did your mama nurse you?

[bunny's mama]

i thought this might be an interesting one.

if you were nursed, how long did it last? also, you can share the year you were born, if you want.

my mom nursed me and my brother (me in 1970 and bro in 1967) for about 9 months each.

MIL says she BFed dh and his little bro (1971 and 1973) for about 7 months each ("until they got teeth" she said)

:D

[mama2m&m]

i was born in 68 and i am the family trendsetter! out of 12 sibs/steps/spouses/inlaws, none of us were and none of my six nephews were so i'm a real trailblazer :D

[bigcats]

My mom nursed me (born in 1979) for 12 months - probably because the doctor recommended it, she's big on medical advice :)

She nursed my brother (born in 1981) for maybe 9-10 months? He was a bigger solid food eater, more adventurous in that respect than I had been, so I suppose she figured he didn't want/need the breastmilk as much.

Both of us had formula supplementation, however. And when I had pokey weight gain in the beginning, doc suggested formula supplementation :(, which my mother complied with.

[momacat]

My mother wanted to nurse me longer, but she lost so much weight that she became anorexic.....sadly the drs back them sucked, and told her to stop.....She nursed me for 6weeks. Then, ten years later, when she had my brother, she nursed him for a year.

[Wildflower]

You know, my whole life I assumed my mother had nursed me for a long time because, well, she's your prototypical earth mother, but it turns out that I was nursed less than 2 months...my older brother wasn't potty trained yet, she says she just didn't feel like she had the physical energy to make enough milk after chasing my brother all over the house...I just got the whole story a few months ago when my daughter was born and I started nursing. Even though I totally understand, it suprised me how it brought up some deep sadness for me, that I'd been weaned so little. It's funny, I've always been kinda compulsive about needing to have my comfort foods on hand: maybe this is why! At any rate, I'm really grateful to be able to nurse with my daughter, and I looovvve my mommy.

[pina la nina]

Born in 71, nursed 18 months! I was a lucky kid! Apparently more or less child led weaning, same with my bro in 74 (said he stopped because they both got the stomach flu and he didn't eat at all for 3 days, when they got well her milk was gone - she'd had so little left - he wasn't interested anymore. He's now about 300lbs so I guess he got a fairly substantial foundation.)

[mamachiquita]

I was born in '80 to a single mom, who worked full-time. I was also nursed until I was 4 years old! I don't know how my mom did it, but she did, and I am so grateful! I'm surprised that over half of you weren't nursed at all:( I hope that the statistics go in the other direction for future generations

[Rastamom]

No boobies for me.

1971


My mom had 4 kids. My sister was the only one she nursed and that lasted 3 weeks, then my mom was admitted to the hospital for hemmoraging and weaned her right away. No one told her she could pump and resume after the few days she was laid up. (This was 1961 so there was really no way she'd be rooming in.)

[peacemama]

Nope. Born in 1970 to a smoker, and i was actually put on cow's milk very early because I supposedly had colic and screamed all the time, and changing formulas didn't help. No wonder I'm so screwy now...;)

[pie]

No milk for me. further, my mom never knew personally anyone who breastfed until 1980. I was born in '72....

[daylily]

I was born in 1968 and my mom nursed me for a few months until the dr. told her I wasn't gaining enough and she ought to supplement with formula. She didn't nurse my brother because he was a preemie and they didn't let preemies nurse back then. She did nurse my sister for a few months. BTW, I found out recently that my mom was planning a home birth when she was pregnant with me. Unfortunately, my dad and all her family ganged up on her and talked her out of it. She ended up getting a pitocin induction and I was pulled out with forceps.

[lisamarie]

I was adopted ~ my parents didn't get me until I was 2 1/2 mo. old. My mom did nurse my older brother and younger sister (they are biological). I ALWAYS knew that I wanted to nurse my baby, because I watched my mom do it. I even remember nursing my baby dolls :).

Warmly~

Lisa

[sagewinna]

Mom nursed me until I was 6 weeks old. The Dr. had me on an every 4 hour schedule, and I was hungry more often than that, so they told my mom that she didn't make good enough quality milk and she'd have to switch to formula.

She DID hold me every time she fed me, no bottles propped up.

Her mom nursed her for 2 months, then had a Dr. appointment, where the Dr. told her she'd nursed long enough and gave her a shot to dry up her milk.

[jtsmom]

I have been wanting to brag about my awesome mom!!

1973, she nursed me (only child) 1 year until the dr told her to stop because I was sick.:confused: She now embarasses me by saying, If I had my way you would still be nursing at 21. :o Uh, no thanks. She had some sort of carrier, sling type thing and says, I would put you in it with an extra diaper, (cloth) and we'd go anywhere.

Of course, now she swears shes going for a walk if I NIP, "can't you find a ladies lounge somewhere to do it in?" I don't think they have those at goodwill.

jtsmom

[cosmos]

My mom says she nursed "against medical advice" because she was lazy. Us kids were born '66,'68,'69 and she says she nursed my middle sister 4 months until she found out she was pregnant with me. I don't know how long I was nursed but probably only a few months. I'm sure we were supplemented, too. When I went to nurse my dd at 11 months while visiting her she was totally shocked I was still at it.

[Snickerdoodle]

Mom nursed me for 3 days, then put me on evaporated milk, Karo syrup, and water. She says her milk never really came in and formula was just to rich for me (and hard to get where we lived). So, she raised me on what her mom raised her on! This was 1971.

[mtt/bc]

My two other sisters and I were formula fed. (born'65,'66 & '72) Dr told my parents that the formula was 'next best thing to mother's milk'. My dad told me this when ds was born and my parents asked how I was feeding him. I told them I was bf and giving ds 'the best thing'.

[abimommy]

I was nursed for four months

1975

[happyday8598]

Neither my brother nor I were nursed. That was in 77 and 79.

My sister was born in 88, however, and was nursed for 14 months, when she self weaned.

Talking with my mother, her looking back, she would have changed her method of feeding my brother and I...

Emily :)

[Serenity]

I was a 1971 baby and my mom nursed me for 8 months against the advice of her doctor, friends, and even her mother who had 10 babies. I don't know how my very poor grandmother could have afforded formula for all those babies, what a waste. My sister was only nursed for 4 months in 1975 because my mom became very ill with lupus and felt she wasn't producing nutritious enough milk at that time.

[flowerpower]

In 1967, my mother did not nurse her first child.

In 1972, she nursed me for 5 months, but has always regretted weaning me at that time.

In 1977, she nursed my sister for 13 months, until my father and grandmother bullied her into stopping.

In 1998, I nursed my first son for 1 year (as recommended by my doctor)

Presently, I am nursing my 20 month old toddler, and am leaning towards self-weaning.

[Dana]

My mom tried to nurse my sister (1963) against the advice of just about everyone including her own mother, but it didn't work. So she didn't even try to nurse my brother (67) or me (70). This spring she was thumbing through Sears' Baby Book and figured out that she'd had inverted nipples.

MIL nurse dh for 3 months, but he was too skinny so they switched to formula. Another victim of lack of support.

I plan to let dd self wean.

[VioletPearl]

I, 1981, was nursed for almost 2 years until mom got preg w/my brother. He was nursed for about 18 mo. My older sister, 1979, was nursed for 2 years, against the doctor's rec. and MIL. MIL even called Child Welfare on her to try to get her to stop. My oldest sister, 1974, I'm not sure because she was born in the hospital w/mom all drugged-then the father tried taking her away when she was only a few mo old. I've never seen any pics w/bottles so I think she must have been BF too.
VioletPearl

[Pom]

My mother for years insisted that I "refused" to take her milk.

Onlu recently have I been able to show her that it was probably lack of support that caused us to have feeding problems, and it was not a blatant rejection of her on my part!

She loves that I am breastfeeding and is "awed" at how much effort and commitment it takes. She's become quite the advocate.

But who knew? She was 21, and no one would help her through it.

[the_mombat]

I was born in 68, my mother nursed me for about a week, I think. Then she had cracked and bleeding nipples, no support, and switched to formula. My SO was not nursed at all.

I'm planning to let my 8 month old daughter self-wean, regardless of who in my family thinks I'm crazy:D

[Julie]

I was nursed for 3 months. I am one of the >1% That is genuinly allergic to breastmilk, My poor Mom did a compleatly elimination diet and could not find anything in her diet causeing me to be allergic, It was so bad that if BM got on my skin I would react :( I was raised on goats milk and Karo syrup cause it was the Only thing I could tolerate.

Both my Kids ended up having sever Dairy allergies and DD is Dairy/soy allergic so Im very lucky that we figgered out the BFing thing :) DS was Fed Soy formula From a lack of support/stupid advice from a Dr/Mean LLL lady...Long story...But he was BF for 6 weeks at least (wish it was longer!)

*Edited to add i was born in '77, My sister born in '74 was BF for 6 weeks untill she hit a growth spirt and the Drs told my Mom she was eatting so much cause mom had no milk...If my Mom had gotten the support she needed both my sister and i would have been BF*

[3girls1boy]

My mom nursed us all for about 9 mos. and then weaned us right to cow's milk. Oldest brother was born in 1958 in a Navy hospital. No one would show her how to nurse until in the middle of the night and old, old nurse knew how to show her what to do.

Her next child was born in 1960, me in 1962, and my younger brother in 1964. She hooked up with some of the LLL founders in Chicago when she was pg for the 3rd time, but she ended up miscarrying that time, and moving away so she never got involved with LLL.

I always knew that she was proud of going against the norm and that greatly influenced me when I had my kids.

Jeanne (been pregnant and/or nursing since 1991)

[busymom]

The docs convinced my mom that formula was better than breastmilk in 1966 so I was never nursed, neither was my sister born in 1968. My dad revealed to me that that is the angriest he has ever been with my mom. I always new I would nurse my baby (hopefully babies) she is now 3 and still nursing once a day, in the morning. My grandmother and I now have a bond --we are the only living women in our family who have nursed a child. Grandma even told me about pumping milk so she could go out once in a while when my mom was a baby in 1940!

[queencarr]

I was born in 1974 and was nursed about 10-11m, when I self weaned. When I was a few months old, my Dad was a SAHD while my Mom worked because she made more money, so she hand expressed for bottles of bm for me. I started weaning when my family encouraged my Mom to give me water at around 6m because it was Florida and summer, no air conditioning, and they were convinced I needed it to not have heat stroke. I got solids fairly early, mainly because I was interested and liked them. My Mom looked and acted very conservative, but was very natural living, whole foods, type stuff. My grandmother (Mom's side) attempted to nurse, but didn't have "good milk" (probably didn't--she smoked at the time and worked many hours at a family grocery), and they were fed cow's milk (fresh/raw I think) after a few weeks. My Dad's Mom bottle fed her older kids, but nursed my Dad. Everyone in my family is very supportive of me nursing, even at almost 4yo. Shortly before he died, my Grandaddy told me he thought I should nurse "as long as Jimmy was willing and I was able", and if there were any doubts, that settled it for the rest of my family. My Grandaddy was very much the patriarch of our family.

Carrie

Edited for clarity and spelling errors.

[jempd]

I was breastfed for 3 months, my 3 sisters for a year each. I was abruptly weaned because my mother got sick and was hospitilized and didn't have the support or means to pump and keep me on breastmilk. This was in 1959. My mother said she had no problems except for that.

[grisletine]

i wasnt nnursed at all.. neither was my older siblings.. i was born in 80.. my siblings 78 and 76. my mother wasnt nursed either or an of her siblings... my father was. and my little brother born in 90 was nursed for 3 months and then she stopped becasue of fsmily pressure.. it seems we all wanted to hold his bottle. a few of my aunts nursed so im not teh only one... but my little girl is the first grandchild.

[rsps]

born in 1970
my mom nursed me for 11 months
but supplemented with bottles in public.

[Elphaba]

.

[laurajean]

My Mom nursed all of her 5 kids. She nursed all of us until we had teeth. The first 4 for 8 months each and the last one for 4 months. She had her first kid in 1968 and her last in 1975.

She decided to breastfeed after giving birth to my oldest sister. Apparently the nurse came in and asked her what she wanted to do, how she wanted to feed her baby... And, she said she didn't know. So, the nurse and her room mate (in the hospital) persuaded her that breast was best - her room mate even gave her a book about breastfeeding. According to my mother, she never had a problem with latch-on and soreness... imagine that?

~Laura

[fourlittlebirds]

My mom nursed me for 14 months (I was born in 1966.) Her doctor said it was the best thing she could do for me. She says she's the only mother she knew at the time who was nursing her baby, and that everyone thought it was weird. She weaned me at 14 months, because it was just unheard of to be still nursing a baby at that age, and she was embarrassed.

