All About Breastfeeding

[gendon 0]

Hi

Just started this topic: All About Breastfeeding

So that we can get to know other nursing moms, share your experiences, questions, advices here and more.

Ok, let me start the ball rolling!

Still breastfeeding my child (now he's 37 months old), since he's born.

What I can say it that it was a tough journey, but it is worthwhile.

Edited August 22, 2007 by gendon

[kids2 0]

Hi

Just started this topic: All About Breastfeeding

So that we can get to know other nursing moms, share your experiences, questions, advices here and more.

Ok, let me start the ball rolling!

Still breastfeeding my child (now he's 37 months old), since he's born.

What I can say it that it was a tough journey, but it is worthwhile.

Good for you... I would like to but my 2 boys just wean off on their own.

Elder son, 5yrs... wean off at 17mths when i got pregnant with my 2nd son.

2nd boy, 3yrs... wean off at 14mths for no reason after an immunisation shot (dont ask me why).

I got so depressed during that period of time. Definitely withdrawn sign...

[gendon 0]

Good for you... I would like to but my 2 boys just wean off on their own.

Elder son, 5yrs... wean off at 17mths when i got pregnant with my 2nd son.

2nd boy, 3yrs... wean off at 14mths for no reason after an immunisation shot (dont ask me why).

I got so depressed during that period of time. Definitely withdrawn sign...

Well, to be honest....considering that you've bf both sons pass the 12-mnth & that they self-wean...is a job well done!

That's ok...to feel sad and anxious when they somehow figured out that they don't want to bf. So how did you get over the depressed period?

[shmj 0]

TBF my girl since a bb till 1 yr old.

Then mix with Formula milk.

Wean her off at abt 3.5yrs old. Till now, she's still occasionally asking to nurse. She's 46mths now.

Survived sore & bitten nipples + engorgement. Had a short period of time where supply was low. but managed to overcome that and had so much excess EBM (Expressed Breast milk) that I managed to donate to a couple who wanted to give their kids BM but cos of medical reason was unable to produce.

[carole75 0]

Wah! 37 mths!

hi all,

I am carole. still Bf-ing my 23 mths old girl. i tot its a tough job to nurse her esp now the timing is all upside down. more like latching for comfort.

i hated ppl ard me who keeps telling me stop bf-ing my girl saying tonneees of negative things. Frankly, nt that i dun wan to stop, its my little girl who refuses bottle from start till now. i introduced many FM but she jus dun wan. i bought so many different small cans of FM, she jus sip once, and left it there.

i do hope she will wean off one day. hope this day will just come sooner. !!

[kids2 0]

Well, to be honest....considering that you've bf both sons pass the 12-mnth & that they self-wean...is a job well done! !!

That's ok...to feel sad and anxious when they somehow figured out that they don't want to bf. So how did you get over the depressed period?

I cant even remember now... lots of support from my hubby.

Of course ensure that both my boys give me lots of TLC....

I was so concerned abt breastfeeding during my first pregnancy.

Read lots of book to find out more as not much of my friends breastfed their babies.

Of course i'm probably one of the lucky few that do not have much problem. No complaint!!!

[gendon 0]

TBF my girl since a bb till 1 yr old.

Then mix with Formula milk.

Wean her off at abt 3.5yrs old. Till now, she's still occasionally asking to nurse. She's 46mths now.

Survived sore & bitten nipples + engorgement. Had a short period of time where supply was low. but managed to overcome that and had so much excess EBM (Expressed Breast milk) that I managed to donate to a couple who wanted to give their kids BM but cos of medical reason was unable to produce.

Hi shmj

Wow, I must say that's very noble of you to donate the EBM

Hee hee....the sore nipples (luckily overcome after 2 wks) & bitten nipples (when he's teething)...aiyoh..who can forget that

Wah! 37 mths!

hi all,

I am carole. still Bf-ing my 23 mths old girl. i tot its a tough job to nurse her esp now the timing is all upside down. more like latching for comfort.

i hated ppl ard me who keeps telling me stop bf-ing my girl saying tonneees of negative things. Frankly, nt that i dun wan to stop, its my little girl who refuses bottle from start till now. i introduced many FM but she jus dun wan. i bought so many different small cans of FM, she jus sip once, and left it there.

i do hope she will wean off one day. hope this day will just come sooner.

