Yup, that’s what I did. Well, technically 14 months and three days if you’re really counting. And yup, this really is a post about breastfeeding, so feel free to skip it (you know, if you’re my brother for example). I never thought I’d be writing about it. But I actually get a lot of questions on the subject. And since I blather on about other random things (like cloth diapering) and this blog is really just a way for us to remember things that we might otherwise forget (like paint colors and vacation happenings), I figure that something I did for so long (around 425 days straight) deserved a post about the range of emotions that it elicited. So here we go.
My first emotion: grateful. I was just so thankful it worked. I was acutely aware that some moms try extremely hard but it’s just not possible. I was also pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t as painful as I expected. I’d heard a lot about cracked and bleeding nipples (yes I just typed that) but thanks to genetics or a good latch (or some other random happening) I didn’t really have much pain at all (in the interest of TMI, I also never had sore boobs while prego, so maybe those things go hand in hand?). And I know the whole lack of pain thing might make you want to punch me (it annoys the heck out of my BFF) but I had a pretty frightening birth experience so I guess it’s always something (and not always the same thing) that throws you for a loop as a new mom.
Speaking of the whole birth thing, I was initially really stressed about Clara “taking” to breastfeeding because, due to our complications, I couldn’t nurse her until eight whole hours after she came into this world. I heard trying as soon as possible was the way to go, and I guess the whole scary birth experience had me fearing the worst (there was no baby-on-my-chest-to-snuggle-and-nurse-right-away occurrance, which is definitely what I pictured). But the sweet nurses pretty much just said to give it a try and it was miraculous. Clara got it right away. Such a relief.
As far as emotions go, after “grateful” and “pleasantly surprised” I moved into “exhausted and overwhelmed” territory. Clara was blissfully sleeping for 12 hours each night pretty much from the beginning, waking up for just one or two feedings most of the time (after we got the ok from the doc to let her sleep instead of waking her up to feed every 3 hours since she was steadily gaining weight).
But that meant that during the day she was feeding every two hours like clockwork (I fed her on demand, and at almost exact two hour intervals she screamed and wasn’t happy til she was nursing). So I really couldn’t get much done without having to stop and feed her. Which I actually loved for the bonding and the sweetness and the self-imposed break that it gave me from housework, blogging, and all that other stuff – but it was definitely exhausting and sort of all-encompassing in those bleary I-have-a-newborn months. I always joke that she let me rest at night, but during the day she made me work for it.
And when we went on a week-long family vacation when Clara was just six weeks old I remember sitting upstairs alone with Clara feeding her in a bedroom while everyone else was downstairs having fun together and thinking “I’m going to have to excuse myself and do this about eight times a day while everyone else hangs out – which adds up to 56 feedings that I’ll be doing over the next seven days.” That’s an overwhelming thought. At least it was to me. It was times like this that I actually wished feeding in public (or at least in front of your extended family) was more widely accepted. I tried to use a nursing cover but Clara wouldn’t have it. So up in my room I sat (with occasional visits from John who sweetly recognized that I’d rather be with the group and dropped in to keep us company). Back in these days feedings were pretty slow going (around 15-20 minutes per side for a total of 30-40 minutes spent sequestered). But we still managed to fit in some fun in the sun (or shade since she was so tiny).
I should mention that 1) pumping didn’t agree with me and 2) Clara never took to bottles (or pacifiers for that matter). You win some and you lose some. So every time she fed for the past 14 months it was directly from the source. Which was ok with me since pumping just didn’t work out and thankfully I have a job that allows me to be home with her. But it’s definitely sort of crazy as a concept because for over a year I was never away from my daughter for more than an hour or two. Ever.
But with a face like this, I was ok with that:
Around three months in I really got into the groove though. That’s where I’d characterize my feelings as “content and accepting.” I was happy to still be able to breastfeed and glad that it seemed to suit Clara. She seemed to enjoy it and I knew how to do it effectively and easily enough (in a parked car? check. in a dressing room? check). I even managed to sneak in a taping for the Nate Berkus show, nursing Clara in the green room right before we went on and right after (thankfully it was only a two hour process – or we might have heard her screaming for another feeding from on stage).
I guess I had adapted more to it, and it didn’t feel like as big of a job after I got into the swing of things. And by about 6-8 months old Clara had become a lot more efficient, so feedings were only about 15 minutes total (and sometimes even ten). Interestingly enough, the introduction of solid food at six months old (which Clara loved from day one) didn’t have any bearing on her nursing. She still wanted just as much, just as often. And I was secretly kind of relieved because I worried a bit about my production slowing or even stopping if she suddenly dropped a ton of feedings. But that was not the case.
