Why I am so happy to be breastfeeding!

[mommytsa]

I am happy to breastfeed because

1.  I get to have a special time with him
2.  Only I can do it
3.  I am giving him the best food that is tailor made for him
4.  I am doing everything in my power to help him overcome his milk allergy
5.  He hasn't gotten nearly as sick as a lot of other babies do
6.  Mama milk grows big healthy babies!

I can hardly believe that I'm still nursing at nearly 11 months!  I'm so glad that I didn't give up when it was so hard in the beginning (he wouldn't latch for 6 weeks, so I pumped pretty much constantly and totally felt like a cow).  DON'T GIVE UP!  Much like pregnancy, it'll all be worth it in the end.

[KellyC]

At just over 7 months I've discovered breastfeeding lying down (think he was too small until now!) - for Zander's first feed of the day I bring him into bed and feed him lying down cuddling him and it's the best feeling in the world!  I also love the way that as soon as he sees 'his' booby he opens his mouth wide like a baby bird 

Kelly x

[Vanessa S]

While I was breastfeeding I'd have said the best part was the experience. He was just sooo cute while he was eating.

But now that we stopped (2 weeks ago) I'd have to say that the best part was NO DIAPER RASH.    Since I've stopped breastfeeding we're constantly having to air out his little behind so that no rash develops. We were using Pampers but now we're slowly switching to cloth without a cover and frequent changes. Seems to be helping.

[katriona]

I love that when I'm breastfeeding Theron I can relax and know that he's safe. It sounds weird, but it seems that I always have an ear open toward him, even at night while we're sleeping, and only when he's breastfeeding, and I know he's safe there, and enjoying himself, can I truly relax. Also, if things like naps or night-time sleep have gone totally to pot, I feel that at least I'm doing something right when he feeds! He loves it so, and has grown so well on it.

I also love that sometimes nursing is the only thing that will calm him. Great when he's ill or teething. We were in the ER about a month ago in the middle of the night, and he had to have one of those awful chest x-rays done. (They kinda sit him on a bicycle seat and close a plastic shell around his chest, hold his arms over his head, and take the picture.) He was so upset and stressed out  Nothing would calm him, so I found a quiet corner and tried to nurse. He started calming even as I got him horizontal, and tried desperately to find my boob. I hadn't even undone my mismatched pyjamas (listen to your mother said about wearing clean underwear and matching jammies, just in case!) and he was whimpering and rooting away. It about broke my heart to see him, but I was so glad that I could offer him that comfort. Eventually he fell asleep there, and I just left him resting while still latched on. Everytime the staff came in they'd loudly chirp "EATING?" and I'd whisper back, "No, sleeping."

I also love that DH has totally come round to the idea of breastfeeding. When we were discussing our options before Theron arrived, DH felt that formula was the way to go, as breastfeeding would just be one more thing I'd have to learn, and one more pressure that I'd have to deal with. He also wasn't sure how he felt about it, people staring at me etc. DH even went so far as to bring a second-hand fridge home from work, with the "brilliant" idea that we could store formula in the fridge in our bedroom, so he wouldn't have to get up in the night to help with the night-time feeds. He could just lean over, open the fridge, and retrieve the bottle. I was pretty much decided that we would breastfeed by that point, so didn't even try to point out that most babies wouldn't welcome chilly milk especially in the middle of the night, and he'd have to get his butt out of bed and into the kitchen to heat it up anyway!

Anyways... I knew his opinion had changed when we were moving states, and Theron was with us in the front of the U-Haul truck. I was breastfeeding at a truck stop, and this group of three truckers walked by, having a good old ogle. DH yells out "It's only breastfeeding a**holes! Get over it!" I was like "Yay DH!!" 

Mrs. B.

[Emmet's Mommy]

When grandmotherly types see us nursing they rush over to tell me how wonderful it is that I am nursing. Of course ds can't resist the attention and stops nursing to give his adoring public a better view and a big smile.  Also we've just begun solids and there is a real change at diaper time-- when EBF they were not smelly at all.  He has never been sick at all, even though DH and I both got nasty sick once. 
Lastly, its my ace in hole when I really need it.  If he's fussing and an important phone call comes through, I just latch him on and buy a little silence.  Recent studies indicate that breast milk functions as a pain reliever so when  I nurse him after getting a shot at the Dr. it doesn't just comfort him it actually makes it feel better. 

[Logan Justin mom]

I also love breastfeeding.  I bfed my 10 yr old until he was 20 months and I am now breastfeeding my 6 month old.

-it's made just for him
-it's premade, no mixing of formula
-it's always the right temp, no heating it up
-I feel so close to him
-it's not just for food but also for comfort when afraid, hurting (teething), or when there are too many people around wanting to hold him and he just wants mommy
-I also just learned that while sitting in the back seat, if I lean forward in my seat, with my seat belt still on, I can nurse him in the car while we are moving, without having to stop and take him out of his car seat...lol

[Katet]

I think I have to say, that when people commented that both my boys were very big (both over 10kg/22lb at 6mo) I could say "hey thats what mother nature intended as I bf them all the way to that size"  My bm was that good 
Apart from the health benefits, for me I just love the closeness.

