Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

For the BTDT extended BFing mommies - how many times per day did you BF? If you were working, did you pump and give bottles of BM? If so, when did you introduce whole milk?

I'm trying to figure out how to do this when I go back to work F/T in a few weeks. I've had supply issues related to pumping for the past 3 months.

Any input is appreciated.

I'll bump this a few times in the next week to get as many viewpoints as possible.

Message edited 12/26/2008 9:10:58 PM.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

I do not work but the extended BFing usually comes at nap and night time. I would guess that you would do it in the morning and at night and wean the rest.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

Sorry this is so long. I hope that it helps you in some way. Here are my personal experiences---

I am going to start the process of HUTH after next week. DS will be 20 months on the first and I never thought that I would be pumping this long. We BF when together and then I was pumping so that he would have 1 cup of EBM while away from me.

When DS was 10 months old, I was laid off from my job. I found a new job pretty quickly, but they were opening a new office, so I didn't start the job until he was 1. We were BFing pretty frequently at that point and there was no way that I could have gone to work and not pumped.

When I started at the new job, I was pumping twice a day, 9 oz. For the first two months I was back working, he was watched by family. (Needed to wait for a spot to open at a local DC) They gave him EBM in a cup on demand- which was roughly the same amount as I was pumping. He was also eating a decent amount of solids. He continued to get three 3 oz cups when he started at daycare.

When September came, he was moved up to the next class. I kept him with the 3 cups, however, as the months went on, he became less interested in drinking the cups of milk. I went down to 2 and then to 1 cup. During this time, I also dropped a pumping session.

Within the last month, he stopped drinking the cup of EBM while at daycare. Now I give it to him in the car while driving home. I have enough in the freezer to continue this to pretty close to when he is two. (He doesn't drink it because of all the distractions and obviously they cannot leave it around for him to drink as he feels like it or let him walk around with it.)

DS also loves and eats a lot of yogurt and cheese. He's also had cow's milk. He enjoys it with his cereal for breakfast sometimes. Since we're still BFing about 3 to 4 times a day, I don't worry about whether it is whole milk, skim, whatever- but I do generally make sure that it's organic.

When he BFs during the day on weekends, there always seems to be enough milk for him. So if you don't want to pump, you should probably still be able to BF, if you want to.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

Bump for more viewpoints!

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

I am still BF Jaidy and BF Damien till he was 22 months. With both of them I introduced milk/soy milk (Jaidy has allergies) when they turned a year. At that point I cut out nursing during the day. I nursed them both a night time and in the morning when they first woke up. I do however sometimes nurse at nap time on the weekends more so with Jaidy then I did with Damien, who self weaned. Jaidy I see no end in site. I still have no idea how to get her off the boob!

ETA: I never pump.

Message edited 12/28/2008 2:54:09 PM.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

Bump again.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

I just posted about a product called More Milk. I bought it at Whole Foods and have had multiple sessions where I've pumped 15 oz!

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

Since you are going back to work, I would start gradually introducing BM with whole milk in her sippy or bottle for the daytime feedings and eventually go to whole milk for the feedings during the day when you're at work.

I just finished weaning DD and she seemed to want to cut out the afternoon nursing first (which is also around the time when I stopped pumping), so she nursed first thing in the morning and then before bed. I too had issues with pumping enough milk but it all seemed to level out and my body adjusted.

I hope this helps!

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

I EBF'd for 16 months and we were down to about 3-5 feedings per day. Then we weaned to 1st thing in the morning, 2x for naps and bedtime.

Can't really help with the pumping and going back to work I am a SAHM and DD never took a bottle, she was all boob

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

I think I stopped pumping at work when he was about 13 months. I was pumping once a day and sending a mixture of breastmilk and whole milk to daycare. After that, I just sent whole milk in sippies. I introduced whole milk in a sippy when he was around 11 months. I had this thing about not wanting to put whole milk in a bottle, so I wanted him to get used to drinking milk from a sippy.

He was never into bottles, so it was an easy transition. I still breastfed him when I was at home (I work 3 days a week) on a regular basis -- I guess when he woke up in the morning, before naps, and before bed for many more months. He gradually dropped feedings and weaned really easily at around 22 months.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

Bump for more viewpoints.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

When DD turned a year her ped switched her to whole milk, so she only BF mornings when she first woke and came into bed with DH and I and at night right before bed. I wanted to wean her slowly but got sick and needed meds that I couldn't BF on so I stopped at 13 months.

Re: Spinoff - BFing past Age 1 - Question for BTDT Mommies

Bumping for more viewpoints now that the holidays are officially over!!

Thanks to all of those that already offered insight, it has ALL been helpful!!!