quote:

Originally posted by SPIRIT27:
[qb] I did not breast feed my son but would like to try w/my new baby in December. Just curious how it worked out for other moms doing. Did it inconvience any activties at all? Any info I can get on breat feeding and personal experiences w/it would be great.

My friend it getting my signed up for a class in November.

One other question if you have children that were older when you were breastfeeding how did you handle that? My son is 8yrs old and not sure if I should breast feed in the privacy of my bd or just cover up w/a blanket and do it in the living rm. It's a natuaral thing I just don't want my son to think he is not involved in the babys life I also want him to realize that there is nothing were about breast feeding. HELP!

Thanks
SPIRIT [/qb]

Hi, so happy to hear you're at least "considering".

I breastfed both my boy and girl solely b/c that's the way God intended our young to be fed AND b/c of the fact that breastmilk is such the perfect food that even with today's technology they STILL can't duplicate breastmilk in the lab. That alone is such a beautiful thing to me!

I found nothing inconveniencing about it at all, ever, and I did not have the luxury of being a stay-at-home mom. I take that back - I was able to stay home with my son. I went back to work six weeks after my daughter was born and every three hours I went into the conference room to express milk and put it in the freezer at work.

I breastfed my daughter one year exactly from the day of her birth. My daughter was six years old when I had my son and I breastfed him in front of her. She accepted "it" as simply feeding the baby. Kids, of course, get their cues from how we react to and present things. I breastfed my son for 8 months.

I would do it all over again if given the chance.
You're gonna' love it!

quote:

Originally posted by Ginapet:
.....She accepted "it" as simply feeding the baby. Kids, of course, get their cues from how we react to and present things. .....[/QB]

this is SO right !

well Spirit im going to try it i didnt really care to much to do it i know its natural, but i dont really like the thought of it. i am attending a class in Sept. my thought is to pump this way i dont have to deal with the uncomfortableness and it will make it easier for work, my baby will get what she needs and it will make me feel less awkward. Plus it will save money on formula. i dont know imay breast feed and only use the pump for work, bt right now this is the best fit for me. Anyone else pump and feed?

Just as a comment...
the advantages of breastfeeding go much further than just the nutrition.
For example:
- the suckling trains the jaw muscles ,
- it's much more hygienic than bottles,
- the milk is always available and always at the right temperature,
-and then, breastfeeding is better for the environment: less trash, less dish soap etc.

well i can guarantee nutrition, but i think the best fit for me is to pump and feed from a bottle, you never know but its how i feel for now until i try it.

HMCR,

Glad to hear that you want to atleast pump and feed. If that works for you great! I know it was not for me when I was 19yrs w/my frist son. Now I'm 28yrs and I feel that should fit into my life. Good luck to you thou. Hope it works for you.

SPIRIT

I had to give the thumbs waaaaaaay up for breastfeeding. It is an incredible experience. I didn't really have a choice in the matter, lol. My mother was a huge influence. She breastfed all of us but my younger sister was a super-preemie and she lost several months of contact breastfeeding and she swears that's why their relationship is more strained now. She breast fed my brother until he was four and my sister was born and then it was a bit difficult the share. But for years he would crawl into bed with her and suckle a bit. I'm glad to say that he is now a very well adjusted 18 yo going off to college, so anyone who says it can be damaging is off their rocking. There is a history of this that goes back centuries in other cultures, we are the ones that have a hang-up with it.

I was probably the most prepared first-time mom when it came to breast feeding I was super gung-ho, I even started producing milk before he was born which isn't the norm, but a delite to the bf . But no matter how prepared you are there are still problems and it takes time. The trick is not to give up and there is a ton of support on the subject. My bf at the time had kids before and they were not breastfed so he was supportive but did not have the same zeal I did. The first night home I tried feeding him and he would not stop screaming. My bf told me to just give him a bottle and that he was hungry. Well, that didn't go over well with hormonally challenged me and I was bawling my eyes out saying it would sabotage the whole thing. Eventually I relented and gave him a bottle. He gave a big burp and all was well. I ended having to supplement the feedings with formula for a few weeks until the Hood factories starting going full force.

Working was what really put and end to it. I tried the pumping and all that but eventually he just weened himself off of me, to my dismay, at about 7 months. The funny thing is that was about 8 years ago and I am still producing milk. The last year or so the amount has drastically diminished finally. I've yet to come across anyone else who has the same thing happen. Hmmm I wonder if that last bit was a little too much info.