[mama joy]

My mom tried nursing me in the hospital. She was struggling and asked a nurse for help. The nurse told her she wasn't trying hard enough. I was on formula by the time I left the hospital.
1970

[Millie Ivy]

1981 I was nursed 13 months. My mom just figured that it wasn't necesary past a year. In fact she wasn't convinced of that until I started educating her on extended bfing. 83 she nursed my lil sis for 11 months and 85 nursed my brother for 10 months.
She tells me how proud of me she is for listening to my intuition and not general consensus.

[Sarah_Elizabeth]

My mom was a NICU nurse and I was nursed for about 10 months. I was started on solids I think at a mere 8 weeks of age though. I was born in 1972. Actually, she said the only people she knew who nursed were some of the other nurses and DOCTOR'S WIVES. Apparently, they knew breast was best (at least many of them did) after all. My grandma (mom's mom) nursed all but one of her 4 for 9 months in the 40's and 50's and the one she did FF was her 3rd because he had to have surgery at 2 months and without good pumps or support back then, so she lost her milk supply. She always said what a nuisance formula was. My mom had to go back to work full time when my younger brother was 6 months, so he was pretty much weaned then (also due to lack of good pumps back then). She always told me how bad she felt to be put in that position (because my dad was fired and wouldn't look for work again for over a year).
I come from a long line of breastfeeders, but I was the first one to do it past a year though. I can't say I got much flack for it though. As screwy as my mom is (and don't get me started), that's one thing she did pretty well for me at least.

[Bekka]

born 1973--I was bf until around 9 months, when switched to a bottle.

I'm the eldest of 9 kids, all other kids nursed between 16 and 22 months. My mom said she weaned either when she was pregnant or when the kids could take her clothes off. She didn't mean to stop nursing me--it was just easy to give a bottle with powdered milk and then her milk dried up. She said "much I knew." Dh was nursed 4 months--him mum was a MW and had problems with oversupply. Been pg and/or nursing since 1997.

[bluemoon]

Iwas born in 1974. My mom was 18 years old and with out asking her they gave her that shot that dried up her milk. my grandmother used a bottle with all of her 6 children. so no one believed me when i said i would nurse my dd. When i had problems I got," the give her a bottle and it will all be fine." but at 20 months we are still nursing!!!

[MORENA2002]

My mom is an RN and never breastfed any of us (3 children)..said breastmilk is not enough to satisfy a baby..well..i love to show my chunky monkey fed only breastmilk to her..she says she doesn't believe i feed him only breastmilk..what a doofball..lol

[Mommiska]

My mom nursed all of us (born 70, 72, 74, 78), despite comments like, 'What do you think you are, a cow?' What a lady - she said it was just common sense to her that the milk she was providing must have been better for us than formula. :-)

I was only nursed for about 6 weeks, however - Mom used to drink loads of milk when nursing me (thought it was good for me!) - turns out I was allergic to it (the cow's milk). Her doctor told her to stop nursing (not stop drinking cow's milk), so I got soy formula from then on.

I think she nursed my brothers and sister for 9-10 months or so.

I'm currently tandem nursing my 26 month old and 8 month old, and am planning on child-led weaning.
Carolyn

[bunny's mama]

i'm so glad i started this thread. its so interesting to hear all the stories. so sad, though, that as of today's voting, 62% never got nursed at all or were nursed for 3 months or less. and not nursed at all is the largest percentage.

what is so great though, is how many of us are doing better for our own children than we got. hooray for us! :hippie

[rocketmom]

I was nursed until I was only 3 mo old! :( My mom said that she couldn't stand it anymore. I started getting really bad ear infections from 3mo old on...till I was 7 and had surgery. Gee it so amazing to me that she never put the two together- stopped nursing=starting ear infections. Well, I can say that I have not followed in her foots steps on this one-dd#1 nursed till 3 1/2 yrs and dd#2 is stil at 20 mos. :)

[steph]

1958...no nursng for me. mom was ill and it was not common in that era. my loss, and my mom's too :crying

[Rainbow]

I don't know, I was with my biological mom until I was 4 and then went with adoptive parents. My adoptive parents ddi not breast feed their kids. Formula all the way.
Somehow I still new I would bf... it just seemed more natural. I do think I remember being told I was bf for like 10 months... and then went to a cup. But I'm not positive. (I now know my bio mom, but we haven't tlaked about it really)

Aly

[TiredX2]

My mom formula fed all her nine kids (me in 1976 and 1960, 62, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, and 79). She told SIL that she thought nursing for maybe three months max would have been nice (SIL was nursing her 11 month old at the time, lol). She has only been supportive of me, though, and my dad, wow I have been impressed how open they are to it (still nursing Dd, though i'm not sure they know that at 3 years and Ds at 4 months).

DH was nursed until 15 months (1975), his brothers 10 months (1972) and 2 years (1980). I sometimes think they are *more* shocked by my continued nursing, though they are also more "in the know" of our nursing.

Kay

[cupcake]

I was born in 1979 and nursed until one year, when my mom got sick and couldn't nurse for three days so she went ahead a weaned me. Apparently I had self-weaned to only about 5 mins. a day anyway. But she says that's one of her biggest regrets - wishes she wouldn't have stopped. She says if she had had more kids they would have bf for much longer (I am an only child).

Still, I must have had a really progressive pediatrician, as most other people in '79 were apparently being encouraged to just bottle feed. I was a very slow grower (weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. at birth and only 16 lbs. at one year, 22 lbs. at two years) and yet the doctor just told my mom to start feeding on demand, NOT to formula supplement. Good thing because I wouldn't take a bottle! Never once took anything but the breast until I began with the cup around 8 mos., and then only water in the cup until one year. The doc did say that formula may be necessary, but as I was healthy and did gain some each week once my mom stopped all of the schedule stuff and fed on demand he encouraged her to just breastfeed. Boy am I glad! I can't wait until I have a little one to nurse! My mom has always told me about what a wonderful experience it is, and you ladies make me believe that even more!

[Lila]

My mother nursed me for 5 months (with supplement, I think) but one afternoon I was left in the care of her mother, who gave me an Oreo to stop me crying. Mother said I refused to nurse after that.

Anyone got some chocolate???

[kama'aina mama]

My Mom had ten kids, the first in 1950 and the last in 1966. She nursed each of us for at least a month. I expect the early ones got more than us towards the end, but we all got some. (I was born in '65.)

Three of us girls have nursed our babies.

[mom2girls]

Born in 1969 and child #4! My oldest brother was given the opportunity but the nurses told my mom that she had no milk! What a load!! She attemped with me for a couple of hours but again was told that she had no milk :-(

[parisfrance]

The oldest, I was born in 1969. I was transverse, but mom wanted a vaginal birth and doctor complied. Needless to say, it was traumatic for everyone, mom was drugged and didn't see me for TWO DAYS! I still can't believe that. She tried to BF anyway, and at first my Grandma (dad's mom) was very supportive, but then she started wanting to give me a bottle, and so I got half and half for 2 months or so when mom finally gave up. With my brother, 1973, she was determined and nursed him for about a year. She has been very supportive, and was very encouraging and proud of me when I fought hard after a c-section to nurse and succeeded!

DH is French, and the youngest of three. He was Bottlefed because his mom bought the "your milk isn't nourishing enough" line with the oldest and never tried again. She thought I was crazy, but after a few months (and many comments on how smart and beautiful DS is) she has never said anything more against it!!!!

Michelle in Paris, France

[Ottermom]

My mom only nursed me ('70) for 2 months, but I have the greatest immune system, go figure . My dh ('69) was not nursed at all because that meant you were poor.
o!

[Forest Sage]

I'm fortunate that all the women on my maternal side are very pro breastfeeding. I breastfed until around the age of one year. It's so sad that such a high percentage of you were not breastfed at all.
My son is still breastfeeding at 3 1/2.
I was born in '75.

[Tigeresse]

No nurnies for me either. My mom tried to nurse my oldest brother ('58), was told she had no milk and was starving him and never tried with my next brother ('60), or me ('62). I didn't even get formula for a year...switched to cow's milk at something like 3 months. Yummmm....................!

[MommyBear]

Born in 1983.

No boo for me :( My mom didn't even try, I was on formula from birth (and she even put tylenol in my bottle every night to make me sleep). Although I never had to hold my own bottle. She says that it was her time with me and that she didn't want me to have to do it myself when she could do it for me.

Now, she's not too thrilled (at least not that I know of) about me BFing DS. I've told her all the health benefits (and she had breast cancer so you'd think she's be a little more accepting) but she just doesn't seem to like it.

[bunny's mama]

mommybear, do you think your mom might be a little jealous of the relationship you have with your baby (one she didn't have with you because she bottlefed?)

[clewal]

Both me and my older brother (72 and 68) were formula fed. My younger brother was breastfed with formula supplement until he was 6 months. My older brother got food at 3 days because the formula wasn't enough for him. My little brother got supplemented because mom was a gestational diabetic and the dr's felt he needed a little supplement (1 oz each feeding) to help control his blood sugars.
I talked to my mom the other night and she had said that she had wished she would have bf me and my older brother, but she had been told that breast milk didn't have all the nutrition that formula had and that it was inferer to breast milk. When my brother was born in 81, she was all gung ho about breastfeeding. When I had my son in 99 she was on of the most supportive people I had.
I'm not sure that she was breastfed, my grandmother swears it, but there are pictures of mom with a bottle. My father and his sister were breastfed. And my grandmother was breastfed by my great grandmother.

[carlsmama]

My mom had four girls: '65, '67(me), '69, and '73. We were all breastfed, but on a schedule, as my parents encouraged me to do, but which of course I do not! I am so glad my mother gave me this. I grew up knowing that this was the way it was supposed to be, that is what breasts are for and it was the best thing for the baby.

I think we all only lasted about 9-10 months, until the next pregnancy. I think my mom is becoming less supportive the older ds gets. At first she told me what I was doing (BF) was just the most natural thing in the world. Now that ds is 10 months I think she thinks I am just trying to out-do her or that I am trying to "make a statement". I do not really care what she thinks, I will BF ds until we are ready to call it quits. I hope that is long time though because we both really enjoy it! I cannot believe in a mere two months we will be officially extended!

[Nickysmom]

I was born in '74 and was lucky enough to be nursed for exactly one year. Apparently I bit my Mom on my first birthday and even though she tried for several days to get me to nurse again, I wouldn't. What was I thinking? :confused: She told me only recently that she had no time in mind of when to wean me. She also nursed my sister ('61) and my brother ('64) although not as long as she nursed me. She came from a family where she saw her siblings being nursed so she says that 'It's just what you do
' She is also very proud that I never had a bottle, she gave me sips of milk from a cup when I was older (10 or 11 months)

[mapraelm]

My mom says she nursed me for 9 mos but I also got a bottle of formula for the night feed from my dad....
she still blames me for weaning at 9 months but I bet it was a nursing strike. I was weaned straight to a cup.
this was 1971, and she was a smoker, too....

mil says she didn't nurse her first cause she ate some chocolate in the hospital (~1953) and they said that was bad for her milk. She didn't even consider it with the other 4 :( But she hasn't ever given me a hard time about my "wierdness" -- I nursed ds#1 til 3.25 years, ds #2 still going at 22mo.

[rocketmom]

mapraelm- LOL What's wrong with chocolate milk? Yummy stuff if you ask me.

[mapraelm]

Originally posted by rocketmom
LOL What's wrong with chocolate milk? Yummy stuff if you ask me.

My sentiments exactly! Nice thing, my mil kind of laughs about it now, but she did get a little nervous when she saw me eat chocolate when ds#1 was a newborn! The doctors told her she couldn't nurse her baby if she ate chocolate. Go figure!:confused:

[3kaw]

My mother nursed me (72) for about 2 weeks. I started at 6lbs 2 oz, and went down to about 5, the dr's told her she didn't have enough milk. :angry they insisted she put me on formula. No support at that time to correct the problem.
So of course she did not even try with my younger sis (76).
She is extremely supportive now!:love

Dh mother 'says' she nursed the first few (of 6) (55,56,58,60, and twins in 70), till she got a "really bad" case of mastis, inwhich she could not nurse because blood was coming out in her milk:( Dh was never nursed, and thinks that 3 is too old to nurse. :( We'll see when we get there ;)

[artemesia]

My mother nursed me (1971) and my two sisters (1974 &1979) well into our second year. She also worked full time so she would hand express milk and come nurse us on her lunch hour. I can't imagine that she got any support whatsoever from my grandmother (who babysat us). She did tell me that we occaisionally recieved formula while she was at work when there wasn't enough expressed milk.

