Extended Breastfeeding Check-in, 5/4

[vvvvvfee]

For the purposes of this check-in, we will define extended breastfeeding as breastfeeding beyond 1 year. Questions are repeated and suggestions are appreciated.

1. How old is your LO?
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse?
3. What is your favorite/most-used position for nursing a toddler?
4. What is something about extended BFing that surprised you?

Pregnant & BFing Moms: How are you doing this week? Any issues with supply, pain, aversion? Questions for other moms?

Tandem Nursing Moms: How are you doing this week? Any current challenges? Questions for other moms?

Non-breastfeeding question of the week: What's your favorite article of clothing? Bonus points for online shopping links.

[sammysam]

1. How old is your LO? 3.25 years

2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 2-4

3. What is your favorite/most-used position for nursing a toddler? Side lying at night, basket during the day

4. What is something about extended BFing that surprised you? That I still enjoy it...and that (for me) it got easier.

What's your favorite article of clothing? Bonus points for online shopping links. Nothing I couldn't live without.

[vvvvvfee]

1. How old is your LO? 21 months
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? 4
3. What is your favorite/most-used position for nursing a toddler? DS sitting on my lap, facing me. Or side-lying when in bed.
4. What is something about extended BFing that surprised you? This time around I'm surprised how much less attached to BFing DS2 is compared to DS1-- not that he's not enthusiastic, he's just not crazy-obsessed the way DS1 was.

Non-breastfeeding question of the week: What's your favorite article of clothing? Bonus points for online shopping links. I find as I'm getting older I just want to stick with things I know I like, wait for them to go on sale, and buy multiples in different colors. A couple of favorites:
cuddl duds fleecewear wrap
levi's 535 super skinny jeans
birkenstock gizeh thong sandal

[billyhorrible]

1. How old is your LO? 22 months
2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? Just once, before bed
3. What is your favorite/most-used position for nursing a toddler? Cross Cradle
4. What is something about extended BFing that surprised you? Nothing surprising the second time around, but with my older son, it was how "not weird" it is to nurse a toddler with a full mouth of teeth who can ask for milk.


Non-breastfeeding question of the week: What's your favorite article of clothing? I've been thinking and I really feel like I don't have one? I don't love anything in my closet right now.

[sunfrogger88]

1. 17mo!
2. It's been more lately and I'm not sure why. She's refusing to eat a lot. I'm sure she's not feeding well but not sure exactly what.
3. Lay down snuggles and nursing.
4. How at ease i felt with it. She's still a baby to me.

Nbfr : idk. Honestly, I'm in love with LLR because it's comfortable and I can get away with styling professional outfits out of it.

[hurricanerek]

Hi ladies, I took a long TCF break for a while to focus on some other things. I'm going to try to check in a bit more often. One fun thing that happened while I was gone was that I became accredited as a Breastfeeding Counselor through Breastfeeding USA. It's been fun to establish a chapter in my area.

1. 2 3/4 years
2. 1-2 times
3. She likes cradle hold but I'm enjoying side lying with her recently. It helps with her latch.
4. I was surprised by how important it would be for my daughter. Breastfeeding is about so much more than nutrition.

Tandem is going okay. I'm really ready for dd1 to wean. Her latch is poor and she thinks I'm an open bar. I didn't have any aversion during pregnancy but it's pretty bad now. I've started limiting her to no more than twice a day.

I love my Toms.

[vvvvvfee]

hurricanerek, congrats on your certification! can you tell me more about what you do? do you run a group and offer advice to anyone who shows? what was the training like? did you learn a lot that you didn't already know? it's strictly a volunteer position, right?

[hurricanerek]

May 5, 2017 9:18:06 GMT -5 vvvvvfee said:

hurricanerek, congrats on your certification! can you tell me more about what you do? do you run a group and offer advice to anyone who shows? what was the training like? did you learn a lot that you didn't already know? it's strictly a volunteer position, right?

Sure! Yes, it's completely volunteer though a lot of fellow BCs seem to be using it as a stepping stone to getting their ibclc. I run a weekly in-person Breastfeeding support group and I also admin a Facebook group for my local chapter. Right now, I'm working on getting promotional materials together so I can advertise with hospitals and doctors offices.

