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.
Lori @ Richmond, BABY! says
Awh, this was so sweet to read! :)
Laura says
I just read this post while breastfeeding! Totally jealous of your easy time. My son barely sleeps and wants to eat constantly. He’s 2 1/2 months old. He has tummy problems that we are trying to figure out. But, sadly I am going back to work. Soon. I think we will be lucky to make 6 months
Ali says
I can relate to so much of what you wrote! My first son Cole was pretty much exactly as you describe Clara, except he didn’t give us good nighttime sleep. :) I was frustrated that he wouldn’t take a bottle, though. At times I resented that I was tethered to him (we also call getting milk from me “the source”) because I had to work outside the home as an outpatient counselor and I was running home between clients to nurse. Sigh. But then my second son was born with a rare genetic disorder and couldn’t nurse or even take a bottle. He was tube fed for 9 months. :( Talk about a kick to the mommy gut – I couldn’t even feed my baby myself, a tube had to do it. Anyway, I could go on, but I’ve learned so much about the needs for a mom to love their babies and feed them however they need to do it. I am now happily nursing my last little boy and it’s such a different perspective. He won’t take a bottle either, but this time, I truly don’t mind.
Kelly says
You are an inspiration! I am due Nov 1st and plan to breast feed as long as possible..but am scared at the same time. I hope hope hope that I have a similar experience as you :)
Kayt says
Wow, good for you! I only nursed my son for six months, but we did the on-demand nursing too, and he was over it once he could crawl. We never went exclusive bf’ing because I had to work outside the home. So jealous of your setup there. Congrats! It’s hard work that’s totally worth it.
Thanks for sharing with us, too. I know this is primarily a home improvement/decorating blog, but you guys are such an interesting family, and I love getting glimpses like this. And there’s no such thing as too many Clara pics.
Meghan says
Thanks so much for sharing your story. It’s inspiring to hear breastfeeding success stories–you must’ve had a wonderful support system! Hopefully people like you will make breastfeeding less taboo and, thus, more socially acceptable to do in public.
Megan says
Sweet post! What a beautiful tribute to breastfeeding and your baby girl!
My one-year-old would have nothing to do with ANY milk. He stopped breastfeeding, no whole milk, no almond milk. Nothing. Oh- and he was underweight. I panicked and at the advice of a neighbor tried raw milk from a local farm (only considering the possible consequences later- eek). That was the only thing he’d drink. Thank God it worked and we never got sick!
April says
Thanks for posting all this! You and Clara did great for so many months!! I tried to bf when my son was born. I was dead-set on doing it. I so wish we could have made it longer than we did (about 3-4 weeks). I too didn’t have the soreness I just didn’t have hardly any milk and he was hungry every hour even through the night. Pumping did not work either. I was disappointed at the time but everything worked out with the bottle. I also totally agree with your parenting mantra…it’s mine too. :)
AmyB says
So happy for you and Clara and that you had a great breast feeding experience. I wanted to breast feed, but unfortunately was one of those that had a VERY painful, frustrating time with it. And yes I had the help of a lactation specialist and everything. I had super fast and easy labors and deliveries, so I can’t complain. We can’t have it all right? I’ll always appreciate my pediatrician who didn’t belittle me or make me feel guilty for quitting, because believe me I did (feel guilty that is). My sons are 10 & 12, happy, healthy and make good grades. So even though breast feeding is best you can have great results with formula.
Alecia E. says
Oh man… this post definitely hits close to home. My own almost 13 month old is on her last days of breastfeeding. We’re only nursing before bed right now and in some ways I’m glad but every so often I think about trying to convince her to nurse more so we can continue on. I think it’s just part of the process in realizing that she isn’t a baby anymore but a wonderful toddler. :)
Alecia
Michelle Kersey says
Awwww, congrats momma!!!! I BF my son until about 13months… and I’m currently at 12 1/2 months with my daughter. We’re on demand feeders as well, and she’s narrowed down to just one a day… in the morning, in bed, just like you all. :) It is a very peaceful way to start the day!
I’m trying to introduce her to milk as well, and she’s not having it… and by not having it…I mean she has thrown the milk cup into the trashcan… twice. And now shakes her head when I try to give it to her. How she knows it’s different than juice? I don’t know. She’s weird. :)
I’m going to call my pediatrician because she’s still not drinking milk, and still shaking her head ‘no’ at it when I offer it :(
Elle says
Thanks for sharing your story, Sherry. I also had a traumatic delivery with my first and a relatively smooth breastfeeding experience and felt like the latter kind of “made up” for the former.
