Breastfeeding Milestone

Six months was always my own little target, but six months came and went and suddenly my baby is seven months old and we’re still breastfeeding. As its national breastfeeding week I thought it was relevant to have a little celebration of my milestone.

We’ve made it through cracked nipples, cluster feeding and hourly night feeds, we’ve come out the other side and still going strong. He has had two bottle of formula since turning six months, these bottles allowed myself and my husband an evening out, and an evening out with my friend.

I don’t know why I set myself a six month target, but it’s makes me happy and proud that we made it this time. I tortured myself when I gave up breastfeeding at 4.5months with J. We stopped for various reason – partly to do with the stupid Health visitor making me feel inadequate, partly to do with my lack of knowledge and confidence and partly to do with lack of sleep.

Breastfeeding is my way, I do think it’s the best way but I’d never judge someone who chose not to breastfeed. The same as I wouldn’t expect someone to judge me for doing it, we mummies have a hard enough time as it is without feeling bad for our feeding choices. I’m completely comfortable breastfeeding and I will d it anywhere and in front of anyone, I don’t like to make other feel uncomfortable but I also don’t understand why they should. I despise being shut in another room on my own, I wouldn’t send you to eat alone and close all the doors on you so why do it to my baby? I’ve fed in all sorts of places, cafes, pubs, park benches, perched on a wall, the beach and probably the most random place, in church.

I hope to carry on Breastfeeding for as long as we are both happy with it, my imminent return to work though could well force the switch to formula. I hate expressing, I barely get 10ml at a time and I just don't have the time or inclination to do it often enough. Which leaves the only other option of offering formula during the day. Doing this three days a week will ultimately mean I have to do it every day as my milk supply will drop and not allow me to give the afternoon feed the other four days. I hope that we will be able to keep up the other feeds and carry on with the morning and bedtime one for as long as we are both happy. This didn’t happen with J though, as I dropped other feeds my supply was majorly affected and we had to make the change completely.

Either way we’ve had a good run at it and saved myself hundreds of pounds in the process.