Another wrote to tell me her story, and to explain why she supports informal breast milk sharing or donation. Her daughter was born premature at 30 weeks gestation. Fortunately the baby is doing well now and she should be released from the NICU in another two weeks. Here is what the mother had to say about what she hopes to do with her stash of expressed breast milk:

Since our baby has been in the NICU for the last 7 weeks, I have about 2,000 oz of breast milk frozen. We have filled our space allotment in the hospital’s milk bank, filled our freezer at home, and have almost filled my mom’s freezer. There’s no possible way [my daughter] will ever catch up with what I have stored, and anyway, I prefer to breastfeed [when she is ready to transition to the breast]. (We didn’t use bottles much at all with our first.)

I first looked at donating to a milk bank, but can’t because one of the requirements is that you haven’t received a blood transfusion within the past 12 months, so that ruled out that option. (I had practically all of the blood in my body replaced during/after an emergency C-section . . .) Another mother in the NICU was literally pouring her milk down the drain, because she had also filled her space in the hospital’s freezer and her home freezer. I just couldn’t bring myself to do that, because I knew there were people that would really appreciate it. I just didn’t know where to find them.

When I was craving ice cream a few nights ago (which I couldn’t buy because we don’t have room in the freezer for it), I decided I had to take some actions to find a home for it. In my search, I saw that there are quite a few people passionately against milk sharing. Not sure why when obviously there are many healthy people with abundant supplies and many people who can’t afford to purchase milk from a milk bank. Most people do home pasteurization in some form anyway. Obviously people should be aware of the risks of taking a stranger’s milk . . .

Anyway, I think I’ve found someone who wants me to ship all my milk to her, but that milkshare Yahoo group is really active, and I’m pretty sure if this lady I’ve been in communication with changes her mind, that I wouldn’t have any trouble finding a home for it. I do think that milk sharing deserves more attention though, because a lot of women who give birth are also given a blood transfusion, and current milk banking practices eliminate all of those women from donating. (My sister researched the reason for this, and it’s because there was one case of West Nile virus being transmitted through donated milk. If a woman waits through the incubation period to donate her milk, then she can rule out that threat.) And the state of medical insurance what it is, most families can’t afford to buy milk from a bank.

Well, I’ve been long winded here. I just know I’m not the only NICU parent with an excess of milk, so there are others who don’t know what to do with their milk.

I am pleased and grateful that this woman wrote to share her opinion on informal breast milk donation. What’s your opinion? Would you donate your milk informally? Would you take advantage of casual milk sharing if you and your baby had the need? How do you feel about any potential risk of disease transmission or other problems with milk not screened by a milk bank? Are independent testing and pasteurization methods adequate? Leave a comment!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Reader contributions make all the work worthwhile. Thanks for sharing your breastfeeding stories and answering the Mom-to-Mom questions!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Sarah wrote to share her story about breastfeeding in church:

I am 21 years old! I have two girls and love them both. I had my first daughter when I was a senior in high school. Her name is Brooke and she is 2 1/2 years old. She will turn 3 the day after Christmas. I just had my second baby 4 weeks ago. My little baby’s name is Rylie. On Sunday my husband and I went to church with both kids for the first time since the new baby had come. Rylie start to cry so I took her to the bathroom and changed her diaper. She was still crying so I knew that I would have to feed her. I went ahead and went back to where my family and I were sitting. I started to get ready for breastfeeding Rylie for the first time in public. The older lady who was sitting right behind me put her hand on my shoulder and told me that there is a baby room where I can feed my baby. I turned around and in a nice way I told her that I was going to do it right here. She got up and took her grandchild to another spot in church. After the mass was over we were walking out and this lady came up to me and said, “I have been coming here for a long long time and if you are going to breastfeed you should go and do that in the baby/crying room.” I told her as mother I have the right to feed wherever I am and that if she does not want to see me feed my baby then she does not need to sit near me.

Sarah, you know you have my support. I am glad you were able to stay calm and respond respectfully but firmly.