I have a 20-month-old and a 6-month-old, so I’ve been either nursing or pregnant for two and a half years now. I will miss it when it’s over. A while ago I read something by an older woman who said she would give anything to just be able to hold and nurse her babies one more time. I think of that now whenever I nurse my little guy. It’s such a precious, fleeting time.
Congratulations on 14+ months, and enjoy your new freedom.
hannahhenning says
Loved your post! Hopefully it will give courage and support to other mom’s thinking of breastfeeding. Definitely nature’s best design for our babies. I had tears in my eyes by the end of your post, that morning nurse is such a precious time and I remember mourning that loss with each of my two babies. I guess I’m shedding a few tears with you.
cd says
BRAVA! Good for you both. What a great blog post. Thanks for being so candid about your feelings, the challenges, and especially for two things: 1) mentioning that pumping didn’t jive for you (it didn’t for me either) and 2) that you stuck with her schedule and rolled with it.
While it’s not possible for everyone, I think the least stressful way to approach parenting is to “go with it” whatever “it” is. There’s a lot of “it” in breastfeeding. We don’t get out on date nights much either but it seems to bother everyone else far more than it bothers us – because we know this is a limited time thing.
And I wish more moms knew that pumps don’t equal baby! I’ve had several friends – and even I did – get so scared that they couldn’t provide for baby because the pump only sucked out teeeensy amounts. No machine is as efficient as the baby. Pumps cause as much anxiety as they purport to solve problems and give freedom, in my book. I’m very happy for women who have great experiences with the pump or who exclusively pump. I ended up with a little reverse-cycler because I couldn’t pump enough at work (she’s like a reverse-Clara!). But she’s 16.5 months old and still nurses in the morning and to sleep and on weekends when she feels like it.
So good for you for finding your rhythm and doing things your way.
(Oh – and did you ever try giving her goat milk? Still my little one’s preferred milk)
YoungHouseLove says
Never tried goat’s milk- but I know a few other kiddos who love it!
xo,
s
Marlena says
Congratulations! It’s a very personal decision for mama and baby, and glad that you were able to have the mama/baby lead experience. It didn’t work for me and my daughter, but I love reading such positive stories. And we can cry whenever we feel like it – parenting is full of powerful emotions.
AnneMarie says
My almost 14 months old is down to one feeding at night. He pretty much has forgotten about it until I take the Boppy out. I know I can stop anytime now, but I’m holding out a couple more weeks. I don’t think I’m ready just yet. I am, but I’m getting sentimental about it. We had a difficult two months of breastfeeding. Two thrush/breast yeast infections that were so painful I cried each feeding. Luckily, one day the pain was gone and breastfeeding every couple hours wasn’t something to worry about anymore. My son nursed every two hours for a long time, too. It was frustrating sometimes, but I was happy I got the chance to nurse him. Anyway, thanks for the post, you don’t see much about breastfeeding, this made me smile.
Anna says
Thanks for sharing your awesome breastfeeding story!
I’m due with my first baby in about a month and everyone seems to want to share their breastfeeding horror stories. Your post makes me feel excited for the expereince instead of scared :)
andrea worley says
Thanks for sharing, I love hearing other Moms stories on this like this. So awesome you were able to do it for so long.
Kristen says
Congratulations on your breastfeeding Journey!! I too breastfed my 3 boys … my youngest until he was 25 months! It is truly a wonderful thing to give them. It’s too bad you felt like you had to exclude yourself while breastfeeding … hopefully next time family and friends will be more open to it! …. my sister and always laugh that we were more concerned with people seeing our little belly rolls than our boobs! LOL … we are in Canada … and I even would breastfeed in a restaurant so maybe it’s more accepted here! Love your blog! xo
Faith says
Awesome. I nursed our daughter on demand too. She refused to drink any milk from her sippy though, we tried almond and coconut to no avail. I had to wean her myself (at around 16 months) because I’m pregnant with number two (a boy due next month) and it became exremely painful. It is an emotional time when they no longer nurse, I think we mothers take it much harder.
Suzy says
I bf’ed my first for 14 months. She, too, would nurse every 2 hours for the first 9-10 months of her life. Exhausting, but so rewarding! We weaned once I got preggo with #2. I bf’ed #2 for 10 months until I had to stop because of extremely sore *ahem* ladies. Turns out I was preggo with #3!! So, an answer to the age old question of “Can you get pregnant while bf’ing & before you even get your ‘lady visitor’ back?” Oh, yes! Surprise!!!
