Breastfeeding Support - 6 months and beyond!

[trynitey]

Mork - my OH keeps asking in a round-about way when we're going to stop BF'ing. He asks when he's going to get my boobs back and when can I go back on the pill (I opted against the mini-pill and don't feel like going back on anything yet - prefer feeling my cycle come back naturally but haven't really explained that to him, not sure if he'd understand - ie. have been using BF'ing as a kind of an excuse which is prob bad of me). So I get where you're coming from.

For me I was always adamant I wouldn't BF past 8 months. This was because my mom was a full-term BF'er of two much younger siblings. I used to be horrified at the age of 17 to see her pull up her top (in front of my friends sometimes) to BF my 5 year brother. I used to wish she would FF. Now that I have a LO of my own I totally get where she was coming from though.

I now have no problem with the idea older children nursing. But it's hard to get my OH on the same page, even though he's been amazingly supportive so far.

Before I had Tristan, I thought anything after 1yr was odd too. But, now that I'm doing it, I can't imagine only nursing for another 4-5months. My DH also asks when he's getting my boobs back. I already told him that when they were done nursing that he wouldn't want them back anyways because they'd be non existent

Hi girls

Bleugh, baby club is getting very clicky and bitchy recently

I've had a nightmare few days. Has some bleeding so went for a scan and all is ok but I can't help but worry. Also Evie hasn't been feeding much??
She will feed for 5 mins then unlatch and there is still milk coming out so she isn't taking a fulll feed and if I try and relatch her she will push me away.

Does pregnancy change your milk much or could it be a nursing strike?

Sorry your having problems DF

Glad that everything is ok. Pregnancy can decrease supply and change the taste of your milk, so it could be partially due to the change in taste she's unsure of. Once she gets used to it, she shouldn't have any problems.

Feeling a bit fed up. I think our bad habit has pushed me to the edge... my baby is sooooo clingy the last couple of days. He won't be put down to sleep and just wants cuddles all the time, and the inevitable, sleeping on the boobie. I usually don't mind that too much, but joined with the whole won't be put down thing, ahhhhh! I don't know how i'll cope with another night like the last. Ladies, is this just a thang that happens around now? Please tell me i'll get my baby back! We even tried letting him cry tonight, broke me to pieces.

I'm sorry you are having trouble with this! I hope your little one goes back to normal soon. Could he be going through some sort of separation anxiety? Could just be a phase. DS is only 7.5mos but goes through these phases from time to time, usually when he's getting ready to get sick though.



I'm having some major sore nips going on. I had a few people ask me if I was pregnant, but that's not possible. I'm thinking maybe ovulation. I had thrush for 2.5mos and this is definitely different. It feels like I'm starting to nurse all over again. I hope the pain goes away soon. I nearly quit at 2.5wks breastfeeding b/c of this type of pain, and now that I've gotten this far, I'm not trying to stop now!

 

[Leesie]

Feeling a bit fed up. I think our bad habit has pushed me to the edge... my baby is sooooo clingy the last couple of days. He won't be put down to sleep and just wants cuddles all the time, and the inevitable, sleeping on the boobie. I usually don't mind that too much, but joined with the whole won't be put down thing, ahhhhh! I don't know how i'll cope with another night like the last. Ladies, is this just a thang that happens around now? Please tell me i'll get my baby back! We even tried letting him cry tonight, broke me to pieces.

Nimbus- i really sympathise. We were going through a bad patch with sleeping about 3 weeks ago. Not exactly the same as what you're experiencing, but also a total change ito of how LO would get to sleep. Basically he wouldn't go to sleep at all, not on boob, not from being worn in carrier, being rocked. He'd be up until after midnight for days in a row.

I always used to get him to sleep on the boob, failing that I'd wear him.

So, maybe it is something that happens more or less around the 1 year mark? Anyway, we're working on a solution now after I read "the no cry sleep solution" (Elizabeth Pantley) and things are much better He now falls asleep without boob, or wearing/rocking and much earlier in the evening. The book is def worth a read.

I also was so desperate that I considered letting LO cry it out even though it really goes against my parenting style.

