Breastfeeding Support - 6 months and beyond!

[Dragonfly]

more now when he sees Alex on. If he was out he wouldnt care he can go without but the tandem feeding makes it more for him. He just loves milk. Hardly eats anything else, so fussy.

 

[becstar]

Hugs Polaris...

La is a bit hit and miss at the moment. My nipples are super sore, because of the pregnancy and because La has such a bad latch now... I have teeth marks and getting her to do a big mouth etc doesn't help.

Normally she has boob first thing and then before bed. She doesn't have much at bedtime and I'm not convinced she is even getting any now... but she does ask for it at bedtime and in the morning, and it is bloody handy if she wakes in the night to get her sleepy again, and also for first thing when she wakes early, it gives me a bit extra dozing time.

Two days ago she woke late so didn't have any before I went to work and then at bedtime she just wanted a story... the next day she wanted it morning and night. Then tonight she went to bed with just a story again.

I have such mixed emotions. On one hand I am sore and would love my boobs to have a break before a newborn comes and makes them bleed again! But I do still love our booby cuddles and seeing her big eyes gazing up at me as she feeds - even if I am wincing as she does!!

 

[Shiv]

Hugs Polaris...

La is a bit hit and miss at the moment. My nipples are super sore, because of the pregnancy and because La has such a bad latch now... I have teeth marks and getting her to do a big mouth etc doesn't help.

Normally she has boob first thing and then before bed. She doesn't have much at bedtime and I'm not convinced she is even getting any now... but she does ask for it at bedtime and in the morning, and it is bloody handy if she wakes in the night to get her sleepy again, and also for first thing when she wakes early, it gives me a bit extra dozing time.

Two days ago she woke late so didn't have any before I went to work and then at bedtime she just wanted a story... the next day she wanted it morning and night. Then tonight she went to bed with just a story again.

I have such mixed emotions. On one hand I am sore and would love my boobs to have a break before a newborn comes and makes them bleed again! But I do still love our booby cuddles and seeing her big eyes gazing up at me as she feeds - even if I am wincing as she does!!

just wanted to say that i had the worst issues with my nipples with Sophia (she ate one off) and with this one I had a couple of days of them being sore but no pain or anything now 11 days in............so you might not have bleeding nipples with new baby!

 

[Eve]

I didn't have pain at all until I developed thrush after a few weeks. I was very very very lucky!

Anneke, K is fussy too and I truly wish she still nursed as I wouldn't worry so much about getting enough into her. Thank god for booby milk! x

 

[florabean1981]

huge to Polaris and all of you who've already gone through the weaning process. i don't have any words of wisdom or anything, but you ladies have done brilliantly in providing the very best for your LOs for as long as they wanted it for and that will have life long positive influences in their lives for sure. x

well, harry just celebrated his 2nd birthday 4 days ago, so we did make our 2 year BFing milestone. i was so sure after my milk dried up and he dropped feeds and even skipped a couple of a days that we wouldn't get there, but bless him, he's still hanging in there on his 1 feed a day, and a couple of days ago i noticed i'm making colostrum again, so i guess he must be getting something? He only nurses for about 2 minutes on each side (sometimes only 1 side) once every day, usually late afternoon after his nap but before dinner. he has also named my boobs now, crazy kid- i have 'yellow one' (the left one) and 'blue one' (the right). He prefers the 'yellow' one, lol! I still think he will wean before the new baby comes, which I know hubby would prefer, as he thinks tandem feeding is 'controversial' and thinks it should just be for the new baby, but at the same time, he does still want it to be harry's decision, so i think he's kinda struggling, bless him, to get his head around it all. I figure what will happen will happen and just to go with it.

Shiv, thanks for the birth info- it sounds lovely! I'm in 2 minds here- one part of me is really looking forward to the birth, the other part of me is terrified & keeps panicing in case something goes wrong! I'm definitely going for a water birth at the midwife led unit, but beyond that, i'm pretty clueless. The unit is about a 5-10 mins drive (depending on traffic) so very close and very familiar since that's where all my apps are and also where i spent 3 days after having harry and they were all amazing and encouraging and relaxing- they really helped me get BFing off to a good start and reassured me when he took forever to regain his birth weight, and the atmosphere there is very laid back and calm, unlike the hospital where i actually gave birth where everything was manic and clinical and loud and bright and not comfortable or reassuring in the slightest!

