Breastfeeding - on the fence with how long for number 2. What are you doing?

[Lirpa11]

Hi! So with our first born, I breastfed until he was 15 months old. I was home until he was 4.5 months old so it wasn't hard when at home all the time... I then needed to get back in the workforce and I had to pump.

I pumped 3 times a day so that he had 3 bottles the following day at daycare. Sometimes if I did not pump enough i would increase pumping to include a morning session before work and a session before bed. I won't lie, at times it was hard. Then around 11.5 months I cut down pumping at work to not pumping at all. Oh the FREEDOM!

From 12 months old we only Bf when together and he otherwise had milk. I felt very accomplished and determined.

Now I am 18 weeks with number 2. I got pregnant 2 months after we stopped BF.

I've automatically said I would BF with this one too. I will prob be working part time after 8-10 weeks and back full time around 3-4 months. While I want to BF... I am dreading the pumping again. It's such a drag and it takes so much time and it is stressful...

But breast is best right? I already feel like I am failing by questioning how long I want to BF. I also don't want to pay an arm and leg for formula (no government assistance)... so breast feeding seems like the best and only option...

I'm not sure what I will do. With number one I said at least 3 months, then 6, then I said until he could have milk. I made it, but it was hard at times. Any suggestions or advice? What are your plans ?

 

[nordicpixie83]

I've had three babies all were breastfed , ds1 until 12 weeks, dd1 until 8 weeks , dd2 until 6 weeks . I enjoyed the freedom from milky boobs but bottles were a total pain in the butt xx

 

[Lirpa11]

I've had three babies all were breastfed , ds1 until 12 weeks, dd1 until 8 weeks , dd2 until 6 weeks . I enjoyed the freedom from milky boobs but bottles were a total pain in the butt xx

Thank you. Yes I never worried about bottles when we went anywhere, so that's one freedom you get BF that I didn't consider.

 

[melissalynn]

Don't let super moms get you down.
Breast isn't... fed is best.
You do whatever you have to do to keep your child happy and healthy and yourself sane.
I breastfed my son until he was 18 months, this one I will breastfeed until I can't anymore. I'm a med student and will be returning to school 5 months after it's born. If I find breastfeeding too much at that point I'll stop.

 

[DobbyForever]

Sign up for enfamil and similac online. They send samples and coupons. I have three cans of newborn formula just for signing up . It took a while to get them though.

You can also mix it up. Nothing wrong with giving formula to the daycare and breastfeeding at home (that I'm aware of). But I haven't asked a gyn lol so take that with a grain of salt

I'm only breastfeeding for 6 months. I plan on getting a breast augmentation next summer, and I have to stop 6 months before the surgery. Even if I wasn't planning on it, I couldn't (personally) feel comfortable breast feeding my son who is starting to walk and talk anyway so I doubt I would have gone much longer.

But I want to echo everyone else: don't compare yourself to others. Fed is best, you're an incredible mother. Everybody has a different plan but whatever you choose will be right for you and your children. And no matter what you choose people will mom shame you. So ignore it. Just do you.

 

[lilmisscaviar]

I BF my first until I found out I was expecting baby #2. I pumped for my second and third but only until my supply was completely gone. Pumping was a huge pain tbh. I didn't mind bottles but one huge issue I did have with bottles is that my babies would get thrush within the first 3-4 months of being on bottles regardless of how well I cleaned them. With my first, she never got thrush, but of course I stopped BFing her after that time frame. Thrush is tedious to treat if your baby gets it because you have to rub the medicine in their cheeks I think it was 4x per day and sterilize the bottles after every feeding. I think what I plan to do this time is BF for the first six months at least and then switch to bottles. Hopefully that'll eliminate the thrush issue.

 

[Mabv812]

Im hoping for 6 months. I did 7.5 with my first. Ill try to do longer if they release the new cordless pump, the Willow. Otherwise, im gonna pump and store cuz i go back to work at 4 months.