Kate @ My Head to My Toes says
I’m crying with you! My little girl is six months now, and we have been exclusively breastfeeding too. Every two hours. So I truly relate to everything you said (well more like typed). Except now that we have started solid food my supply has dropped. I’m starting to supplement with formula, so it’s been sad for me. You’re such a great mom. Really. Thanks for posting this. And PS- you are SOOOOO right about nursing while lying down. Awesometown!!!
Jessica says
Thanks for sharing, Sherry! My daughter will be a year old next Thursday and we’re down to nursing once in the morning (which I love) and formula the rest of the day. I’m determined to go one more week so I can say I made it a year (well, mostly), and I can’t wait to introduce milk so we can start saving some moola! Yay for moolah.
And thank you for being so sympathetic towards moms who, for whatever reason, are unable to nurse. I’m so grateful I was able to, and while yes, I do think there are tons of benefits from mother’s milk, I get so angry when I see any advertisement or sign that says “breastmilk is best” – thus insinuating that mothers who opt or have to go the other direction are somehow inferior or not as concerned about their baby’s well-being.
Thanks for the inspiring post and opening up this conversation!
Brittney Colyer says
What a great post! Thanks for sharing your story :) I told people nursing my daughter for 13 months was more of an accomplishment for me then getting my Master’s degree! It’s so true!!! I’m on babe number 2 (8 months into breastfeeding) and it’s still all those things you mentioned. . awesome/exhausting/amazing/tiring/surprising. And if you have more kids you get to enjoy it all over again!! It’s easier the second time around too!
Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage says
Kudos girl!! I nursed two of mine for around 12 months. Blissful!! And yes nursing laying down is the most awesome!! I pumped and worked so a whole other ball game. One of mine refused a bottle so long I would cry!! But we worked it out eventually!! Breastfeeding is way easier than bottle feeding — from a momma that did them both! And yes I loved every minute of it too!! :)
Krista says
My daughter if five months and I just love breastfeeding as well! Its amazing to know that you are able to give her everything she needs right then…well, I can’t completely say that since I have a syndrome that affected my supply so we have to do half and half with formula and breastmilk but I fought for everything(pumping for a month to try to increase it!!) I have so she is getting all that she can from me and its wonderful:) She is just starting solids and its fun but makes me sad a bit too for the day she won’t want me at all… What an amazing experience!
Jessica @ The Southern Belle Baby says
Great job, Sherry, for sticking with it for so long! It’s such a hard thing to end! I breast fed my son for just over a year and finally had to wean when he started waking every HOUR during the night to nurse. It was a case of “I know it’s there, I want it and you will give it to me NOW.” I hated to do it, but it does open up a whole new world of grown-up time, which is nice. I do still try to cuddle him for his nightly cup of organic milk- it’s not the same, but it’s still nice.
If only my boobs had stayed the size and shape they were while breast feeding- that, also, is dearly missed! So sad.
Anna says
My oldest stopped at 14 mos too, but that was because I was pregnant with little brother (taste of the milk changes supposedly)… Hmm…
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, no prego. I’m not allowed to be pregnant again for another year or so (due to the Clara complications, the doc wants me to heal up really well between pregnancies).
xo,
s
Robyn says
Thanks for sharing your story, Sherry. And congrats on your breastfeeding success! Also, thanks for giving us all a little more insight into what a typical day is like around your house. I’m not sure why exactly, but I had the impression that, in addition to sleeping through the night, sitting still in her high chair and loving solids, that Clara also never cried! Ha ha! She just seemed so angelic and SO nothing like my daughter! :) My daughter is 12.5 months and still BFing strong. After nearly 6 months of offering solids (it was like banging my head on a wall repeatedly), she finally decided she likes food at around 11.5 months, but that hasn’t slowed down the BFing yet. When I’m around during the day (I work PT), she still wants to nurse at least every 4 hours. I’m curious, how did you know Clara wasn’t interested anymore? I imagine that it might be confusing to know for certain, esp. at this age when babies are so easily distracted. I wonder if I will know it’s not distraction when my daughter gets ready to wean?
YoungHouseLove says
She literally wouldn’t latch. Or she would and then she’d unlatch a second later and start babbling or playing or poking my face or tweaking my… well, you know. So it was clear that she was just playing around and not interested in eating.
xo,
s
Meredith Drane says
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! Due to working full time I only get to nurse my little guy once a day during the week (full-time nursing on weekends), and pump during the day at work. But even though our stories are slightly different, the emotions I have felt about the process are so similar. I, too, am starting to think about weaning, and am not quite ready to see the nursing relationship end, but am looking forward to a bit more freedom. Thanks again for sharing.
