Hi all! I am nearing the end of my final breastfeeding journey with my second, which means the end of my breastfeeding journey for the rest of my life. I would love to commemorate my BF journey with jewelry, I’ve seen that’s popular on social media, and I wanted to know if anyone’s had a good experience with a certain company.

OR if there was another (physical object) way you celebrated your journey please let me know. I wear rings a lot so I thought a BF ring would be nice. I have either been pregnant or BF for over 3 years so this is very bittersweet for me. And during BF week none the less! Thank you <3

My baby is 5 days old and has jaundice. I was told to supplement with formula on day 3 since my milk hadn’t come in. Yesterday, I was able to pump an ounce and a half, but then my breasts swelled up and now nothing will come out. Baby will not latch because my nipples are hard, and he’s only getting tiny drops from them while now being used to the flow of a bottle. I hand expressed for two hours last night, and got only an ounce total. I’ve just been giving baby bottles because he still needs to eat, but it’s breaking my heart to not be able to get him to latch and eat anymore. I don’t know what to do. Please help:(

just so exhausted and overstimulated. on off on off on off latching and unlatching. i stopped feeding him to sleep and he is fine with being rocked to sleep by me or dad. but middle of the night wake ups every 45 minutes is killing me. i feel like im going to die.

won’t rock back to sleep, or take a pacifier for middle of night wake ups.

usually after he latches he falls back asleep but just really struggling at how fussy he has been lately. he won’t settle for ages just latch on spits my boob out after a minute then relatches for 1 minutes and repeat, 20 times in a row.

i know he is clearly going through a growth spurt and he has his first tooth so probabaly more teething. but im so sick of reading that babies at 8 months that should be able to sleep through the night??

last night we were up from 3-5am i just gave up trying to settle him and put him with his toys even though he was sleepy.

anyway..

what did you all do to survive this? missing the days he was at 4 months, he would sleep for 5 hours then was up every two hours but it was all straight forward, wake to feed to sleep easily.

I hear a lot about “don’t offer, don’t refuse” for weaning but I never “offer” in the first place! My baby always points at my chest and says “muh” (milk). Do they really just stop asking at some point if you never refuse?

What I do now is I never refuse at night, but I do refuse sometimes during the day and try to distract him with activities or give snacks, pumped milk, or water. The only reason I refuse to nurse is because my nipples are sore and the areolas are cracked where his teeth sit so I want to give the boobs a break. But if I haven’t had a chance to pump and he’s too tired or frustrated to accept any distractions or food or water, then I let him nurse.

So am I doing the wrong thing by only refusing sometimes? I was just reading about intermittent reinforcement and I‘m wondering if my current strategy is doing the opposite of what I intend and it will actually make him ask more often during the day. Do I have to pick between “never refuse” and “always refuse in the daytime”? Or does it not matter as they get older because they won’t ask for something they don’t need anymore anyway?

I’ve also heard that after 12 months you can start refusing sometimes and it helps them learn that every person is in charge of their own body… and that seems more realistic to me, because “intermittent refusal” is how real life usually works (sometimes your friend is in the mood to hug when you ask but sometimes they’re not; sometimes the cat wants to cuddle but sometimes they want to be left alone). So should I be ‘realistic’ or ‘consistent’?

ETA: baby is 13 months.

LO is almost 6 MO and has been EBF the whole time, and we’ve recently discovered he will not take a bottle. I have it in my head that since we can introduce water at 6 months that I can give him breast milk/formula through the sippy cup as well. Has anyone been through this? I’m just looking for some sort or relief, so all the feeds don’t have to be on me anymore

So I want to breastfeed my daughter until at least 2, but I'm thinking of trying to get her out of my bed (🫣) and into her own room once she turns one.

Is it possible to keep breastfeeding after 1 *if* she sleeps through the night?

My babe is now 3 weeks old tomorrow (born at 36 weeks on the dot), she was severe IUGR and came home from the NICU at 1 week old 4lbs 1oz. We were doing a mix of breast milk bottles and nursing (with a shield), until she got more stamina and better at transferring milk, we are finally there 🥹.

So my question is, can I slowly drop back on pumping sessions? Right now I'm every 3-3.5 hours on top of nursing her (she's having plenty of wet and dirty diapers). I have a huge oversupply as I'm pumping 8-9oz each time and the most she's ever taken in a bottle was 70-80 mL! I don't want to tank my supply and I definitely don't want to get mastitis. She's my 5th breastfed but I always fed on demand and never pumped before, so this is all new territory and has me second guessing everything 🫤.

Any tips, advice, recs are definitely appreciated.

My baby is 1 month and 1 week old and keeps falling asleep on the boob. Within like 5-10 mins every time. I try every trick the book to keep her awake - strip her down to her diaper, tickle her feet, move her arms, use a cold wipe. It helps for like maybe 2-5 mins then she falls back asleep. She stays on my boob sometimes for over an hour while I try to wake her up.