Up until Clara turned ten months old I was still feeding her every two hours during the day at her insistence (screaming until I nursed her = her insistence). That’s right, for ten months (that’s 300 days) I nursed Clara every two hours (except during the night). I was ok with it, and my doc was ok with it, but I heard from friends that only going two hours between feedings at that age was reallllly often (as in all of my friends were only feeding every 4-5 hours or so at that age). My doc explained that it made sense since Clara was such an unusually solid night sleeper (she segued from waking up for 1-2 feedings in her 12 hour span of night sleep to not waking up at all around 2.5 months in – I know, we’re insanely blessed to have gotten such uninterrupted sleep for such a long block of time). But it did mean not-as-long daytime naps and a whole lot of frequent feedings to “tank up” during her waking hours in exchange for such an awesome night’s sleep. Heck, I’ll take it.
Blissfully, after turning ten months old Clara started stretching her feedings to every three hours, which felt amazing. It’s funny how an extra hour feels like all the freedom in the world. It’s all relative I guess. At this point I was coming into the whole “I love breastfeeding” phenomenon. I still felt grateful to be able to do it, Clara was a thriving happy girl, it was saving us money, it gave me a moment to step away from the computer/paint brush/hammer and connect with the bean, and it helped me get back into my old clothes (even though I don’t think I’ll ever have my pre-baby body again, it’s fine with me because Clara’s so worth it). I should add that I’m a breastfeeding enthusiast when it comes to me and Clara, but I don’t judge anyone else when it comes to what they choose for their family. Whatever works for you & your ducklings = my mantra as a parent in general.
The next speed bump that we encountered was when Clara turned a year old we introduced organic whole milk. The problem? Clara wouldn’t drink it. She still wouldn’t really take a bottle so our doc recommended trying a sippy cup. It worked for water, but she refused to drink milk (and we tried about ten million different sippy cup varieties, tried slightly heating the milk, tried watering it down or mixing it with breast milk, etc). This is when I started fearing that she’d be 21 years old and still addicted to breastfeeding.
Next we tried almond milk at our doc’s advice, and she went for it (we think the thinner consistency seemed closer to breast milk so she was down). And slowly we mixed almond milk with whole organic milk and she made the transition to 100% whole organic milk at around 13 months. Yup, it took nearly a whole month to get her on board with it. She’s stubborn like her momma. Haha. Shockingly, that’s when her feedings dropped waaay down. From around five times a day to just two – once before bed and once in the morning. Which made me feel excited and free but sort of oddly sad at the same time. “My baby’s growing up, and she needs me less” was sort of how I felt. I know that’s not really true, but it’s the best way I can describe the feeling.
By 13 months and three weeks she just wanted a feeding in the morning when she woke up. Clara has always been the boss of this whole breastfeeding thing (since we opted to just do the “on demand” thing from day one), so who am I to argue with the girl? Just one morning feeding opened up a whole new world of evening fun for me and John thanks to his parents offering to babysit (we could see a movie or go out to dinner without Clara after over a year of not partaking in those activities – amazing!). Of course I thought about her the whole time we were out, but I guess that’s to be expected (picture me saying “I wonder what Clara’s doing right now” every ten minutes during our first movie together in over a year).
Two weeks later Clara wasn’t even interested in her morning feeding. Which was sad because that’s the one where we lie down next to each other and relax together. I know I sound crazy, but it was such a sweet way to start the day. To anyone who has yet to try it, nursing on your side while laying down = awesometown (they taught me that move at the hospital thanks to the whole c-section thing). And now it’s over. So my current feelings are sad (because I’ll miss it) but proud (because I can’t believe I breastfed for over 14 months) and grateful (because I know being able to nurse that long or even at all definitely isn’t a given).
So that’s my breastfeeding journey. Off to cry now (and I can’t even blame breastfeeding hormones for the tears). I know, I know, someone with a nickname that won’t stick like $herdog shouldn’t be such a wuss. But it was an awesome/exhausting/amazing/tiring/surprising journey that I’m grateful to have experienced. Love you baby girl. Even if you’re over me my boobs.
Jennifer P. says
What a fantastic entry, thank you for sharing! I apologize if this has been asked already, but you mentioned that Clara never took to bottles (or pacifiers). Same with my 12-month-old, and she was even in occupational therapy for bottle feeding when she was 3 months, but in the end, it was just easier to breastfeed her.
