I am not ready to give up breastfeeding?

Question

I am breastfeeding and pumping since I work full time. I work 12 hour shifts and sometimes it is very hard to get in time to pump since I work in the hospital and patients need help now. My son is 8 months old and I really enjoy breastfeeding and the time together. I end up supplementing on the days I work and give daddy the milk i pump to feed him the next day. On my 4 days off I breastfeed all I can but seem to not make enough milk for the day. When I pump I have a hard time letting down knowing that I have to get back to work soon and thinking about my patients. How do you know when to give up breastfeeding? I also thought about just breastfeeding in the morning and at night, but don't know if that will work either. Thank you for your help.

Answer 1

Do not listen to any one but your yourself in these matters. Women can be so catty if they did not breeast feed themselves, or did not do it as much as you did. I know my wife breast fed all four of our kids and I have some of my most cherished memories of her doing it. All of them took only the breast for the first 6 months. After that you should begin to supplement some outside food as the iron stores in their little livers gives out after six months The baby will tell you when to stop. Our first went for 17 months. She was stopped artificially, because my wife became pregnant with #2, and thought she had too. Big mistake, Not so. It was such a pleasure for my wife. She loved looking at the baby taking its physical nurishment, and then its emotional nurishment directly from her. Only a woman can experience that. I used to love watching it though. She of course was not working as you do (Phew! 12 hour shifts no less) That child has two of her own now, both breast feed for months as well. She is an assistant Principal in an inner city middle school, and is a dynamic person with a heart to match. The second child stopped at 10 months. Just quit one day and that was that. He is still an independant cuss, and I am so proud of him for it. His two kids were also breast fed for a long time as well. The third baby continued to nurse for a long, long time. Ocassionally though not full time, only more for his emotional needs ... 3 to 5 years, even after his brother came along 5 years after him. He is a doctor now in the Emergency Room. a great guy, so full of life and so eager to learn more and more about it, as yet unmarried. Finally My last child came onto the scene and sucked away for almost 8 years. We still kid him about this, and the whole family laughs about it. He is 6 foot 3 inches tall, a Fire-Paramedic, SWAT team Medic, and SARS RescueTeam member. He is married to a Cuban girl like his mother. She is a nurse and plans to breast feed her kids when they come, because she has seen her culture encourage it, almost expect it of a woman, even now after being assemilated into this culture of sterile bottles and emotionless nipples. My wife had nurses tell her she could not breast feed when she struggled initially with our first in the hospital. But she had a Dr. Richard M. Alpplebaum as her pediatrician, and back then he was one of the only voices of reason regarding breast feeding. He eventually wrote a book "A Breast of the Times" I believe it was, and I doubt it is still in print. She was also helped by the La Leche League (Our Lady of La Leche [the milk] is the only Madona Nursing) These folks can be a bit extreme, but if there is extreme stupidity, there must be extreme measures to combat it. The breasts were meant to be used for that purpose by the Creator. Where do these Puritans come off condeming it in public. Do what you think is right when it comes to you breast feeding my dear. Do not let these "near do wells" try to discourage you. It is an experience that the Creator gave to women to reward their intense giving it takes to raise a child especially these days... My wife of 40 years and I wish you only the best.

P.S. The La Leche League still exists. Their book, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" is the classic authority on it, and will answer these and any future questions you might have.

Answer 2

Your breasts will produce more when they have a lot of contact with the baby. Therefore, if your pumping more than breastfeeding directly, you will eventually lose production. This doesn't mean the end though. My advice would be to do morning and night for a couple more months, and pump the rest of the time. Some ppl believe in breastfeeding for as long as you can, even if the child is old enough to ask for it. I am not one of those ppl. I think it causes a lot more dependance than is needed. But I don't think there's anything wrong with breastfeeding up until about 18 months.
I hope it all works out for you!

Answer 3

It;s okay to supplement if you have to but you should try to nurse as often as possible and for as long as the baby wants to don't limit him to any set amount of min. also make sure your drining pleanty of fluids and eating health. Sometimes stree can cause you to lose some of you milk supply and if your busy thinking about geting back to work and not your baby this could be another reason your pumping hasen't been as sucessful as you'd like it to be. try bring a pic or baby and some clothes with you to work when you pump look at the pic and tihnk about baby this will help your milk let down. also try to ask someone to cover your patients for 12-20 min. while you go pump every 2-3 hours this way your not worried about getting back you'll know it; taken care of. and do pump every 2-3 hours to boost yor supply otherwise you'll lose it. Don't just pump when your feeling "full" thats a sign thats you should have pumped awhile ago. also if your not using a double electric pump think about invesing in one b/c they are moe effiecent if emptying the entire breast. and take less time in doing so. Good luck!!! and don't give up if you don't want to it's best to BF for the 1st year if you can do so.

Answer 4

You can do it! If you are not ready than you are not ready! I bf DD#2 until she was almost 2. Not by choice really. I thought just for 6 months. But that came and went. I remember waking up one day and said enough is enough. You are doing well for all that you are going through! Talk to a la leche in your area. Also try mother's milk tea. It can help with your supply. I hope all works out for you. You are doing great!

Answer 5

I think you answered your own question. You said you're not ready to give it up. In my opinion, it's your personal preference, and nobody should tell you there's a "right" or "wrong" time. You can continue to supplement feed, and breastfeed for as long as your comfortable doing so.

Answer 6

u either cut down your hours or stop breast feeding. you cant enjoy it when ur rushing around. your baby is very young maybe you should relax and enjoy it more instead of back to working already?

Answer 7

you need to give up soon unless you want canesr