[audrey]

My mom did not nurse me at all I was put at about 3 weeks on a dilution of cow's milk because before with the formula I had colic. My mom could not see herself with a baby on her breast she needed her feminity back and even today I am breastfeeding my baby and there isn't one day where she says that I should give a bottle or now that I sould introduce solid. When she sees me pumping or with my nursing bras she also passes comments that there is no way she could have done that. Anyway too bad for me but I definetly do not listen to her.

[Greenfrogs]

My mother breastfeed both my sister (born 1970) and me (born 1968) until we were a little over 9 months. Both of us self weaned.

My grandmother breastfeed by mother (born 1948) and my aunt (born 1944) until they were a year old. To quote my grandmother "I was to lazy to warm those silly bottles".

[lalain]

I was born in 1967 and was nursed for about 9 months. When I had DS and was in the hospital wondering where the heck the lactation consultant was (it took more than 24 hours for one to come), she reflected on how little help she had back then and how much there is now. I can only hope our daughters will have it better.

The funniest thing I think about my early nutrition was the introduction of solids. My mom was great about recording stuff in my baby book and gave it to me when I had DS (it's one of my most treasured posessions). I think she had me on cereal at a week and all sorts of different solids in the first couple of months... there's even a note about me liking CHEETOS at six months. CHEETOS. Good grief. I'm amazed I was breastfed... she was the only one of her sisters/friends to do so. She also sometimes reflects on how different is is for me that I'm able to BFIP as she remembers being shut away the whole time she was nursing. I don't know if she realizes it ain't always easy and accepted for me either, but I do recognize what a time it must have been for her and how great she was to do it. :)

Thanks mom :) :crying :love

[nataly]

Was born in 80. My brother was born in 76. Neither of us were breastfed. My mom is not supportive much about me bf'ing my dd.

Not that all ff are bad but my mom was the selfish kind of mom...you know, the kind that doesn't quit smoking throughout her entire pregnancies, smoked with us in the car, etc. bleh.

I'm just glad I'm going to be better! :) I plan on extended bf my dd. :thumb

[mom at home]

My mom nursed each my 2 sisters and me for 6 months. That was really good for the early 60's, she says, and I guess it was. I don't think any of her friends nursed their babies. She thinks it's great that my sister and I have nursed our toddlers and is very pro-extended breastfeeding.

Alison

[Greenfrogs]

I was talking to my aunt yesterday about bfing etc and she told me a funny story about taking a train with my grandmother and my mother back in 1948. The conductor kept asking my grandmother if she needed a bottle to feed my then 6 month old bf mother. My grandmother kept replying very politely "no thankyou, I have everything I need". The conductor kept staring at my grandmother as if she was starving her baby. I guess the conductor did not understand that breast are much easier to carry on a long trip than bottle :).

[Parthenia]

I was nursed for about 3 or 4 months, until my mom went to work.

But here's a funny nursing story. My dad has 9 brothers and sisters. All were born at home, all breastfed til they ate solids regularly (This is 20's-40's in rural Tennessee). At one of my cousin's wedding a couple of summers ago, one of my aunts came up to me while I was nursing dd (a little over a year). My aunt's nickname is "Tit", and we still call her that, even though she's well into her 60's. I kid you not. She sat down with me and asked if I knew how she got the nickname.
"Well" she said, "Jo-Jo (my grandmother) couldn't get me to wean, so everyone called me 'Tit'. then she got pregnant with my sister, and I didn't like the taste anymore. But I was almost 3 by then!" Then she turned to dd and said, "You keep it up, it's good for you!":p

[lisab]

1972

I was b'fed for about 6 months. My mom was really gung-ho on breastfeeding (which, as I understand, was pretty rare then), however she didn't have much help getting started. I think I probably had a bad latch, because all she ever recounts is how bad her nipples hurt!

My sister, born in 1974, wasn't b'fed at all.

[treehuginhippie]

Born in '79 and nursed for 18 months. I was the baby of four. Mom says the docs told her that bf was not healthy and that formula was best. :eek: She decided that that info was bs. A week after I was weaned, I was put in the hospital for severe dehydration and some stomach issues. Mom is sure it was connected to weaning. She thinks if I had weaned earlier I would have been a lot worse off. I'm surprised that she bf'd that long - she is usually pretty mainstream.

[2J'smom]

I was nursed 10 mnths (70) and my brother 9 mnths (67). Mom says she didn't know anyone who nursed. People looked at her like she was some kind of "hippy" lol. MIL nursed all three 71,69,66 for 7 months +. My grandma nursed, can't understand how you couldn't - after all that's why we have 'em she says. She was so happy to see I was nursing ds#1 more than 1 year as my sil didn't nurse a single day (she also had 2 scheduled c secs etc etc) I had two home births so had little support from that side. However mil very supportive- later found out DH's greatgrandmother was a midwife.
ds#1 nursed 20 months and ds#2 going strong at 11 weeks.
Funny story- We were shopping and ds#1 sees newborn in a stoller with a propped bottle and asks baby's mother," What's that in your baby's mouth"? Mother replies milk. DS#1 says my baby brother gets milk from my mommies num nums .. I just smiled and carried on.

[Mallory]

I was nursed for three or four months until I started to lose weight. My mom was pregnant, and had no milk. My brother and I are 11 months apart. :eek: I don't know how she did it. He was nursed for a while then we got goats to give him goat milk:) I liked the goats much more than the baby brother.

[Jenmom]

I was nursed 9 months and it was shorter with each child. The youngest was only nursed about 4 months. Which, might explain a lot, the youngest has issues. Abimommy is one of my sisters just FYI.

[madison]

Nope, never nursed.

I was born at 30 weeks gestation, a twin (my twin died at 6 days old) weighing 3 lbs 1 oz.

I was force-fed 3 oz of formula every three hours on a rigid schedule. I was in an incubator for six weeks in isolation and was held only for feedings.

I had two surgeries (at 4 weeks and 4 months) without pain medications, because "infants don't feel pain like adults and older children".

I was put onto cereal at 3 weeks, when I weighed a whole 4 lbs. My mom HELD ME for the first time on the 4th of July - I was born May 31! Poor me :(

By the time I was 12 months, I was so FAT, they put me on a skim milk diet!!!

I'm so horrified at how LITTLE my mother & father knew about pregnancy & birth & childrearing! <shudder>

Darn, I feel lucky to be here! :D

My younger sisters were never nursed. My sister with kids nursed my nephew for 3 weeks and my neice for 2 days :(

They think I'm a freak for saying I'm going to nurse as long as the baby darn well pleases!

[aishy]

I nursed till I was 3.5 Tandem for about a year with my younger brother. When mom was pregnant I told her to buy him bottles when we were at the grocery store. Apparently I was SO jealous of my new brother.

I was born in 1979. My moms only "experience" with nursing before she had my older brother in 77 was her sister-in-law, i think. And LLL meetings. My granny gave birth at home, and co-slept, but never breastfed. She used to ask mom "Are you stillf feeding those children" When the twins were toddlers, lol. She was a midwife in Ireland before getting married and having her (7 total) children. She is a fun and interesting mom ; )

aisling

[MinervaZ]

I was born in '68 - Mom was a serious hippie, and she nursed me for 2 1/2 years.

I wish I was able to do the same, but I've been plagued by supply problems with both babies. I've tried EVERYTHING (fenugreek, domperidone, pumping, many consultants), and it just gets me depressed. My youngest is 6 months and he's already starting to wean.:crying

[stlcjb]

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 :D :hippie

[Celestial]

I was not nursed.

197_
My mother was given "dry up" shots after my birth. I was frank's breech, delivered vaginally, with forceps. She was a teen mom (18 1/2), and went for prenatal care through the hospital's clinic. When she asked about breastfeeding after my birth, she was told dry up shots were standard procedure. She had already been given the dry up shot without her knowledge or consent. And she was told a woman could not relactate.

My brother was born in 1981. She didn't nurse him either. When I asked why, she told me it was because she knew she had to go back to work in 6 weeks.

Finally, my half sister was born in 1991. My mother tried to breastfeed while in the hospital, but could not get my sister to latch, so she formula fed.

I often wonder if the reason my sister wouldn't nurse had to do with my mother's smoking. Mom is, and has always been, an inch short of being a chain smoker.

My grandmother nursed both my mother and my uncle for a few months. I think about 7 months each. She had Twilight Sleep with each of them.

DH and BIL were each nursed 4 months. MIL and her sister had wet nurses, because their mom "didn't have enough milk". Don't know about FIL, but I assume since they were poor, they were nursed.

The biggest breastfeeding supporter in my family is my 90 year old Great Grandmother (nursed all 4 kids), and my 82 year old Great Aunt.

[abismommie]

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!!! :D

[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:rolleyes: .)

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]

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!":rolleyes: 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.

[PB's Mom]

I was adopted, so I was a formula baby.(1968) My brother was not adopted, but he was also a formula baby.....the doctor at the time (1962) recommended that my mother use the formula.

I met my natural mother, and she has 3 other children. I think she breastfed all of them, but not for very long (probably a few weeks) and started rice cereal very early ....I think at 3 weeks with one baby.

[Viola]

I was born in 1966 and nursed for a few weeks or so, until the milk dried up probably. That's the way it seemed to go.

My mom had 7 children and the first was born in 1948 and was only breastfed for a month. After that, she switched him to "formula" which at that point in time was Carnation evaporated milk reconstituted with water. Her doctor actually recommended that stating that many women can't make enough milk. :rolleyes: She nursed her second child exclusively for 7 months. She also gave up smoking with him, but forced herself to start back up because she was gaining weight. :crying: So she smoked through her last 3-5 pregnancies, and nursed each baby for less and less time.

[Viola]

Originally posted by e.Rishavy
My mother instead insists that I've broken her heart from day one and I am some how responsible for our inability to bond.

:rolleyes: That's terrible. It sounds like you are much wiser than she. Hugs to you.

[Maracita]

I was nursed for 3 months, my mom always told me she wanted to keep nursing and was very sad when the doctor told her she did not have enough milk, and I kept crying. I was on a 4 hour schedule and they were told to give me fennel tea in between. No wonder it did not work. When she saw me nursing my son all the time, sometimes for hours at first, she was sad and said she wished she had done that back then. We are still very close anyways, makes me so mad at doctors though:mad:

[sassytap]

I was born in 1973 and was nursed 9 months in spite of a very difficult start--cracked bleeding nipples! I weaned on my own
( probably because mom was entering 2nd trimester for my sister, but also because I was walking then and VERY busy!) My sister was nursed 18 months -- very impressive because mom was working full time from the time she was 8 weeks old and pumped all of the milk she needed for the evenings. My sister had many allergies and showed no interest in solid foods until she was a full year old. For MANY MANY reasons I think I have the best mom in the world. This is just one of them.
More impressive I think is my grandmother who had her first baby in 1947 -- peak of the baby boom. She had been born at home as had all of her brothers and sisters, but that "wasn't done" any more so she went into the hospital to have my uncle. Nana claimed to be 5 ft and was a feisty little irish woman who NEVER swore. When the docter came in and put her on the table and tried to give her the shot to knock her out she declined twice then told him " If you come near me with that needle one more time it's going right up your A#!*" As a result she had a natural childbirth much to the dismay of the hospital staff. They took my uncle into the nursery before she even had a chance to hold him or nurse him "to let her rest" (for others that meant to sleep it off) Nana walked down to the nursery on her own to see him and found them giving him a bottle of sugar water so she took him back to her room with her and kept her there. The hospital staff were so put out that she was discharged the next morning. All she had to say was that the hospital was a big waste of money. Her next two babies were born at home. And all three were nursed. YAY NANA!!!:thumb

[Maracita]

Wow, what a grandma, thanks for sharing, love those stories:)

[youngnhappymamma]

My mom breast fed 4 out of 7 children. My oldest brother was born in 1960 and she nursed him (with much, much difficulty) until he was like 4 or 5 mnths, I think. She had zero support and said that the nurses at the hospital when he was born totally shunned her because she was nursing instead of formula feeding. She nursed my sister (next baby) until she became pregnant again when she was 6 mnths old and had bleeding nipples. Then the next two kids were twins born like 5 weeks early and so she didn't nurse them. Then the next baby she nursed for probably 6 or 7 mnths. Then I was born and wouldn't nurse at all. She tried to get me to nurse for two whole weeks and then finally had to break down and buy me some bottles and formula because I was becoming listless. (I was born in 1978) Then my little brother was born five years later and she nursed him for probably 6 or 7 mnths, I don't know. My sister (who is ten years older than me) has nursed all 5 of her kids for at least a year each and the last two until they were two. I nursed ds #1 until he was 14 mnths (I had become pregnant and didn't realize you could nurse and be pregnant at the same time) and ds #2 until he was 19 mnths (I was four mnths pregnant and experiencing bleeding, painful nipples). I don't know if my sister and I would be so unquestioning as to how we were going to feed our children (Breast of course....I doubt either of us even gave bottle feeding a fleeting thought) if my mom hadn't been so awesome and daring as to nurse at a time with there was zero support for it. :)

[pella]

My mom knew what she was doing. After carrying me 10 months, (by a blood test! 1 month, 1 day past due date) she pushed me out in 20 minutes after they prepped her for a cesarean! She wasn't going to go there. (They had to dislocate her hips to deliver one of my older brothers...) Anyway, she nursed me until I was 2 1/2 years old. I'm so proud of her to have fought the norm of her time, refusing to give in to all the hysteria that a woman's breastmilk couldn't possibly have everything that a child needs...I didn't want to give it up, either. She finally told me her boob 'broke'. I used to bring strangers up to her in the grocery store to show them "my mom's broken boob". I'm scared to see how that one will come back to haunt me....