My question is what you do now in the mornings, when they’re they most hungriest, for Clara’s milk intake? I assume that Clara can drink from a sippy, straw, or regular cup, but can/does she consume enough in one sitting to rival what she was getting in her morning nursing session? (Or is that less and less of an issue as they get older, since most of their nutrition will be coming from their solid food intake?) My bubb can drink from a straw cup, but she’ll bat it away after a few big gulps (after maybe 0.5 ounces or so?), compared to the 5 minutes straight that she’ll nurse upon waking in the mornings.
YoungHouseLove says
Clara pretty much sips on milk throughout the day (probably getting around 16 ounces overall?). It’s definitely not as much as she got when she nursed so frequently, but it’s what she’ll drink and she’s sleeping well and gaining well and chatting and walking around so the doc thinks she’s doing great with that routine! I really think it depends on the baby though. A few of Clara’s cousins drink a ton of milk all at once (an entire 8 ounce sippy cup in one sitting three times a day for example) so it probably varies!
xo,
s
Lacey says
I just wanted to thank you so much for noting that it can be difficult and not possible for some (me!) to breastfeed and that’s okay. No one knows how hard I tried to make it work except my husband, and my close family, so when people tell me I shouldn’t have “given up” I get very defensive! No one knows I would pump every two hours (after a 45 minute VERRRY difficult feeding complete with nipple shield) to get MAAYBE 4 ounces. The feeling of not being able to provide enough food for your baby is absolutely heartbreaking. I tried for 3 months. It wasn’t pleasant for either of us and I felt like I was missing out on enjoying my newborn, so finally I threw in the towel. When I did, even my most staunch breastfeeding advocate friends and family commended me and told me they wondered why I didn’t just stop! I still get sad when I see someone easily nursing their babe, though. Definitely trying again with the next one! Thanks again, Sherry!
Hope says
I have always loved your posts on motherhood and Clara because my Addie is only a few days yonger than her. I also am a bit freaked out at how close paired our journeys as mothers have been ( from traumatic deliveries, to breastfeeding, to diapering)
I think I might just send my friends this post and say – yup this is the same thing as me! Right down to the no pump, no solid foods helping the boob addiction down to the refusing whole milk.
We are a bit slower on the weaning process, and I just had a tearful moment with my sad confused daughter on why she just couldnt have a boob instead of a sippy of milk, but we are getting there. – and sleeping longer too!
thank you for this post, its so nice to know you have a “twin mommy” out there
Kate says
Way to go, mom!!!!
Having no children yet but currently getting my body healthy and ready to work on that next year, I am obsessed with all things baby. I totally want to breastfeed and hearing happy stories like yours (not the terrifying ones I’ve heard from friends and read in articles) makes me super happy! Thank you for sharing, beginning to end!!!
Jenny says
Wow- what an amazing accomplishment! Congratulations! Looking back, I count nursing each of my children as one of my greatest accomplishments. It was so much work- but so rewarding.
Emily F. says
Congrats on making it 14 months! I’m currently at just over 2 months breastfeeding Audrey and just went back to work last week. I’m pumping so she’s getting the good stuff at daycare and thankfully, she’s still wanting the boob at home but it’s definitely not all smooth sailing! Pumping is HARD WORK! And my little one doesn’t have a great latch and is a super hard sucker…not a good combo. But we’re making it work. I’m aiming for 6 months currently and we’ll see what happens when we get there (but no guilt if I don’t make it there either).
Oh, and I hear ya about feeling left out at times. We spent a weekend when Audrey was 2 weeks old and a whole week at 6 weeks old at my in-law’s lake cottage and at times, it was very hard to be away from the group for an hour or more several times throughout the day, even though I do enjoy that special time with her.
Nicole O. says
$herdog, ive been so curious ab your bf experience. I feed my little lamb every two hrs and know all too well what that hunger scream sounds like. I love that I was reading it as I was pumping for my 8 wk old, we are getting ready for daycare feedings in the future.
Thank you for posting, I found your site when I got engaged and its been helpful through marriage, house ownership and our newborn!
Jennie F. says
Thanks so much for sharing this! I’ve nursed all three of my children for over a year too. In fact my youngest had his first birthday yesterday! I felt a nerdy sense of accomplishment nursing him that morning, knowing that we made it to that one year mark. It’s bittersweet since he is my last baby. The freedom is great but once he’s finished, I’m finished nursing forever. :(
It’s so nice to read a positive post about nursing. Sadly most moms I know consider it too much trouble, or they give up before they hit their groove, and it makes me sad just because they don’t know what they’re missing!
Congrats to you and Clara, and good work mama!
Ashlee says
Awwwww…this post makes me want to go home and nurse my 15 month old and cuddle her like crazy. I am so happy that you had a great experience nursing your sweet little girl (who appears to be a total ham just like my little one – babies with a great sense of humor rock!).
