If you were a stay-at-home mom would you breastfeed your child (children) for how long?

Question

need your input for research paper. Thank you

Answer 1

When I was a working mom, I breastfed my baby for the first 4 months. My workplace was not family friendly and I couldn't keep up. Now that I am a SAHM, I breastfed two babies. My second child, I quit when she was 12 months. My third, I quit when he was 15 months. I think I went so long because I knew he was going to be my last and neither of us was ready to give up the closeness.

Answer 2

I am a SAHM and i breastfed my "baby" till he was 28 months old. The last year or so was mostly just at bedtimes and 1st thing in the morning, otherwise he had whole milk in a sippy cup... he never drank from a bottle really. My BF goal was the 2 full years recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and by my religion (Islam). I am now (yay!) pregnant with our second child, who i plan on breastfeeding as well. I will make a goal of 2 yrs, but in reality, it will be child-led weaning with perhaps a bit of an incentive to wean by mommy after the 2nd bday lol.... My son has never been to the doctors other than well-child visits.. Never had an infection of any sort, he is not overweight at all, and he is super intelligent as well, thank God... i attribute much of it to being a healthy breastfed baby/toddler.

Answer 3

Yes, definitely. I breastfeed both of my kids up to one year. I was a working mom with my first & pumped while I was at work so I could give her breastmilk in her bottles when I was working. I was a stay at home mom with my second and also BF for one year. I weaned both babies at around 13 months. Breastfeeding is wonderful for many reasons as I'm sure you've discovered in your research. However, from a mom's perspective, my children are healthier than the children of my friends that did not BF....less colds, common sickness as babies. It's great for bonding for me and my baby. It's also a wonderful way to lose pregnancy pounds. BF is the BEST diet I have ever been on! I weigh less than my prepregnancy weight now.

Answer 4

I had planned to breastfeed my daughter for a full year, but she weaned herself at nine months. If you are a stay at home mom with no physical problems there is no reason NOT to breastfeed. Living off one income, breastfeeding saves you a ton of money. It helps your uterus recover quicker after labor, it helps you lose weight quicker, and gives your child a better immune system. My daughter is now 16 months old, and other than a minor cold, has never been sick-and definitely never sick enough to need a trip to the doctor. No ear infections, no severe illnesses, and so far, no allergies. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of food allergies, which for me, was very important. My brother has a life threatening food allergy, and both her father and I have seasonal allergies, which puts her at higher risk for allergies. It is a great bonding expirience, good financially, and great for both the mother and child's health.

Answer 5

Great question. If you look at medical guidelines for breastfeeding, you'll see that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends it to at least the age of one and for as long as mother and child both want to continue thereafter, and the World Health Organization recommends it to age 2. In the US we tend to wean a lot earlier than many countries and other cultures. Having said that, I BF my daughter to about 18 months, and my son is almost 14 months and still going strong. Experienced breastfeeding moms of over- 1 year olds will tell you that although they do nurse, it's not nearly as much or as often as a newborn baby- maybe for 5-10 minutes a couple of times a day. Breastfeeding has health benefits for the child as long as they continue!

Answer 6

I would try to do it the whole first year. I went back to work and did pump at work and breastfeed at home for 8 months. I also supplemented with formula. My supply was weaning off and my daughter was insatiable. She also started to bite so that's why I gave it up when I did. If I was staying home I think my production would have kept up but I don't know about the biting. I think it could still stop me. In conclusion, it depends, but a year is the longest I would go.

Answer 7

I breastfeed my child regardless of my employment. It's worth it for them. I did it until he was 9 months and at that time I was a stay at home mom. Now that I work I will still do it with the other children I have.

Answer 8

At least a year. In the Cree culture it is not unusual for some moms to choose to breast feed their children past two years.

One of my friends (she has 4 children) breastfed her first until the age of 4 (when he started school), the next until the age of 3, (then Robert came along). She breast -fed him for two years, and then her baby for three years. That's 12 years total! What I like about it is that the kids really seem to bond closely to their mother. Some see it as strange, but I think it is beautiful :)

Answer 9

Yes, we are at 15 months and counting! I would also BF if I had to work full time. BTW, she has a full mouth of teeth and has been able to "ask for the boob" for a long time. I don't think people should stop BFing at 6 months or 1 year just because of family or societal influence or even because of teething. (Biting can be worked on if it happens.) The WHO recommends 2 years and as long as mutually desirable.

Answer 10

1 year.
In Canada, we get government funded maternity leave for one year. My baby is 5 months old. I will exclusively breastfeed her until she is six months old.
From age 6 months to 1 year, breastmilk will still be her primary form of nutrition, supplemented by the introduction of food.

My first daughter was a preemie. Due to her medical condition, I could not breastfeed her, but I pumped breastmilk for 3.5 months. My supply was low, so she also was fed a high calorie formula.