What do you all think?

Photo Credit: Janet Burgess

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

I’ve always known.

Even before I became pregnant I knew I wanted to breastfeed. There was no question that breastfeeding is best for me and the baby. And so I thought, knowing how to do it would come naturally, problem-free.

I had the pleasant experience of bonding with my baby minutes after delivery, even with a C-section. She latched on perfectly like she knew where and how to find me. But then my daughter developed a condition that had her staying in the nursery full-time and the nurse could only bring her out to me every 3 hours, and strictly for 30 minutes [B123: I'm surprised a hospital would impose such a schedule. Newborns need to feed on demand at least 10-12 times in a 24-hour period. The length of feedings should not be restricted. Only under close medical supervision and consultation with a lactation consultant or breastfeeding counselor should feedings be altered]. And then she was too sleepy and groggy from the treatments and she wouldn’t nurse properly.

Having my daughter feed on 3-hour routine since birth actually turned out a blessing. When she got home, she continued that routine of waking-eating every 3 hours way into her 4th month. New moms who have to deal with feeding-on-demand know how tiring it can be to breastfeed without schedule. So I did sort of breeze through the first 3 months of feeding… well, there was the colicky gas and GERD… but at least I got to breastfeed and cuddle with her. Spending time with her like that, just bonding, getting to know each other, was pure calm, like nothing else mattered in the whole world in those moments.

By her fourth month, however, things began to get weird. I started expressing my milk when I when back to work and soon realized I wasn’t building up volume. My daughter wasn’t nursing more frequently or longer either. She did continue to thrive and I breastfed her exclusively for 9 months. She developed eczema and extremely dry skin all over at 4 months but I didn’t get the connection yet. Belatedly at 8 months, she was diagnosed with multiple allergies, one of which was to milk.

She wasn’t allergic to my own milk, but I was passing on the allergens onto my milk to her from the food I was eating. If I had known about her allergies, or been more conscious about what I ate, knowing my own family history of allergies, maybe I would have been more careful very early on. My daughter wasn’t gaining much weight because my own breastmilk was giving her allergic reactions. Slowly weaning her on to an allergy-free formula was difficult for me, but it was necessary for her to thrive and gain more weight. [B123: If for some reason you are unable to undertake an elimination diet, consult your pediatrician for a recommendation regarding the appropriate formula. Of course, if your child is allergic to cow's milk, a cow's milk formula is not appropriate. Soy is another common allergen, so some children cannot tolerate soy-based formula. For a child with severe allergies, a pediatrician might prescribe a "predigested" (extensively hydrolyzed) formula that costs three times as much as regular formula].

Today, she’s a two-year old, still allergic to multiple foods but otherwise healthy, smart and thriving well. And now, I’m about to be mom to #2, and even with all the struggles I had breastfeeding and having a history of allergies, I would still breastfeed again. But this time I’ll be wiser and watch what I eat. This time too, I’ll have less anxiety about let-downs, engorgements, gas and allergies that I had before as a first-time mom. Without a doubt, breastfeeding is still the best, allergies or not.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Now I Just Cuddle on Demand

Weaning. I’ve wanted to do it for almost a year, but I am just getting around to it now. My daughter is almost 2 years-old.

Weaning, many women will tell you, is completely unnecessary. Children, they maintain, stop when they want to. Which, in my experience of watching children left completely to their own devices, is when they are 4 or 5 years-old. Others believe that if there is milk in the breast, it is there for the woman’s child, or children, to drink. I understand and respect those beliefs.

That said, I work. My daughter really doesn’t mind being away from me for between 5 and 8 hours a day. She could always ensure that my milk supply stayed in production by waking up during the night to nurse. And, not because she was hungry. She can open the fridge, take out her favorite drinkable yogurt, open it and drink it all by herself.

When my older son was a little over a year old, it took three nights of offering him water during night wakings before he started sleeping through. After three nights of trying the same thing with my daughter a year ago, I gave up and just offered her the breast. Recently, I tried it again and it took about three weeks to get her sleeping from 10PM to 6:00AM without a break.