 

[gingmg]

Sounds like you enjoyed breastfeeding and that really it was the pumping that got to be too much (its such a pain!!). Start off breastfeeding and go as long as it's working for you. Don't put any pressure on yourself. Just feed your baby and enjoy the first few weeks/months and when it gets closer to the time of going back to work and needing to pump to feed your baby and to also keep your supply up, see how you feel. Maybe at that time you will feel ready to see your breastfeeding journey end, maybe you will find some combination of breastmilk and formula will work, and maybe you will feel that the benefits of continuing to exclusively breastfeed outweigh the annoyances of pumping. Try not put yourself into a box now and stress out about how you might or might not feel in the future. I think when it comes to breastfeeding the best thing to do is set little goals and go from there. I think when people do that they take the pressure off themselves and more often than not, that makes the journey at bit easier, feel more realistic, and usually people then end up going longer than they initially intended to. Whatever you decide, it will be the right choice.

 

[xdxxtx]

I breastfeed for as long as possible. If I had to go to work after 8w, I'd breastfeed until my baby was at least 6w old and then start weaning baby onto bottles - or pump just enough to not get engorged (also, cabbage leaves). The first 6 weeks are the most important. After that, go ahead and do what you've gotta do! I had to pump when my first was a few weeks old, and I agree. It was way too much! I don't blame you for not wanting to do it. I don't understand how people manage!

 

[nordicpixie83]

I'm aiming to do a little bit longer this time as I'm studying with OU and I care for my granny at home which pays me carers allowance plus I clean for my mum which gives me pocket money . So we don't have a desperate rush for me to get back to work . . So more time with baby . My milk supply dwindled away every time with my previous babies, but I was stressed and worrying about working , my first daughter was a 32weeker. When I moved from the amazing hospital pumps to sole BFing at home my supply dried up and she also needed special preemie milk . First baby was a greedy boy and I couldn't keep up with him so at ten weeks he had bottles . Middle baby had awful acid reflux and screamed whenever she was feeding. So Was put on ranitidine and had to have her bottles whilst she was held upright . Hoping it's easier this time .xx

 

[Euphobia]

Also, don't think that you need to 100% breastfeed for baby to get the benefits of breast milk. When you go back to work, start cutting down on your pumping until you're down to just feeding the baby when you're with him/her. Your body is amazing and it will adjust. Even if you just breastfeed once a day, you're passing on antibodies and other good things to the baby. And if even that gets tedious then just stop altogether. Breastfeeding isn't the end all and be all of your child's life. You definitely need to consider its effects on your health and well-being too.

 

[jessmke]

I breastfed my first until about 13 1/2 months when my supply ran out as a result of my returning to work 12 hr days, DD sleeping through the night, and being 4 months pregnant. I plan to breastfeed this next baby for minimum of 1 year, and then when I go back to work we will just see what happens. It's easy for me because I am in Canada and we get a 1 year maternity leave. If I had to return to work earlier I would like to think I would pump to supply breastmilk for a year, but who knows what I would actually manage to do it, it does sound like an awful lot of work and hassle. If I were you I wouldn't have a plan going into it, just take it how it goes and see where you end up. A friend of mine returned to work when her baby was 4 months old, she breastfeeds when they are together, pumps once per day so he has some bottled breastmilk while she is at work, and then he gets formula the rest of the time. It works for her and baby is happy and healthy. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself.

 

[vaniilla]

I would personally not set any goals or targets, see how you go when baby is here and go by what feels right, they get so much benefit from breast milk even if it's for a short period of time so your lo will still get the benefit regardless.

 

[wookie130]

I think that it's fine to set small goals with breastfeeding, and then reassess how you feel as you go. And fed IS best, so whether you EBF until 2 years or beyond, use donor milk, formula feed, or combi-feed, just do what feels best for you and baby, and remember that YOU matter too in the process. 😀

 

[justmeinlove]

Pumping is as I understand it, a massive pain, so go you!

I'm still going at the moment and hope to go at Least two years with #2. As far as I can see, bottles are expensive and a massive pain, especially in the night. And breastfeeding is in my experience a genuinely genius tantrum killer as they get a bit older.

I'm afraid I also disagree with the comments of fed is best. By no means criticism to those who for whatever reason couldn't breastfeed, but fed is Minimum, not Best.

Good luck.