Although it may be bittersweet that she lost interest in nursing, it is so wonderful that Clara knew that she could count on that comfort and security from you for as long as she needed it and was able to stop becaue SHE wanted to. Not because of some circumstance that required you to stop nursing. I’ve heard that it is really emotionally trying for both the mom and baby to have to stop abruptly when it’s not by choice. It sounds like your nursing experience had a sweet fairytale ending and I hope when you and John have another babe that breastfeeding will be be just as wonderful the second time around :).
Natalie says
My daughter Rylee is about a week younger than Clara and we are just about weaned…mutually for the most part.
I know how you feel about the “sad” post breastfeeding stage (especially sad about the lack of boobage left LOL). She is teething her molars right now so has started to want to nurse again at bedtime so it could be a couple weeks yet. We opted for a similar approach that let her self wean, except she did take to cows milk and has been drinking it from a sippy cup http://www.plasticfreebottles.com/stainless-steel-bottles.php/Safe-Sippy for a couple months now.
It’s inspirational to hear of other Moms keeping up with it when a lot of my friends just didn’t/couldn’t. It came pretty easy to me and just seemed like the natural thing to do.
Good for you and John!
Carrie says
Congratulations! That’s good stuff! Very happy for you guys and I wish you the same great experience with future babies!
I want to share my experience just in case other moms are reading and feel discouraged after a not-so-lucky first time around. I pumped for two weeks with my first because she wouldn’t latch. For me, it was about being able to nurse my baby, not so much about the breast milk. After those two weeks, I threw in the towel (I may or may not have thrown the horns across the room, too) and decided that she’d be formula-fed. Four years later when I got pregnant with our 2nd, I knew I’d give it another try, but I decided from the start that if she wouldn’t latch, I would not pump. I had a perfectly healthy, smart, beautiful 4 yr old who was formula-fed – no harm, no foul,right?
Well, baby #2 arrived and by day 2 my nips were shredded. The LC in the hospital gave me a shield and frankly, it didn’t really help. My milk wasn’t in and jaundice was setting in bad. I started pumping on day 4 (the day we left the hospital) so that she could still get breast milk because I wasn’t ready to quit trying. She had a great latch, but the pain at that point was just unbearable. My husband finger-fed her the breast milk (with a syringe since we wanted to avoid nipple confusion) because the only way to get rid of the jaundice was to get her pooping = eating. On day 8, I melted onto the couch in a puddle of tears because I was tired of pumping, tired of watching my husband get to do what I wanted so desperately to do, and because I was just plain tired. I threw the nipple shield across the room (clearly I have a throwing problem)and decided that this was it: she was either going to nurse or we were switching to bottles. I’ll be darned if she didn’t latch right on and nurse for 26 minutes the first time! (Yes I watched the clock and yes I kept a log of every feeding right down to the minute.) We never looked back from that moment on – it was almost too easy. And when we went to have her weighed at 10 days old, the LC couldn’t believe it when I told her that we got rid of the nipple shield cold-turkey.
I just wanted to share another positive story for those out there who may feel defeated at even the thought of trying it with 2nd, 3rd or 4th kiddos after prior not-so-great experiences. It might just be effortless with the next kid. And if it’s not, there are so many other things to focus on and look forward to…the method by which your baby is fed will eventually be a mere blip on the radar of all things motherhood!
Francine M says
I cherished my time breastfeeding my son just as much as you did, Sherry. I also felt lucky to be able to provide for my son and have that special time to bond. I breastfed for about the same length of time and it was a very natural transition. I had to laugh out loud when you mentioned that Clara didn’t take to the bottle or sippy cup. The same occurred for my son and it was rough going for awhile — mostly because I don’t work from home! My sister was able to take care of my son JJ when I went to work and so my “pumping breaks” at work actually meant for me that my sister would drive JJ to my work and I would breastfeed him in the car! My sister and I still laugh about it because she would drive across town, I’d feed him for 15-20 minutes and go back to work (luckily I work part-time so I would feed him right before I left, during my pumping break and then right when I got home). Eventually JJ came around to the idea of using a sippy cup (though never the bottle), but he was already about 9 or 10months old! The odd thing is that although breastfeeding was such an important part of our daily life for so long, it now seems like such a distant memory — although a warm and fuzzy one. When I was pregnant I thought about how important it was to breastfeed for his nutrition but never could I have anticipated the rewards I got out of it as well.
heather j. says
Holy moly, Sherry! Almost a thousand comments!
I just wanted to say “way to go” on keeping it up as long as Clara would let you. Good job, mama!