We’re now down to one very short breastfeeding session immediately before bed for the night. Getting here has not been easy.

I understood that I would need to set a feeding schedule in order to eliminate one nursing session at a time. This meant, paying attention to other clues when my daughter asked to nurse. My older son refused to eat anything except a single dish of mashed potatoes with cheese and spinach at lunch until he was 18 months-old. Continuing to nurse him until just past his second birthday was essential to prevent him from starving.

My daughter, again, was different. Her nursing seemed to have nothing to do with the need for nourishment. I learned that when she asked to nurse, she wanted quiet time; she wanted my undivided attention, she wanted to go to sleep; or just a reflective break from figuring out the world. Breastfeeding does offer safety, calm, and love, but it is not the only way to give a child what he or she needs, it’s just the easiest way.

I’ve since discovered an alternative. I call it cuddling on demand. The best part is that I can ask for it as often as I give it. I like this mutually rewarding phase of family life. We never have to wean ourselves off hugs.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

KH: Four years ago, in addition to directing the breastfeeding clinic, I opened a maternity/nursing boutique in downtown San Luis Obispo. After just a couple of weeks, one morning I found a lump in my left breast. Being very familiar with both of my breasts, I knew what this meant. After two surgeries, six months of chemo and two months of radiation, I returned to the clinic. Only weeks later, the Board of Supervisors closed my beloved county hospital, promising to keep all of the county clinics open. Just a few weeks later, they gave all of the clinics to another entity including my breastfeeding clinic. Very soon, I was notified by the new owners that my services at the clinic would no longer be needed. Although disappointed, I still had my store and periodically got to work with nursing mothers and babies.

B123: You co-authored The Nursing Mother’s Guide to Weaning with Linda Ziedrich and Nursing Mother, Working Mother with Gale Pryor. How did your collaboration with these women come into being and what has your experience working with co-authors been like?

KH: Linda Ziedrich and I, as well as the publisher, decided to update Weaning a couple of years ago. Every 4-5 years I like to refresh what ever I write. I was also asked to join Gale Pryor, daughter of Karen Pryor (famous author of Nursing Your Baby) in updating Nursing Mother, Working Mother. She is a wonderful writer and I thought I could be helpful in updating information on pumps and pumping. So a new team was born! Linda Ziedrich is my editor on everything I have ever written. She is so very thoughtful, a great writer and weaned three babies. I simply felt Linda would be a great co-author and she has been. I think we worked on both of these books for about six months or so.

B123: In your work at the breastfeeding clinic, what are some of the concerns that come up most often for nursing mothers and babies? What do you wish more women knew before they started breastfeeding?

KH: In the breastfeeding clinic, I worked with mothers who suffered with latch on problems, insufficient milk production, and colicky babies. Interesting you should ask about what I wish more women knew before they started breastfeeding. That is my next book, “Twenty Five Things Every Breastfeeding Mother Should Know.” I will be writing this book with a friend and Lactation Consultant, Jan Ellen Brown. For now, all I will say is that breastfeeding is one of the most important things that can a mother can do for her baby.

B123: What’s the most rewarding thing about helping nursing mothers and babies?

KH: Perhaps I manage mothers and their struggles with nursing differently than others. I am committed to making a difficult situation with a mother easier until the mother-baby pair have worked things out. I don’t send mothers home with a strenuous plan. I simplify things. They typically go home with just one goal and then I see them again very soon. My reward is that they leave happier than when they came and they feel hopeful that they can work issues out with their babies.

B123: You are one busy woman! How do you find the time to juggle all of your responsibilities?

KH: Well, it’s not that hard for me. I have loved, secure children that have been little trouble! I have helped them discover their passions and they grew up to be successful. My husband Brad takes care of me! And, I must admit I have housekeeper once a week!

B123: Can you tell us some of your personal history of being a nursing mother/working mother and about weaning?

