Little B will be one next month (don’t know where that went). We’re still going strong on the breast feeding front, and like his sister he’s showing no signs of dropping any feeds.
We’re still up every few hours during the night, and overall I’d say we’re on as many feeds as we were when he was a newborn (Gina Ford would not approve).
As I’m sure anyone who’s breast fed (or tried to breast feed) will tell you it’s a total learning curve, and one sibling can be completely different from the next.
Having now breast fed for almost three years of my life I thought I’d bring you the things they DON’T tell you about breastfeeding:
1. One boob can be SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than the other. I’m talking several cup sizes bigger. My left boob produces far more milk than my right and as a result is HUGE, while my right one looks pretty much the same as it did pre-pregnancy. Weirdly, it was the other way round with BB.
2. Somewhere around nine months, when your little bundle of joy develops his pincer movement, he’ll start trying it out on your nipple. With a big smile on his face.
3. Ditto when he discovers holes and likes sticking his finger inside them. I keep my belly button firmly covered.
4. The bigger the baby gets, the more people have a good look when you breast feed in public. When he was a tiny baby no-one batted an eyelid: now he’s big and strapping and almost walking people do a double-take.
5. The bigger they get the more milk they consume. I always thought that once you start weaning they’d drink less milk because they’re eating food as well, but that hasn’t been the case with either of mine. Little B is now drinking more milk than he ever has before. Last week I was so hungry I ate a fry up at 10.30am despite having had breakfast at 8am.
Did you breast feed your baby, and if so, can you relate to any of these? And is it the same with bottle fed babies?
Linking up with…
Great post. Breast feeding is not easy and we don’t get the whole story beforehand. Thanks for sharing. Kirsten
I guess everyone is different too and no two experiences are the same x
Great post! Id forgotten about some of these points since I fed my daughter but now planning to do it all over again so was good to read to refresh my memory! haha! #bestandworst
I know it’s so easy to forget!x
Yes to all of these.I always hated the one massive boob thing lol!And when you just have to get up and do something and want them to let go but they don’t and your nipple ends up like a string of chewing gum.Ouch x #bestandworst
Yes – I should have mentioned chewing gum boob!
Well done mummy for managing for so long, its brilliant. I managed 4wks and it all went pete-tong. would definitely try it again though, should I have another
#bestandworst xx
You’ll probably find it’s totally different next time!x
#bestandworst Ugh, I just couldn’t do it. I battled through thrush with my first, and we just never got the latch back. The worst pain having her pull off, cry, re-latch and pull off again, in addition to the shooting pain straight up my nipples. Once treated, we just never got the latch back and decided to stop after 4 months.
That’s such a shame – Little B had tongue tie at first so I can completely relate to the shooting pain – we deserve medals!!
Lovely post, I never made it past 8 weeks with my son and a day with my daughter but admire people who do! I wish I could have continued but I struggled to latch them and I was utterly miserable. You are amazing to be great at it
Thanks for linking up to the #bestandworst X
I know I am lucky & feel sorry for anyone who wanted to but couldn’t x
Arthur is 8 months old and this is definitely how he’s worked on his pincer grip – ouch!! He feeds a lot more at night now as he refuses breastfeeds during the day ( too busy) i do express and try and get some milk down in via a bottle just so that i don’t have to spend the WHOLE night letting him catch up! great post #justanotherlinky
It’s a labour of love that’s for sure! Little B is also feeding a lot at night at the mo & feeds less in the day too…x
Oh my goodness I miss boob feeding hinger, was so nice to be able to stuff my face with carbs all day. Thanks for keeping it reall lovely #fromtheheart
Yes -I’ll have to watch it on the carb front when I stop bfeeding!
At 9 months, my boy is still feeding on a night despite me wanting to stop at 6 months. I am literally a human dummy.
X
I know the feeling!!x
Breastfeeding is hard! I had a love-hate relationship with it and what’s with people staring at you while you feed your baby right! Both my kids rejected my boobs when they hit 3-4 months and then I went on the pump and became a cow.
* Visiting from #poopglitter
It is hard but I love it, even though this time round I have found it hard. I know what you mean about the cow thing!
Yes! I pumped exclusively. One boob would trickle out 50mls after 45 minutes, another would pour 200mls in 20- madness. Also made me look quite lopsided. My tot also still enjoys thrusting his pointer finger in my belly button like a sword fighter going for the kill.
Thanks so much for linking up to #fartglitter x
My boobs express like that too!x
My 1+ year old completly lost his appetite last week and so we were back to nursing round the clock! I’m so glad we cosleep because getting up every couple of hour would just about kill me… thanks for sharing! #fromtheheart
I didn’t co-sleep with BB & it’s so much easier this time round…x
Great post and all very true. I breastfed my boy for 10 months and I definitely had one bigger boob, he definitely had a favourite side. People do like to stare of you’re feeding a ln older baby, after Leo passed 6months I got really uncomfortable feeding him in public. Well done you for keeping at it for so long, I wish I had.xx #abitofeverything
Little B will be 16 months this month & we’re still going strong!!
