How long did you exclusively BF vs completely stopped BF???

[Mabv812]

I was reading that babies need breastmilk up until a year old. As I have gone back to work it is Sooooo hard to pump all the time!! I thought I could stop BFing around 7-8 mo but now I'm not sure.

When did you stop exclusively BFing vs altogether?

 

[Emz1982_in_uk]

Are you saying you don't want to give any formula? Sorry, just a bit confused as to what you're asking. Basically babies need milk until 12 months whether that's breast or formula as they need the vitamins and calories. From 12 months on they should get their nutrition from food.

What hours do you work? Do you feed baby when you get home and at bedtime?

 

[scoobydrlp]

I exclusively breastfed until LO was just over 11 months (we did BLW starting at 6 months but she never had formula or cows milk). I started mixing in about an ounce of cows milk to her expressed feeds at daycare around the 11 month mark just to get her accustomed to it. We completely weaned from breast milk at 13 months.

I get how you feel with the expressing at work, it's such a drag!! I wanted to quit so many times, but forced myself to continue. I wanted to make it to the year mark, and I'm glad I was able to do it. I was lucky enough to have enough in the freezer so that I was able to stop pumping at 11 months. She still nursed first thing in the morning and last thing at night, but everything in between was from the freezer with a little cows milk mixed in.

 

[mia_leacey]

I ebf for 3 months. Introduced occassional formula until about 5 months but LO wasn't getting on with it. At 5 months introduced foods alongside bf. Bfed until 26 months.

 

[Tacey]

Exclusively until 5 and a half months then started BLW with both of them, then until 4 and a bit years with Alice, and still going with Arthur. I think I offered Alice cow's milk as a drink when she was around 2, but haven't so far with Arthur.

Really though, it's beneficial as long as the two of you are happy with it.

 

[babybaker2011]

With DD1, I breastfed exclusively for 10 months and she finally started liking solids. I stopped at 18.5 months.

 

[sun]

DS1: BF for 19mo until he self-weaned
DD1: Still BF at 27mo
DS2: Plan is to BF until 2years min, but we'll see!

I did BLW with my kids starting at 6-7mo and none of them drink cows milk.

 

[patch2006uk]

Exclusive until BLW at 23 weeks, weaned completely at just over 3. Can't remember when we started offering cups of cows' milk, but DS is a milk and dairy fiend and has been for a long time, and it didn't stop him wanting to bf at bedtime.

Hope to achieve similar with DS2

 

[Bambino123]

Exclusively BF until 6 months when I started offering finger foods. Still BF a 3yo. He just feeds at night and first thing in the morning. Never planned to BF past 6 months, it just happened that way! Hopefully we'll get him weaned before he starts school

 

[impatient1]

I breastfed my oldest until she was a year but started weaning and introducing cows milk at about 10.5 months.

 

[ClaireJ23]

Ebf 6 months then
Combi fed until 8 months

 

[RaspberryK]

We exclusively breast fed until 6 months when we started blw.
I continued to bf until he was just over 12 months with no other milk drunk until I stopped.
I went to work which was fine until I was doing full time in 9 hour shifts and one time I got home after he was in bed and left before he woke up, a nursing strike and so decided to go cold turkey which was awful.
I wish I'd have tried to make it work better and managed to feed him in my breaks etc.
Xx

 

[Rachel_C]

Basically babies need milk until 12 months whether that's breast or formula as they need the vitamins and calories. From 12 months on they should get their nutrition from food.

I don't think this is true, not if you believe the WHO and various other health organisations anyway. It is true that babies NEED milk until 12 months except in unusual circumstances, but babies/toddlers should still be getting some of their nutrition from breastmilk (or substitute) until at least 2 years old.

My first was FF, we started BLW at 24 weeks and she continued having formula until she was about 2. My youngest was EBF until we started BLW at 26 weeks and she is still breastfeeding, usually twice a day, and 2 years 9 months. I night weaned her when she was just over 2 but it hasn't affected day feeds so I'll let her self-wean fully.

 

[ledzep]

I ebf until 6 months then bf along with his solids. He's still bf now at 18 months and no cows milk

 

[Elmo5]

Still going and she is 3 this week. I worked full time from 1 year old.

 

[bdb84]

DD EBF until we introduced solids at 6 months. She wasn't a fan of food until she was over a year, though, so she was mostly breastfed until she began complementing with meals. We weaned at 2.5.

 

[MrsPear]

I didn't give any formula until 10 months when I went back to work. At that point I just breastfed at morning and night and sent formula to nursery. I finished breastfeeding altogether at 15 months as I was working shifts and it didn't really work out. X

 

[teal]

I ebf until we started BLW just after 6 months. My son self weaned from breastfeeding just before 18 months. Early but it was his choice, I still offered for weeks but he completely refused.

 

[special_kala]

Exclusively breastfed until 5 1/2 months (F & W), W self weaned at 14 months. F is still going hoping to BF until 2+. Don't really have a cut off date so whenever he is happy to wean really.