KH: I never ever considered doing anything else but nursing my babies! But who knew what a life altering experience that would turn out to be. With my first child, Kate, I suffered with severely damaged nipples, most likely from poor technique. Soon after, I developed mastitis, and a large abcess that required hospitalization with an incision and drainage. I remained very committed and continued nursing during a period (1970’s) when we were less knowledgeable about breastfeeding management. At four months post partum, I returned part time to graduate school. I did not pump during our separations and I am certain that my milk supply faltered and Kate’s weight gain slowed to a rate that concerned her pediatrician. Still I continued and Kate weighed only 17 pounds at one year. On the other hand, her father and his family were small people. Soon after, I decided to end my marriage. In a last ditch effort to work on the marriage, a counselor suggested that perhaps things would improve if I weaned. Out of guilt, over the course of a month or so I weaned Kate by her 18th month. Of course, nursing had nothing to do with a failing marriage and to this day I regret being pressured into weaning prematurely, that is before either of us was ready.

When my son was born, nine years later, I was reluctant to seek out help even though he was severely tongue-tied and could not remove any milk from my breast. My goodness, I could not admit to anyone that Kathleen Huggins was struggling. After several days of being home, a new Lactation Consultant dropped by to see me. She held John and said, “My goodness, your nipples must be killing you! The next day, my pedi-dentist clipped his frenulum and my initial troubles were over. Soon, he developed severe colic with bloody stools. He nursed every 30-45 minutes for comfort. I adjusted my diet until I was down to nothing! Driving down the street with a screaming baby, I said aloud, “What can this be? All I am eating is bread and water! Well, dummy, maybe it’s the bread.” Within 24 hours my miserable baby was cured as he was in fact allergic to wheat. I was committed to nursing John until he weaned. When he was three he spoke of weaning, but he continued nursing to sleep until his fifth birthday. I am convinced his normal nursing period is the reason he is such a kind and generous young man.

B123: You spoke of your extensive treatment for breast cancer in 2003. Is there anything you’d like to share about your experience with breast cancer?

KH: I remember a few key things. I do know that one day the tumor was not palpable and the next day it was. I do remember being a bit angry that after yearly mammograms, this rather large tumor never showed up. Now there are new digital mammograms and I hope that women seek these out in addition to soaping up their breasts EVERY day and getting a good feel. I am certain that is why my tumor was stopped at stage two.

I was never afraid for some reason. I knew I would be fine. I sought out the best breast cancer center in Northern California. I reassured my children and crying friends that I would be fine. I remember a study that I was told in Nursing School (196?) about women who had a positive attitude. They did well. I did well.

B123: What do you think are the greatest challenges or opportunities in the breastfeeding community today? What would you like to see happen with breastfeeding legislation and breastfeeding research in the coming years?

KH: One of the reasons that our county has the second highest breastfeeding rate in California is that a few of us dedicated our lives to this. It starts out with great prenatal classes, teaching moms what they need to know including when they need to get help. The hospitals are the next link–great breastfeeding assistance as well as identifying mothers and babies who may be at risk for difficulties. They need to go home with who to call for help. We have had a Breastfeeding Warmline for the past 25+ years. If needed, moms who call can get hands on help from a local, affordable clinic. Also, the pediatricians need to be breastfeeding supporters.

Legislation is very difficult. I took part in an attempt to rid hospitals of formula “gift” bags. We lost and that was a hard pill to swallow.

B123: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me. Any last thoughts you’d like to share?

KH: Well, I still see mothers in my store on weekends when the clinic is closed and a mother is in crisis, but my work is not as much as it once was. But I will tell you this: rarely a night goes by that I don’t dream of being in my clinic supporting a new mother. Yes, I miss it.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Oprah applauded Diamond for breastfeeding the sextuplets. The interview wasn’t entirely positive but it was amazing to hear Diamond say that she breastfed the six babies until they were six months old. She said that when she was pumping exclusively she pumped between 50-60 bottles per day! That accomplishment is even more amazing when you consider the fact that the babies were born at 26.5 weeks gestation and weighed between 12 ounces and 1.4 pounds. They were so tiny they could fit in the palm of their father’s hand, and his wedding ring could be pushed up over each of the babies’ thighs! Luckily the babies were born perfectly healthy and they are now thriving four-year-olds!  