Stephanie says
Good for you!! I found breastfeeding to be much more difficult than I had expected, but was glad that I stuck with it. My son is almost 11 months old and I am just about ready to start the process of weaning – not looking forward to it, but my job as a teacher makes it difficult to continue when I head back to school at the end of the summer :( Thanks for the great post!
OurGrowingGarden says
Congrats on nursing for 14 months! That is a great accomplishment! I am currently nursing my 12 mo old. I write about our breastfeeding journey and answer BFing questions at Our Growing Garden if anyone is interested.
Hollienoel says
Thanks for sharing your story! I EBF for six months, but my baby girl has pretty serious allergies and our gastroenterologist finally said she needed to be on prescription formula. I miss BF’ing so much and it was TERRIBLE to go cold turkey. Glad you got to keep going until you and Clara were done. :)
Ann VM says
I love this post, Sherry! Very inspirational. You are such a wonderful and dedicated mother :) I breasfed my first daughter for 4 months and went on pumping exclusively until she turned 13 months, for various reasons. Now i’m breastfeeding my 2nd daughter on demand. She is 1 month old. I plan to breastfeed her at least until she doesn’t want my boob anymore, if my supply lasts that long. I understand the feeling when this whole bonding process comes to an end…
PS. I used to shop for trendy clothing. Now I’m only looking at shirts/tanks/dresses that will make breastfeeding easy anywhere, haha
Nicole says
It’s so hard to find clothes that accommodate nursing without baring your torso!
lindsey clare says
Wow, I wish I had time to read all the comments! This is a topic close to my heart, so thanks Sherry for writing this up.
I’m breastfeeding my 4 month old daughter, and it is such a beautiful thing. I too feel grateful as it was something I was very determined to do, but knew that so many women have trouble doing it. I must admit it took quite a while for my daughter and I to figure it all out. And it HURT.
But it’s so worth it.
Here in Australia, breastfeeding is getting to be more acceptable, I think. A lot of people use nursing covers but I agree with you Sherry, they just made it harder for me! So I don’t bother. And honestly, I feel that the only way to make it more accepted is to be brave and actually breastfeed in public. So even though it can feel a bit weird to get my boobs out in public, I just do it!
Lorien says
Sherry, thank you so much for sharing the story of your breastfeeding journey. I wish so much for you that you had felt supported by your family enough to nurse anywhere and everywhere you wanted. I am still nursing my almost-two-year-old and I make a point of smiling at and sometimes thanking mothers who are nursing in public. It is very unfortunate that the previous generation, who did not get the message that it is better to nurse, are still influencing today’s mothers with their prejudice. Good for you for persevering in the teeth of feeling that limitation.
Susan says
Congrats! My son set the same schedule — every 2 hours all day and then was a superstar nighttime sleeper. It stressed me out in the beginning when I worried about what he was “supposed to” be doing. But, in the end I found his shorter more frequent feeding sessions made life much easier than my friends who had to accommodate very long feeds. I miss those days (my kids are big 6 and 8 year olds now).
Susan says
Congrats on your BF experience. I’m glad it worked for both of you! I BF’d both of my boys for exactly 14 months, which is when we mutually decided to wean. It just worked out that way both times. The younger is just a little older than Clara.
I know it’s bittersweet, but enjoy your new freedom. Get your mama or someone to take the bean for a night (or a weekend!) and enjoy some time away. You will feel like a new woman. :)
Cathy in VA says
Congrats Sherry! Glad you stuck with it & found ways to make it work. Once you figure it out, you’re golden. I breastfeed all 4 of my kids & they were all different. The hard part is the weening off….talk about sore boobs!!! This too shall pass…..
Lauren says
How funny that I read this post today! I also breastfeed my little one every 2-3 hours and enjoy it but I’m starting to think about how our weaning process will go. I have been trying to introduce the sippy cup to my 7 month old daughter so when she turns 1 we can have her drinking cow’s milk.
We are having trouble finding a sippy cup that she will drink out of. Most of them you have to suck too hard to get any liquid out.
What was your favorite sippy cup brand out of the thousands you tried?
Thanks for the tips:)
YoungHouseLove says
Clara actually loves the straw kind (although she does have to suck pretty hard) by Munchkin from Target or Babies R Us. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
SophiesWorld says
Try The First Years Take and Toss straw cups. It is just a regular straw without a valve so it is very easy to drink out of. I had the same issue with my baby – she simply could not be bothered to suck hard enough to get liquid out of the regular sippy cups. Before I found the Take and Toss straw cups I tried the Gerber Nuk sippy, I just took out the valve so that the liquid poured out freely when the cup was tipped. Although it was then easy to drink from, my baby did not like tipping her head back to drink so then we tried the straw cup, and that took care of the whole issue. I think there is also a Take and Toss sippy cup available now, which, if it is like the straw cup, will either have no valve or at most a removable valve.