Hope things get better for you soon

 

[Leesie]

For those of you who have babies of 1 year + - did any of your LO's go off their booby milk during the day around that age?

My LO has been refusing all daytime feeds for the last few weeks, and I've slowly been offering them less and less (tired of fighting- he literally runs away when I take my boob out ) and the last two days didn't offer during the day at all.

Anyone experiencing something similar?

I thought i was ok about it (him dropping feeds) but am feeling quite sad.

 

[Leesie]

anyone else's head being done in by baby club? Some of the stuff that gets said in there about BF'ing really hurts (i am prob oversensitive tho). I wish I had the willpower to just not go in there, look at certain threads and feel compelled to post.

 

[Dragonfly]

Feeling a bit fed up. I think our bad habit has pushed me to the edge... my baby is sooooo clingy the last couple of days. He won't be put down to sleep and just wants cuddles all the time, and the inevitable, sleeping on the boobie. I usually don't mind that too much, but joined with the whole won't be put down thing, ahhhhh! I don't know how i'll cope with another night like the last. Ladies, is this just a thang that happens around now? Please tell me i'll get my baby back! We even tried letting him cry tonight, broke me to pieces.

you make him worse letting him CIO. If you can just let him cling then he will get the independence himself without being forced which breaks it down again. Teething can make them want more out of you and comfort. It dosnt lst forever depending on how you handle it

 

[Miss_Bump]

Gah nightmare morning!

Evie is really teething and very sniffly and sneezing snot so im living in Snot City right now

She had a rough night and kept stirring every hour or so which meant i was like a yo-yo all night as she kept spitting her dummy out as she was blocked up.

Anyway, finally up a about 7am and she did feed but it was only 5 mins. Can she really take a good feed for 5 mins?? Im starting to doubt it

She had her morning nap and then kept biting me when i tried to feed her again at about 11am. She fed for a very short while, not even enough to get my letdown.

I gave her some toast and fruit and then offered the boob again and she pushed me away and then cried so i decided to pump and managed 3oz combined from both sides which is good for me as if she is being fussy, teething, nursing strike, whatever i dont want it mess up my supply.

I offered the EBM in her cup and she refused so i tipped it down the sink

ill try again at about 3pm today with the boob but if she keeps refusing what else can i give!??!

NIMBUS
Sorry your having a hard time but i agree with DF. If you really can avoid the CIO route then please do

SPIDEY
Teething is horrid, Evie had bright red cheeks last night and was very clingy but Calpol helped

DF
Sounds like you need to change your clinic. Its disgusting that they managed to mess it all up like that! Id be really pissed

LYNNIKINS
I tried to hand express but just ended up hurting my boob so i managed to find the hand pump

TRYNITE
Have you got some nipple balm? If not try and get as much air to your boobs as possible

LEESIE
Yeah ive noticed BC getting a little silly. I do like to read the 'debates' and like to put across my point but some people have been getting very very nasty and harsh towards both FF & BF.

Anyone seen Cleckner????
xx

 

[AnnaBanana9]

Weekday off for me! Alyssa and I are off to Bosom Buddies group for the first time in months and monts! Hopefully the lovely HV who used to run the group when I was on maternity leave ages ago is still there; she'll be delighted to see that Alyssa is still loving her BF!

Never spent any time as such in Baby Club, so never personally noticed the backbiting, but I've heard it mentioned by many people. What a shame

 

[Kaybee]

Hello my breastfeeding chums

Anna enjoy your day off today. I'm off work on holiday next week and it can't come quick enough. Going to take K to the toddler group that DH has just started taking K to. I'm quite excited about it.

Missbump I can't remember what age Evie is but K went through a spell when he just wasn't interested in the boob during the day. I was worrying he was self weaning. I think he was around 7/8 months. Sometimes he would even bite me when I offered. Ouch! It lasted a couple of weeks and then he started back on the boobs again like nothing had happened. I think it was just he was far too 'busy' trying to walk, get into stuff and generally do stuff he shouldn't be. I hope its just a spell for you both.

As for us although K will wake several times during the night for a feed I've noticed the last week he hasn't looked for a feed when he's woken up for the day. He still pounces on me as soon as I'm in from work though. Do you think this could be the start of him starting to selfwean now? He's just turned 17 months. Oh, that reminds me I need to change my ticker.