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Tell us a little about yourself and your three children!
I am 23 years old and active duty Navy. I’ve been in the Navy for three years. I’ve been married for four years, and my husband just graduated from college in December. We were told we were expecting twins when I was seven weeks pregnant, and were ecstatic and surprised and a little scared. I experienced some bleeding a few days later, and it continued on and off for the next two weeks, so I had an ultrasound done during my first OBGYN visit, even though it was not anticipated. It was at this appointment that they told us we weren’t expecting twins, we were having TRIPLETS! The ultrasound technician told us that two babies were sharing a placenta (likely identical, although fraternal twins/triplets can have fused placentas that look like one, and only upon delivery is the fusion discovered) and the other was on his/her own. Later in the pregnancy we discovered we were having two identical boys and a little girl. My triplet pregnancy was fairly uneventful, a few trips to the ER early on, a few trips to L&D later on and many many many perinatologist appointments in between.

The babies were born at 32 weeks and 4 days, after five days of active but dysfunctional labor. Yes, I did break down and beg them to deliver these babies. And when it was clear to the doctor that the best decision was to deliver them my husband raced down I-5 to get to the hospital in time for the c-section. He made it by three minutes.

Tristan was born first, followed by Cassandra and then Ryland. Tristan and Cassandra spent 18 days in the NICU and Ryland spent 19 days there. They are now almost six months old and are very well adjusted babies for being 7+ weeks early. Tristan and Ryland weigh over 15 lbs and Cassandra is a petite little one at 12 lbs. They are so much fun and are rolling over, mimicking us, laughing at anything and everything, and I swear I heard Tristan say “addie” (daddy) the other day.

When you were pregnant, did you research the benefits of breastfeeding multiples?
Yes I did. I found the most useful resource to be the internet chat groups, where you can interact regarding your curiosities and ask questions specific to your situation. I found both a local group of moms of multiples, and a regional one for triplets and more.

What did you do to prepare yourself to get off to a good start?
I had some time to research breastfeeding while I was on modified bedrest with the babies. I found a lot of support with my local “moms of multiples” group that has an online support group/chat group. I also found a lot of support on The Triplet Connection website, which is a support group for triplets or more. There were a lot of positive and successful breastfeeding stories, as well as personal responses to questions I posted about the pumping verses feeding at the breast.

Were you and each of the babies able to breastfeed shortly after the babies’ births?
I was not able to feed the babies until five days after their birth due to the fact that I was put on magnesium sulfate to stop my contractions. I was on the magnesium sulfate for an extended period of time and the babies had very high magnesium levels. Therefore they had to wait a few days to feed them. And then they were given my expressed breast milk via gavage feeding (a tube into their noses), and then a bottle with my milk, and then about a week after their birth I was able to try and put them at the breast. I had a lot of support from the lactation department at the hospital where I delivered.

I know you are currently pumping a majority of the time. Did you pump right from the beginning to establish supply and to prepare bottles of expressed breast milk for your children?
Yes, I was very lucky to have a mother very involved in the aftercare of my delivery. Within two hours after the c-section, she had me in bed pumping. She describes me as being “three sheets to the wind” and was actually holding the pump flanges to my breasts as I was lying down on my side in bed. Then again two hours later, I was a bit more alert but still exhausted and in pain. Nevertheless, she had me roll to the side of the bed and she held the flanges and worked the machine. From there on out, for the next week, I was pumping every 1-2 hours, NEVER going more than two hours in between pumping sessions. A nurse in the NICU explained to me about pumping as much and as often as I can in the first 1-2 weeks after delivery to “lay down” as many milk producing cells as I can. I’m not sure how medically backed that theory is, but I can say that her support, encouragement, advice, and the support of my mother and husband were amazing.

