[3daughters]

Lets see the results in graph format. This is the linear version http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...d.php?t=501998

I voted!

 

[3daughters]

12 responses so far and it seems that to majority of us were breastfeed for at least the first half of our first year!!!

 

[mamabear&babybear]

Great poll!! I was bf for over a year. There are some advantages to coming from a poor family. Even if they had wanted to my parents couldn't have afforded formula.

 

[LittlePeanut]

2 years for me!

 

[EFmom]

I said exclusively ff, but that's not exactly true. I was given cow's milk from day one. The doctor told my mother she could warm it up if she really wanted, but it wasn't necessary.

 

[ellymay]

I was bf'd for 4-5wks.

 

[Shirelle]

I was formula fed...in fact, my parents were so poor that they said they would sometimes just give me whatever they had in the house, in the bottle. Regular cow's milk, powdered milk, etc. My mom was so young and ignorant when she had me, and no one in her family had breastfed. I think the only thing that's made for my decent immune system in adulthood, is the fact that I had four younger siblings, and we were encouraged to play in the dirt and we got sick so much as kids that we all have decent immune systems now.

ETA: I was born in '82....my Mom was so young that my Grandma had a lot to say about how I was fed...in her day, only poor women breastfed. My Mom says that she attempted to nurse me, but that her breasts hurt so bad, and when she would try to nurse, milk would squirt out the other side. I feel kind of bad for her--she was just so ignorant. She probably had a great supply! She says she tried again with my youngest sister, but I don't think she really gave it more than one latch-on, because she actually had me bind her breasts two days after she had my youngest sister. I was 18, and I remember thinking what a waste that was! I have no idea why, but I ALWAYS knew that I would nurse my babies, even though I had only seen one woman nurse in my whole life, and she was covered with a blanket. It was just instinctive for me.

 

[JayGee]

BFed for 3 months. I must have had a bad latch though, because my Mom said she quit due to scabbed, raw, bleeding nipples. I'm amazed she made it as long as she did!

 

[Llyra]

I wish I'd been breastfed. I have chronic gut problems and I lay the blame squarely on the way I was fed as a baby: soy formula starting an hour after birth, cereal starting at 2 WEEKS old and fruits and veggies starting at a MONTH old. They started meat at two months old, for crying out loud. No wonder I have a screwed up digestive system. Oh, and my mom switched me to whole cow's milk at 6 months old. All of this was at the pediatricians' recommendation. I have my little baby book to prove it, where my mom wrote down what the ped told her to do.

 

[Brazilianmommy]

I was breastfed for 2 years!!

 

[sunnysideup]

I was bf'd for exactly one year, so I said more than 6 mos in the poll. My younger sibs were all bf'd for more than 3 years.

 

[my3monkees]

I was exclusively ff. My mom wanted to breast feed but was told she couldn't as her milk was "bad" due to her being diabetic. This was in '69. I'd be curious as to the ages of the mothers responding. Thinking has changed alot over the past 20-30 years.

 

[Herausgeber]

My sister and I were exclusively FF. My mom wanted to BF us, but my dad bullied her into not doing it. By the time my brother came along, she told him to go

himself, and BF her youngest for 6 months. She's very supportive of my plans to BF. I know she thinks my plan to BF until age 2 is a bit "wacky," but she doesn't actually criticize me. I love my mommy.

 

[tarynsmum]

I was BF for exactly a year, so I voted "over 6 months" so I wouldn't be misleading. I never had a bottle (since there weren't exactly pumps back then, lol). She would have breastfed longer but she wanted to go back to work.

 

[Mrs.PhD]

I was breast feed for over 3 years old. I have faint memories of breast feeding, and one strong one was asking mom to (and my dad saying when are you going to cut that girl off.) I also remember sleeping in my parents bed (not daily but occasionally) and my dad getting mad because I would swing my legs up on him. My DD does the same thing now (we don't co sleep nightly, but she does come in our bed often.)

I was the last of 4 children (by a long shot) and had 3 older brothers. While they were all breast feed too for a year, I think that was it. I am 35 years old.

I think I inherited my detest for formula from my mother.

 

[SugarAndSun]

I was ff fed. My mom thinks bf is horrible.

Once DH jokingly said to one of my brothers, the one who is 6'5", because he knows how my mom is, "You were breastfed that's why you're so big."

My brother said to my mom, "Was I?"

Her response in a horrified voice, "I wouldn't do that!"

:

 

[accountclosed6]

I was breastfed for only 3 months, due to AWFUL advice my pediatrician gave my mom- he told her I would never grow or develop well unless she stopped BF me.

She had wised up 2 years later when she had my sister. She BF her for 14 months- she says my sister self-weaned, but I think it might have just been a nursing strike based on what she describes to me now.

My DH was BF for 19 months, and his little sister was BF for 22 months. My MIL is super pro-BF, she's definitely a lactivist, even if she doesn't know it! My mom is very supportive as well, and wishes she'd BF me longer.

 

[Kyamo]

Breastfed for ten months, but not exclusively. (formula as well, not sure how much).

 

[oregonbound]

I was exclusively formula-fed (as were all of my siblings) because I was born in the 70's and as my mom said to me "she never heard anything good about breastfeeding." The funny part is that she cloth diapered us all because she thought that diapers were too expensive but formula wasn't

Anyhow, when I was breastfeeding, she was not a big supporter -- I think because she felt I was one-upping her or something. When she came to visit when I had my first she kept telling me I should get out of the house and said "don't worry I know where the formula is." Thankfully, with me and my sister both breastfeeding, she's gotten over her issues (or learned to keep her mouth shut).

Minta

 

[zjande]

Bf 8 mos, then switched to straight goat milk from my parents' pet goat.