https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:32:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480495 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:31:06 +0000 Bluebonnet 480495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Love this thread! People need to know it is possible! </p> <p>- LO was at her birth weight at her first doctors appointment.<br /> - I've never had to supplement with formula.<br /> - I'm a WOHM and I've exceeded my original EBF goal and I'm still going! Its not easy, but I am balancing a demanding FT job and pumping at work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480208 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:14:05 +0000 BKCaribBaby 480208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another future Mom just popping in to say thank you!! Please keep them coming. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480200 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:07:48 +0000 Mrsbells 480200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In the beginning it was a nitemare just getting her to latch on, we needed atleast 2 extra people to hold her while i shoved my boob in her mouth. Now she knows the drill and its so easy and straight forward. I'm glad I stuck it out </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480151 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 08:24:45 +0000 Sammyfab 480151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a really rough go for the first month. Although my supply came in after 5 days of pumping like crazy, my LO wasn't latching properly and my supply vanished after 24 hours of not pumping. After that he refused to latch so we spent the next 3 weeks tube feeding, supplementing, taking 35 pills a day to boost my supply, and pumping 8 times a day. My LO would get so frustrated on the boob because of my low supply.</p> <p>It wasn't until the day he was circumcised at 4.5 weeks that he decided to latch and be on the boob all. day. long. I was ecstatic that he was latching but then I got milk blisters, blocked ducts and an almost-case of mastitis. Then at 6/7 weeks my LO started spitting up like a fountain and I found out I was in oversupply!!</p> <p>Things eventually sorted themselves out and at 10 months we are still going strong. We have never had a nursing strike and nursing is easy and natural. I considered weaning right at 12 months but now I'd like to maintain at least one nursing session a day until at least 18 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480134 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 08:04:08 +0000 T.H.O.U. 480134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: I totally agree about the 4 handed nursing at first. It was so true for me that once we got through the 4-6 week first window, nursing was a breeze! We are now going on 17 months! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480121 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 07:49:48 +0000 London Mama 480121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good initiative! DS will be 6 months on Sunday and I'm proud of myself for exclusively breastfeeding this long. It was so painful at times but I stuck it out and made it to 6 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480092 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 06:41:05 +0000 GreekWife 480092@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had ductal thrush for over 9 weeks. I had oversupply problems that took me months to calm down. It was so rough for a while there, but now she's 19 months and nursing has been a breeze for so long that I almost forgot all about the hard times. </p> <p>I wrote about it recently too:<br /> <a href="http://greekwife.blogspot.com/2012/12/this-is-story.html" rel="nofollow">http://greekwife.blogspot.com/2012/12/this-is-story.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480075 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 05:01:56 +0000 Penny Lane 480075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: I almost didn't! If it hadn't been for my ah-may-zing LC (and my mama, of course) I probably would have given up early on. I'm SO exceptionally glad I kept trying though!</p> <p>Eta: dh was also an amazing support, even though to this day I don't think he understands why I was so set on breast feeding, he still never pushed me to give up and made a good shoulder to cry on :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480070 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 04:22:26 +0000 MamaMoose 480070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Penny Lane: wow! I don't know that I would have had the strength to make it work in those circumstances. Well done! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480067 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 03:29:00 +0000 Penny Lane 480067@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: I'm pretty proud of myself being able to nurse one handed now too!</p> <p>We had hard beginnings. My milk came is exactly 36 hours after birth (which i am so so so grateful for!) but it came with such force that lo couldnt latch. Undortunately i didnt realise how bad his latch was. Until day 5 when the nips were so ripped up I couldn't latch him. I cried just thinking about latching. So we bought a pump and he was bottle fed for 3.5 ish weeks. Luckily I'm blessed with good supply, and respond really well to the pump. </p> <p>I had an open wound on one nip that got infected and wouldn't heal, so I took antibiotics... And got thrush. While we were treating for thrush I was starting to try actual BFing again. I still couldn't do it. The first latch after his weeks of bottles needed 6 hands. Mine, my Mum's, and the LC's. me holding boob in the U hold, and holding both arms down (he broke out of swaddles in 0.02 seconds flat), the LC supporting LOs body, and Mum actually holding LOs head in the right place. </p> <p>He had gotten so strong I still couldn't latch him myself for weeks more after that. Luckily mum was still staying with us, she literally put him on my boob for me. I