospital with my container of formula and even went to the extreme of telling my OB that I didnt want to and to tell the hospital not to talk to me about it....I had been supported by my ob as she assumed I couldnt feed with the boob job anyways....

So I shared my feelings with my belly buddies group and Ubba and Telletubby gently gave me their opinions, which gave me something to think about....I decided Id bf her enough to give her the colostrum but that was it.. (what a hard a*se..)

So the day V was born she was given to me and the mw helped put her to my breast and that was that. My friends and family are shocked and dh and I even fought the paed who was making us comp feed. My friends have been quite curious if not amazed at my turnaround and actually constantly bugging me about starting her on formula...(um why would I go to all the effort of bf then stop for no good reason?)

I have no problem with the length anyone wants to feed their kids, Ill probably stop day feeds when I go back to work when V is 14 months but am happy to do nights etc...I plan for her to go straight to cows milk and skip all that other formula stuff.

So anyway on a good note my boobs look heaps BETTER!!!! They are less "bolt on" and more natural and I bet noone would even pick them as fakies...Oh and they work just fine lol.

[Indadhanu]

I always said, not past 12 months. "Once they are old enough to walk and ask for it they're too old! That's just WEIRD" I used to say! I always wanted to feed to 12 months though. Just not any further! My plan was to feed to 12 months then wean.

Well now I'm a weirdo breastfeeding an almost 22 months old. And I was disappointed thinking she was weaning a fe weeks ago.

Tonight she was falling asleep on the boob, but not in her jammies, so I took her off to dress her, and she cuddled into me and said "I want booby". NAW so gorgeous!

I will wean as long as she wants to. I want her to self-wean.

[Butterfly Child]

Being 18 at the time, i remember going to antenatal classes with my mum and when they had the big talk about breastfeeding i was in tears and hormonal at the thought of myself breastfeeding.. i new i was going to do it as i new it was the best thing for my baby.. i found it verry difficult to begin with, but i almost made it to 12months the only thing that stopped me was my back(spinal) injury and having to wean because of an upcoming surgery (which im still waiting on)

I was wanting to breast feed until she weened herself but i'm proud of myself for making it to 11 months when at first i never thought i could of done it ! I loved Breastfeeding and the bond and closeness i felt with dd was priceless and ive never looked back

[onthefly]

Prior to getting pregnant I never thought about it. I spose if pressed I would have said it was weird to breastfeed an older baby or toddler - I had some vague notion that you stopped at 6 months or something.
Once I started to learn a bit more about it, it occured to me that it would be a bit strange to switch to something you have to pay for at 6 months without a good reason - I didn't know babies need milk as their main source of nutrition for 12 months or so.
So I thought, sure, I'll breastfeed. I'll see how I go.
Then I held DS for the first time and put him to the breast.... couldn't imagine anything more 'right'. Once I had breastfed, and particularly the longer we went on and further we got from our initial difficulties, the easier I could see us continuing into toddlerhood. It still seems a natural thing to do.

[kelebek]

pre-kids: most of the mumma's in my family breastfed but bottlefed fairly quickly, my sister bf her 2nd baby to 12 mnths and then weaned him, I grew up with mum telling me that I weaned when she was pregnant with my sister (about 6 mnths) and weaned my sister at 9 mnths (and that teeth hurt apparently). I wanted to feed until 12 mnths mainly from a financial point of view, I didn't want to pay for something that I could have for free.

Since DS, well let's just say that I can't see the difference from feeding him when he was 12 mnths to feeding him now, he still wants it and I am still producing it so why not. The more I thought about it and the more people questioned why I don't give him cow's milk etc... I can't see why I want to give him another animal's milk over my milk when I don't have any issues preventing supply. I am (mostly) happy to follow his lead but would like to think he will wean around 3 that will probably change when he is 3 and feeding as often as ever