Oh yeah - I was born in 1976.

[maddysmommy]

My mother breastfeed me exculsively for 9 mos (even tho the doc told her to start solids at 2 weeks) and continued to breastfeed me until I started kindegarten! I remember nursing before bed at night (I slept with her until I was eight or nine!) I was born in 1975, and my mom was a first wave feminist from rural MN - a rare breed. I also want to add that I'm the only one in my family (extended as well) with perfect teeth and vision! So hurray for my mom and lucky me! I hope that I can do as well for my little one.

[claymama]

1961
I was formula fed because I was a preemie in the NICU for a month. my Mom was told she wouldn't produce enough milk too which seems odd, I think she just went along with what the Dr said my Aunt bf her children but she had to fight to do so.

I am breast feeding my daughter and plan to until she weans herself. she loves solid food but loves to nurse too. I am already getting questions from my Mom about weaning DD. I told her it just seems stupid to give her formula. I want to wean her to solid foods when she is ready.

I have a bunch of medical reasons to wean her but none of them are so pressing that I can't wait for her. ( acid reflux,allergies etc.)

[AutumnMoonfire]

your allergies or your babies? :scratch

Bf is supposed to be good for babies with allergies.

[tea olive]

i voted. my mom says she tried three days. i was born 1970 i've heard my dad say she got scopolomine so i assume she got the milkdrying drugs too.

she never mentions trying for my younger bro or sis. she also has lots of advice on nursing.

there goes my wicked streak.

[tea olive]

i just read claymama's message. i have a baby clay, 15mths. his reflux and allergies are related to my diet. most especially cows milk. and i've been getting away from refined sugar and wheat and corn syrup and preservatives and additives and such. its worth trying an elimination diet. wanted to say something even tho this is not exactly the subject

[claymama]

oops I meant my own allergies -- I am not taking my allergy meds while breast feeding DD.

[CanOBeans]

I was the only one of my mom's four kids that she tried to nurse, according to her -- born in 1968. I could swear though that I remember her nursing my youngest brother when he was a newborn. Anyway, she had severe nipple soreness with me and couldn't get any help for it, so she gave up. :( My grandma didn't nurse her kids either (my mom and her siblings) because the doctor told her her milk was too weak. :mad: They have both been very supportive of me and my sister -- we have both nursed our kids for years.

My MIL nursed all three of her kids for 5-6 months each -- until they got teeth. All born in the mid- to late 60s. She nursed because she just didn't know any differently, LOL! It's amazing she succeeded though, as the advice she was given was to nurse only every four hours. She kept the card from the hospital nursery in my DH's baby book, which has the directions for establishing a nursing schedule. I think she blew off the schedule though. She has also been very supportive of my nursing.

[Megs Mom]

I think it was a few days. I know that I screamed non-stop for several months due to a dairy sensitivity, so maybe it was longer than that! She gave up b/c she felt it was too stressful with me crying all the time.

With my sister she did not even try.

She was successful breastfeeding with the next three, although I'm not sure for how long - many months, I think.

The last one was again bottlefed. I don't remember why, but I do remember mixing formula and feeding him a lot for her.

Edited to add I was born at the end of '73, last one was born in early '85.

[tea olive]

my mil nursed her four children around a year each except my husband who was first and she made it to seven months when he got sick and the doctor told her to quit and such.

it's helped me alot to have her support. and his knowledge of being nursed has enhanced the nursing relationships. i daresay its been more important to me tht he was nursed than i, when it came to doing this for our babies.

[oceanbaby]

1971 - My mom nursed me until I weaned myself when she was pg with my sister - I was 3 years old! My sister though weaned at 9 months. My mom knew nothing about nursing strikes or anything, and now looking back wonders if that's what it was, as there was turmoil in her relationship with our dad at that time. It breaks her heart to think that my sister got weaned prematurely.

She also had natural births, with my father in the room, which was unheard of then. She had to battle with her milk supply with me because they took me away to the nursery and gave me sugar water. She took me and went home the next day.

[Maevele]

Well, I was born in 74, and my mother apparently just believed some doctor who implied that since she was small busted, she couldn't do it. My gram, as well, "couldn't" nurse, although I believe she may have at least given it a try with her firstborn. Her kids got straight condensed milk, and "turned out just fine" .
I'm actually realizing that I have some resentment towards my mom because of it. I've had lifelong stomach problems, mostly irritable bowel syndrome, and I'm thinking now the formula may have had something to do with it.
I have very little in common with my mom as a parent, and this wouldbe the biggest example of that.

[mamaro]

Gotta get in a plug in for my awesome mama as well....as a nursing student in multiple hospitals in the 60's mom got some good info that breast was best. Against all advice (and in spite of some of it!) she nursed my older sister for a few months. The OB nurses thought she was a freak and gave her this huge playtex nipple sheild like thing to cover over her breast. Big surprise nursing didn't last that long for my poor sister. A million allergies later and the worst eczema my mother'd ever seen covering my sister's poor little body, mom deemed stopping breastfeeding too early and giving formula to be the cause and became even more determined to be more prepared for next time. When I arrived in '69, so had a La Leche League group to her small town. She credits her leader and her determination for letting me nurse and essentially wean myself at around THREE years old. (Her family thought she was insane!) My little one is just past her third birthday and will also wean when she is ready. Like mother like daughter, huh?!! Love you Mom!
P.S. Never any allergies for me as a child!

[Saara]

4 years. :) I was the "baby", so mom didn't "have to" wean during pregnancy (as she did, with most of my older siblings). She was 45 years old when I weaned!!

[DeChRi]

I was born 1978 and I nursed until I was 4-ish, and my first 2 years of nursing I shared mom with my brother. He was born in 1976 and nursed until he was 4-ish as well. We both weaned ourselves. We also coslept until we were big enough to wrestle over who got to sleep in the middle. My mom and dad were model attachment parenters, although mom says she didn't know of the actually philosophy of AP, but it was just what felt right to her. What a great mom and dad I have. So does AP work? I like to think we turned out well!! Although my bro and I have put my folks through the typical teenage hell, as well as other mental strains and anguish, my mom always says that she knows they did a good job and raised us right; and that she knows this when she sees how loving and nurturing my bro and I are with our own kids. (how was that for a run-on sentence!) Wow, now that I have written all that down and reread it, I want to call my mommy and say thanks for being so fabulous!

[telekinetic pyro]

I was breastfed until I was 6 months old. My mom got TSS and was hospitalized for 3 weeks. I was put on formula for about a month and then switched to cow's milk. I was born in 1980 and my mom is just shocked that I won't be starting my son on cow's milk for quite some time. They used to tell parents that babies could be put on cows milk at 7 months and my mom would have done anything to keep me off formula.

[Megs Mom]

Originally posted by Jojo
I want to call my mommy and say thanks for being so fabulous!

Did you? You totally should!

[snailmama]

I was born in 1982
I was never breastfed and neither were any of my 3 sisters.

[Curious]

No.

Youngest of 4, born in 1960. Mom was told she "couldn't breastfeed" with the others, and she doesn't remember specifically trying with me but has said that I never seemed to know what to do. So maybe she did try but she had no support, and was one who listened to the doctors who advised a strict feeding schedule.

She also dieted strictly while pregnant with me, because she was in her late 30's and was afraid she wouldn't be able to lose weight if she gained like she did with my sister.

But she ate chocolate every day.

My poor little brain! And no wonder I'm always hungry, can't gain weight, and crave chocolate. Add breastfeeding, I'm ravenous all the time.


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by rocketmom

LOL What's wrong with chocolate milk? Yummy stuff if you ask me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So Dd gets chocolate milk.

Edited to add: was sleepy last night but did not state important fact that my mother and I have always been extremely close. I guess she found other ways to bond. I think we shopped a lot from an early age.

[shematrix]

Yes, I was breastfed and all four of my brothers were breastfed. There is about 2 years bewteen each if us. Mom said she would breastfeed the one till she got preggo again.

tm2

[NewMa]

What a great thread! I actually read through it last night and had to come back and reply because it really got me thinking again about what a brave and awesome mama my brother and I have! I was born in 1974 and she breastfed me for two full years. My brother was born in 1978 and he also had 2 years of nursing! Horray for my mom and her trailblazing ways! When she had me in '74, she and my dad lived in southern New Jersey and had to travel about 2 hrs. to Atlantic City in order to be "allowed" to have unrestrained and drug free childbirth! She wound up having to do the same 4 yrs later! My mother's dedication to breastfeeding us is something she still speaks of with great pride. My mom's always been pretty conventional in other ways so it's really cool to see her get a twinkle in her eye talking about how she knew better than to follow the norm of the time. She and my father have been divorced now for over 20 yrs but they both still get the same proud and nostalgic tone in their voices when retelling the story of how they had to sign me out of the hosp. against medical advice- just so that mom could breastfeed! (I was jaundiced.) They even saved the AMA form for my baby book! Now that I have my daughter (and a wonderful bf relationship w/her) I am soooooooo grateful to Mom that I grew up w/ bfing as the norm. I don't really remember "hot juice" (Mom was really into sunbathing) but we were always around other bfing mamas, LLL friends, etc and I remember little brother nursing. I have distinct memories of lifting up my shirt to feed my dolls as a young girl. Such a contrast from my partner's family experiences! I am literally the first nursing mother he has ever known! And he grew up in a huge family, lots of babies around all the time. He just thought of bottles as the way babies were fed and recently confessed to me that before my pregnancy, he had never even given it a second thought. This totally amazed me, especially considering just how amazingly supportive he's been w/ breastfeeding and how anti-formula company he's gotten. His wildly contrasting experience really brought home for me just how blessed I was to have had such a great mom who took such risks, went to such great lengths and defied stupid, harmful conventions to give me my birthright. Thank you Mom! (I'll see her tomorrow and give her an extra big hug!) :)

[SqueezeMaMa]

My mom is a great breastfeeding advocate. I know my grandmother didn't BF any of her kids, so GO MOM!! She tells a funny story about after my brother was born ('67), the pediatrician tells her how much better formula is and not to breastfeed. She said she just smiles and nods ("no sense in discussing it with him") then goes home and does exactly as she pleases. All of us (4 kids) were BF until self weaned. Thanks mom for that gift and for a great example.

[levar]

I was born in Seattle WA '68. My Mom nursed me a little over a month and then [she says] she weaned me in favor of my Dad. [Resentment? Hmmm... I'd say yes.] My sister, born 2 years later, was never breast fed.

[Juliacat]

I was born in 1979. My mother breastfed me for 11 months, but she supplemented occasionally. Also, the doctor wouldn't let her nurse more than every three hours, and I suspect that interfered with her supply.

My maternal grandmother nursed all 5 of her kids, born between 1940 and 1955, even though by the time the last one was born the doctors and nurses were standing by with formula "just in case she doesn't like the breastmilk."

My sweetie was born in 1971 and his mother nursed him for 3 1/2 years. :love

[yogamama]

I was born in 1969 and my mom went to LLL meetings and her doctor was Gregory White (advocate of homebirth and husband of Mary White, a LLL founder). My mom did everything she could to nurse, but only nursed a short time with each of us. My mom had PPD, a 1 year old and has bipolar illness that requires meds.

Today my mom is one of my biggest supporters. She believes that kids should til they lose their "milk teeth". I love my mom!

Kathleen

[sarenka]

I was born in 1970 in England, my Mum desperately wanted to bf but only made it for a couple of days, she had thrush, a traumatic situation (she was a single Mum and a guy turned up just after my birth wanting to marry her and not giving her any peace!!!!!) and no support from the people in the hospital. She is so sorry she didn't keep it up now, and I feel a lack of physical connection with her which i am aware of sometimes when i sleep with and bf my own daughter.......