Kelsey says
So glad you wrote this post! I’ve been very impressed that you’ve (tactfully) sprinkled in mentions of breastfeeding into your posts since Clara was born. I am currently nursing my 8.5 month old, with no plans to stop until he’s past a year as well. Like you, I look forward to weaning to gain a little more freedom, but I also know I will miss it when he’s finally weaned.
Anna See says
What a great post! I was so fortunate to be able to breast feed both of my babies for a year. They were very tiny, though, and I sometimes wish I would have supplemented to get them to grow more. I think my milk was “skim.” Now they are 10 and 12, so all is well. Such a tender time. I vividly remember their last breastfeedings…
And for weight loss– when I stopped nursing, the last 10 lbs fell off in a few weeks.
Lauren says
Wow. That is amazeballs. :)
Erica D says
What a sweet post…my youngest weaned herself a year ago at only 14 months and I still miss it. I miss having that special bond with both my girls for which I’m so glad you did too have a sweet one with Clara.
Breastfeeding is all about dedication, comittment and sacrifice. One of which I came to realize after 5 weeks of agonizing pain, after which I was diagnosed with a rare Raynauds of the nipple. I had to be put on heart meds in order to regulate blood circulation to the breast…just think crushed glass being pressed into your breasts :-)
I hope your post will encourage other moms to nurse their children as it’s the best gift you could give your child.
Brianna says
Aww sadness! My oldest nursed for 54 weeks, he also self weaned. My baby now has been trying to wean, but I fight it. He is 10 months, I just keep telling him to hang in there, just 2 more months.
Great job making it over a year, awesome!
Diana says
Congratulations on a great nursing relationship! I truly admire how you breastfed every 2 hours for 10 months. My little one had weigh gain issues so we were every 1-2 hours in the beginning, but once she hit 2-3 months, we started dragging feedings out more and she cut down gradually. My daughter finished up nursing much the same way Clara did, and I also am bittersweet about it. Though it was kind of ironic when right when I got used to having “my own body” again, I got pregnant with number two :).
Angela says
A. Your dedication is awesome. You should be so proud of yourself and, of course, Clara.
B. Very soon that sad feeling will be more wistful remembrance.
I did the same thing for 13 months, but with the benefit of successful pumping and the drawback of a minimum of 3 feedings overnight. I suppose I was a human pacifier, as gross as it sounds. It’s GREAT that you wrote this post. The more positive, honest, accounts of breastfeeding that women hear, the more likely they are to go into it with a positive attitude, which makes a ton of difference. High five!
Jessicah says
I also have nursed on demand for almost 15 months! Eleanor started sleeping through the night around 4 months, [although her version of through the night is about 3 hours shorter than Clara’s. :)] But her way to “tank up” was to nurse for a solid 90 minutes before bed. Every night. For 8 months. Gaaaah. If I tried to cut her off sooner though, there was a lot of screaming and crying, and we’d end up being awake even later, so we rolled with it. Needless to say it put a bit of a crimp in our evening plans though!
Now her bedtime nurse is only about 25-30 minutes though (hallelujah!) and she’s down to nursing about every 3 hours during the day…5x a day total, about 75 minutes a day. I figure I’ll give her till about 18 months, and then if she’s still nursing that much we’re gonna have to work harder on weaning! I like the almond milk tip though, we haven’t tried that one yet!
Cory Ann Ellis says
Sherry,
I’m just wondering why you two chose to introduce cow’s milk in the first place? I know you chose organic, but cow’s milk is not a natural product for humans to consume. We are the only animal/mammal that consumes milk after breastfeeding and the only one that consumes the milk of another animal. It seems like a better health choice to me that you would have stuck with the water or the almond milk for that matter. If dairy were not such a big part of American’s diet we could have significantly better eating habits and that seems like a better life choice for our children.
And good job on the 14 mo. Just so you know I have a son who I breastfed for 13 mo and a lactose intolerant husband so we consume as little cow’s milk as possible. For cereal my son likes rice or almond milk and my husband who does the cooking doesn’t ever use cow’s milk.