Hi carole75

I guess your daughter knew that FM is one taste, but bf milk taste there's variety according to our diets. My maternal uncle, who was breastfed until he's 9 yrs old, until today can remember that mother's milk the taste cannot be compared to any other milk. Which reminds me that my son ever said "Hmmm, nice!" and continued feeding, especially after I eat foods like chicken, ice cream or something spicy.

I cant even remember now... lots of support from my hubby.

Of course ensure that both my boys give me lots of TLC....

I was so concerned abt breastfeeding during my first pregnancy.

Read lots of book to find out more as not much of my friends breastfed their babies.

Of course i'm probably one of the lucky few that do not have much problem. No complaint!

It's gd to hear that you got a very supportive hubby. I guess most of the time that's one of the factors that propel mothers to continue bf.

Among my friends, I was one who gave birth first and still breastfeeding. My mom bf me for only a few days after she was told by neighbours and relatives that her milk is too thinn and she gave it up soon after. Only when she saw me one day expressing the EBM that she finally realised that it was foremilk, not thin milk that she thought all along. My hubby was a breastfed baby until he was abt 2 yrs old, all his other 12 siblings were breastfed too. Luckily I got the moral support from my hubby, my parents as well as my MIL, to keep on going when the going gets tough.

[lynzi 0]

Whoa...so great of u gals to continue bf-ing for so long. I'm having my 1st one now. Will give birth in early dec. I'm real afraid if I can't do it as I heard some of the babies can't latch and some dried up after a few days.

[shmj 0]

Gendon - I'm not noble lah... its something that I see that I have extra so why not? Esp when my freezer already full of my EBM!

Whoa...so great of u gals to continue bf-ing for so long. I'm having my 1st one now. Will give birth in early dec. I'm real afraid if I can't do it as I heard some of the babies can't latch and some dried up after a few days.

Think positive. Tell yourself no problems one lah! Sure have more than enough milk.... I believe mindset is very impt. Of cos hving a supportive hubby & family will definitely help get you in the right frame of mind also lah.

U know. I was actually quite mean. At the time of the birth of my little girl, there was a case of a woman jumping to her death with her baby cos of post-natal depression.

My MIL was the one who did my confinement. During the initial days, she kept asking me "Milk enuf or not? Not enuf use FM lah!" Until 1 fine day, I got pek chek & told my hubby - "You ask yr mother to quit asking me to feed our girl FM hor.... otherwise later I also suffer from post natal blues & jump down with baby ah!"

Aft that, my MIL never asked anymore liao. In fact, aft 3 months when she sees my girl again, she was amazed at how chubby she has become. From then on, she kept telling her friends/ relatives tt my girl was a BF bb & encourage every1 to BF too...

[carole75 0]

Whoa...so great of u gals to continue bf-ing for so long. I'm having my 1st one now. Will give birth in early dec. I'm real afraid if I can't do it as I heard some of the babies can't latch and some dried up after a few days.

I am very sure you can. Perservance and patience! tell yourself dun give up, and be real patient. In no time you will be BF-ing as long as us.

my gf's almost stop bf-ing her son when her milk supply doesnt kick in. I nag and told her, come on.... for the sake of the little boy and encouragements, she managed to bf till he is 9mths

Jia you.

[gendon 0]

Gendon - I'm not noble lah... its something that I see that I have extra so why not? Esp when my freezer already full of my EBM!

Think positive. Tell yourself no problems one lah! Sure have more than enough milk.... I believe mindset is very impt. Of cos hving a supportive hubby & family will definitely help get you in the right frame of mind also lah.

U know. I was actually quite mean. At the time of the birth of my little girl, there was a case of a woman jumping to her death with her baby cos of post-natal depression.