[Mary-Beth]

I was born in 1976 and didn't get a drop of breast milk...don't know if my mother was nursed. My DH born in 1974 wasn't nursed at all either...in fact, DH's grandmother who is 86 yrs. old now never nursed any of her 4 kids. I figure this is why we have lactation consultants.

[Levi's Mom]

I was born in an Army hospital in 1972. The doc told my mom that her breast milk wasn't good enough for me! Whaaaa? So now when she sees me nursing Levi, she gets all teary eyed, it's so sad.

Thank god for breasts!

A friend-of-a-friend has decided not to nurse her second child, because she feels it's too much work. I don't understand that, just lift your shirt and go.
Sarah

[ChildoftheMoon]

My mom nursed me for six months and then weaned me against her will. My dad was a big jerk and was embarrased by my mom and pressured her to wean me. My brother (1980) nursed only a couple months, again due to my dad and a stressful environment. My sister (1992) nursed 19 months, she has a different father thank goodness! My mom is very supportive of me nursing my children and so is dh.
Brandi

[Nawny]

I breastfed until about 16 months, then weaned 'cause my mom's milk dried up during her pregnancy with my brother, who breastfed until about 14 months and weaned because my mom was pregnant with my sister, who breastfed until she was about four. Six years later, my other brother breastfed until he was about four. Us oldest two were born at home, and the younger two were c-sections, so the homebirth babies got less milk and the c-section babies got to nurse longer. This was all in 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1985. I just realized that my mom breastfed on and off for grand total of about 11 years during a span of 18 years, from when she was 28 until she was 46!:jaw

Edited to add: three cheers for my dad, who totally supported breastfeeding, and always believed that it was the responsibility of the adults to make room for the babies in bed and in life...

[meister31]

I was not nursed-1971 and my mom was a nurse! She did nurse my 2 brothers 1980,1982. I remember her and her friends all nursing their babies and just knew I would nurse when I had a baby!

[nancg]

I nursed until age 4, my mom was not so much an advocate but more of a total softie, spoiled me rotten :) and couldn't stand to deny me anything. She and I both suspect it saved her life, too, because she is a breast cancer survivor (over 10 years now) despite the fact that she was not told for a YEAR after her mammogram first showed a lump (doctor left the practice).

Nancy
nursing Emily (32 months) and due in July with #2

[Mamma Riddle]

born in '77
nursed 'till "at least 4" acording to my mum :D

[Kaya's Mama]

I was bf till I self-weaned at 7.5 mos. My mother bf'ed all 6 of her children! My brother bf until almost 3 yo! The others (aside from me!) weaned shortly after a year. We co-slept while we were babies & toddlers.

[AmyG]

1975

I was only nursed for about 6 weeks. My mom says she did it because everyone was telling her to but that she never really wanted to. She wasn't comfortable with the idea, and she wanted to be able to see how much I was eating. (When she put me on solids way before 4 months, she actually gave them in a bottle with a plunger so that she could make me eat more when I didn't want to. I wonder why I always want to eat until I'm stuffed? :rolleyes: )

My sis was born in 1978, and my mom had the dry up shots with her.

[pjlioness]

My mom said I nursed for 4-6 months, though she was told by a friend to give me rice cereal in a bottle at 3 months so I'd sleep through the night...apparently it worked for us. I was born in 1969 when my dad was in the Air Force - Chanute AFB in Rantoul,IL. My mom had one or two prenatal visits and a natural birth, as far as she can remember...the hospital & Dr. were conservative the right way.

Dh was exclusively nursed for 3 weeks, then was given applesauce and rice cereal on the advice of the ped!! I found that out when reading dh's baby book. MIL had made a few comments before about "not everyone is able to" and was/is uncomfortable about me breastfeeding in front of her. I found a way to inform her later that that often happens/ed when moms didn't/don't have enough support or are given the wrong advice..."like Dr.'s telling them to start solids too early."

Any time friends or family have misinformation about breastfeeding, I try to work the correct info into later conversation.

Pam

[Dale]

Nope. None for me. Oh well, it was 1952 and I'm not sure anyone was challenging the formula companies back then.

[imakebelieve]

My mom did not even think about nursing. Picture it, 1964, in a small, small town in south GA. Absolutely not. "Only poor people breastfed, why would I have done that." My brother was born 4 years late and ate applesauce and cereal at 2 WEEKS!!!! She also put coke in my baby bottle. :jaw YIKES> She was only 19, but jeez, come on.

Needless to say she is most distressed with my nursing her 3 1/2 year old grandson. She was supportive but, now says it is just wrong.

I was not APed at all. She says "You all, (I mean y'all) turned out just fine." No intentional slur against southerners

Oh well, I was born to shake them up and I do!! Must of been all of that co-cola I had in my bottle:bgbounce

[SagMom]

Nope, none for me. In '62 the belief was that formula was better than mamma's milk. :crying

[Jenha]

My mom breastfed me for a full year in 1970 despite pressure from family as well as the pediatrician. She breastfed both my brother and sister for two years ('76 and '81). She says that LLL saved her sanity because she found out there were other women like her.

My parents were pretty AP for their time. My dad still says that the only way he could get one kid out of their bed was to have another one. They even kept a small mattress under their bed that I would use when I got older and wanted to sleep in their room (the bed was pretty crowded with my brother and sister). My parents rock! :thumb

Jennifer

[Pupcake]

197_

Born in an AFB Hospital in FL. Never breastfed. Mother was uninformed and uninterested. I am making amends for that with own future bebes.

197_

DH was also never breastfed. MIL thinks she is Parent of the 20th Century because he was "only" on formula until 3 weeks old. Then switched to solids. :eek

[Silly Willies]

My mom did not nurse my sister (1969), she was a unwed teen mom also.

My brother 1971 she tried to nurse. Did not work she had retain placenta and my brother was so tounge tied he could not lift his tounge off the floor of his mouth!!!!! By the time everything was figured out she did not have much milk if any at all.

Me 1973. Two weeks maybe. Nursing take to much time. She also would of had to be more invovled. It has been almost 29 yrs and she still is self centered.

We got in an arguement last week. I have my priorities messed up (I am a sahm and homeschooling), but anyway. She told me that I needed to think about myself more because when the kids get older they won't have the time and I would be left bored. Woo hoo when my youngest is 20 I will be only 46. Plenty of time to get my own life. Also, if you raise your kids right and let them grow and go at 46 they will show you respect and want you around.

[Melinda77]

I was born in '77 and nursed until I selfweaned at age 3 :D very lucky kiddo I guess (helps that parents were young hippies maybe?)

My dh was born in '69 and he and all 3 brothers were bf for min 9 months (#3 was the earliest weaned when mil got pg w/#4) longest bf was 12 months (#1) AND my mil was a LLL leader in Baton Rouge at the time :D

So I am blessed with tons of support for bfing!!
In fact the only "flack" I've gotten lately was for trying night-weanig at 18 month -- I was told to wait until 21 months 'cause ds didn't seem ready LOL

[queen620]

I was born in 1979 and my mom said "she didn't have enough milk." She BF for less than two weeks. She has told me that she remembers being in the shower crying b/c her would just flow, but yet I was always fussy, so she thoght she didn't have enough mil. When she switched me to formula the fussines stopped.
I to fell victim when my first son was born in 2000. I didn't know anyone where we were living so when breastfeeding problems came up I had no one to turn to for advice. So I quit breastfeeding when my son was only one month old. Things have changed though when my second son was born I was living near lots of friends that BF so I had that sisterhood available when I needed help. Noah just turned one last week and we are still happy breastfeeding, even though the Dr wants me to supplement b/c of extremely slo weight gain. I don't really know long we will keep breastfeeding but I guess I'll just know when we are done.:)

[Madsmum]

I was born in 1978 and my mother didn't nurse. She was young (19). When my brother was born in 1983 she nursed him for 1 week but then stopped. Talking with her about it recently she was saying there was just no support then. She was describing normal first week problems and they are what caused her to quit!

[tara]

My brother was born in 1959, and my mom nursed him until relatives visited when he was 6 weeks old - she was too embarassed to nurse in front of them and so stopped nursing (she was 19 yo). My sister was born in 1968 and was nursed, though I don't know how long.

I was born 7 weeks preemie in 1969. Spent a month in an incubator, and my mother wasn't encouraged to pump and feed me. In fact, she wasn't allowed to hold me during this entire time. My mother didn't hold me until I was a month old. Thank god they have better sense about how to care for preemies now... So, no bm for me.

[Ananda]

1978. I got 22 days of the liquid gold. :crying My mom told me she had to stop nursing me after my dad come home one day and Mom had fallen asleep on top of me while nursing me. She never heard me crying, I'm still claustraphobic! :eek I was already getting water, a pacifier & juice?! no wonder She had really bad mastitis?! :jaw
I kept the pacifier even through constant harrassment & humiliation, giving it up finally at age 8, when I switched to full time thumb sucking. I remember I was obsessed with breasts & being nursed, i would beg my Grandma, aunts anyone to let me nurse. When I had my daughter, my mom tried to tell me that I needed to give her water "because she's thirsty" ?! :angry I never listened to a word she said and I'm still BF my 1 year and have had the honor of BF my little cousin and my best friends son :thumb
My hubby & his sis where partially BF just over 1 yr

[rwikene]

My mom nursed me until I was 9 mo, btw I was born '80, she nursed my brother ('83) until he was 6 mo because her boyfriend at the time would get jealous (not my brother's dad), and take my brother from the breast any time he saw Justin nursing. He would actually get angry at my brother!:angry

My mom has deep rooted guilt about this now, she encourages me to nurse as long as I want, and not to worry about my dh's feelings getting hurt. I have a dh who is so supportive about the whole bf thing, he loves to watch our dd and I nurse, he just wants his time too :rolleyes: whatever! My dh would NEVER do something like that though

:jaw

[NewMa]

wow, rwikene, what a stinky guy, your mom's beau :eek

[spookymom]

1981, I was breastfed for about 4-6 months or so. Myt mom had to finger-train me, I didn't know how to suck (after being given bottles and kept away "so she could rest").

My sister was born in 1976 and my mom was told to feed her every 4 hours, but fed on demand instead. I think my sister was fed the longest.. over 6 months.

My brother was born in 1978 and my mom got yelled at for thinking she had enough milk to feed a 10 pound baby. She breastfed him for 4-6 months.

1976 my husband was breastfed when his mother felt like it, and not for very long (maybe a month or two). He was given cereal when he was a few weeks old.

[DiaperDiva]

if you were nursed, how long did it last?

NO! I wasn't nursed! I only found out about it a few months ago! I was totally shocked because in conversation I had been telling people that yes I was nursed! UGH!

My younger sister was nursed for a year.

None of my other 5 bros or sis's were BF either.

[velveeta]

I was born in 1973 and my mama nursed me for nearly two years, the shortest of any of her 5 children! I think my sister (1980) nursed until she was around 6!:D

My mom was a LLL leader, and her mother also nursed her and her three siblings.

Yay, Mama!!

Jean

[Quirky]

I was born in 1968, in Southern Texas, in a Catholic hospital where the "progressive" OB allowed my mom to have one arm free (i.e. not strapped down)! My mom was drugged to the gills for labor and delivery, but insisted on BF me even when I'd fall asleep every two minutes from the drugs in her system and the nurses kept on insisting "you're starving your baby!" But she stuck to her guns - yay, Mom!

On the other hand, she followed her ped's advice to start feeding me solid foods at 6 weeks, and I've been overweight ever since....:( But hey, she didn't know any better, and she still nursed me for a full year. Her method of weaning - when I started biting her at a feeding, that was that for BF at that time of day!

She also BF my two younger sisters, born 1970 and 1975, for a full year each, but didn't start them on solids until they were ready.

Given that she had no information and absolutely no support for BF, and just had to figure it out for herself, I'm so proud of her!

[jaredsmom]

My mom nursed my bro back in 1968 for approx. 6 weeks, but then stopped when he started to teeth on her. I was nursed for approx. the same length of time. Funny, I only found this out recently that we were bf for such a short time.

But I always thought that my mom was a rebel type of mom for doing it anyway. :) She told me that when I was born, there was a fire in the hospital's chapel, and everyone was evacuated. Well, my mom (and 1 other mom) were the only ones that were nursing. She said that she was able to soothe me by slipping me the boob, and the bottle-feeding moms had no idea how to soothe their babies since the nurses couldn't pass out the babies and the bottles at the same time! (My mom tried not to smirck at the other moms as they noticed me so calm and content. It should have given them a clue as to try to do it!) :wink

[hydrangea]

No breastmilk for me :crying . I was born in 1969. My mother was kind of earthy, but the only breastfeeders she knew were also placenta-eaters, so she associated it with total weirdness. I also had my first solids at 6 weeks.