So I say go for it and to heck what your mom says. You are always going to come across those who frown. Yes be discrete but not ashamed. As for your other son have him go to classes with you so he understand what it's all about. Don't be afraid to let him watch, he will only feel strange if you act as if it is. For the longest time because I had that strange power of production my son and I use to play the "squirt game". I think I can leave the rest up to your imaginations. I put a stop to that a couple of years ago when he would just shout it out in public places. His future wife is going to hate me.

I still have it Scoutsmom.

Glad you are going to give it a go Spirit! Once you get the hang of it after the first couple of weeks I bet you will wonder how you managed with just bottles last time around!

I'm so glad to hear I'm not a complete freak of nature.

Nope! And when I've asked the doctor they never seem to really answer.... so I always figure they are thinking 'freak' in their head and forgetting to SAY SOMETHING! lmao

quote:

Originally posted by Dew:
[qb]

quote:

Originally posted by SPIRIT27:
[qb] My mother of course does not like the idea of me breastfeeding. She thinks it's just wrong.
SPIRIT [/qb]

WOW, I find this so strange, SPIRIT. I don't know how old your mother is...but formula is quite a recent invention, 1 generation ago there was no such thing (I believe it started in the 60s), and of course breastfeeding was the only way to feed your baby.
[/qb]

This is such a great thread! I have enjoyed reading it. But I have to comment on this one. Not to pick on ya, or anything like that.
I am studying to become a doula and will be starting my first set of childbirth classes soon. Eventually I would like to get my cert. to be a lacation consultant.
Formula has been given since at least the 1800's. Wet nurses were the norm at the time in history, but there have been rare cases of babies given a formula of cows or goats milk.

Around the 30s and 40s it was then a mixture of evaporate milk, corn syrup and something else. Can't remember. Back at that time is when wet nurses began to fade out and formula became the norm. It was more a status symbol. "I have enough money to feed my baby formula". Those who nursed were looked upon as being less fortunate.
It was at the time as well that breasts took on more of an open symbol of sexism. (i.e. WW2 Pin up girl posters) There are probably more ties to it than I can list, but you get the general idea.
Then think about the overly modest 50's. Such things were not talked about and it was touted by drs that formula companies could feed your baby better than a mother can. (Was there any kick backs from formula companies trying to make a name for themselves at this time? Don't know for sure, but I guess yes)
This idea continues to take hold in the 60's then there was the hippy movement, burning bras, etc.
The 70s people began to see that dr's were not always right (not that we shouldn't discount everything they say either) and slowly people began to look back to mother nature and the way things are inteneted to work. The LLL was formed I believe in the late 70s early 80s.
Breastfeeding still struggles to be the norm again.While I personally belive that it should be, I also thank god that we have formula that babies can live on and grow. When my son was born, I had heart failure. I was so sick for months afterwards. Taking all my strength to recover. Between the meds I had to take and the stress my body was undergoing to recover I was not able to breastfeed my son.
My dd, I had no problems and she was born naturally with NO drugs, and I was able to breastfeed her on the delivery table. I am just as thankful for that. Infact she is 2.5 yrs old now and she still crawls into my bed in the mornings to snack before we have to get up for the day.
If you have read this far thanks for listening. This is one of my passions in life as well as pregnancy, birth and the post partum period.

I'm nirsing my 8 1/2 month old son right now and I wouldn't change a thing. I simply couldn't imagine having to wash sterilize and fill bottles all day! My son loves it and gets sooo excited he pants when I'm getting his boppy pillow set to go!
(the pillow is a must) As for doing it in public I was very nervous at frist. Being a young mom (I'm 21 but look yonger) I felt like I was being judged everywhere I went already but now I'm so used to it I don't even give it a second thought. Alot of malls have nursing rooms. I know Sears has the best one where I'm from! I was a bit shy at home at frist, I live at home and have a 17 yr old brother who's friends run in and out of the house and my dad was a lil nervous. Now we seem to just blend into the background! Iw went on a family rip in the summer and while I was feeding my son at a fast food restaurant my brother came and sat across from me at the table without even a second thought. The only time I ever leave a room is when my grandfather is over. I respect that. I also don't think he was too impressed when Ethan tried to nurse off him when he was 3 months. I got a kick out of it! Definately give it a try!!!!! I love it and plan to nurse as long as he wants to. Though there were times visions of bottles danced in my head but I'm glad i stuck it out. We had thrush which caused me to wince everytime I fed him but I barely remember the pain now that things are going smoothly....minus the occasiional bite! Congratulations and I hope all goes well!!!!