Did any of you face any medical complications that affected breastfeeding?
When my babies were three weeks old, the day before two of them came home from the NICU I was in my OB’s office with a bad mastitis infection, fever of 102.5, body aches, chills, headache. I was put on an oral antibiotic and then went up to the NICU to visit the babies. Two days later, when we went back to get the third baby from the NICU and bring him home, I ended up in the ER due to the mastitis infection. It was very painful, and the pain was worse with pumping/feeding but is very necessary to promote the healing of a mastitis infection. I ended up on IV antibiotics in the ER, and was sent home on a different type of oral antibiotic than I had been given the day before. The infection cleared up in about a weak, and then pain lessened each day, but it was a very painful experience.

About a month later I ended up with another mastitis infection that required oral antibiotics and cleared up within a few days and then I experienced a third infection that landed me back in the ER. It probably would have only required oral antibiotics, but when I felt it coming on, we had been snowed in and I wasn’t able to get out of my neighborhood until 24 hours later. At that point, the only thing open was the ER and I was in enough pain that I was confident it couldn’t wait until the following morning. I was given antibiotics via an intramuscular shot and sent home to rest for a day. The worst part of the mastitis is most definitely continuing to pump/breastfeed through the infection. It was extremely painful for me for about 4-5 days each time I had an infection.

Mothers of singletons often worry–many times unnecessarily–about their milk supply. We know milk supply increases based on demand and that it’s possible (and wonderful) to breastfeed multiple babies, but I know many mothers are wondering, how is your milk supply??
Initially, my milk supply was pretty large. I am thoroughly convinced that it had to do with the pumping within hours after delivery though. And then continuing to pump every 1-2 hours for the next 1-2 weeks. I don’t have any singleton breastfeeding stories to compare it to, but I really think that’s what made my experience so successful and my supply so large. There were times, especially after I returned to work, that my supply dropped significantly. Enough that we had to pull some extras we had stored in the freezer, out for daily use. But once I relaxed in my work environment and got over the initial change of returning to work, things got better. My pumping time was also different at work than what I had been doing at home, so I just had to adjust and talk to my superiors about the importance of my pumping and the amount of time I needed to do so.

How do you manage feedings?
All weekday feedings are done with a bottle. On a few occasions, to console one of the babies, I would and still do feed at the breast. But due to working full time and having three infants to feed at once, it’s not very likely on the weekdays after an 8- or sometimes 12-hour day. On the weekends, I do my best to feed each baby at least once on the breast, just to have that bonding time. But there are weekends where that doesn’t happen. At first, I would feel really guilty about it and miss that bonding time. But as time passes, I realize there’s no sense in beating myself up over it and I can only do what I can do. Now that the babies are getting older, they are more interested in looking around and playing, so sometimes breastfeeding isn’t even on their daily agenda.

What sort of support have you received for breastfeeding? Did you attend a support group? Do you have any favorite books on breastfeeding, pumping and/or multiples?
I guess you could say that I had breastfeeding support, but I didn’t attend an actual in-person or online “breastfeeding support” session. I did however find a lot of support in chatting with other mothers on INCIID’s “babies born in October” forum (my babies were due in October) as well as my local moms of multiples club and the Triplet Connection. (INCIID’s website is www.inciid.org and is a WONDERFUL resource). (I agree!)

I didn’t do much reading about breastfeeding, so I cannot recommend any books. For me, I preferred to interact and be able to ask questions about personal situations and share my curiosities and get answers to them, which my online groups were able to provide me with.

What advice to you have for mothers of multiples?
I had many people tell me breastfeeding triplets would be impossible. For me, that just fueled my desire and determination TO breastfeed them. I would encourage mothers of multiples to talk to other women on support websites about their fears, concerns and questions. Breastfeeding was very different than I had imagined it would be. But it is so very fulfilling. Plan in advance to be pumping as well. In the end, some mothers of multiples are very successful at feeding at the breast. For other mothers, a combination of feeding at the breast and pumping is the choice that works for them. And still other moms choose to be pump only moms. Either way, your child/children are receiving that irreplaceable breast milk. I would also encourage moms to rent a hospital grade breast pump instead of buying one. I have not personally used both, but other moms have highly encouraged me to go with the hospital grade. Additionally, many insurance companies WILL pay for a breast pump or rental for a premature baby. I would recommend looking into that before the baby(s) arrive so that you have it all planned and there is no last minute running around to find what you need.