My sister was born in 1979 (Mom had secondary fertility) and nursed until around 6 months, with plenty of supplementation. My first brother was born in 1981 and had about the same. My second brother was born 6 weeks early in 1983, and my mother just assumed nursing was out of the question -- except her doctors actually pushed her to do it. He nursed until about 18 months, with plenty of supplementation in the beginning, but later refusing anything but the boob. My mother wanted to wean him, but he had other ideas.

My mother says she never felt those breastfeeding hormones kick in. She never got much pleasure out of it. I feel sad for her.

[UltimateSerj]

I was born in 1979 and i was breastfed for 4 3/4 yrs till i self weaned!! oldest brother was born 1971 and weaned on first birthday.. my other brothers '73 , '76 both self weaned at about 2 yrs, of course my mom was a LLL leader for 21 yrs and has been a IBCLC since i was 7 years old! so the only thing i knew growing up was breatfeeding! I have breastfed both my daughters oldest till 28 months when she self weaned because i was pregnant and she and I were both done with nurrsing, and i am still nursing my 17 month old and i am now 12 wks pregnant with number 3!! so pretty much i have been nuring or pregnant since 97!!!!

My Mom set the way for breastfeeding in my family, She was breastfed for a few months i think (in 1949) i think her sisters were for sometime to but not long, and my aunt never breastfed her boys. As for my dad, the Dr. told his mom she didn't have enough for him, and he was to sick to breastfeed, dad had chicken poxs and measles at 2 wks old so his mom "had " to give him formula (His mother was also all alone for all this because his father was in the navy and in WWII, 1943)

My Husband and his siblings were NEVER breastfed, MIL says she tried with her oldest but but the baby was to sick so she gave her formula, then Breastfeeding just wasn't something you did back then according to her!!LOL My Husband was allergic to all formula and cows milk so he had carnation condenced milk!!:rolleyes: Now Sil and Bil and Dh all have really bad allergys / ashma.... SIL did breastfeed her 3 kids but when they could say thank you it was to old so she weaned them.



Susan

[Graceoc]

I was born in 1976 - my mom said that she did breastfeed me for about 3 months, but since I was so 'fussy' 'they' determined that I was allergic to her milk (and milk in general) and I was switched to soy(?) formula.

My MIL attempted to nurse my DH and his older brother (born '68, '70) but develeped mastis and her DR. told her wean immediatly and gave her a shot to dry her up. When she had her 3rd son in '76 she was determined to nurse him, and when she once again developed mastits she talked to her neighbor who was a LLL and worked through it and nursed him for a year.

[Tanya_Khosh]

I was born in 1975 and was never bf (partially because I was VERY premie and was in ICU for the first month of life) but I dont think she would have anyway (my brother born 9 yrs later was not) I am the first to bf in my ENTIRE FAMILY! Not even my grandmothers bfed! My grandmother on my dads side was told her milk was no good by the doc after a couple of days of nursing only!!! :jaw

Anyhow, I nursed my DD and now am nursing my DS who is 7 months old and exclusivly bf (no bottles of ebm either, he wont take a fake!)

So I am the family trend setter, which fits me as I always have been! Also the only one in my family to not circumsize (spelling?) my son, could not see any reason to chop off a normal & heathy part of him that he just got for his birthday! :love

[Amymom2-2]

In 73, I was my moms 3rd child, but first nursling, she ended up a LLL leader --- woohoo!!:thumb

[hydrangea]

I'm wondering, sadly, whether the statistics on this pole are as high as they are for our having been breastfed as babies is a reflection of these boards. Do you think on a more mainstream board where fewer mothers breastfeed or breastfeed for long that those numbers would be much lower? I wonder how many of us have breastfed because of the acceptance and support we found in our families.

I know that even though I wasn't breastfed, the facts that I saw my mother nurse my siblings and my aunt nurse my cousins and heard about my MIL nursing dh and his siblings, all helped set me up for never even considering formula. If I had not had that background, would nursing have been such a given?

I want to applaud all of you here for nursing your babies, especially those of you who have done it without any support or even acceptance from your families. You are amazing, and your babies are so lucky!

[umbrella]

I was born in 1980. My brothers were born in 1976, and 1981. We were all breastfed for 7-10 months, and my moms makes sure to tell me that the main reason was cost. She was very happy to find out that breastmilk was good for babies, but her first thought was that breastmilk is free, while formula is expensive, and we were pretty poor. (my mom was 18 when my older brother--her first child, was born)

[Rachelsmom]

My mom didn't nurse me or my sister at all and we were sickly babies and got viruses a lot when we were older. So when she got pregnant with my brother my aunt suggested that she nurse because of what she went through with us. She nursed him and he never had the problems we did, she nursed him for about 9mths. So they were big supporters in me nursing Rachel. She didn't want what happened to her with us to happen to me.

[Meli65]

I was born in 1965 and was never nursed at all -- my mom says that looking back she wished she would have tried but she knew she was going back to work (when I was six weeks old!). I had terrible colic for months and we think now that I was (am) lactose intolerant -- 'course in those days they weren't so on top of those things. I feel sorry for my baby self. Anyway, mom is now a super breastfeeding advocate.

[aircantu1]

None for me. :( I am an only child, born in '79. All I ever got was formula. Of course, my mom was only 15 when she got pregnant and her mother had never breastfed, neither had any of her older sisters. So, what do you expect? I truly feel so shafted every time I think of it though... I wonder what could've been. :) But, I will definintely be breastfeeding all of my children...the first ever in my family.

[DaryLLL]

I was born in 1955, and nursed for 3 months against all odds. My mom just thought it was good for me, and felt proud to do for me what no one else could. My younger sister was nursed for 4 months, and wanted to keep going, but the dr said it was no longer good for her. I have been told my dad spent half a day forcing a bottle of ABM on her until she finally took it.

I nursed my 3 kids for years, a total of 10 years of nursing.

--DaryLLL

[vickiehousemouse]

Born in 1966.

I was breastfed for a year on the advice of my mom's ob because she had breast cysts and he, being ahead of his time, thought it would be beneficial to HER health. Lucky me, though, because the healthy benefits were passed along. I was one of those kids who got perfect attendance certificates at the end of the school year because I was, and still am, rarely sick! Breast milk for HEALTH!!!

[vickiehousemouse]

Born in 1966.

I was breastfed for a year on the advice of my mom's ob because she had breast cysts and he, being ahead of his time, thought it would be beneficial to HER health. Lucky me, though, because the healthy benefits were passed along. I was one of those kids who got perfect attendance certificates at the end of the school year because I was, and still am, rarely sick! Breast milk for HEALTH!!!:p

[morgan's_mom]

Nope, no boobie for me. My mom "never had the desire," and was feeding me solids at 2 weeks old (because I was "starving, and needed them to sleep through the night" :rolleyes:) She refers to BF'ing as "the new trend." Example: in response to my telling her that Morgan was going thru a growth spurt and sometimes wanted to nurse every hour, she said "I know BF'ing is the new trend, but you may *have* to supplement with something else...she sounds like she's starving." Yes mom, she's starving to death - even though she never lost weight after birth and had gained 3 pounds at 4 weeks!!! I love my mom, but GRRRRRR! :angry

[Jodi]

I was born in 1970 and was not nursed at all. The doctor told my mom that formula was healthier. My mom is so happy that I am nursing my baby and also a little sad. She has apologized to me numerous times but I keep assuring her that I understand and that she was only doing what she felt was the best thing at the time.

[Lucy]

No way! My dad is a doc, and delivered me at home, but then swiftly left the right track by giving me a diet of skimmed milk mixed with corn syrup. Can you believe it? How did I survive this? Lets just say I do resent this. My mother says that in those days, breasts were meant for the husband! And my dad was too cheap to do formula. Whatever!!!!:eek

[Meiri]

Born in 1962, I was one of the lucky ones in our family, got up to 9 months maybe. Mom nursed some and FF others depending on the situation at the time.

[colleen]

My Grama told me that she nursed my mother and her 3 sisters back in the 40's when they were poo-pooing breastfeeding left and right. She said every time she was in the hospital (to deliver), she heard the babies just screaming in the nurseries for milk, because thanks to good old Dr. Spock, you were only allowed to nurse on a schedule.

When my mother nursed me in 1965 (we were living with my Grama) I was told I was like a "baby bird" and every time I opened my mouth, my mother nursed me. My Grama was not familiar with the concept of demand feeding. My mother wasn't either, she just did what she felt was right. According to my babybook, I was nursed nearly a year, but was started on solids at 6 weeks (simultaneously). My mother nursed 5 children between 65-74 for at least 6 months. Not too shabby.

My mother-in-law did too, so I had a lot of support to nurse both my children for a year and a half until they were done and happily moved on to bigger and better things.

[ragdoll]

No boobie for me. I was born in 1971.
My mother said that she carried me the 9months and that she didn't want to be tied to me any longer. That made me really sad:crying .
~Tamara

[texasmama]

I am a twin. We were born a month and a day early. We were in the hospital for three weeks. I was the failure to thrive baby. Mom could not hold us but once a week.

[miriam]

dearest Mothering Friends:

I was born in 1954 and I was breast fed for eight months.

That was before there was a LLLI.

My sister was born when I was eighteen months old; she was breastfed also.

[somemama]

My mom BF me for a few weeks and then was too busy......I feel a little sad about that. I was born in 1972, and there just wasn't very much support for BF moms.

(My MIL nursed my husband until he was 6 months old, at which time the docs put him on skim cow's milk!! )

[El Casey S]

Actually I'm not sure - my mom said she nursed all four of us - but didn't mention how long - I have serious doubts that she nursed me very long. She was the oldest of 7 - and only girl - so she raised her 6 brothers - then the four of us - and I was told she got a little tired of it and Dad had to get a nurse to watch out after me. We were all about 2 years apart and it must have been very difficult for her! I had terrible allergies as a child, too - which makes me suspect she didn't nurse long, if at all. If I may get I nursed:OT a bit, I nursed my son over 3 years - and loved it and miss it and would love to do it again!!!

[JayGee]

I was born in 1968 and nursed for 6 months, with supplementation.

My sister was born in 1969 and exclusively bottlefed - Mom had cracked and bleeding nipples with me and thought bottlefeeding would be "easier".

My brother was born in 1973 and nursed for 6 months - obviously bottlefeeding was more of a pain in the butt than my Mom had anticipated!

My son turns 1 tomorrow and I'm still happily nursing him :).

Kristina

[Sustainer]

My mother breastfed me until I was 3! Pretty good for a woman who gave birth during the dark ages of obstetrics.

[squeakermansmom]

not only was i not breastfed, but my mom has only known 2 people (besides me) in her lifetime that have breastfed.

[~Megan~]

I was just reading in my baby book last night to compare my growth to dd's. It says breastmilk and water at birth, rice cereal at 5 wks 5 days, and Isomilk formula supplemental. She bf me for 11 months then my grandfather said, "She's almost a year old don't you think you should wean her?" Its sad really...but at least I got some

[gurumama]

I thought my mom went to four months. She died in 2001, so I cannot ask. I recently found a letter from her to my grandma saying that when she left me with my other grandma for a few hours to go car shopping with dad when I was 3 weeks old, shbe returned and grandma had given me some Similac--which mom had left "just in case." My mother wrote that she was dismayed that "Mellie really likes the formula, because now she's not really interested in nursing." But I recall mom said she nursed me to about 4 months. I was born in 1970. She nursed by brother and sister too, but just for a few months each.

My mom's mom was actively discouraged from nursing all three of her kids (1944, 1946, 1953). Grandpa and his mother told her formula was better. Grandma used to watch me nurse my older son and she'd smile, ask me how it felt. There was a real longing in her. It makes me sad still to think about her longing, even in her 80s. But I'm glad she got to see me nurse.

Mel

[The Lucky One]

No. I was adopted in 1975 and was formula fed.

When I did meet my birth mother I learned that she bf her 3 other children. Her youngest didn't wean until he was five.

lisa--mama to bright-eyed Aidan

[moon child]

1975 - My mamma nurse me for 15 months untill she was was about to have my sister. No one told her about tandum nursing. I know she pumped ( by hand ) because she was a very active 17 year old.:eek
1976 - She nursed my sis for about 2 weeks then had to put her on soy formula because she was "allergic" to my mom's milk.
1982 - She nursed my little sis for 13 months untill she was about to have my brother. Still 10 years later everyone she talked to said no to tandum nursing.:angry
1984 - She nursed my brother for 11 months till he self weaned.

