Wanting to solely breast feed as long as possible.?

Question

If you were able to breast feed and not use a bottle for awhile, please tell me about your experience. I am not working right now (due to loss of job recently) and am not planning on working until it is needed. I just dont know how inconveinent it will be to solely breast feed! Any advice would be great.

Answer 1

Well? It's hard. I did it for ten months exclusively and during the first few months, you will feel like the baby is constantly nursing. That's because she is!

But it's wonderful-so much easier and cheaper than formula (and less stinky! I should know, I formula fed my first baby). It's just that you are the star of the show and there is no understudy.

Good luck!
DN

Answer 2

I breastfed my youngest for 14 months. He never took a bottle. I tried pumping a couple of times but he would never take the bottle. I wasn't very good at pumping either, so I just kind of gave up on it. I was a SAHM at the time, so it wasn't a problem. I didn't find it inconvenient at all. Of course we live in a small town and my husband and I don't go out a lot. Most of the time when we do it is to a family gathering. At first the baby will be nursing a lot, every 2-3 hours. But once they are about 6 months old and they start having some cereal and fruit it wasn't a problem if we wanted to go to a movie or something. I just nursed him right before we left and then again as soon as we got home. When my son got old enough to start on juice, I just gave it to him in a sippy cup. It worked well for us and we never had to wean him from a bottle. By the time he was a year old, he only nursed first thing in the morning and right before bed, and he gradually lost interest in it.

Answer 3

ive been breast feeding for 3 months now and i love it, and if you dont mind whipping a titty out in public im sure you will too. But as for every one else, they may have a problem not being able to have that bond of feeding your baby, say your husband or mom. And if you ever do decide to go back to work it would be hard to get your baby to take a bottle or let anyone else feed her. I learned the hard way, even though i have been giving my baby a bottle every now and again she still considers the breast the best and now that i am returning to work i have to do a crash course in bottle feeding that is not going to well. I say try to give a bottle every once in awhile and let some people watch her while you enjoy a night out, while people still want to, and you will prepare yourself and your baby for anything that may come up.

Answer 4

Once you get the hang of it (it takes a bit of practice on you and the baby's part), it's the most convenient way to feed. There is zilch that is convenient about bottles - cleaning, refrigerating, etc. It's free, it helps bring your uterus back to normal, helps you lose weight, and it's the best food for your baby. It isn't inconvenient at all to solely breastfeed your baby. Whenever they want to eat, there it is!

On the other side of the coin, you would be the only one feeding him/her, and while that's okay, some might consider it inconvenient because it really ties you to baby, especially at the beginning. Also, depending on your level of modesty, some women find it inconvenient because they are uncomfortable nursing in public, and being tied to the house, or trying to find private places to nurse while out and about can be a pain if that's an issue for you.

Answer 5

I breastfed my son for the first year of his life. For the first 6 months he was solely breastfed, for the second 6 months we started introducing solids, but he continued to mainly breastfeed. I was also a stay at home mom which made breastfeeding very stress free. I never had to worry about pumping enough milk for the week, etc.

There are only two things about breastfeeding I found to be "inconvenient"

1- When the baby wakes up at night, you are ALWAYS the parent who has to get up for the feeding :) This was tiresome for the first couple of months...but thankfully I was able to nap when my baby napped during the days to catch up on my sleep :)

2- When you and your husband want to go out for an evening (even for an hour or two) you have to make sure you have pumped enough milk for your baby to eat while you are gone. AND if you are going to be out for any significant amount of time, you will want to bring your pump with you to relieve your breasts. *my husband and I went to see Les Miserables when our son was about 5 months old. The play was three hours long, plus we had dinner first and I had to pump twice while we were out :)

While there were a few minor inconveniences, for the most part breastfeeding was a breeze. I don't have any regrets and I fully intend to breastfeed all of our future children as well.

Answer 6

I breast fed my son. And didn't go back to work till he was off the breast. He got bottle of juice and water. And whenver we went out we planed it around his feeding times because I was not comfortable with feeding in public. Some are. But I wasn't. Worked out great for us. But everyone is different. Some don't like when they go out being on a time spend that they must be back home to feed the baby

Answer 7

I nursed my youngest exculsively for 10 months, yup, no solids then either.

We used a baby carrier,(and a sling and a wrap) so I could keep her close and have my hands free to clean, play with my older kids, etc.

It was tough for the first few months, but we both got the hang of it all and we are able to keep going until I went back to work when she was 11 months old. She weaned at 13 months because I was drying up from not nursing or pumping at work.

It is not inconvienient at all. All you need to go out is a small bag with a few dipes and wipes! No needing to haul formula bottles water and all that crap around!

It was the easiest time I had with any of my kiddos. Yeah, I nursed them all(4), but never longer than 3 months.

Answer 8

I offered my son breastmilk from a bottle at about 2 months old. He didn't care for it much, he maybe took the bottle maybe a dozen times from me or another family member. I found it easier to feed him right from me so I stopped pumping. If I ever wanted to go out on my own without my son I would just be sure to feed him before I left and get back before he would want to eat again. I could go out for longer periods of time once he was able to eat cereal and jarred food. Even then I couldn't stand to leave my baby for very long! I'm a stay at home mother and I love all the time I get to spend with him. I didn't mind feeding him out in public as long as I had a blanket to cover up. My son is now almost 13 months and he still is breastfeeding from me a couple times a day, mostly at nighttime only. I hate to cut him off right now because he is teething.
So for me It worked out better to not use bottles at all. If you like to go out on your own alot though you might want to give your baby a bottle.

Answer 9

I breastfed until my son was 11 months old. Some days were hard and it felt like he was on me constantly. Other days were fine. Once they get to eat cereal and solids they won't drink as much. He didn't use a bottle much. Sometimes if I had to go to the DR. or store without him, I'd pump and he drank out of a sipi cup at 5 months. Hang in there, it is better for the baby and for you. (I didn't work until my son was a year and a half) My son is 4 and has never been really sick and has never had an ear infection. He is so smart as well. Best of luck to you and your baby.

Answer 10

Breastfeeding is sooooo much better and easier than bottles. trust me. Pumping while at work can be a major pain, but just put off working out of the home until you HAVE to. I made it a point to get a job where i could breastfeed. My son rides in the car with me and a sitter while I do work for PMUSA.

Anyway, its very hard in the beginning. It can hurt like holy freaking mother hell balls. I cried at every feeding from the pain for about 6-8 weeks. It was really really hard and I wanted to quit. I lonnnged to quit. But now, at 7 months, iam sooo glad i didnt. My son has NEVER been sick. Not once. ANd i shed that weight like a champ.

Just stick with it, you can go back to the hospital anytime for lactation help, and contact a local le leche leader for support too.

Its waaaaaaay worth it. You'll be glad you did it. Plus, its endlessly better for baby, all the years of its life.

Answer 11

Breastfeeding is FAR easier than toting along sippy cups, bottles or snacks. Breastfed babies travel so easily, because as long as mom is nearby there is always food ready for them.

My oldest nursed exclusively until 7 months old - we slowly introduced sippy cups and solids after that point. He nursed until he was 3½ years old.

My middle child was right on 6 months when she started with solid foods and sippy cups. She will be 3 next week, and still nurses before bed.

My youngest is 8 months old now and has very little interest in food or sippy cups, so is about 98% breastfed still.

I have never found it inconvenient to have my children with me, or to feed them on demand, I enjoy the baby days.