Were YOU breastfed? - Page 4

[liawbh]

I was BF til 2 1/2 or 3. Born in '75, in OR. I was born at home, too.
I was in the NICU, no oral feedings for almost 2 weeks. Mom hand-expressed that whole time. They fed her colostrum and milk to the preemies in the ward (can you imagine? times sure have changed re: bodily fluids.)

She weaned really abruptly, though. Got really stressed out during her divorce, and left me w/ grandparents for 2 weeks, then told me it was all gone. I have a vague memory of trying to bargain w/ her for one more try, probably 6 months after that.

[Alienmum]

I (1977) was breastfed for 3 weeks. Mum did her research and decided that bm was best, although formula was all the rage and she was living with my granny who had formula fed all her babies. But my mum had to go back to work after that, and she didn't have easy access to pumps and nursing rooms in those days. She breastfed my sister (1985) for 4 months since she was a SAHM then.

[cryspanimal]

I was born in 1972. I was six weeks early and was in the hospital (I think the "NICU" didn't exist really yet!) for about 4 weeks. My pediatrician really encouraged my mom to breastfeed me, which she had been thinking of doing anyway. When he told her how important he thought it was for me, she was really committed to it. She hand-expressed while I was in the hospital, then went on to breastfeed me for two years! Now that I'm a mom myself, I just think this was such an amazing thing for her to do!

She breastfed my sister for about 20 months but felt she had to wean her early because she became pregnant with my brother and was having a lot of pain/discomfort with nursing. My brother nursed until he was two.

[Megs_BK]

My mom bf both my older sister (76) and I (78) for over a year (not sure on the exact amount of time). It was never a question for her. Her mom bf seven kids born between '43 and '59, so that definitely set the precedent. Mom and her sisters (3 of them) all BF their kids, so my own sis and I grew up with the concept of "it's just what you do." One of my cousins BF her triplets! That was a sight to see... wow. It's funny, though -- even though my mom bf her kids, in some ways I think I still kinda freaked her out when she came to help me after Nevie was born. First, she thought I was smothering Nevie because my "ladies" are much bigger than hers, and then I think I kind of embarassed her with my lack of modesty. Let's face it... in the early days of BF, the last thing you want is any clothing touching your burning nipples! So I just walked around the house with 'em poking out all the time. She got over it.

[risen_joy]

I was bfed until about 15-16 mo. ('78). I actually have a really "warm fuzzy" memory of my mom feeding me too! I remember laying in my crib, it was dark, and then mom came and picked me up and carried me down the hall to the living room. It was morning and she had her fuzzy white robe on - I remember burying my face in it to avoid the light. Then she sat in the rocker and nursed me! At one point I remember my dad coming in and taking a picture. When I told my mom this she was SHOCKED I remembered and seemed a little embarrased, but I told her I LOVED this memory!

[Hollycrand]

Oooooh, these are such great stories.
My sister (76') and I ('74) were breastfed for about 9 months. My mother didn't have any help BFing, and she would have given it up except for a neighbour who had 6 kids who came over, taught my mom how to latch on correctly, breastfeed on demand, etc.
My mother weaned us when we started getting teeth, because apparetntly we had 'bitten' her a few times. She started us on cow's milk and then 'formula', but both of us had allergic reactions to them and she ended up just feeding us homemade solid food (which she now admits wasn't the best thing she could have done).
Both my parents were/are SUPER supporters of me BFing my children for as long as I want to. They even read my copy of 'A Womanly Art of Breastfeeding' from cover to cover.

[lilmissimpatient@c]

I was born in 1981, and I was BF for 9 months. My sister was born in 1992 and bf'd for 7 months.

Talking to my greataunt the other day, she said my great grandmother bf'd all 9 of her children for 3 years! I couldn't imagine bfing for 18 years straight :

[SabbathD]

Man, maybe we should have started a poll with this!!

I was nursed for two months, and my sister was nursed for a few days before my Mom gave up. I am the younger one, so I think she bullied some more support out of a few nurses, but wasn't able to make it work.