:OT
2000 - My lil sis nursed her twin girlies for 13 months...She started pumping right away since they were premies and in the hospital for 3 weeks...:D
2000 - DS and I are still nursing at over 2 1/2 and are going to do child led weaning.
2002 - My brother's girlfriend just had a babe and she's not nursing because " she want to mess up her body":confused: :cuss :hammer :hammer :firedevil

[Sustainer]

It is pregnancy that changes the shape of the breasts, not breastfeeding.

[ShannonCC]

Born in 1969. My mom nursed me for a week or so and then hemmoraged (sp?) and had to go back to the hospital. They gave her pills to dry her up and she was there for about 3 weeks before coming home to me. To this day she still feels bad she couldn't nurse me.

[jannan]

i was born in 1967 by c-section my mom didn't nurse me past 6 weeks. she said it hurt too much to have me laying across the incision. it was a big verticle one. she told me back then nobody breast fed.

[oceansmama]

I was born in 1975, my mom nursed me til I was 1, weaned me to a playtex nurser and then weaned me from that when I was 1 1/2. She was told not to nurse my brother born in 1971 because she was told nursing was bad for babies. So when I came along, she decided to not go with that bad advice. I don't know what made her wean me, but I know her telling me she nursed me, made me want to nurse my kiddos. I nursed my first son til he was 3.5 years old and I plan to let my new baby who is 2.5 months right now til he weans. Cool question
Maize
mama to Ocean 11/24/1996 and Vincent 9/8/2002

[Sustainer]

Oh, yeah. Real bad for them. Of course, milk from a cow's breast is just so much more appropriate for a human child. I'd really like to choke the idiots who give women such "advice"!

[lovnmama]

Mom never nursed. She had 3 kids. We were formula fed. I'm the oldest, 1975, and was a preemie, 5 wks. early, born c-section. Her next 2 births were scheduled c-sections. She was in the USArmy and all 3 of he c-section closures were "experimental". She is 48 yrs old, now, and had a hysterectomy at 46 yrs old because the scar tissue, from her horrible c-sections, was deteriorating her uterus.
Also, all 3 of us kids are lactose intolerant. My youngest brother has all kinds of allergies.

[mommy2boys]

My mom nursed me until about 9 months because that's all my dad would allow. My dad was bottlefed and very unsupportive of nursing. I'm surprised she nursed me as long as she did because support means everything. But my mom is very supportive of me nursing and extended nursing because she wishes she could have nursed us all longer.

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

I just talked with my mom about this. I was born in 1973 and my mom nursed me for 6 months. My grandmother was very supportive of her wanting to nurse me, because she had nursed my mother and my aunt back in the 1940s and was quite pleased to her my mother's decision to nurse.

Not only that, but she said she got interested in nursing, because of some positive episodes on the benefits of nursing Phil Donahue had done on his talk show. She decided it made a lot of sense and must be the best thing for babies.

When my sister was born in 1981 she nursed her well over 1 year. Mom said she was mainly motivated to do this, because of not wanting to give sister a bottle. Apparently I got attached to my bottle, so mom got smart and went right to the sippy cup with sis.

She always talks about how wonderful it was and how important it is for bonding.

Mom, also, was very passionate about natural birthing. She's never heard of the term AP, but she used a lot of the philosophies raising us. I'm truly grateful for all her support. She seems to agree with a lot of my ideas about raising my children. Or maybe I just learned it from her example :)

[ryansmom02]

WOW it is amazing to see how many of us were never given that good old yummy boob........ my mother thought breast feeding was gross and yucky.. can you imagine her surprise when i told her not only was i gonna BF but i was gonna let my son self wean :D . she is ok with it no but my dad it still a bit edgy when i nurse around him.........

[momto l&a]

1974 here, Mom nursed me till I weaned my self which I cant remember how long that was but around 13 months I beleive. She was so hurt when she sat down in the rocker to feed me and I didnt ever climb into her lap.

When she had my brother in 1964, she had a terrible Dr. and she at that time thought Dr. where gods as many do so she fed my brother according to advice, which she soon figured out was the worst possible thing, dr had her feeding adult food to a baby. I really dont know if my brother was ever bf or not.

[BinahYeteirah]

bs"d

I was born in 1979, and was nursed for 3 months, when my mother says her milk "ran out." Apparently, we (my brother and I) were heavily supplemented with solids and formula. No wonder. Mom says we just cried and cried when there was no more :crying .

[callmemama]

1959 - I was not nursed (but had a great mom anyway:))

1962 - dh was nursed for a month

1999 - ds is still a happy nursling at 3+ years !!!!!!!!!

[paula_bear]

Wow, almost 40% never had breastmilk. My mom nursed 3 out of 4 children for 3 months, when "her milk dried up." I was one of the lucky ones. She did it mostly because my grandmother (who had nursed all 5 of her children in the late 30's thru the late 50's) told her it would help her get her figure back. I don't think she ran out of milk, but her breasts had regulated supply & demand and didn't feel as full. That's a shame, because I unknowingly weaned my son at 3 months for the same reason. However, I've made up for it with DD - still going at almost 3 years! :love

[veganmamma]

Now I have to brag about MY awesome momma!! 1982--I was cloth diapered and breastfed past 2 1/2 years! We weaned when she and my dad split up and went week to week with custody. She had to return to work at 3 mos, but she pumped and supplemented formula-- she had a yucky bulb pump! :angry She always nursed me at home and when she was too tired from work and night feedings, she gave me a bottle of EBM at night. She was a reactive cosleeper. I wish we had been able to continue our nursing relationship until we were both ready to stop, but I am so glad for those times! I can actually say i remember nursing, which is great because inlaws may not be too supportive of EBF, but are warming up thanks to my experience.
Lauren
edited to add: MY mom was bfed (1950)-- the line of mothers BFeeding their daughters has never been broken in my family!!

[Electra375]

My mother tried to nurse me (1975 military hospital) and my sister (1981 south FL) and she did so with supplimenting soy formula b/c we "weren't getting enough." I think my mother said she nursed me 3 months and my sister 6, all that time supplimenting with formula. She had no support; not from her mother or the medical community and therefore her knowledge was limited. Try reading a copy of Dr. Spock's baby book, it would make you cringe!!!
I bf w/ supplimenting my first son for only 10 weeks:crying I listened to my mother, of course. I knew she had bf, I didn't understand she never exclusively bf.
I educated myself with the help of a wonderful lactation consultant and I am happily bf #2 at 9 months with no intentions of quitting and only supplimented once to appease my mother and didn't start solids until he was 7 mo. and even then he didn't like them for about a month.
Interesting poll, are you going to summarize what you learn and let us all know.

[thepicklednickel]

My mom had 5 children. I was the oldest (1968) and was nursed for about 3 months until she went back to work (no real pumping resources in those days!) My next 2 brothers ('72 and '73) were FF all the way as my mom was working. When my sister ('76) was born, Mom quit work and she was BF for some period of time, no one seems to remember how long. LOL My last brother was born in 1978 and was BF for nearly a year. Mom remembers feeding him "whenever he was hungry" - she didn't really have a schedule (who could stick to a schedule with 4 older children around). She had a friend who was appalled that Mom never knew when Brendan had eaten last or when he was due to eat again!:rolleyes:


Melissa

mom to Megan 9/98, who self-weaned at 21 months and Nicholas 10/02, who is going strong!

[loon13]

Never got it. I have a twin brother, and mom said she didn't nurse because: 1) there were 2 of us; 2) she said she was too nervous to nurse and had been told her stress could cause her milk to turn sour. :rolleyes: This was 1973.

Interesting note on the formula we got though. My brother had to try 3 different formulas before he found one that didn't make him spit up. Doc told mom that he might as well make it easier on herself and put me on the same one, since I seemed to be fine with anything. So do I be grateful I didn't have what seems to be allergies, or that I got the less likely allergenice formula. :eek

My Dh wasn't bf either. I guess I can't hold it against the moms, formula was a big thing in the 70s in our neighborhood. However, I've found that they are more jealous of my time with dd, because they don't get to "feed" her. They've pressured quite a bit for me to put her on solids. Dd is not much interested though. (She's 7 months.)

Loon

[mamaofthree]

I only got nursed for 5 weeks. The dr told my Mom I was too big, and her breasts were too small, she would starve me!:(

But, she did nurse my bro for 6 months, she gave into family pressure, no one else nursed in my mom's family of 5 girls!:eek
Of coarse this was in the early 70's.

HEATHERH

[mommy2Aalicia]

I voted... yes. i got the mama milky for 4-6 months

Then my mom had to stop for medical reasons.

[Momof3Girlz]

I am the oldest of 3 children. I was born in '77, sis in '79, and bro in 85. None of use were nursed. Not even a drop. :(

Edited to add: According to my grandmother my mom nursed for at leat 2 years. She always teases my mom about how attached she was to the breast. I surprised to hear that fact since I know she never breastfed us. Anyhow my dad had a lot to do with her not nursing to. I guess he thought the "girls" were his.

It's such a difference between my dad and my dh, because dh always feels bad for Maddie cuz she never got the mama milk for as long as Ashleigh. Now Olivia has surpassed Maddie's nursing time. Ugh...now I'm depressed. :(

So far my nursing record is as follows:

Ashleigh 2 yr. and a few months

Madison 8 months or a little less

Olivia 8 months and NOWHERE near stopping. I wouldn't be surprised if we're still going 2 years from now.

[sugarmoon]

I was born in 77 and nursed until I was about 18 mos. My ma says she planned to nurse me for such a long time, but I self-weaned at 18 mos, and she was so sad.

[Tani]

Born in 1965 -- my mom did nurse for "around" 4-6 weeks. She has asthma and her doctor didn't bother to figure out if her meds/inhaler would be a problem. So, during the time I was bf'ed, I apparently screamed nearly round-the-clock. If I was getting constant antihistamine doses thru the milk then that is probably true. Anyway, she changed docs, and the new one immediately told her that she needed to wean if she was going to take asthma meds. Mom said after she weaned me I started sleeping extremely well and stopped fussing.

She didn't bother to BF my sister AT ALL. (1969).

She was a smoker until very recently (I suspect she has some lung problems but she won't tell me) and so maybe it was for the best that we didn't drink nicotine-laced BM. However, even considering how inferior we regard formula to be now, I'm sure it was much worse back then... who knows what would have been best?

She has never been that supportive of my bf'ing, but claims it's mainly because she sees me being so stressed (it's true, I have wicked PPD) and thinks I'm "tied down". She's backed off considerably with DD2 tho.

edited to add: dh, otoh, was bf'ed for a year. (born 1964)

Sorry for the novel!

[WickidaWitch]

#1
Never got booby

[Piglet68]

Just wanted to share with you all...

I was adopted. My mother said she'd never heard of being able to lactate w/out being pg. I asked her last night "mum, if I was born to you, would you have BF'd me?" and she said, without hesitation, "Oh, yes!".

That made me feel really good, for some reason.

[Aster]

My mom nursed me for 6 weeks. She said that her doc told her that she had to stop nursing me or she would never stop bleeding--she still had had a non-stop period after birthing me. They gave her an injection of something to stop the bleeding and told her that she couldnt bf anymore. (i had a postpartum period/lochia/flow/whatever for 8 weeks with my son, it's too bad she just didnt wait a couple more weeks.... )

She bf'd all eight of my brothers and sisters--not exclusively though, she always supplemented with formula and used pacifiers dipped in either honey or gripe water (*ick*).

I was nursed for the shortest amount of time of all my sibs. I'm not sure who she nursed the longest or how long that would have been. I'll have to ask her sometime.

[catlvr976]

My mom nursed me and my three brothers. I was born in 76. My brothers were born 79, 82 & 86. She nursed us all until we were around 7-9 months old. Not too bad considering the knowledge they did (or didn't) have back in the day. She is (next to DH) my biggest supporter - always saying that a mom nursing her baby is the most beautiful thing.

[DeChRi]

I was born in 1978 and I was nursed until I weaned myself around age 4. My brother was born in 1976 and nursed about as long. We were also cloth diapered, co-slept, and were gently disciplined. My mom says she wasn't aware of the term "AP" or an actual parenting style including these things. She said she was raised on a farm and just saw how mammals cared for ther young and it just seemed like a normal mammal thing to do. Made natural sense to her. I love my mom. I have 1 dd that will be 4 next month and is 98% done nursing. SHe still tries every couple weeks just to make sure there is no milk left :D

[TiredX2]

Wow Jojo, what lucky babies you were.