My MIL was the one who did my confinement. During the initial days, she kept asking me "Milk enuf or not? Not enuf use FM lah!" Until 1 fine day, I got pek chek & told my hubby - "You ask yr mother to quit asking me to feed our girl FM hor.... otherwise later I also suffer from post natal blues & jump down with baby ah!"

Aft that, my MIL never asked anymore liao. In fact, aft 3 months when she sees my girl again, she was amazed at how chubby she has become. From then on, she kept telling her friends/ relatives tt my girl was a BF bb & encourage every1 to BF too...

Heee heee....this is very cute

[gendon 0]

Whoa...so great of u gals to continue bf-ing for so long. I'm having my 1st one now. Will give birth in early dec. I'm real afraid if I can't do it as I heard some of the babies can't latch and some dried up after a few days.

Well, u can more or less guess that most of us got the stubborn streak when it comes to bf.

Don't worry too much lynzi, breastfeeding is a 2-way thing - both the mother & baby are learners. Like some of us have pointed out abt mindset, patience and perseverence, another thing to know abt is the intention (niat). It's actually mind over matter, really. Babies need time and guidance to learn how to latch properly. Most maternity wards have lactation consultant, so make full use of their service while you're in hospital. Besides, you can always ask us should you need help when the time u get clueless, helpless and need emotional support.

For my case, I was lucky that the senior midwife assisting my OBGYN asked me (during labour) if I wanted to bf or not. I told her of course I want to bf. Then she smiled and showed me that she wrote in big bold letters TBF on baby's card for the bassinet and she explained that if she were to write BF, it means that partial BF & FM, and that if TBF means total breastfeeding, no FM at all, pacifiers, etc. and the nurses will honour that until the mother declares that can give FM to baby. And she quickly help me to put baby at my breast and help baby to latch on & nurse while my baby is still in quiet alert mode, as soon as my hubby was done with the azan & qamat for our baby. All this was done within 30 minutes of birth.

And when me & baby abt to discharge, the nurse in charge without delay took out all the FM samples from the hospital-issued baby bag since she knew that I'm on TBF. And when at home, there was not even a single tin of FM in the house. Even the word FM is made taboo in both my parent's house as well as my MIL's house.

Edited August 30, 2007 by gendon

[lynzi 0]

Wow..I hope my experience will be as smooth as that. The thing is, some books advised on still getting ready a small tin of FM juz in case even if we intend to BF. Should I still go and get one? What about bottles and steriliser then?

[gendon 0]

Wow..I hope my experience will be as smooth as that. The thing is, some books advised on still getting ready a small tin of FM juz in case even if we intend to BF. Should I still go and get one? What about bottles and steriliser then?

Well, in some books do and some books don't - depending on the authors who some take a neutral stance, some are more pro-breastfeeding. It's a personal choice, really. For bottles and sterilisers, it applies to mothers who expresses their milk too, not only for formula milk feeding. In fact, I stopped pumping after 6 months, bcos my son was growing too fast and getting heavy too soon even though he's exclusively bf, so PD advised to lessen the EBM feed in bottles, and to direct-breastfeed instead. So the excess frozen EBM stored, when my son started on semi-solids after 6 mnths, I just need to thaw the EBM and mixed it with his food. As babies get older, they're more efficient in drawing out more milk in a single feed, so naturally babies are the best milk-production regulators.

The reason that I don't have any standby FM tins or packets is that personally I see it as a distraction, that's all. Bcos I know myself, if I know it's available in the house and I might lose focus on working on breastfeeding instead of giving up easily.

Edited September 4, 2007 by gendon

[shmj 0]

Wow..I hope my experience will be as smooth as that. The thing is, some books advised on still getting ready a small tin of FM juz in case even if we intend to BF. Should I still go and get one? What about bottles and steriliser then?

You definitely need to get the btls & Steriliser ready... even if you are on total BF unless u are not working then u can skip the btls liao lah.... o.wise you'll hv to express at work then during the day, you can ask the bb sitter to feed expressed breast milk to yr bb.

As for getting ready a can of FM... its all up to you. For us, we did but end up throwing the can away.