Oh- for those of you with more than 1 child, how did you find your eldest adjusted to the new babies? I'm expecting some jealousy and transition period, and I'm including Harry as much as i can in everything and chatting about the baby and stuff, but feel a bit lost in how else to prepare him?

But yeah......

Hope everyone's ok? I notice quite a few people are getting colds at the moment, so I hope you lot aren't getting any nasties or anything too!

 

[MNORBURY]

she's beautiful! How was the homebirth? i'm planning a water birth (in a midwife led unit) this time so any tips for staying calm and safe and preferably unmedicated would be gratefully received!!!!

I had exactly this kind of birth with Evie and it was lovely, I think the fact that there aren't loads of machines beeping and nurses up and down kept me very calm and also the warmth of the water and the no weight feeling helped too. Everytime I got a big contraction I found going under water helped for some reason, I must have looked a right looney bobbing up and down , the only problem was I kept wanting to take the gas and air under with me, that's the only medication I felt I needed in the birth pool

 

[MNORBURY]

Hi girls. I am feeling so sad about Thomas having weaned (about three weeks ago), even though it was what I wanted. It breaks my heart to think that he will never breast feed again. I didn't expect to feel so sad about it. Especially seeing that I wanted him to wean and was pleased that it had happened without me having to encourage it apart from doing 'don't offer don't refuse'. But I do feel so sad. I find that I am spending more time lurking in the breastfeeding forum now than I did when he was still feeding. I know there are no answers but I just wanted to get it out. Thanks for listening.

 

[Eve]

I would have loved a home birth. I thought about it with Kaleb but well... that couldn't happen.

 

[AnnaBanana9]

Oh- for those of you with more than 1 child, how did you find your eldest adjusted to the new babies? I'm expecting some jealousy and transition period, and I'm including Harry as much as i can in everything and chatting about the baby and stuff, but feel a bit lost in how else to prepare him?

I've been wondering this too! Alyssa has been wonderful so far, kissing and hugging my bump every chance she gets, and telling Pip how he or she "is my best friend" and "I love you baby Pip". What things will be like when she realizes Pip is in fact a baby and is here to stay and share cuddle time and so forth is a different matter altogether.

Any tips most gratefully appreciated!

x

 

[Shiv]

Sophia was pretty uninterested in my bump, she was pretty much in denial that there was a baby in there. However since Cora has arrived she has been on the most part very good. She isn't overly affectionate with her (but that is no bad thing as cuddles would be a bit too squeezy i think!) but she is being fairly patient while I feed her and has not been showing any signs of jealousy. My tips would be just to ask them to help a lot, Sophia loves helping me to change her nappy and fetches me things and she was bought a little miss helpful teddy which she loves.

In the first week it was pretty easy as Cora just slept so didn;t interfere with Sophia's time at all, I wonder how it will pan out as Cora is more demanding in the days!

 

[becstar]

Well, it has been over a week since La even attempted to have boob I am sad but glad that the decision has been hers and also happy to no longer have her chewing on my super-sore nipples. I just loved seeing her big eyes looking up at me as she fed. We got to over 2 years though, I am glad.

Last week she tried to latch on in the dark and got the top of my boob and sort of moved her mouth ineffectively... I asked what she was doing and she said 'booby, me da eat' but then got off and played with my iPhone.


She is very interested in the bump and keeps hugging it and saying 'heyo, me da big sister! Love you!' which is - we'll see if it lasts when the baby comes. She keeps talking about how the baby will have booby too, so I am glad she is expecting that.

 

[polaris]

Well, it has been over a week since La even attempted to have boob I am sad but glad that the decision has been hers and also happy to no longer have her chewing on my super-sore nipples. I just loved seeing her big eyes looking up at me as she fed. We got to over 2 years though, I am glad.