I was born in 1976 and didn't get nursed at all, nor did my 8 sibs :(

Kay

[Ravin]

I was born in '77 and my mom nursed me for 9 months. She got help and support from the local LLL, went to meetings, etc. But I guess she stopped going when she weaned me, or she would have known that it was feasible to bf twins, which she didn't when my sisters were born in 80. I think the fact that they were bottle fed and I was breastfed is part of the reason I turned out with about twenty points more IQ than they did--and why my sisters had terrible problems with ear infections (one of them it was so bad that she was delayed in speaking because she couldn't hear) and I did not.

[momsgotmilk4two]

I was nursed for 8 months. My mom worked when my little brother was born, and did not have an effective pump, so he was only nursed for 3 months. My mom is very proud of how long I have nursed my children:).

edited to say that I was born in 1976 and my brother was born in 1987.

[busybusymomma]

I was the firstborn and was nursed until somewhere between 4-9 months but can't remember for sure.

My parents were living in my papaw's unfinished basement and papaw didn't want my mom nursing upstairs. No support and she later ended up weaning. I believe I was fed bottles sometimes by dad, but I think it was ebm.

In '87, my mom nursed my brother for a few months and her milk mysteriously dried up. Nada... the worst part of it is she wanted to nurse and my brother wouldnt' take formula. :(

In '88, my second brother was nursed, but not for sure how long. He was diagnosed with brain cancer at about 8mo old and surviving chemo took over all other concerns.

My dh was not nursed at all that I know of. He is #6 of 6 kids (born in '52-'62). I guess MIL nursed her first (only girl) for a couple months. When she took baby in for a checkup at a few months old, she took her MIL with her. I guess she had to go to the bathroom and while she was gone, her MIL asked for a prescription for formula. Instead of standing up to her MIL, she formula fed. Dh's sister had horrible stomach problems, constantly spit up and later (adulthood) had surgery on her stomach... MIL admits now that bf'ing would have taken care of most of the problems. I don't think she really nursed any of her other five.

I nursed dd for 20 months... she self weaned at that time. Probably because I was 2 months preggo. I was prepared to tandem nurse though.

[tarablesue]

breastfeeding was gross!:eek I remember when I was a child( about 10), my neighbor had 5 kids and she was sitting on her porch nursing her baby and singing to him. I was absoulutely astounded! What??! That baby is sucking its momma booby! I told my neighbor I had to go and ran home and I asked my mom "why that lady was letting her baby suck on her breast??!" ANd she said, "thats how some people feed their babies and it is sick!":angry OMG! Can you believe it?? My mom has since passed recently ( Bailee was 18 months old & was / is still nursing,with her sister) so I can never discuss the benefits of nursing, but I am so glad that I did my own research and became the militant that I am! ( my dad tells all the pregnant women at his work to call "his militant daughter" :LOL with their questions!)

I just know my girls are going to grow up and become just as militant as their momma! :love

edited to say: I think I am spelling miltant wrong..owell you ladies know what I mean :lol

[Lil'M]

I was born in 1970, the oldest of 4 kids. My mom used to be a public health nurse in Chicago and worked for Dr. Ratner, who helped the founders of LLL. So she believed in breastfeeding, although by the time she had us she had moved away and didn't have the best breastfeeding support. My mom nursed me for about 5 months at which point she said I was starving and had to wean me. She nursed for a little while with all of us but maintains that she never had a good milk supply. I don't know. All of us were very small babies, but I am under 5 feet so it was probably just genetic. My dd#1 has always been at the bottom of the growth chart and perfectly healthy. She nursed until she was about 20 months. My youngest sister was born in 1987 and it was a big influence on me at 17 to watch my mom struggle to nurse. I remember a lactation consultant coming to the house. Even though my mom wasn't very successful, I always felt that breastfeeding was a good thing to try. Luckily, I had very good information and support when I had my kids.

[Sustainer]

Originally posted by Lil'M
she said I was starving and had to wean me.


My child is *starving,* so I'm going to *withhold* nourishment. Where's the logic here?

[Quaniliaz]

My mom nursed me for the first 4 months - then my weight started to dip, so they told her to wean me and to start me on solids because she "didn't have enough milk".

She went for 9 monthes with my sister, but she says that my sister weaned herself then. Sounds like a nursing strike to me - she was teething and had a cold. :(

My mom is totally supportive of extended breastfeeding - I think she just didn't have great support!

Edited to add that I was born in 1979, and my sister in 1981.

[Cheri]

My mom nursed me for 2 whole weeks, then because my dear old dad thought it was perverted she stopped. Cold turkey. Wrapped sheets around her breasts til they engorged and dried up. Her breasts are permanently stretched and scarred from this. Sad she doesn't realize how wrong it was. She constantly tells me to wean my kids. I've extend breastfed all of my babies (5 total) still nursing my 2 year old and 1 year old, and will til they are done. :hippie

[PaganScribe]

My mom nursed me for 8 months -- until I started biting her. I was born in 1975.

She nursed my little sister (1978) for four months, when sis got sick and docs said she had to wean.

She nursed my baby sis (1983) for four weeks, or tried to. Sis didn't take well to the boob. My only memeory of mom nursing is sitting on her bed with her and baby sis while she struggled with a nipple shield and cried b/c sis didn't want to eat.

[Sustainer]

More great logic: your child is sick, so *stop* giving her the best medicine on Earth.

[captain optimism]

I was born in 1966. My mom said she decided to nurse in part because she was turned off by the bottle sterilizing process! She remembers nursing as pretty easy. She nursed me until I was old enough to drink from a cup by myself, then we did a gradual weaning. I'm guessing I was somewhere between 6 months and a year, so I said in the 9 month range.

My sister, born 1968, weaned herself abruptly when she learned to drink from a cup. My mom didn't expect that and said it really hurt!

I do want to say that even though she nursed me, my mom did not do gentle discipline (she hit and yelled a lot) and I would not describe the relationship we had when I was a young child as "attached." So I know that there are other things I will have to do to be a good mom beyond the boob.

[bananasmom]

I was nursed until I was almost 3, apparently mostly before bed.

Born in 1971, I suppose I was an oddity. I was also cd'ed and ate organic food. :D

[beachrock]

Yes, I and my younger sis (b. 1970 & 1971) were BF for about a year according to my mom. My older sis only got the F-word, unfortunately (my mom was isolated and couldn't figure it out alone, and is STILL pissed about it).

BTW, my earliest memory is of my mom telling me, a bit harshly, that I couldn't BF anymore (I think she was nursing my younger sis at the time) . Naturally I have never told her this, as she has more than enought guilt already.

[rainsmom]

My mom used to brag about how many children she nursed. IT wasnt until I had my dd that I learned she only nursed me for about 4 months. The doctor told her she didnt have enough milk (!) This was 1958.

Enough to say she is shocked I am still nursing my dd at 29mos but has finally stopped asking me how much longer I will. (Thank god!!)

[GoodWillHunter]

Oh, good gracious no, my Mother did not nurse me! I was a preemie 2lbs, 2oz, and she definitely did not believe in nursing babies. She kinda still is against it, now. She keeps telling the baby he needs to learn about bottles and pacifiers and cups. Yeah, right!:rolleyes: One time, just recently, I gave Hunter a bottle. He bit the nipple in half and threw it on the ground. :bouncy My dh and I laughed and laughed. He said, " I guess he's a real man! He likes it all natural, no silicone!!!!":mischief

Lisa

[busybusymomma]

Originally posted by OpsMom
One time, just recently, I gave Hunter a bottle. He bit the nipple in half and threw it on the ground. :bouncy My dh and I laughed and laughed. He said, " I guess he's a real man! He likes it all natural, no silicone!!!!":mischief

Lisa

:bgbounce :rotflmao :LOL

[Sustainer]

Michelle, that's the first post I've seen of yours since you had the baby! Congratulations! :balloons

[megtell]

My sister was born in 1964, she was nursed around 6 months. They started her on cereal at 6 weeks.

I was born in 1968, and was nursed 6 weeks. I had a cyst in my lung so the lung had to be removed. While I was in the hospital, the doctors said there was no way for my mom to continue.

I think she figured they knew best, and never said much about it. I would have raised a big stink!! Anyway she was so worried about me I think it was the least of her concerns.

I do think I was lucky, and so are my girls, the oldest born 1991 was nurse 11 months. The youngest is 15 months and shows no signs of self weaning.

:)
Meg

[busybusymomma]

Originally posted by Devrock
Michelle, that's the first post I've seen of yours since you had the baby! Congratulations! :balloons

:D Thank you! Our birth story is on Jeremy's website if you're interested. ;) Just click on his name in my siggie.

[applejuice]

I was born in 1954 and was nursed - YES! and that predates LLI!

[applejuice]

My sibs were bf'd also:

1955

1957 (she died at age 2-1/2)

1959

1961

1963

1965

1968

1971 (she was bf'd for five years)

I wonder if doctors ever study women like these to see whether they develop breast cancer later in life.

I really do not think doctors care one bit. They would rather do surgery than tell women to bf as long as possible.

Congratulations to the lucky nurse who worked with Dr. Ratner in Chicago, a friend and colleague to Dr. Robert S. Mendelsohn!

[april77]

My mom nursed me for three days, then the doctor convinced her that she did not have enough milk and was starving me. This was 1977. Here are the instructions she was sent home with - I found them in my baby book:

"Offer the breast for 15 to 20 minutes. If the baby still shows signs of hunger after 15 or 20 minutes at the breast he should be offered a bottle of formula. If he consistently wants as much as three ounces after each breast feeding, his mother is simply not able to produce enough milk for him, and discontinuation of breast feeding is desireable."

I wish any of my daughter's feedings had only been 15 to 20 minutes in the beginning. My mom believes that she did not have milk, because she never leaked or got engorged when she quit bf. However, the doctor convinced her not to even try with my brother (1980) and her milk came in full force. But he'd been bottlefeed since birth and she had no one to help her get him on the breast. It's something she wishes she had been able to do and she's been super-suportive through all my bfing problems!

april
mom to madeline
born 2-20-2003

[vein]

I was born in 79 and was bf for 2 years 3 months and my brother who was born in 82 was bf for 2 years 4 months. My mom said after 2 neither of us were realy interested in it and she was getting annoyed with us not being interested in it.

Considering she had no support, no LLL locally, and nothing in writing that really promoted bf'ing, I consider both of us really really lucky.

I'd have hated to see what I would have ended up like had she not nursed me for so long - I was the queen of ear infections and still have horrible sinus problems and allergies.

[QueeTheBean]

These posts are so sad--I want to cry for all the mamas that wanted to nurse, or started to nurse and were told they couldn't.

My mom had 5 kids ('63, '64 '65, '67, '68) and didn't nurse any of us. Her MIL was an OB nurse & a big advocate of nursing. My mom tells me now that she thinks she DIDN'T nurse just to spite her MIL!

Funny, becuase I think I am such a big nurser for the same reason--my own MIL was opposed!

Sadly, she at least DID try to nurse DH ('64) --either 3 weeks to 3 months. Her hubby made her give it up.

[Melaniee]

Until my mama's milk came in...then it made me sick. She switched to formula & pumped, I was fine. Switched back to BM, I was sick again. So...I guess probably a few days would be my answer?

[Sustainer]

I'm wondering what exists in breastmilk, that doesn't exist in formula, that a baby (that has some kind of condition, I'm assuming?) could have a problem tolerating :confused:

[sadean]

My mom nursed all five of us ('61, '64, '68, '72, '76), but for very short periods of time My brother ('76) got nursed the longest, 6 months. She stopped because he kept biting her...doesn't surprise me...he was a "spirited" child :D

[Mama2ABCD]

i was never breastfed. i was born in 1967 and i had juandice. the doctor said that breastmilk caused the juandice and therefore i was put on formula.

i never knew this until i got pregant with my first child. my dad told me the awful truth. i just assumed i was breastfed as my mother was an advocate for breastfeeding. she died when i was 14, but her views made quite an impact in a short time. i was never sure i'd wanted children, but if i did i knew for certain they would be breastfed. she would be so proud of me today.

[C99]

I was born in 1974 (also in a Naval hospital!) and my mom nursed me for 6 months. She was the first person in her family to breastfeed. Her mother bottlefed her and her sisters both bottlefed their children. I was weaned at 6 months so that my mom could go out of the country for 2 weeks. With my brother (born in 1980) and sister (born in 1989) she nursed for 2 years or so each.

My MIL also nursed her three sons (born in 1969, 1971, 1973), although I don't know how long she nursed them.

It was great not to have to fight any stereotypes about breastfeeding with our families. All of my friends breastfed their babies as well and many of them did not have the same level of support for breastfeeding in their own families.

[Sustainer]

Originally posted by kirstie
the doctor said that breastmilk caused the juandice and therefore i was put on formula.

The irony. Breastfeeding is the best CURE for jaundice (along with exposure to natural sunlight).