Nobody told me that even weaning down to one feed at 14 months, by boobs would still become boulders and I’d have to milk myself into loo roll in public loos just to relieve the incredible weight and pain!
It was the same when I stopped feeding BB and I imagine it will be the same again..!
I breastfed as long as I could but unfortunately my munchkin wasn’t getting enough. broke my heart to stop but it was what was best for her and at least she got a good start and 10 weeks of mummy milk. I am with you on the bigger boob thing i felt realllllyy lopsided a couple of times!
#abitofeverything
Fab post and yep all true! I breastfed my now almost 4 year old till he was nearly 2.. he just didn’t want to stop! I’m now feeding my 5 month old and both have been different feeders. My baby is now at the curious stage so will be mid feed, something interests him around us so he just turns to look, loads of milk dribbling down his chin! I’m eating loads, trying to be healthy but devouring naughty foods. My body must need the calories, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself
Breast feeding makes me so ferociously hungry – all for carbs too…
haha, I’ve totally got the uneven boob thing going on this time around too and my first baby did the finger in the belly button thing – actually she still does it now when I’m getting dressed and she’s nearly 2!
Little B has taken to actually ramming his finger into my belly button now – boys are so rough!!
I loved breastfeeding my little man and I was also quite shocked at how significantly bigger one boob could be than the other. The leakage too was a little bit shocking for me.
Oh yes! I should have mentioned the leakage!!
BooBaby is almost 9 months old and he eats just as much as GreenBean did at this age. I have 2 chubby babies and a stringbean who wasn’t a bf’ing fan. I could care less if people stare. Not only am I saving my family money, but I am bonding with my child in a way that makes me feel useful.
Now, I was also an ff mom, so I could care less if a baby is bf’d or ff. I just like that I’m able to do it this time… And spend that formula money on other things… Like cute baby clothes.
#abitofeverything
I’m always shocked at how expensive formula is! Maybe I should sell my breast milk..!
Yes I can relate to all those points, breastfeeding is so hard. The early days were hell she would literally feed all day! I thought recently that the feeds were dropping off with weaning, but last night she fed about 8 times – argh! She’s also obsessed with the “pinch and twist”, grabbing my skin either above boob or on my arm for pinch and twist – ouch. Oh lastly when they get teeth and can bite that is so painful. Thanks for sharing. Claire x #abitofeverything
Little B is 16 months now and still sometimes feeds ever 2-3 hours during the night. Hopefully the end is in sight!
My little one has just discovered the pincer grip – ouch! She has also started biting my nipple if I offer her milk and she doesn’t want it. NOT COOL. #abotofeverything
No that isn’t cool at all!
Yes, I agree with most of these! Eldest weaned herself at about 13 months (but possibly because I was nearly 8 months pregnant!) Have just weaned youngest at 18 months, as I was ill and seemed like a good reason to do it as she was showing no signs that she would cut down or stop on her own ever! She had taken to favouring one side over other but not sure why! #abitofeverything
Goodness – hats off for feeding & being pregnant at the same time!!
The belly button thing! Piglet has just discovered his, and last week decided he was going to walk around at nursery showing everybody his belly button, then got other children doing the same thing. So funny how they are so obsessed with it! #abitofeverything
Little B does the same thing – in the highchair while eating!!
Well done darling! I had baby no.2 a week ago and we’re breast feeding but I find the engorgement painful! Do you know how long it takes to regulate and only produce what baby needs? My boobs are like rock hard footballs with nipples ;-()
Mine were like that too and for me it took a good month to settle down so hang in there & try and enjoy bigger boobs!!
Agree totally! I was always hungry and mine used to nurse like a newborn when he was well and truly a toddler too!! Drove my bananas especially during the night. One other thing for me is that I never lost weight! I just could not lose any weight. #abitofeverything
SEVERAL CUP SIZES BIGGER? How do you manage? this is all ahead of me now…. hahah #abitofeverything
Hi Natalie, I loved feeding my two and fed them both for around a year each. My son did have problems feeding, and as he was my first born I really didn’t know what I was doing and as he has a myopathy he didn’t have the strength to suckle properly (but I didn’t give up!).
My daughter was a little bu***r and would clamp and turn her head, scared of missing out on something. But the threat of not having anymore milk soon got her unclamped and focused on feeding.
I absolutely loved the night feeds, sitting quietly in the half dark, when the world was a sleep, I felt was a special time, just me and baby…. I also loved having boobs, something I’ve not had since!
xx
I can relate to this, it brought back memories as those days are well behind us now. I never had the belly button issue though
x #abitofeverything
Lucky you! I hate having my belly button invaded!!
Very interesting post, I didn’t realise the bigger the babies got the more milk they drank, I was the same as youa assuming that when they were on solid food they drink less milk! Thanks for this insightful read Xxx #Abitofeverything
You’re welcome! Both of mine have drunk more and more milk the bigger they get – eating solid food to hasn’t seemed to make any difference at all…
Great post. It’s true that breastfeeding can be a struggle and have its downfalls but it’s amazing too! #abitofeverything xx
Yes it is amazing too and I love it – I didn’t mean for this post to sound negative!x