Last week she tried to latch on in the dark and got the top of my boob and sort of moved her mouth ineffectively... I asked what she was doing and she said 'booby, me da eat' but then got off and played with my iPhone.


She is very interested in the bump and keeps hugging it and saying 'heyo, me da big sister! Love you!' which is - we'll see if it lasts when the baby comes. She keeps talking about how the baby will have booby too, so I am glad she is expecting that.

Such a mixture of emotions. It's lovely that it was her decision but there is still a sadness about the end of the nursing relationship. That is so lovely that she is so enthusiastic about being a big sister and knows that the baby will have booby.

Even though Thomas has weaned, he still gets me to feed his toys from time to time which I find very cute!

 

[young_n_proud]

Hello all, first time posting in this thread. Just wanted to pop in and say hello!

My LO is turning one tomorrow and we are both still nursing strong!

 

[polaris]

Hello all, first time posting in this thread. Just wanted to pop in and say hello!

My LO is turning one tomorrow and we are both still nursing strong!

Congratulations on your one year milestone, and happy birthday to your LO for tomorrow

 

[Mork]

Can i ask those of you whos lo's have self weaned how it started - was it gradual, did it happen as result of an illness or going back to work? My lo has been ill the last week and for 2 days only fed about twice a day (she usually feeds at least 8 times), anyhow, she has fed about 4 times today but has also asked for cows milk to drink (has only ocasionally had this in the past), do you think this could be the start of self weaning to go from being such a booby monster to not wanting it? I am so sad at the thought it could be the end, i am not ready as i thought it would gradually drop down over time. x

 

[florabean1981]

congrats on your 1 year milestone

 

[polaris]

Can i ask those of you whos lo's have self weaned how it started - was it gradual, did it happen as result of an illness or going back to work? My lo has been ill the last week and for 2 days only fed about twice a day (she usually feeds at least 8 times), anyhow, she has fed about 4 times today but has also asked for cows milk to drink (has only ocasionally had this in the past), do you think this could be the start of self weaning to go from being such a booby monster to not wanting it? I am so sad at the thought it could be the end, i am not ready as i thought it would gradually drop down over time. x

Thomas almost weaned at about that age due to illness, he couldn't feed properly because his nose was blocked and didn't have a feed at all for a couple of days, I was sure that he was going to wean but I wasn't ready for it at all. I just kept offering and he just went back to normal after his cold was gone.

 

[Mork]

Thanks Polaris Do I need to be concerned about my supply at this stage? x

 

[readynwilling]

Hi Ladies :wave: i just wanted to post in here to get some opinions on my LO. she is 7.5 months and is pretty much still exclusively bf as she wont take solids. Well she will - BLW style, but i have anxiety issues with it and my husband hates the idea... but she completely refuses any puree.

should the qty of milk she takes in now that she is over 6 months increase if she is not taking in any solids? everywhere i read says they take roughly the same amount until 6 months when they start solids and it will slowly decrease. im worried that she is much more active now, learning to crawl and such, and hasn't gained any weight this month - she's holding steady at just under 17lbs.

also did any of you have issues with refusing solids? and how did you handle it?

also i feed on demand - sorta... she never demands seriously this kid never cries for food. so i was trying to feed her every 2-2.5 hours to decrease amount of night feedings (still 3-4 a night) but thats not working. she has always been a fast eater... so if i offer every 2 or so hours she eats for 5 minutes, but if i hold off and offer every 4 or so she eats for 10 or 12 minutes. do you think it matters which i do? its much more convienent offering every 4 but i don't want to risk her not eating enough. she always determines when she stops, and if she refuses i don't force the issue.

i always figured i'd bf until at least 6 months... and have no problems continuing but i am worried that she doesn't take ANY solid food and hasn't gained any weight in about a month.

 

[young_n_proud]

Hello all, first time posting in this thread. Just wanted to pop in and say hello!

My LO is turning one tomorrow and we are both still nursing strong!

Congratulations on your one year milestone, and happy birthday to your LO for tomorrow

Thank you so much!!

Originally Posted by florabean1981
congrats on your 1 year milestone

Thank you!