YoungHouseLove says
We talked a lot with our doc and did some other research on our own and came to the conclusion that organic whole milk was the right choice for us. But it’s definitely one of those personal choices that every mom has to make for her own family. We know lots of other tots on almond milk and rice milk and soy milk and even things like goat’s milk!
xo,
s
deb says
I had 3 kids (now 25, 28 and 32 yoa) and am the g-ma to an almost 3 month old baby boy. I nursed all mine for a total of 45 months and ended each when they wanted – just as you’ve done. I STILL remember how hard it was to start my first one, but I kept at it and the rest were easy. My g-son gave my daughter a bit of trouble, but she persevered and they’re doing great with it now. None of mine ever would take a bottle, altho they were drinking milk from a sippy cup while still nursing first thing in the morning and last thing at night. You never forget this stuff…thanks for sharing!!
Sarah says
Sherry! Congratulations!! Breastfeeding is such hard work. I remember one day near the beginning when I realized I was nursing upwards of eight hours a day, and that thought totally overwhelmed me.
My sweet girl finally gave me my freedom back two days before her second birthday. Even though I was relieved that I was no longer at risk of becoming one of those moms on the news for breastfeeding their first grader (a legitimate fear, as far as I’m concerned), I was still totally sad about it. It was the only thing that no one else could do for her and for which she was completely dependent on me.
Oh, and you can for SURE blame the hormones. Your pituitary gland shrinks back to its normal size after weaning, and some pretty crazy stuff can happen! Ask me about the time I had to use the bathroom every 5-10 minutes for two days straight. Yeah, thanks pituitary gland and your freakish hormonal responses!
Enjoy your new-found free time! Toddlerhood is ridiculously awesome.
ginger says
Great job Mama!!!! I’m at 6 months with my Clara and aiming for a year.
Thanks for posting this!
Lauren says
Thank you so much for posting this and talking so openly about breastfeeding. My son turns 4 months old tomorrow and I love nursing him. It’s a feeling unlike any other. Congratulations on your success and here’s to no more nursing pads…blah.
Stephanie M. says
LOVE this post! Breastfeeding is such a beautiful thing. I tried with my now 5 month old baby girl, Heidi, and sadly only lasted about 2 days. Her latch wasn’t that great and talk about PAINFUL! But, luckily God gifted me with an overabundance of milk & the pump has definitely agreed with me. So I exclusively pump for my baby girl so she still gets the good stuff. I’m glad breastfeeding has been such a happy journey for you! Wish I would’ve lasted longer but I feel blessed just to be able to produce more than enough than my baby girl needs!
Kimberly says
Awesome job! We are on month 12 right now and down to only the morning feeding. My son didn’t get to eat or even try to eat for the first 6 days due to some breathing issues and a collapsed lung. He latched right on with no problems at all and is a happy healthy little 12 month old. He also would never take a bottle and we tried…he was a 2 hour feeder but at night as well…it was a rough road that I couldn’t get out of but wouldn’t change it now for anything. =)
JennyB says
Such a sweet post! My little guy is almost 2 and I made it about 8 or 9 months nursing. I was proud of myself because it was tough to keep it going after returning to work when he was 3 months old. I also missed snuggling with him in bed. A nice alternative & part of our wind-down routine at night is to snuggle in bed and read books. He loves it and I do too!
I know it’s a bittersweet time right now, but you’ve done a great thing for your little bean:)
gia says
What a great post and a huge accomplishment. It really takes a big commitment to stick with it… I just recently stopped nursing my baby last month after her 1st birthday and she had been weaning herself since she was about 11 months old. You are so lucky to have been able to nurse exclusively for so long! I had to start supplementing at 7 months because I wasn’t pumping enough at work to keep up with the demand of my daughter. Luckily, I was able to continue in the mornings and nights. Breastfeeding was the most challenging thing I ever had to do, as I also had a complicated birth and didn’t get to nurse right away. But I am so grateful that I had that time with my daughter as I know so many women who try and try and it doesn’t work for them. Thanks for sharing!
Whitney says
Congratulations & good work Sherry! We are on month 7 of breastfeeding and it is truly special. You’ve shared such a great gift with Clara :)
Jessicah says
I feel like I should point out that I work without Eleanor 3x a week, and then she goes to work with me 2 days a week. Since I’ve had to pump from the beginning, she does take a bottle a couple of times a week from Grandma, which gives me a break!
But whew, good to know that I’m not the only momma who feels like I spent half of the last year+ with a small person sucking on me! Thanks for telling your story, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one around…
erin says
Nice job! I did 14 months with my little one. Lost all my baby weight that way and dropped another 5 pounds after we finished nursing! My body looks even better after nursing!Cant beat that :)