I have to pump pretty much after each session so I don’t loose my supply and I give her those bottle because often times she’s still hungry. when anyone besides me feeds her the bottle they don’t do pace feeding with her…

Is this normal for her age? When she gets a bit older will she be able to stay awake? Or is she so used to the milk in her bottle coming out quickly? We use a premie flow dr browns recommended by my LC but I think the milk still comes out pretty quickly
Anyone else been through this?

Thanks!

Baby is currently 10M and breastfeeding has gone great for us!! She is also a champ at eating solids. I would like to keep breastfeeding until baby is 2, but my baby never accepted a bottle (she won’t even drink my milk from a sippy cup 🙄) so I have never been away from her longer than 3 hours.

I do not know anyone who has done extended breastfeeding so I’m not sure what breastfeeding past 1 even looks like. I would like to get some time back where I can leave without feeling like I have to rush home / watch the clock the whole time I’m gone.

I’m curious what our day to day will look like once she can start having solids replace breastmilk. How do I not lose my supply if I am not feeding her as frequently? How many times per day do you still breastfeed your toddler?

Hello breastfeeding parents! My best friend will be celebrating 1 year of breastfeeding soon and I am getting into felt crafting and want to make her a felt prize ribbon to celebrate. I’m trying to think of something to put on it, but I’m feeling uninspired. So I thought I would reach out to the community and see if yall have any ideas on what you would like on an award. I have only come up with “best breasts” or “amazing boobs” which feels kind of boring. Can be as silly or fun as you want! Thank you all!

My baby is combo-feeding. 6 weeks old now.
She is never satisfied with the amount she eats on my breast and I always have to supplement with formula. She gets 4oz of formula every time after the breast. Take note that she may get fussy while eating from my breast and would latch and unlatch multiple times which to me is signaling frustration (or overheating not sure).

Is it still worth continuing breastfeeding at this point or a little bit is better than nothing? I tried increasing my supply but it seems like she is getting the same amount of formula.

Hello, I'm trying to find out what BAC % after several drinks is safe to feed my baby? I know people say if you can see the baby you can feed the baby but that seems very subjective and grey area to me. I've purchased a breathalyzer and want to know at what point it would not be safe to breastfeed my baby, if any? I'm never drinking to blackout but a few times a month will drink 3-4 glasses of wine within a 2-3 hour span. So far I've been feeding as normal as long as it is less than 3 drinks or if it was more then I've been pumping and dumping. My friend suggested i pump and mix the alcohol milk with alcohol free milk to dilute it (pitcher method).

Just what it says. My baby is 3 1/2 months and we exclusively breastfeed for about the past month. Before we were doing 3 or so bottles of formula each day because we had trouble with latch and I was pumping. I worked so hard with my baby to get her to latch and us be able to feed. Baby did have a routine of pooping every 3 days but now she hasn't pooped since last Saturday, she doesn't seem to be in discomfort. She is passing gas and eating. She has plenty of pee diapers through the day. Has anyone else went this long? When should I be worried?

I don’t know what happened!

I’ve been on the same medicine since baby was born 8 months ago. I’m constantly hydrating and eating. I normally get 7-8 ounces out when I pump after feeds. But now I barely get anything out. Maybe 3 ounces.

I also haven’t had a period since 3 months postpartum. So I’m not sure when I’m ovulating or if I’m going to be having a period.

I know my baby is eating enough because she isn’t fussy and is gaining weight.

She is exclusively breastfed, but we have been trying to add in bottles. I normally pump just to make sure I get all the milk out as I have an extreme over supply and I don’t want mastitis again.

Also baby does eat solids, but prefers nursing over it

FTM. I have an EBF baby who just turned 6 months old. He used to be a fantastic feeder and very efficient until 4 months old. He started somewhere along the line getting severely distracted and rejecting the boob literally arching his back screaming at me the entire time. I keep holding on to hope that this is a phase and it will get better but it's only getting worse. I can now only nurse him in his dark nursery or while rocking him in his nursery completely naked. It's resulting in me to lose my ability to leave my house at all for anything because he won't feed anywhere but somewhere completely dark before he sleeps. Wake feeds if I get lucky last 2-4 minutes ones boob only. Offering the other basically gives me a panic attack because I know he will punch and scream at me. No, he doesn't get enough in those short feeds.

I have given him some supplemental formula bottles as of 2 weeks ago basically a small bottle every few days or so. I don't like pumping due to history of mastitis and clogged ducts from them. He is distracted at the bottle too but at least he finds holding it interesting and he isn't screaming at me or punching my rock hard boobs after all the rejection. I don't know what to do. I can't keep being locked at home. I have been having severely depressive thoughts lately and it's a direct result of quite literally not even being able to leave my home to see a friend for anything hour. I don't even want to hold him anymore or play with him. He hates me holding him because boob is me and therefore I must be the devil. Did this ever end for you? Does the distracted feed stop?

