Many years total of breastfeeding?

[E m i c h i e e]

I only have one baby at the moment but we plan for 3~ish. Whatever is possible for my emergency c-sectioned body. My son is ebf at 9 months, and I plan on child led weaning.

I assume I might still be nursing him by the time I will be pregnant with number two, so I would be tandem feeding if that is the case.

With three children that can result into 8+ years of constant breastfeeding.

My husband is usually very supportive regarding my extended breastfeeding plans, BUT lately he has been saying he would rather me only nurse my son for 2-3 years, and then wean him.

I would not want to force weaning on him though and feel comfortable nursing on. I have not set myself a limit and I believe he will eventually stop.

My husbands worry mostly stems from thinking my breasts will sag tremendously <_<. And he is not the only one I get to hear that from. My mother even suggested I only nurse for three weeks (!!) because of that "risk". I said I don't care really, they will sag eventually anyway.

I also recently read a conversation on another forum, regarding the TIME magazine cover mom's breasts...and how she could not be the real mom, because her boobs would be down to her knees.... Everyone chimed in talking about saggy boobs from long term breastfeeding. 

I don't think that is true really. I can only look back at 9 months of breastfeeding, but I don't feel like they have changed since after my milk came in and the supply regulated. The changes seem to be caused by pregnancy (I went from C to D)

So my question would be - what are your experiences after years of breastfeeding? 

My second question:

I have been nursing with 2 capsules of fenugreek daily since my son was 1 month old. Without it, I have next to no milk (I know 2 supposedly don't do anything but for me it really helps). I even pumped after quitting FG to see how much it was and I get barely any. Is there any risks of taking fenugreek for years and years? Does anyone know?

Other methods of increasing my supply never worked. 

TIA! 

[fruitfulmomma]

Breasts sag because of age! Also I would point out to him that every year you spend breastfeeding reduces your risk of breast cancer. My oldest will be 12 in June and I've only had two short breaks, less than 6 months each, so I will be going on close to 15 years if next baby follows same pattern as most and maybe more babies after that.  I was never small and perky to begin with but they are firmer in their non lactating state at the moment.

[Rrrrrachel]

Yeah, sagging is about DNA and age.

Pump output is not a good indicator of supply! Baby is much better at getting milk from the breast than the pump is.

[springbabes]

I'll be 38 next month and breastfed my 4 kids a total of 10 years.  My youngest weaned a year ago.  I'm very happy with my breasts considering all I've put them through.  They are still quite perky and pretty. I mean there is a small bit of droop that wasn't there when I was 20, but I think I would expect that at my age regardless!   I did start out small--probably a B cup.  I'm a 32D now thanks to an extra 20 pounds (some of it actually went to my boobs-yay!).  Besides the stretch marks I got with my first child, I don't think breastfeeding had a negative effect on my breasts.

I don't know anything about fenugreek, but wanted to put out there that it's pretty normal to not be able to pump much when your baby is 9 months.  At this point your body is making just what he needs and not much more.  Pumping is never a good indicator of supply.

[kohlby]

If you don't want your breasts to sag then never get pg and never get old.  The two are not a good combo!  At least with nursing, they can look more perky when they have more milk in them!  I'm almost 39 years old.  Recently my youngest went down to nursing about 4 times a day and so I've shrunk.  Before getting pg the first time, I was a 34 AA/AAA and I'm currently 32 A/AA.  (I'm always lopsided).  I am not quite as perky as I used to be.  But at my chest size, it's nothing a bra can't fix!

As for how long I've nursed, it's been 9 years in a row, with just over 5 years of that tandeming.  And I'm still nursing.

ODS: Weaned right before 5 years old

ODS/DD: Tandem 25 months

DD: Weaned right before 6 years old

DD/YDS: Tandem 36 months

YDS: Still nursing and he's 39 months old.

[parsley]

I can't imagine there is any problem with taking fenugreek-- at least if it is food grade.  Fenugreek is a common spice (and green) in indian food and I'm sure a significant segment of the population eats that much on a daily basis. 

[strawberryprincess]

I also say breasts sag due to age and pregnancy.  I've been nursing 8 of the last 9 years (tandem nursing right now), and my breasts are larger and saggier than they were a decade ago.  I expect that when my youngest weans, I will shrink a bit.  But I don't think that is anything that a good bra won't be able to fix :)

I also agree that a pump is not a good indication of how much milk you are making.  I don't know much about long-term fenugreek usage.  but as your baby gets older and eats more food, he will not need as much milk, and your supply will gradually drop anyway.  You may find that you can stop taking it once he's eating a substantial amount of foods.
 

[proudMoMmy2634]

I am not aware about "fenugreek" , but I agree breast sag due to age and not because of breastfeeding. The main reason to this is the elasticity of the skin is not the same as we are younger.!