The training is done online through Moodle and is very reading intensive. I loved it because I could do everything at my own pace. It took me about 9 months to complete but that included taking a month off when dd2 was born. I learned a lot. They get very technical about the anatomy of breastfeeding but also emphasize counseling skills and covering unusual circumstances. I love the importance they place on evidence based materials. I'm still learning a ton because they provide lots of continuing education. As a BC I also have access to a help group that I can give me current research if I encounter a situation that stumps me.

[vvvvvfee]

hurricanerek, thanks for the info! are you planning to become an IBCLC in the future? i've heard it's really difficult to get enough hours to be certified if you're not already working in the medical field (e.g., working f/t as a nurse or other medical pracitioner).

[hurricanerek]

May 5, 2017 9:32:12 GMT -5 vvvvvfee said:

hurricanerek, thanks for the info! are you planning to become an IBCLC in the future? i've heard it's really difficult to get enough hours to be certified if you're not already working in the medical field (e.g., working f/t as a nurse or other medical pracitioner).

No, I'm not in the medical field whatsoever. I'd basically have to go back to school to get my RN degree and then get enough hours plus sit for the exam. I don't think it would be worth it, especially since my area has plenty of ibclcs already. I'm content to be a volunteer and offer a free service.

[byjove]

1. almost 17 months
2. 1-2x/day on weekends. All night, erry night.
3. Side lying
4. I think you guys covered it. Maybe how much they still like it even as they get older?

Non-breastfeeding question of the week: It is a pair of black maternity James brand jeans I got when I was KU with my first. They are magic pants. I could wear them when I was 9 months pregnant and weigh almost 50 lbs more than I do now. They are 4 years old and I wear them multiple times a week and still do even though they are full panel. I have never gotten so many compliments on a pair of pants. They are finally starting to get a little saggy in the rear as I lose weight and I tried to replace them with the current model from James, but they changed the fit (super skinny ankle now, more jegging than skinny jean) and the new ones are awful

(as an aside, I feel like all of my truly favorite things, including shoes, are several years old now and not still made. I'm not going to know what to do when the time comes to retire them)

[lilyelayne]

Congrats hurricanerek! I might hit you up in a few months to see how different BFUSA and La Leche League leader training is, once I'm in the thick of it. Just for curiosity sake :-) I recommend both organizations for in person peer support (in the Newborn Check in here, amongst other online support groups I'm in) but I've never actually reached out to a BFUSA BC.

[hurricanerek]

May 5, 2017 15:12:50 GMT -5 lilyelayne said:

Congrats hurricanerek! I might hit you up in a few months to see how different BFUSA and La Leche League leader training is, once I'm in the thick of it. Just for curiosity sake :-) I recommend both organizations for in person peer support (in the Newborn Check in here, amongst other online support groups I'm in) but I've never actually reached out to a BFUSA BC.

Thank you! Are you training up in LLL?

[lilyelayne]

1. How old is your LO? - 2

2. How many times per day does your LO nurse? - 4-5

3. What is your favorite/most-used position for nursing a toddler? - cradle

4. What is something about extended BFing that surprised you? - that no one in my life including my ILs has said anything negative to me about it. Honestly, I'm struggling to think if anyone has said anything, positive or negative. It's totally a non issue - as it should be!

Non-breastfeeding question of the week: What's your favorite article of clothing? Bonus points for online shopping links. - I love this sweatshirt I got from my local yoga studio. It's super lightweight and comfy. I mostly live in LLR but I'm kinda cranky with the quality of the last few things I got, so I'm not over the moon endorsing them.

[lilyelayne]

May 5, 2017 15:15:32 GMT -5 hurricanerek said:

May 5, 2017 15:12:50 GMT -5 lilyelayne said:

Congrats hurricanerek! I might hit you up in a few months to see how different BFUSA and La Leche League leader training is, once I'm in the thick of it. Just for curiosity sake :-) I recommend both organizations for in person peer support (in the Newborn Check in here, amongst other online support groups I'm in) but I've never actually reached out to a BFUSA BC.

Thank you! Are you training up in LLL?

Yeah. It's been a bit of a slow start;
Content note:pregnancy loss

SPOILER: Click to show

right as we were getting all the application stuff in order to begin, my advising leader miscarried twins. So I told her we should pause a bit, let the paperwork lie until she recovered some. It was a surprise BFP and then a missed MC so.... she was overwhelmed.

[hurricanerek]

Oh lilyelayne that is hard. I'm glad you were able to be sensitive to her needs.