[lotti]

Thanks for that post. It was exactly what I wanted to hear today!

I've been coming under some negative pressure just recently from family and friends who seem to think that at 9 months it's time to stop breastfeeding. Needless to say ... I disagree.

My beautiful boy is so happy and healthy I can't understand why anyone would be negative. And it is such a special time spent together.

Thanks again

Charlotte

[nathan_smom]

My goal was to try and nurse until my son reached 6 months.  At that point, I tried introducing formula just one feeding a day in a bottle. Some days he would take it but most he would push it away and reach for me.  This went on for a over a month with me feeling inadequate, asking everyone I know how they got their child to take the bottle. Wondering what I was doing wrong.
It wasnt until yesterday that it hit me. Why in the world am I trying sooo hard to push this bottle thing and formula on my now 7 1/2 month old son?  I am lucky enough to still  have plenty of breastmilk for him and he seems to ONLY want this.  So what if I can't leave him for more that 4 hours at a time because I need to be there to feed him.  He is a baby, my baby, and wont stay this little for that much longer.  He is telling me he still needs me, and only me for his "liquid nourishment" and I am there for him until he decides to move on. Why?? Because I am his mommy!!

[KellyC]

Nathan's Mom - I had a blip at around 6 months too when I decided to give Zander formula in a bottle for his 2 daytime feeds.  I lasted 2 days!  We were having difficulties with him being very distracted at the time but now it's much better and he also only has 3 feeds a day so I don't feel particularly tied.  The only feed in the middle of the day is not long before his nap and we have to be home for that anyway!  I definitely feel more tied by the naps than by breastfeeding 

Kelly x

[KellyC]

I don't mind that he wakes up at 6am at the moment because I get to bring him into bed for his feed and I can keep my eyes shut    Yesterday it just didn't feel right and it wasn't until I'd finished feeding him that I realised I'd been giving him my top boob instead of the bottom one which is why it was so difficult to keep it in his mouth - must have been too sleepy myself!

Kelly x

[LisbonMom]

Anyone can change her diaper, anyone can put her in bed, anyone can make her smile, but I'm the only one that can give her the best nutrition!
I love bf because of all things it's when I feel the most that I'm a Mommy !!!
When lo has been crying a lot and I'm at my wit's end and it's feed time, I love it when she smiles at me after draining the boob, as if to say I love you anyway!!!

I was talking to dh a while back about how I overcame all the struggles when bf dd#1 and it got me thinking that back then, somehow, formula was never an option!

[webfoot]

I love how he kicks me in the tummy as he nestles up.

I love the new postitions he's trying (who knew!?!)

I love the fact that I don't have to worry about bottles!

And hey you get 10 points a day on weight watchers for bf, that's like 500 calories!

Okay that's not driving me... though...

it's those little grunts and sighs they kick in with around 8 months, how cute are thouse?

My little man is boob obsessed, I swear I am going to be bf now until he's 3, I just know it!

You make it this far how do you quit? I need that link to the website w/ all the witty bf t-shirts you can buy! LOL!

[squeaky's mum]

I am also so happy to be breast feeding...

I found it really really painful for the first 10 weeks but I got help and we have not looked back since.

I love how Sophie plays with my face and skin as she feeds
I love how I feel her slowly relax and fall asleep in the evenings
I love how I don't have to bother with sterilising
I love how it gives Sophie and I time to just sit and be 4-5 times a day
I love looking at her and thinking 'Wow, I made that!'
I love the fact that I made my prepregnancy weight by 5 months

When I was pregnant I thought, I'll feed her to 6 months. Once I overcame our bf problems, I thought, I'll try to get to a year. Now I think, Sophie can give it up when she is ready. I am so pleased I have this amazing source of nutrition when my little girl has developed a milk allergy. For me, bf has been hard, it has tied me to my little girl when maybe I could have got out a bit more, but it has been worth it over and over again.

Claire

[Mum of girl, boy, boy]

I am so pleased to be breast feeding to.

With DD I said I would give it a go for 6 weeks and see. I have no idea why I thought that and why 6 weeks. I ended up having a c-section and was so determind that I would breast feed as I felt I had been robbed of a natural birth and in someway I suppose failed. DD was tongue tied so we had to get over that hurdle but I continued to feed until 11.5 months by which time I was pregnant. Bfeeding changed when I was pregnant and I decided to stop.

With DS I had another c-section and again really wanted to feel close to him because I hadn't had that natural birth. DS is nearly 5 months and I really do enjoy feeding. When I look at the pictures of both my babies and how big they grew on my breast milk alone it makes me feel really chuffed with myself.

I hate the thought of feeding formula (I understand sometimes there isn't a choice) although as DD got older she had the very occasional bottle (i.e when we flew to Australia it was easier than trying to feed food!). I don't understand why people would choose this a way to feed a baby. It's not human milk.

I will keep hoping that nothing gets in the way of me feeding DS until I am ready to finish breastfeeding. One thing is for sure I will be glad when I can take something other than paracetamol for a cold. I've been pregnant or breastfeeding since Sept 2003.  I can't wait to have a really good night out and perhaps even get drunk (not that I normally do that anyway).

J