Here is my experience:
My friend said that if I could get through the first couple of weeks it would get easier after that. The first week was really hard. My milk didn’t come in until 5/6 days after Ellie was born. At midnight our first night home I was bawling because Eleanor wasn’t eating properly and Nick was feeding her formula. I was determined to not give up, and we were at the lactation consultant’s door early the next morning. After the milk came in, things got much easier. My first goal was 2 months, by then I was back to work and had that element to deal with. Luckily for me I work for an AMAZING company that supports breastfeeding!
The next goal was 4 months, and then 6 months. After 6 months I didn’t know how the whole teeth issue would play out. Thus far Ellie only has two bottom teeth, and I have had minimal issues with biting (thank Ellie!). Stretch goal: 8 months. During the process, I started ‘banking’ milk, so if I stopped we could still have her on breastmilk. We have a deep freeze devoted solely to Ellie’s milk, and also have overflow being stored at my parent’s house! I attribute this abundance of milk to drinking lots and lots of water- I don’t think I have drank so much water in my life. Oh, and don’t worry, I am careful to use the milk before it goes bad.
Around 8 months I dropped the daytime pumping and we started using the frozen milk to supplement. I still feed Eleanor in the morning and at night and love the bonding time that gives us. I never knew I would enjoy it so much! It really is a great bonding tool and is hard to put into words.
Of if the lactation consultant could see me now! Based on my projections: Eleanor will be 100% (minus the 2 ounces of formula she had at the hospital and the 2 ounces she had our first night home) breastmilk fed thru a year… Yes, I have a spreadsheet with all the milk frozen recorded, the amount Eleanor drinks each day, and how many days of stored milk we have. I also calculated our approximate savings of using breastmilk over buying formula (I will try and let you know the total savings after she is completely done with breastmilk).
The plan is to stop feeding her breastmilk after a year. My pump is starting to die and Eleanor already knows a little too much as to where she gets the milk from. I want her to be able to transition to 100% sippy cup at a year, or shortly after, without any major problems. We will use what stored milk we have, and then switch to whole milk. That is the plan anyway… but plans do change.
To any future mommy’s out there: breastfeeding is a personal choice, and you should never be judged if you do or don’t do it. There are pros and cons either way. If you are debating, I encourage you to give it a try and set a realistic goal (I really think the 2 month goal is a good one). Who knows, maybe you will be like me and love it. Best of luck.
3 comments:
How awesome you made it work for you, and thanks for sharing yoru experiences!!! I'm glad you put that "disclaimer" at the bottom - I was surrounded by a few people who thought breastfeeding was the ONLY way to go, so I really beat myself up with the decision to stop breastfeeding Evan at about 7 weeks (thrush, twice, ouch). I was much less hard on myself with the girls, didn't have much choice, I was starving them with not enough of a milk supply and just couldn't ever increase it.
Lori- I am very lucky that I didn't have any major issues, I think that would have changed my decision. And two of them at the same time, I don't think I could have done it. 7 weeks with Evan is great- nothing to be disappointed with there.
Congrats on making it this far. I agree if you can make it through the first week that is the hardest part, then around the teeth can be another issue. I have been pregnant or nursing now for over 6 years and while I get tired at times, I know I probably have close to a year left before I start to think of weaning Carter. It is such a personal choice that I hate it when people try to force people either direction.
Congrats again
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