Breastfeeding

[OkieAnnie]

Way to go, Lovecooks. I fed all 3 of mine, my second while touring the Sears Tower in Chicago. I nursed him while we walked around and people were playing with his feet, thinking he was asleep. I think he was 4 months old. When my SIL realized what I was doing she completely freeked out. LOL, She was grossed out by the entire idea to begin with, so for her to realise I was doing it in public really bothered her.

I allowd all 3 of mine to self-ween. My youngest stopped at about 15 months, which is the longets.

There are not any formal laws on the books, that I am aware of here, but depending on where you go you can be treated pretty poorly if people know what you are doing. I think we have progressed quite a bit in regards to reactions when a mom is nursing in public.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

My first child was weaned off by 3 months because I was working full time and it was easier (for my sitter) to switch her to formula. Was so hard for me, though.

My second child I nursed until he was 6 months old, and then switched to formula because my work schedule ended up changing.

Baby 3 was nursed for 12 months, because I got to be a stay at home mom with him.

Baby 4 nursed for 10 or 11 months, and then he was just "done" and ready for a sip cup. I continued to pump until he was 1, he just drank it from the cup.

I am still nursing baby 5, and he's almost 11 months old, but he is mostly only nursing at night now. He is taking formula and homemade baby food during the day, but still wakes up around 2 am for a night time feeding, and he likes to nurse around 6 am.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Well it was 28 years ago for me. I breastfed her til she was about 9 months old, then she called it quits.
BBH wrote

Well it was 12 years ago, but I think we made it up to 12 months. She tapered herself off. I was heartbroken, "wasn't I good enough?" Crazy breastfeeding emotions! It was like a break up!

I know what you mean. I would have gone longer too.
I remember one time though, we were sitting in a restaurant eating and I was nursing her. Some woman the next table over said very loudly, "you should do that in the bathroom!", I answered, "why don't you go eat in the bathroom". Not very nice on my part, but I think I got the point across.

 

[hennypenny9]

Well no kids here, but mom's in this area are pretty discrete... I'm fairly sure it's legal to to in public though. How could it not be? That would just be silly. I'd say 99% of the time I can barely even tell they're breastfeeding. That other 1% is sure interesting! Sometimes ladies just plop the baby/toddler down on the cutting table at my work and whip it out practically in my face! I know it's natural and all, but I'm surprised ever time I look up to a nipple! (I work at a fabric store and it's mostly women in there)

In the last few months I have suddenly been selling a lot of fabric for breastfeeding cover ups, basically this one. http://www.blisstree.com/breastfeeding123/free-pattern-to-sew-your-own-nursing-cover/

 

[Lovechooks]

I think youv all done so well, it's brilliant and very encouraging that breastfeeding is the norm over there too.

I like that Blisstree website, I got stuck in there reading about breastfeeding for a while. I like the wraps too but I would of got tangled in them I think.

I love the idea of baby wearing too so you can go about your day and feed at the same time although not sure my back would like baby wearing!

Did any of you co-sleep while you babies were little?

I didn't, poor sleeper here but my 4 year old has decided he would like to try and whilst I put him to sleep in his bed he seems to sneak in mine in the night very quietly, doesn't wake me up but he's always there in the morning!! :/

 

[TanksHill]

Co-sleep, is there an actual name for it??? When I had my first we lived in a very old house with no insulation and only a wood stove for heat. Unfortunately the bedroom was over an open car port so the room would freeze. My son ended up in bed with us from the start. I was afraid he would freeze.

I heard the usual from friends and doctors about rolling on the baby or the baby suffocating. When my babies slept with us they were in the middle up toward the headboard. Kinda in their own little place. Bot dh and I like to sleep on the edge. So that leaves a ton of room in the middle.

After that with my two girls and in a new house it was just a matter of convenience. I loved to side lie nurse at night. I never had to get out of bed and we stayed nice and warm. The pediatricians said this was not good because nursing that style lead to more ear infections. something about milk draining into the ear canal. Whatever!!!

Anyways this habit led to babies in our be until they were about two. Then they move into their big kid beds. I just finally got rid of our crib. It was hardly used. I do though have my last, who is 3, still sneaking in at night. I do like to snuggle with her but she is just getting to big.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Yes, I co-slept with all my babies. Had a bassinet right next to the bed that they'd start out in, but if they woke up for a nighttime feeding, I'd put them in bed with us.

I like to lay on my side to nurse, too, so it was just convienent. I could nod back off, and baby was well fed.

My 10 month old starts out in his crib, wakes up about 2 am now, and ends up in my bed until about 6 am.

 

[big brown horse]

We co slept too. I cut a slit in my night shirt from the bottom up to mid chest for convienent feedings during the night. And with just the right pillow it allowed me to almost sleep during feedings!

I heard that SIDS was a problem if you co slept. But my midwife assured me that my breathing and heartbeat kept my baby alert enough to keep SIDS at bay. This was 12 years ago, so things may have changed, but I had 100% success.

 

[WannaGoToMaine]

Finally! A topic I can really really relate to! I have four little ones and bf my first for 3-4 months and then slid down teh 'give her a bottle' slope. Oops. My second was born heck bent on not having momma milk. and henever did. Then my third I am still nursing and he is 30 months and my little baby is 5 months and we aren't even close to weaning either of them.
Bottles make me cringe and all that crap that was in my babies formula wtih the melamine and bpa, it just makes me cringe!

 

[Aidenbaby]

I nursed my son until he was 6-9 months. I was working when he was little and didn't have a very good pump. I ended up sliding down the slope of losing my supply and gave up. With my daughter, she self-weaned at just over a year. She went to sippy's for a short time and is currently on acombination of sippy's and regular cups. She is currently 18 months old.

La Leche League is a good source for what nursing moms legal rights are. If I'm not mistaken, there is a federal law that your child can nurse anywhere you have the legal right to be (I know for a fact Colorado has this law). I have no qualms nursing publicly. Generally, my kids were both discreet even without covering them. My daughter didn't get ornery about wanting to show everyone what she was doing until she was older.