Sabrina says
WAY TO GO SHERRIE! Such an amazing accomplishment. I struggled with my first go round of breast feeding but was WAY more prepared the second time. You have set a great example for your readers and friends. I always tell my new mommy friends that breast feeding is a sacrifice, but SO worth it. I look at my boys and feel a bond that no one else shares with them. It will probably totally gross them out if I say that to them in a few years, but its the truth. Best Wishes to you and your fun little family. Love reading about your life journey.
Sabrina says
and I totally just spelled your name wrong. I have have a “Sherrie” Sherry cousin. My bad. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no worries! I misspell it myself sometimes!
xo,
s
Rocky Mountain Mama says
Congratulations on making it as long as you did! That is amazing! It is definitely a bittersweet moment. I was there after about 10 months including a handful of months supplementing with formula. You must have some magical boobs to keep going that long. Good job mama!
Lesley says
I read this post at midnight, during my newborn’s late night feeding. She’s five days old today…and this post was exactly what I needed to read. Thanks for being so vulnerable and sharing.
Ashleigh says
Love this post! I LOVE breastfeeding! (And no, I’m not a hippie! ;) My baby won’t take a bottle or paci either. At first it caused me a lot of stress, and then I just said, who cares! I’m blessed that I get to be at home with her anyway, so why stress. I love those precious moments together. I’ll be sad when they end!
Carly says
Awesome post! I BF my daughter until she weaned herself at 13 months. I’m now breastfeeding our 2 month old son. I agree…the closeness is awesome. You described the emotions perfectly! I had an older friend tell me when I was pregnant that she wanted more kids just so she could breastfeed again. It was her favorite thing! I thought that was weird, but now I totally get it. Way to go and thanks for being honest and open about it in such a public setting!
lorissa says
Beautiful memories! Thanks Sherry and everyone else for sharring.
Lauren says
Hi Sherry,
We actually met you, Clara and John outside the soda shop in Short Pump awhile back- we have a little daughter who is two weeks younger than Clara and you guys saved one of her socks that of course she had kicked off in the street! Anyway, I pop in from time to time to see how Clara is growing and saw this post- and just wanted to say that I totally know how you feel because I just stopped nursing too! My daughter was exclusively breast fed but I was lucky in the sense that I could get her to take a bottle on occassion, but mostly we did all boob. She also hated whole milk at first, but I was able to mix breast and whole for a couple of weeks too and she took to it. And I totally cried and freaked about stopping- our last was the laying down morning one too, and it was so so sad to stop. I couldn’t bring myself to pick the “last time” so one morning, she woke up super early with a nightmare and refused to nurse, and sadly, that was that. It was so hard- much more for me than her, and it’s hard for me to even think about. It doesn’t help that after 3 weeks I STILL have milk in my boobs- my body is taunting me like, come on, you can still do this!!!
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for sharing- I find today most moms our age don’t nurse at all, or only for a bit with lots of supplementing, and i’m totally not judging them but it’s just so hard to find someone who understands what it’s like to do it exclusively for so long!!!
Clara looks great btw! I can’t believe how big these girls are getting!
YoungHouseLove says
We totally remember you guys and the missing sock incident! So funny. Glad to hear your girl is doing great! And I hope your body stops taunting you soon!
xo,
s
priscilla says
What a wonderful encouraging post for young mothers! I nursed my 3 children till they were 14 months, (they are now in their 20 & early 30’s). Unfortunately, the Academy of Pediatricians report that today’s young mothers don’t breastfeed much anymore. Thirty years ago, most moms nursed, so it’s sad to see that figure down so far. Pumping gets the same result, which is all those antibodies for your babies.
My daughter nursed twins, exclusively breastfed, for over 6 months, and it was definitely something she had to work at for the first several weeks. After that, it was easy-peasy, as you say. She always fed them at the same time, their heads at the breast and their feet wrapping around behind her. They were preemies, and really thrived. For moms who can’t, then the pumping does the same thing. Great post!!
Amy G says
Congrats to you and Clara! I just had a baby boy about 3 weeks ago and breastfeeding has been going pretty well so far.
I don’t know if someone asked you this yet, but how did you keep up your supply when Clara was sleeping 12 hours at night? I feel like I would dry up!
