BF (or pumping) moms...

How long do you intend to breastfeed?

I've been doing it for just about 2 months now, and every day I go back and forth..."I'm weaning now!" then, "I'm doing it for 6 months!" Abby also gets 1 bottle of formula a day. Ultimately, I will assess the situation at 3 months and see how I feel.

(Also, a question...I don't pump; if I have, let's say, 2 glasses of wine...how long should I wait to nurse?)

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

DD is almost 9 months now and I am shooting for a year. We'll see how it goes. If it continue to go well, I may even BF longer.
You have a good plan of assessing periodically and making sure that it's still working for both you and DC.

I drink a glass of wine a few nights a week. I usually only have one glass...sometimes one and a half. For 2 glasses I would wait 3 hours or more. JMO Other people may say differently.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I pump and tell myself every time - just get to 6 months...after that I will decide if I stop or keep going to the one year mark.

If I remember correctly...if you have two glasses of wine you should pump and dump the very next collection. I might consider two but that stuff really is liquid gold.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

With Gianna, I went back and forth all the time. I would take it week by week instead of setting a "date" to wean.

My PED/LC told me 1 glass of wine will be metabolized and out of your milk about an hour or two from the time you finish it. I was told there's no need to pump and dump.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I always go to babycenter.com as a resource, so I checked their webiste. Here is a link to a whole article on drinking while breastfeeding.

The main points from the article...

The occasional glass of wine or celebratory cocktail doesn't appear to harm a nursing baby or interfere with milk production in the long run.

If you're going to enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage or have more than one drink, wait at least two hours per drink before nursing your baby to give the alcohol a chance to dissipate. One drink is considered 4 ounces of wine, one beer, or one mixed drink.

Alcohol isn't stored in breast milk, so "pumping and dumping" (using a breast pump to empty your breasts and then throwing out the collected milk) serves no purpose.

And be sure to down a nonalcoholic drink for every cocktail you quaff, to ward off dehydration.

ETA: I forgot to answer the original question- I breastfed for about a year, but by that point it was only once a day. I never intended to go for that long, but I loved it (once she and I got the hang of it) and didn't want to give it up. There is no "right" answer, you and your DD will figure it out for yourself.

Message edited 7/2/2007 10:23:49 AM.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

Honestly, I'm taking it week by week right now.

I'm hoping to make it to 6 months.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

We have been Breast Feeding on cue for 15 months and plan to self wean... Not sure about your other question, I don't drink alcohol...

Message edited 7/2/2007 10:57:04 AM.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I am aiming for 6 months, which will come when I go back to work in September. I got through 27 days of getting up at 4:30 to pump and the hassle of pumping at work so I keep telling myself that the hard part is over. Staying home and bfing is much easier.

I think I've read that you should wait about 2 hours per drink before feeding again.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I've been breastfeeding for 8 months and plan on going for at least a year, probably longer. Check out www.kellymom.com regarding alcohol. There's a lot of good info on that site.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

My goal is a year, but I am taking it in 3 month increments.

When I have a drink I do it after I have put him down for the night. He sleeps about 5-6 hrs so I feel it is safe to BF after that period of time.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I'm taking it week by week....I'm enjoying it but DH wants to take part, so he gives one bottle of formula or 2 a day (at night).

I'm not comfortable with the thought of BF in public should I go out or to someone's house.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I want to get to a year - but I work from home.

I have a beer almost every night right AFTER I bf -- my mom says it can iincrease your milk supply....so....!

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I pumped for 1 year and it was one of the things i am most proud of. But while you are in the middle of it..you need to take it week by week. In fact there were days I needed to take it hour by hour/day by day. Set MINI-goals in the beginning. A year is a long time when you are having a rough time doing something. But most of us can focus on "I will make it today at midnight"

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

My goal was a year but I BF and pumped until my son was 14 months old. It was one of my biggest accomplishments. Pumping at work was a PIA!!!

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I am a new mom and breastfeeding is not the most fun thing in the world. However, i plan to do it for 6 months.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I am 2 months down...trying to make it another 4!!

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I EBF for the first 12mths then introduced cows milk in a sippy cup. My Daughter just turned 17mths yesterday and still BF in the morning, evening and she "snacks" at night!!

I thought 6mths at the start and cannot believe I have made it this far. At this stage I am going to do child led weaning as my DD loves "her" boobies...

As for drinking the odd half glass of wine I have is after DD has gone to bed and I know it will be at least 3 hours before I will BF again. I didnt drink at all for the first few months as she was feeding a lot.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

6 months tomorrow but shooting for 1 year, and if he's willing ultimately would like to make it to 2 years.

I pump all the time for work - I have to wean to once a day for my new job. I can't WAIT until no daytime pumping!

Message edited 7/2/2007 6:01:42 PM.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I said I would go for 6 months and she is still breastfeeding twice a day at that benchmark. But we supplemented with formula and now she prefers the taste of it in a bottle. When I was away overnight, she wouldn't take my pumped milk in a bottle. I had a ton stockpiled but she didn't like it. I had to mix it with formula to get her to drink it from a bottle. Go figure...

So to answer your question, I will wean her off completely as soon as she refuses to nurse at all. I think we are getting there soon.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

I'm hoping to make it a year! He is still exclusively on BM! I pump once before work, twice during my work day, and twice at home.

Message edited 7/2/2007 6:42:52 PM.

Re: BF (or pumping) moms...

6 months EBF. I look for my free pass out of it each dr's appt. Thank God I have a head strong honest dr who keeps pushing me. I swear after this whole ordeal is done I am going to celebrate like no one has ever celebrated before.

If I have a beer its after he is down for the night and I have a bottle in the fridge(I am neurotic that he won't have any food)

So to answer the question, I could see myself going to two years old if he outgrows this allergy.