 

[Dragonfly]

near 2 years for us Anna! William is two on Sunday.

 

[lynnikins]

wow well done DF

miss bump, just thought you can always freeze milk she doesnt want for the babies

 

[Leesie]

I gave her some toast and fruit and then offered the boob again and she pushed me away and then cried so i decided to pump and managed 3oz combined from both sides which is good for me as if she is being fussy, teething, nursing strike, whatever i dont want it mess up my supply.


xx

Miss_Bump - we had a nursing strike somewhere around 8 months (can't rmember exactly when but was before 10 months and after 6 months ), it last about a week. I kept my supply going by pumping, froze the milk and when LO got back to normal daytime feeding there were no problems.

 

[AnnaBanana9]

Oh DF I know! Time has gone so quickly. 2 weeks today till Alyssa's 2nd birthday.... yay to the 4 of us for almost reaching our 2 year BF milestones!

 

[florabean1981]

2 years is like the uber milestone in my head, so I hold you all in reverence!!!!

 

[Miss_Bump]

LEESIE
What exactly is a nursing strike? Is it total breast refusal or only sometimes?
Do you think she could be dropping a feed?

Evie had a good feed about 4pm but when she finished she bit me and I scared her as I jumped and she cried

She had her bedtime booby at 8 but only fed a little and was rubbing her eyes while feeding and so so tired but again she bit me when she finished and refused to fall asleep on the breast.

I'm so confused

 

[Leesie]

LEESIE
What exactly is a nursing strike? Is it total breast refusal or only sometimes?
Do you think she could be dropping a feed?

Good question- I don't know if what happened to us was a true nursing strike but basically LO was refusing almost all feeds, he was feeding only when he was tired or asleep about 2 x a day, as opposed to 6 x plus a day. I don't think a nursing strike necessarily means refusing all feeds - but it's when you notice that LO suddenly starts refusing most feeds. Please someome correct me if I'm wrong.

Today my LO spent hours on the breast and was loving his boobies again, so I am wondering whether the last 3 weeks or so have been a sort of a nursing strike too.

Just found some LLL info on nursing strikes, maybe it'll be useful. I'm gonna read it now too.
https://www.llli.org/FAQ/strike.html

 

[Dragonfly]

Oh DF I know! Time has gone so quickly. 2 weeks today till Alyssa's 2nd birthday.... yay to the 4 of us for almost reaching our 2 year BF milestones!

everytime I see Alyssa in your avatar and how big she is I keep thinking she is going to be a tall super modal type girl when she is older.

 

[lynnikins]

missbump
how often is she feeding now, EJ is down to 4 times a day baiscly 8am,12noon,4pm and 8pm

 

[Miss_Bump]

missbump
how often is she feeding now, EJ is down to 4 times a day baiscly 8am,12noon,4pm and 8pm

Evie was pretty much the same as EJ, every 4 hours.

Today she fed at 5am, 9am, 4pm then 7:30pm

EJ is one month older than Evie, almost to the day so its good to see how much he feeds.

I think its due to teething as she had been very dribbly today and had her hands constantly in her mouth.


She seems to be dropping her mid morning feed, do i need to replace this with food? If so, should it be something like cheese or yoghurt?
xx

 

[cleckner04]

Popping in real quick to say hi! :wave: I'm still around, just finding it hard to keep up with some threads on here. Emma has been SOOO clingy lately. I spent most of today cuddled with her on the couch watching disney movies. Because she just wants to have booby. Which is nice in a way but when I want to get something done she wants to be right there doing it too. AHHH!! I need my husband back so bad sometimes. I broke down and cried a few days ago because it's so hard sometimes and I never get breaks. Was just all around feeling sorry for myself. And to add to it, DH just informed me yesterday that he will be back 2 days later than we originally thought. So I know 2 days isn't much but it really is after being away from eachother for 6.5 months. So far we've only done 2 months. 4.5 to go!

 

[lynnikins]

missbump
id let Evie lead it when EJ dropped his mid morning feed we replaced it with a small drink before naptime