did your mama nurse you? - Page 5

[stlcjb]

I was adopted . . .

Unfortunatly, I was adopted and my Mom didn't know about supplemental feeding systems. Quite main-stream my mother was. she frowns upon me BFing my dd#1 for 13 months. She asked when I will wean dd#2 and I said "whrenever Josie decides" That put a wadin her panties!

[Angiemama]

not i! nor my brothers and sisters... my mom said it was b/c she smoked... i am certain there are other reasons....

[Irishmommy]

I wasn't bf, and none of my sibs were either, though 2 are adopted. My youngest sister was living with my when I had dd2, and got to both witness the birth (at home) and see how easy bf is. Hopefully it will have had a positive impact on her. Though what the hormone rushes after the birth did, I dread to think!

[merpk]

My oldest brother (born '58) was nursed for several months, and was delivered with only mild pain killers ("saddle block")

My middle brother ('60) nursed for six months and was delivered with rather heavy pain killers.

I didn't nurse at all (the youngest, '62), and family lore has it that when my mother was brought into the hospital's L&D department, she told the doctor to "wake her when it's over."

I guess I turned out ok anyway, though my mother thinks I'm a little nutty

[abismommie]

Nursing

I was nursed - but for a very short time - maybe two weeks. My Mom was a very nervous first-time Mom and I think had a bad case of the blues - it just didn't work for her. I was born in 72, and 6 years later when my sister came along, she tried again, but had the same feelings.

Hugs,

J

[Luma]

nursed for 5 months because the dr said after that the milk was no good:mad:

edited to add:

ooops my 100 post!!!

[Maribel]

My mom tandem nursed 3 kids at a time until each was at least 3yo. This was in Mexico in the early 40's. She had her first 4 kids at 13 months apart. Then 13 years later my mom had my 2 brothers, also 13 months apart and tandem nursed them until 3. I came along 8 years later and I nursed for 1 year. My sister said I just didn't want it from one day to the next. My sisters nursed all their children. One sister has 8 kids! Oldest is 38 and younges 20. My second sister just had 2, twins now 24. My nieces do not nurse at all.

[Sylvia Lynn]

i was born in 1957. my mom was only 16 years old at the time. she wanted to give birth without drugs using the Read method, but of course that was a no-go off the wall suggestion. she had twilight sleep. she tried to nurse me, but my well-meaning aunt snuck in some supplemental bottles so i refused breast. she did nurse my brothers.

my two oldest kids were born in 1977 & 1980. both were nursed until 7 & 8 months when they weaned themselves. i guess because this was san jose, ca i had quite a bit of support from my ob, who was enlightened even for now, my pediatrician who is a big bf supporter and just the general climate was supportive. robert & nance both nursed right after (natural) delivery, within minutes.

[Jish]

lalain, I laughed when I read your post. It rang so true. In my baby book at nine months my favorite foods are listed as 'ice cream,' 'candy' and 'Pepsi' of all things. And I wonder why I have such bad eating habits.

I was born in 1969 and wasn't nursed, nor was my brother born in 1971. It was the age of the Playtex Nurser System. My dh was adopted and not bfed. MIL used the Playtex system with him and gave it to me. You would not believe the contraption. It was nothing like the "system" playtex has today. You had to have lessons to figure it out, I swear. My mil did bf my bil for six months then quit (teeth: .)

No one in my extended family of dozens of cousins has even attempted bfing besides me. I think they think I'm a little strange. I'm also one of the youngest cousins so they already think of me as a baby at 32.

I'm curious about these mothers who used smoking as an excuse not to breastfeed. Did they smoke throughout their pregnancies?

[ebfmommy]

none for me

I was born in 1964 and didn't get any of the good stuff. I'm the only one in my immediate family who has breastfed their child. My sil has 5 that are all formula fed. I had never asked my mom about why I wasn't breastfed. I just assumed it was because of the prevailing views at the time. After my ds was born, she told he that she had tried to nurse my brother (born 1962) but gave up after a few days due to lack of info/support. I'm sure the fact that the labor drugs they gave her virtually knocked her out for a few days didn't help. And because of that experience didn't ever try with me. Very sad.

I'm so glad that there is much more support out there for breastfeeding. Funny how even though I had very little exposure to breastfeeding growing up, I knew that would definitely breastfeed my son.

Ebfmommy to a wonderful 3 yr old.

[reverendmother]

You all are BABES!----

I was born in 1957 and my mother INSISTED on nursing. She REFUSED to read Doctor Spock too.
She would have nursed longer but I developed influenza and was in the hospital for a number of weeks. No breat pumping.

Mom also nursed my brothers (and nursing wasn't "cool" then either). Oldest db born in 1938, number 2 db born 18 months later. Then db number 3 was born in 1943.
All three talked thier own wives into nursing as their own babes were born beginning in 1965 until 1972.