Do you have any tips for other pumping and/or working mothers?
Initially I cared about what people thought of me taking time to pump. And I realized that it was stressing me out and affecting my milk supply, and also making the whole process less than enjoyable. I realized that I am providing my children with the best nutrition possible and that as a mother, working or not, I have a right to do that. I would plan my pumping times at home so it would fit into a convenient schedule at work. For me, I’d rather be a bit engorged and uncomfortable at home while taking care of my babies and doing what I LOVE, than being in that same predicament at work and “sour” about the fact that I’m leaking and in pain and “should” be pumping but can’t. I had set in stone times that I pumped everyday, and that made it easier for my co-workers so that they could plan to have coverage for me while I pumped. Giving that schedule knowledge to everyone assisted so that I was rarely ever told that I couldn’t pump at that time. Working in a medical field, there have been unexpected situations and I can’t just drop what I am doing to pump. But at the next earliest opportunity, everyone understood (although not always happy about it), that I needed a break to pump.

If you were to do it all over again, would you do anything differently? Are you happy with your decision to breastfeed?
I would feel less guilty about taking breaks at work to pump. It’s a temporary situation and isn’t going to last forever, even the frequency and amount of time of pumping has decreased as my babies are getting older and are demanding less and eating more solids.

I am very happy with my decision to breastfeed. There were times, like my first few weeks back to work and the mastitis infections that I really wondered how long I could do this and if it was really worth it. But, I have yet to have sick children, and that’s pretty impressive for babies that were eight weeks early. And, I can’t imagine the cost associated with feeding formula to my three babies when I have breasts that produce enough milk to feed them.

How long to you plan to continue breastfeeding and pumping?
My plan is to continue until they are 9-10 months (7-8 months adjusted), and then wean down, and I imagine with my milk supply the weaning process will take a month or so. The babies are getting more active now and want to be played with together and individually, so the hardest pumping times are at home when I’d rather be playing with them than pumping. But I feel that 9-10 months will be a good time to start weaning, both for them and for me.

Thanks Julie! Congratulations on your wonderful babies and your success in breastfeeding and pumping!

If you’d like to share your breastfeeding story, click here. To read more breastfeeding stories, click here.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

So I could monitor her throughout the night I co-slept with her until my own violent coughing threatened to wake her and I moved to the chaise by the bed. At one point in the night, my toddler turned on the light (it’s one of those that you touch it and it turns on), climbed out of bed and came over to me to nurse. I told her she could nurse and then she’d have to go back to bed and turn out the light. Lo and behold, she actually did it! When it was time to be done, she popped off, walked back to bed, climbed in, tapped the lamp until it turned off, snuggled under the covers and went back to sleep! It wasn’t just a fluke either because she did it again a few hours later. Those gentle sleep techniques must be having some effect if she can settle herself back to sleep without nursing in bed!

She was true to her promise and today she’s happy and eating normally. Now if I could just say the same about my husband….

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Perhaps breastfeeding is helping you bond with your child after a traumatic birth (Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog) or you’re first meeting your son after a cesarean (Cairo Mama). Maybe you’re just finding out that love makes you do crazy things? (The Lactivist).

Starting to lust for another baby (My Baby and More) or already preparing for another one to arrive (Breastfeeding 1-2-3)? Find out whether for part of your preparations you should read the book “Babyproofing Your Marriage” (Mama Knows Breast).

Hopefully you’re celebrating the love you share with your children and the love they share with each other (Breastfeeding Mums Blog) and realizing every day with your children is the happiest day of your life (Booby Juice).

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3