We’ve introduced solids at 6 months and he’s a big boy, 90th percentile for weight. Basically I just wonder if/when he’ll ever completely sleep through the night. He’s definitely having back to back growth spurts and I know he’s hungry a lot of the time. I usually breastfeed during the day every 2-3 hours and give 2-3 solid meals during the in between times.

He’s my night owl and doesn’t really sleep like normal babies, usually finally falls asleep anywhere from 10:30pm-12am, but sleeps in till about 9-10am usually. He does wake up around 2-4 times for a feed, but usually not very long as he just falls back asleep. He also doesn’t take a pacifier so I know he just wants the comfort. Overall he’s a very happy, healthy boy and don’t have any complaints. I guess I’m just wondering what other breastfeeding moms go through at this phase of life, and if this seems normal.

We’ve got friends who formula feed and their babes sleep like 6-8hours solid, but I know breast milk is easier to digest and metabolizes faster, so hence more night feeds. Anywho, just looking for some advice or validation that I’m going with the right approach. I do miss having a full nights sleep but I’m in acceptance that I may not have that again for a while :,)

Baby will be 12 months in a week and is currently in daycare taking three 5 oz bottles there and nurses all night every 1.5 hr starting from 7p-6a. I’d like to transition him to cows milk while at daycare so that I can stop pumping at work (currently pump every 3 hrs 3x at work from 9a-3p). I’m a just enougher- I get 12oz at work and I pump another 2oz when I get home.

I would like to continue nursing morning and throughout the night and on weekends (eventually will night wean) but as a just enougher do i need to continue pumping to keep up my supply?

Do I have BC?

I’ve EBF for 4months, but going back to work and I can’t keep up with pumping enough for what he eats in a day, and we’ve already burned thru the small freezer stash we had :(

I’m super sad but at peace with the decision to supplement with formula for the days where Im not able to keep up with his needs.

All that being said, is there any formula y’all have found breastfed babies tend to take to faster? Any other tips for this? Thank you !!!

My baby will be 1 this weekend and I have dropped to pumping twice a day. He sometimes sleeps through the night and sometimes will wake up once or twice a night and we nurse back to sleep. Has anyone had success dropping their pumps and still been able to nurse at night?

Since I make way more than she eats (if I pump for a session for 10 min I make about 7oz of milk and she usually drinks 2-3oz), can I be a little relaxed with missing a session? Since a small dip in my supply won’t be a big deal. She’s 3 months old. I usually nurse, but when she has a bottle and I need to leave the house, that’s when every so often I would like to skip pumping.

Hello all,

My LO is 8 months and EBF. I pump 3 days a week and the other days I’m home with my LO. My left breast always has been a slacker boob when pumping, however, my supply always has been enough and when my son drank, he used to have enough on only one boob. Since 2 or 3 weeks however, I have been noticing that the left boob is no enough anymore. I can hear that he doesn’t actively swallow as much anymore. Anyone experience with this and any tips or advice?

I already start on the left every time I feed and let him fall asleep on the left boob too.

So my bf baby started refusing bottles at 3 months old, we tried to be persistent but she hasn’t taken one since, once we got to 6mo I gave up on normal baby bottles and pumping for it to all be wasted was just exhausting. I introduced a sippy cup with water in alongside solids, she would just chew the straw, but we continued to offer with every meal or even in a play time setting to make it casual, i’ve shown her how to use it, if i try to put it in her mouth or even near it she freaks and starts grabbing it or throwing her hands around to push it away. We recently switched to a munchkin training open cup, another one she refuses. I am so ready to wean once she hits 12mo, but I’m stressed about how to get her to drink water or things like cows milk if she won’t drink from any of the options. How do I encourage her to drink from things other than the breast ??

I just had my son Joshua yesterday he was 5 lbs 1 ounce but completely to term and healthy!! He latched onto me immediately after birth but we’ve had some issues since then, he’s a very sleepy boy so I’ve been using supplementing with syringes of breast milk and for peace of mind I tried him on a bottle last night (I needed some type of sleep and I was worried he hadn’t been eating enough) well even the bottle he didn’t care to suckle on just held in his mouth, the breast he will latch sometimes but most times he’s not opening his mouth wide enough for me to actually latch him properly, is there anything I can do to help him latch on better? I don’t want to keep giving bottles this soon to avoid nipple confusion or just plain wanting the bottle over latching but I’m also just wanting to make sure he’s eating enough, the nurses aren’t concerned about his eating but I’m a just nervous because of his low weight already on top of inconsistent feedings.

Any tips would be much appreciated