I was SHOCKED to find out that nursing wasn't PC! My Mom use to say -- that's what these breasts are made for.

p.s. My mom was there to show me how to latch on number 1 dd. That was great! She had to learn from her mother-in-law (my g'ma). Also, Mom was just 20 and had to fight the nurses to breastfeed db number 1 in 1938.

[controlfreak]

I wouldn't stop nursing LOL, even when my Mom tried to wean me at 6 months. So, I ended up nursing until about 2!

[pie]

wow freaky, no wonder you are so smart!

[Lemon Balm]

I was born in 1968, my sister in 1971 & I don't think bfing was ever even considered.

My 7 yo nursed until 2 1/2 & I caved into parent-led weaning. My 19 mo is a real nurser & I'll let her tell me when she's no longer interested.

I found it interesting when dd #1 was born that I was supposed to "get help" or have someone show me how to nurse. She was born in a hospital & they took her from me so I could rest. I bugged them enough that they brought her back. I just put her to my breast & she knew what to do. The nurses who came later seemed irritated that I didn't need their help. I guess ignorance is bliss. I didn't realize I was supposed to be taught how to nurse

[laurag]

My mother did not nurse my brother or me (70 and 73). She is of the school that believes you should do whatever is easiest for the mom - and to her that means formula. I am the first in my family to breastfeed. Neither of my sister-in-laws nursed and they all treat me like I am a little "out there" for doing it. They all (especially mom) take every opportunity they get to ask when I am going to quit or have I started giving her formula yet? I used to try to explain all the benefits of breastfeeding to them but have given up on that. Now I just drive them nuts by saying that I may wean her before she goes to college!

[Sierra]

I was born in the 70's, my mom was a little hippie, but more importantly, she parented by instict, so she nursed me (just as she had nursed my older sisters) until I self-weaned when she got pregnant with my brother and her milk changed. I hated the taste of the new milk, and my mom says that I nursed for the shortest amount of time of all her kids! I think I nursed until around a year old.

After I weaned, my mom would sometimes offer me some breastmilk, especially when she was engorged with my brother's milk, but I just wouldn't go for it. I'm pretty darn proud of my mother for knowing to bf us. When she had my oldest sister, she was a teen mom who didn't have a whole lot of support. When I look back at all the baby books, etc. the hospital gave her, they all were sponsored by formula manufacturers, and I'm sure the doctors she had access to at the time were not at least knowledgable about bf or ebf. I mean, even when my mom went to visit The Farm when my sister was about 14 months (as in, Spiritual Midwifery), the midwives told her my sister was too old to nurse. So I really say good for all the moms out there of the past who still knew that bf and ebf was the right thing to do! They had so much going against them!

[e.Rishavy]

My mother tried to nurse me and my younger brother (78 and 79) but I was very opposed to the idea - according to her. I think it had more to do with the fact that my brothers and I all had GERD (undiagnosed). I wouldn't have thought so until my son was bborn with extreme acid reflux, and had to be medicated.
My mother instead insists that I've broken her heart from day one and I am some how responsible for our inability to bond. One day she'll realize I love her no matter what goes on.

[AutumnMoonfire]

My Mom had my oldest sister in '54. She tried to BF but in those days you stayed in for 7 days and she was told about normal newborn weightloss "But Sally you cannot nurse the baby look she's loosing weight!": She didn't try with my next sister '57 or with me. '66 I probably would have been very hard to bf too. especially without support I was hypothyroid and was having apnea spells till they figured it out at 6-8 weeks. nowadays NYS and most others test for that with the PKU screen.

My sister bf as well as my sister in law. My cousin took her fat bf'd baby to a photo shoot and he was an Enfamil baby for a while even though he never had any of the stuff :cool:

My SIL and I have both bf our kids.

MIL was going back to work in 5-6 weeks and never thought about it. she was given dry up pills my mom was given the shot, I think.

[jaylind]

i was born in '71, the youngest of 6 kids. my oldest sib was born in '51. mom nursed us all 'till we were 8 months and then gave us cow's milk in a cup. she says she tried formula in a bottle at times when she wanted to go out on a date with dad but none of us would take a bottle. so we never got any of the yucky stuff at least LOL....she did begin feeding us all oatmeal at about 1-3 weeks of age though...but from what i've read, heard and talked to her about, all that was normal at that time. so i guess i feel lucky i had a smart momma who knew breast was best...

jaylind

[jewelweed]

I was the firstborn and my mom strictly followed the doctor's orders--breastfeed only every 4 hours. I cried all the time, and she switched me to formula at 4 months. When my little sister, and then brother, were born, Mom wised up and fed them on cue, all the while lying to the doctor when he asked if she was adhering to his schedule. They were happy babies and they nursed for about a year each. I sense that my mom feels a little guilty about me (she brings it up a lot) but I always try to reassure her and make her feel better.