September 2009 Weddings
Nunu&Eddie
member
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
BR: Weaning...?
If you breastfed, when did you wean, or when did your LO self-wean?
When did AF return?
I am not quite ready to wean yet and am thinking of just waiting for Adrian to self-wean, but I'm scared it will take too long and we'll want to TTC #2.
Any experience?
Did anyone gain weight when they weaned? I seriously eat like a pig now!
Re: BR: Weaning...?
I let Sam self-wean, which she started around 6 months, and we finally stopped BFing at 7 months.
AF returned 18 months and change after my LMP, so I would say it was about a month after I stopped BFing.
I didn't gain any weight after Sam was weaned, but then I didn't lose any either, and that's when I started WeightWatchers.
My friend was in a similar situation, where she wanted to TTC #2 but was still BFing so she more or less set a date (I think she said when he was 6 months) and started cutting back the number of BFing sessions and was supplementing with the milk she had saved, supplementing with formula as she went.
Honestly, in the end there's no right or wrong answer -- just do what works best for you and A. Also, you have done so great this far, you should be so proud of yourself, and know that everything you have given him to this point has been nothing but beenficial to him, so don't ever look at weaning as a negative.
updated 10.03.12
Ellie self-weaned at 8.5 months, which I had a hard time with because I wanted to make it at least until she sprouted teeth (although, her first teeth came in just a few weeks later, so it worked out.)
AF returned almost exactly 4 weeks later, so at 9.5 months PP. I had switched from the mini-pill to Yaz as soon as I was sure we were done BFing so I'm sure this had something to do with my cycle starting up again so quickly.
I did gain about 10lbs after weaning.
I agree with MB. You've done a great job! If you feel it's time to transition to formula & baby food, then by all means, do it. No one knows your baby better than you do, and no one knows what's best for him better than you.
I was there. My supply started failing once I started work, but I maintained the pumping as best as I could, but it still wasn't enough. I was just lucky that Sam's weaning coincided with my diminshing supply, so it wasn't that bad of a transition. A part of me was still kicking myself -- if I had done this or that to keep my supply up -- but I just had to remind myself that it wasn't going to last forever, and the most important thing was Sam getting the nutrition she needed, whether it was through breastmilk or formula.
updated 10.03.12
Yeah, I was there too. It was to the point where I was only able to pump about 12-15oz while I was at work and we had to supplement w/ formula. Eventually I just stopped pumping at work, and I breastfed at home but she got formula while I was at work. That worked just fine for us for 3-4 months until she weaned.
I was fully prepared to stop pumping this week and offer formula and BM at day care until the freezer stash ran out, but Adrian didn't like the formula. I could try different brands and spend a ton of money, or just keep going with pumping.
Ideally, he'll just start self-weaning over the next few months. We just upped solids to 3x day (2x at DC, 1x at home) so I am sure he'll soon be done with it. Or, we'll just wean when we transition to cow's milk? Who knows?
I love breastfeeding but don't want to do it forever. Issue is that I feel weird weaning him before he might be ready. What if he's not ready until he's three?!
El was SUPER picky about formula too. We had to use the ready-to-feed liquid kind (Similac Spit-Up formula). She refused to drink any of the powdered versions.
I started weaning Phoenix at about 11.5 months. Once she hit 1 we introduced cow milk and that made finishing weaning sooooo easy because she liked it so much, so I'd say her last breastfeeding was maybe a week and a half after turning 1. My period started like 2 days later.
I've heard its actually really common for babies to self-wean pretty quickly when the mom gets pregnant while breastfeeding. I think it has to do with the additional hormones suddenly present in the milk. So, unless its more of a personal reason why you want him weaned before TTC again (which I can totally understand) there's not a real medical reason to wait.
I have not gained weight since weaning. I think I actually lost a bit more..but I think that's also because my appetite went down again once I stopped, so I eat just like I did pre-pregnancy.
Thank you for posting this.
I'm not ready to wean Evie yet but was curious about how to go about it. I'm hoping at this point to make until she is a year... especially considering I'm home with her most of the time.
Sorry to hi-jack the post but...
I'm a little worried my supply is going to decrease due to the fact AF returned last week. I will have to do some reading but anyone know how much this will effect my supply? I feel like I'm not going to make it a year because of this.
My Acme Box last update 3/28/11
Nat, i don't know a whole lot about that, but are you on the mini-pill? if so, my doctor had told me that it could make supply go down, and if so that there's a prescription they can give to help boost the supply. Just something to ask about, maybe?
Also, I do recommend taking fenugreek if you have supply issues. It works wonders!
No pill or BC for me right now. I chickened out getting Mirena. The last time I was on BC, I got all out of whack so it made me nervous to try it again. Andplusalso, I haven't been very active in the bedroom, IYKWIM.....
Fenugreek, is that in pill form? I know there's a tea.
My Acme Box last update 3/28/11
AF returned when Alex was 3 months the same week I went back to work (prior to actually going to work) and I've noticed that my supply decreases the week I"m on my period and then goes back up. However, around 6 months my supply totally tanked and we started giving him formula again to make up the difference during the day. I was still pump at work though and getting what I could (10 oz total on a really good day). Now that I'm doing the three 12s my day time supply has decreased but my night supply and first morning feeding have increased. I am no longer pumping during the day at work because we're working on weaning. Alex still nurses when I'm home with him but during the day sometimes he gets a bottle if he nurses and is still hungry because like I said my supply isn't as high during the day. I'm okay with continuing the early morning feeding and the before bed feeding indefinitely at this point because I really enjoy that time with Alex. I guess I don't really have any advice, this is just my experience. You have to do what feels right for you.
ETA: Alex is also eating one fruit and one veggie with rice cereal, half a sippy cup of apple juice cut with water and multiple snacks during the day at this point.