YoungHouseLove says
At first I was super engorged in the morning (almost uncomfortable enough to pump in the middle of the night if pumping had worked for me) but then my body miraculously adjusted and just seemed to make more milk during the day and less at night. Supply and demand is so crazy like that!
xo,
s
Jennifer Kucharski says
Congratulations! I am still nursing my 11 month old and plan to do it until my daughter is ready to give it up! Unlike you, I was unable to nurse my baby from the beginning thanks to some anatomy issues on my part but after 12 weeks of pumping / bottle feeding breast milk exclusively, I was finally able to get my baby girl to latch successfully and we haven’t looked back! I have been able to donate all of my extra milk (probably over 3,000 oz of breast milk) to a family who adopted a newborn as well as our local Milk Bank. Nursing has been one of the most wonderful, tiring, emotional things I’ve done but well worth all the effort! Thank you for the post!
Liz says
This was an amazing read for me. I have an 8 year old, a 7 year old, and a 3 1/2 month old. Over the years, I suppose I’ve become more of a hippie. I nursed the older two but not exclusively and semi-half-heartedly. I never hated it, I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t something I was truly dedicated to or passionate about. This post completely describes my feelings on the subject this time around. My little one sleeps much the way Clara did- so that gave me a much needed boost to read! She barely sleeps at all during the day and wants to eat all the time, and I feel so pressured to get her to spread it out, but she sleeps from 8pm to 6am and then takes one feeding and sleeps until 9 again. Can’t beat that, right?
I appreciated reading this more than you know. Thank you and congratulations on such an amazing experience!
Nicole says
My son took bottles pretty well in the beginning (when I needed to pump what remained after a feeding and get him to eat it to build back up his weight loss), but after awhile stopped taking them. We discovered that my milk breaks down and goes sour really quickly, so he doesn’t take the bottle unless the milk is really freshly pumped. Needless to say, that doesn’t happen often.
While I enjoy the closeness (when else do I really have the chance not to do anything else but be with my baby?), It would be so much easier (and I would be much less exhausted) if my husband and I were able to share some of the rest of the baby and us care. He’s working really hard at his career so I can be at home with the baby, though, which is hugely helpful. But, I remind myself every day and every feeding to savor these moments because all too soon, he’ll be resisting hugs and not wanting to be close. :)
Also, Sherry, I wanted to let you know that when I had my unexpected/traumatic birth experience leading to a c-section, I remembered the big smile on your face for the “first family portrait” picture in the operating room. It helped me set aside all the pain and discomfort and everything I was going through to put on a big smile of my own for our operating room first family portrait, too. That was a few months before you shared your full birth story, but you had already helped at least one person create a positive memory on a really difficult/happy day.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw that’s so sweet Nicole. When I look at that picture it’s so crazy to think about all that we went through- but I think I was just so relieved that I think I smiled out of sheer thankfulness and wonder. So glad you put on that big smile for your first family portrait!
xo,
s
Emily says
Thank for sharing your story. I’m glad Clara is doing so well, and that you had such a solid breastfeeding relationship. :)
My son is 11 months old today, and he is only nursing once or twice a day- it is breaking my heart a little that I might not make it to a year of breastfeeding with him. Trying to cherish the time we had- you are so right about the side-lying nursing- it is wonderful!! :)
Kacie says
Such a lovely post. Just read your birth story! It made me teat up. How terrifying. I had the opposite, complicated pregnancy, perfect birth. Much love.
Kacie
http://www.acollectionofpassions.blogspot.com/
Renee Y says
LOVE this post. breastfeeding has been one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I’m dreading the weaning process. Thanks for sharing!
karen says
hi Sherry- thanks for sharing your story. I feel like you were telling my breastfeeding saga, though it has yet to end. My daughter just turned 1 year, and today I was thinking that she’s never going to stop breastfeeding. She also doesn’t do bottles, feeds on demand (every 3 hours, even at night, even with solids), and has NO interest in cow’s milk (or goat milk).
Thank you for writing this up- it’s amazing the range of “normal” when it comes to feeding your child, but also how quickly one can feel abnormal. My daughter only recently stretched out her feeding to every 3 hours, and the other moms I know who breastfeed were aghast that I was feeding every 2 hours. It’s just how it was, and it made me feel like I was doing something wrong by accommodating her schedule. I could go on and on. Good work, mama!
Elisabeth@SimpleGreenishLiving says
That first time nursing in the morning is my favorite too…nurse, snuggle, read a couple books. Can’t think of a better way to start our day!
amanda says
this is the first time i have ever commented…
long-time lurker :)
i’m currently breastfeeding my first baby. she’ll be 4 months old soon. i’ve been back to work full-time for a month now, and my life revolves around pumping enough milk for her daily daycare bottles.
although it is beyond exhausting at times, i wouldn’t change a thing. i love nursing in bed on the weekends…it’s what gets me through each week, knowing that i have that saturday morning snuggle time. sometimes we don’t get out of bed before 10am. <3
thank you for sharing your story. if my daughter and i can have a run of 14 months with her self-weaning in the end, i think that would be the most beautiful end to our little breastfeeding story. :)
congrats to you and clara!