[spughy]

I was bf until about 15 mo and both my sisters were bf until past 18 mo I think. My dad insisted on it - he was a big Weston Price fan. My mom wasn't hard to convince, despite being raised with a "only poor people have to breastfeed" mentality. She is an ardent advocate of bf'ing now.

ETA: I was born in 1972, when bfing was decidedly uncool.

[L'lee]

Cool thread!

I was born in 72, and my mom was an early LLL member. She BF'd me until I was slightly over 2, and she was pregnant with my sister. She asked me if I'd mind stopping, since it really hurt. I shrugged and said, "OK" and stopped. She also used CDs and made a lot of our clothes.

She BF'd my sister as long as she wanted, but she self-weaned earlier and made my mom sad. Mom still has close friends from when she was in La Leche. I think that's so cool.

My MIL was also in LLL, I think SIL was born in 68, so VERY early on. I don't know how long she BF'd SIL and DH. She went to a meeting with me when she was visiting.

My mom was also BF'd in the 40's, as were her siblings. She said her mother was most likely BF'd also, because great grandma was very poor and a single mother.

Dad was FF, though because he was a twin and according to grandma's doctor, she wouldn't have enough milk for twins (didn't even try). Her other 3 children were also FF and all of my aunts and uncles have trouble with weight, teeth, diabetes, heart, and/or something else like that. Darn doctors, we should know better than to believe such things!

[mzfern]

Born in 1981, I was breastfed until I was 3 and my mom was pregnant with my sister. She's a hardcore lactivist now. Way to go, Mom!

[Aliviasmom]

I was born in '83 and breastfed for about 6 months. She stopped because it was too much work for her to manually pump at work, plus she was being harassed at work.

My brother was born in '85 and breastfed for about 7 or 8 months. She stopped because he was nursing so much it was wearing her out. His first full day on formula he drank 64 ounces!!

[Cloth4Colin]

Yep, I was. ('81) According to my mom, BF wasn't as much in "vague" at that time, but she was a nurse and had read all about the benefits. She said for here, there was no question. She BF'd and CD'd both me and my sister.

[melbb]

I was born in 1973 and was FF from the start. My sister, born in 1969 was also FF. My mother says she wishes she had BF us, but I guess FF was kind of the thing then, so she didn't. I wish that she had because then maybe she would have been more supportive of me when I was having BFing issues with DD. She told me once to just give her a bottle, what is the difference. That hurt. Now, she doesn't even ask me if I am still pumping anymore. But she isn't negative about it.

[Cate]

my two older brothers were bf for about 3 months each, then just before I was born, Mom discovered LLL, and I was bf for 4 years, and my younger brother for 4 1/2. It's deffinatly had an influence on me...

[thunderkitty]

My mother has said that she nursed both me and my brother without ever supplementing or any problems for a year or around that each. She has a bad memory though so I doubt she had NO problems whatsoever! But, she did live on a commune in Loma Linda at the time so I dunno maybe that made it easier.

[kittyhead]

i was just talking to my mom about this the other day. i was born in 1979 and was breastfed until 18 months, and she and all of her sisters, born in the 50's, were breastfed as well but nobody in the family can remember for how long.

[Maela]

I was born in 1981 and was breastfed for 3 weeks. I don't remember why my mom stopped so early, but I know that she went back to work after six weeks.

I was cloth diapered! (For financial reasons.)

[moonpie's_mama]

i was breastfed until i weaned naturally at 3 1/2 years. my sister nursed until she was 5 (you'd have to know her...), my brother until he was 3 1/2, and my baby sister, 2 yrs. old, is still going strong. my mom rocks!!

(we were all born in the 80's, and my baby sister in '04)

[an_aurora]

Yes I was breastfed! I'm 21 and my sis is 25, my mom bf'd my sis until she was 3.5 and me until I was 2.5. I was also born at home UC! I love my mama.

Unfortunately, my brothers were born when she was 16,18,and 20, and they were all formula fed. She tried bf'ing my oldest brother but she hemmoraged at 3 days pp and was in the hospital for 4 days, and they wouldn't let her bring the baby to the hospital. She didn't even try the other 2 brothers.