Jennifer L. says
LOVED this post- thank you so much for sharing such personal subject matter. BFing rocks! Quick question- I saw you said Clara didn’t do the rice cereal thing. Did you ever find a need to supplement with Vit D drops or Iron drops or anything like that?
YoungHouseLove says
We didn’t! Thankfully we went on walks and played on the playground for vitamin D (and all of her iron tests came out great- which was amazing since I’ve always been borderline anemic. I also took some extra D and iron while breastfeeding, so I liked to think maybe I was passing it along to her and it helped? I’ll never know if that was it though.
xo,
s
Jennifer says
loved reading this! I am 7 months in and my girl seems similar to Clara – only just now interested in bottles or pacifiers. I love breastfeeding and though I have a few friends who don’t understand why I am still doing it exclusively (E’s not all that interested in food yet!) I know it’s the right choice for both of us. It’s definitely a sacrifice (I know how you feel about missing out on things while you’re sequestered with the babe and your boobs), it’s one that I wouldn’t trade!
katie f. says
Thank you so much for posting this! Our stories are very similar – my baby girl is now almost 16 months and refuses to drink much of anything, except from my boobs! And starting solids didn’t slow down the bf’ing for us either. We have also tried organic milk, almond milk, coconut milk… with NO success. She’s addicted to boobs! It’s getting embarassing because she has just started lifting my shirt and going for it in public. Ugh. Anyway, I will try mixing the almond and whole milk and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestion.
Keisha Lynn says
It’s so GREAT to see you post this!!! I too nursed all 3 of my children to a minimum of 1 year! My middle son went a little longer… I swear he would still be nursing at 6 if I would have let him, LOL! I think it’s so awesome! I don’t feel negative toward anyone for their personal beliefs! I for one enjoyed having that time with my children! My first was a very bumpy road! It was most certainly not easy at ALL!!! Funny thing is, my 3rd was also very difficult! The lactation consultant had to help me in the hospital, even though I had a 3 and 2 year old at home already! Congrats to you and Good for you talking about it so openly!!!
Lilly says
I have exclusively pumped for 8 1/2 months, and it is very hard! I could not get my son to latch on, but I thought breast milk was so important, I just kept pumping. We are traveling to another country at the beginning of September, and I’m thinking it’s time to quit. Still, I can empathize with how you feel, just because it’s such a great feeling to know that you are doing something so good for your baby. Thanks for the post!
Tracey says
Thank you Amber on page 1 for telling me what my doctors never could about my inability to make milk! My milk never came in with either child. My 1st one was a c-section and I always thought that was what interfered. She also wasn’t interested in sucking on something that wasn’t giving her any food! So after a month of trying, pumping, fenugreek, herbs, etc. she was formula fed.
Then after a year of trying to get pregnant with #2, I was diagnosed with PCOS but then I was pregnant again that month. I had always planned on breastfeeding and mentioned many times that I was not successful with baby #1. #2 was a great sucker and he was attached for practically a week straight. Then I realized that my milk wasn’t going to come in and started formula feeding again.
The lactation consultants and doctors just ended up saying it was great that they got the colostrum but a formula fed baby is a well-fed baby. That made me feel a little better but it still depressed me and still upsets me that I didn’t get to breastfeed. So thank you Amber!!
Lacey says
I feel your pain. Even reading all of these comments about successful breastfeeding makes me sad. But then I look at my healthy, smart, growing little gal and realize I did what I could and those few months, or even days still count! You tried! And I commend you for that!
Very happy for all of you who it worked out great for though!
xoxo
Hannah says
Great job on breasfeeding! Breasfed my boys for 1.5yrs and 2.5yrs for the younger one. You just have to persevere through the first three weeks and after that it’s easier. I’m grateful that I was able to nurse for that long.
elly says
Congratulations on breastfeeding for so long. That’s great. I nursed my son for about 14 months, too. We just stopped 2 months ago. It was actually my decision to wean him, because we had various things going on, vacations coming up, and some time away from him (for the first time). It was very difficult for him, and it made me SO sad. I basically bawled my eyes out the night I had my husband put him to sleep, instead of me nursing and then putting him to sleep, because he was frantic and crying like crazy. :( Thankfully, he adjusted rather quickly. I always thought it would be harder for me if HE controlled the weaning, but it turns out that making the decision myself was just as bad!