was too scared, it hurt too badly, he was too strong for me. He'd been holding his head up since day one! It would take 5-10 minutes of red faced shrieking every time. </p> <p>Eventually LO figured out latching. He wouldn't fight against me every feeding. Now at 5 months I just put his head near the boob and he does everything else himself. It's so easy, there's no pain, and I love it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-480017 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:45:37 +0000 SAHM0811 480017@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>18 months and still nursing... with no regrets or conflicts about it. she's self-weaning really slowly, but surely (with some encouragement from me to drop feeds). </p> <p>this is a big success for me because I had a terrible time nursing her older sister and it means a lot to me that I was able to at least give one of my kids the benefits of bf'ing for the first two years. </p> <p>so to moms who had a difficult time with their firstborns, don't worry... it's not always the case for subsequent children too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479999 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:19:19 +0000 SleepyMonkey 479999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO had a pretty good latch from the start and I never experienced any nipple pain. I absolutely hated it though because I lost control of my schedule which was so hard for a control freak like me. I also found it very stressful. Once I accepted that I couldn't control my schedule anymore, I became neutral towards it and now I even like it. She has such a good latch now, she makes her mouth a gaping wide open O and then just happily sucks away. Its really so enjoyable now and I never thought I would say that. My LO is 10 weeks.</p> <p>Also I really applaud you ladies who had a tough time in the beginning with it and stuck with it. I don't think I would have been so strong to continue! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479998 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:18:52 +0000 lemondrop 479998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think bf'ing is the hardest thing I have ever learned. So many weeks of frustration, but we are going strong and it will be a year in just a few days. We've been through jaundice, supplementing, bad latches, nipple shields, weaning off that nipple shield, nursing strikes, clogged ducts, mastitis, and a milk blister- all worth it to me now. </p> <p>I remember crying on the phone to my mom when he was 6 weeks old, asking her when she started liking breastfeeding- she told me around 3 days. That did not help. at. all. Things got much easier by 8 weeks, and I started liking it by 6 months (sounds like a long time, but I literally blinked and this year is over). As the baby gets stronger, it gets easier. Those sessions that felt like forever before, now are 5 minutes per side. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479993 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:06:16 +0000 wheres_c 479993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I consider mself a success because despite being seperated after my c section, despite my supply issues, despite his nipple confusion i did not give up. Sure, he's also getting some formula but so happy hes getting the breast milk. Its only getting better as we go on. Yay for Making it to 1 month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479976 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:44:56 +0000 glimmersnaps 479976@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Congrats to everyone! I think we really need more positive stories out there. </p> <p>I never really had a tough time with breastfeeding, although it was my #1 worry before giving birth. My son had to be deep suctioned and they warned me that he might not latch right away. I remember feeling so panicked! But he didn't take more than a minute to find the boob and he super-loved it for 21 months! </p> <p>We slowly started weaning at around 19 months. I wanted to get pregnant and once I did my nipples were too sore to carry on. We slowly dropped daytime feedings by me only nursing in our bedroom. Then we tackled the night ones. They weren't as hard as I'd worried they'd be and I think it's because he was truly ready.</p> <p>**I also wanted to add that my SIL has issues with a fast letdown as some of you mentioned @Futuremrsmck and she finds that leaning back helps keep the baby from choking on the milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479242 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:44:12 +0000 BabyBruins 479242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a preemie and was told that he probably we wouldn't be bfing until his due date, so the first six weeks were really hard with trying to bf, following with a bottle and then pumping, but then he got it and on his first birthday earlier this week, we are still nursing twice a day. I NEVER would have thought I would still be bfing after 1 year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479227 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:42:04 +0000 Bao 479227@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've had it pretty good so far. We made it past 4 months EBFing, which is awesome, every day is one more day I can say I did it. She had a great latch from the beginning, and my milk came in pretty quick. I just got my first ever clogged duct last night, so that's a bummer, but overall I can't complain. My next goal is to stop being so afraid to nurse in front of others. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479204 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:37:50 +0000 oahujeni 479204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I struggled in the beginning with a bad latch and also having to supplement with formula due to jaundice. But now it's going great with EBF and he was 2 lbs over his birth weight at his 2 1/2 week appointment! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479077 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:15:01 +0000 hilsy85 479077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can't believe I can actually post on here with a success story...I really did not think I'd be able to stick with vreastfeeding. Lo was tongue tied and is still lip tied, I had mastitis and then thrush, and also had vasospams. I literally cried through every feeding for the first three weeks. But around 8.5/9 weeks it got better and now t 11 weeks we are doing pretty well and I would like to nurse him until he can transition straight to cow milk so around a year. I am so thankful that we were able to stick with it and make it work!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479057 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:08:15 +0000 JessiBee 479057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm still preggo, so I have nothing to add here. I just wanted to say thank you for starting this thread! It's nice to read the encouraging stories, and the light at the end of the tunnel, and not just the frustrations and difficulties! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479055 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:07:13 +0000 NerdBee 479055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was not producing anything for 5 days, not even colostrum. I pumped every 3 hours from day 2 and had to feed LO formula. By the time my milk started coming in, LO had gotten used to the bottle and would cry at the breast and refuse to latch. When he did latch, he would suck for a couple of seconds and when milk didn't come out right away he would cry and cry. </p> <p>This went on for two weeks where I would offer the breast and he would cry and scream until I gave him formula. I would then pump in order to keep ip my supply. Each feeding was a huge ordeal that involved lots of tears, both his and mine. </p> <p>One day he latched on and stayed on for a bit longer than usual. I did breast compressions to help the milk come out faster. Then he started to nurse longer and longer until I no longer needed to supplement with formula. I was really glad that I didn't give up and kept trying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-479010 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:56:02 +0000 matador84 479010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just love actually breast feeding the only problem I have has is with supply. I feel so blessed! He was able to latch immediately from right after he was born and has always been a true boob baby! I seriously wish I didn't have to put him in daycare because I love breast feeding so much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-478982 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:47:15 +0000 MamaMoose 478982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rattles: wow great job putting weight on that baby! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-478970 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:44:23 +0000 rattles 478970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The first week home with LO, I could only nurse her topless in one particular chair with three pillows and an extra set of hands. I had giant blisters on both nipples and baby hickies around them from bad latches. Yesterday at her one month checkup, I could nurse her discreetly in the waiting room with one hand! And she'd gained 1lb 12 oz! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-478960 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:41:19 +0000 Mrs. Pen 478960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yay congratulations!!! I remember needing six hands haha!! I need both of mine to cradle and hold my breast while my mom positioned his head and DH helped with his body. lol!! It takes awhile to get into the niche of it but it was nice when I could finally do it one handed. Now that he is 10 months I can't do anything with my free hand because he is so distracted! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-478959 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:41:19 +0000 lovehoneybee 478959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't feel like I've hit any "milestones" per se. I'm very very lucky (and grateful!) that we've had such an easy time of it. DS had a wonderful, immediate latch, my milk came in within 36 hours, I've never had a supply issue, cracked, bleeding or even sore nipples. I BF in public within a few days of birth, and I use a Boppy (during the day at least), so I usually have at least one hand, if not both, free. </p> <p>My only issue is a really fast let-down...he sometimes chokes a little at first (when I pump I can be done in 5 minutes, 7 if I'm patient enough to wait for a second letdown. And he won't take a paci and prefers to use me as a pacifier instead. I feel like he's always on the boob, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-478936 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:31:57 +0000 brownie 478936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yay!!!! I couldn't imagine doing it anywhere but home. Just the other day I got a "compliment" from a friends mom about not being shy to whip it out and feed the baby (20 month old toddler) when he needed it.</p> <p>My second accomplishment is actually weaning. We are going on 3 weeks without a lunch feeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-success-stories#post-478907 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:18:54 +0000 MamaMoose 478907@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like there are so many threads about the difficulties of breastfeeding. And that's because it's HARD. But let's give ourselves a pat on the back with some stories of breastfeeding milestones. And hopefully it will give some encouragement to future mamas.</p> <p>When we first started I was BAFFLED that people would post to hellobee while nursing. It literally took FOUR hands to get her to eat. I would cradle her head and hold my boob in a C hold and hubs would help me to support her body and keep her hands out of the way. It was a production. But now I've totally mastered one handed breastfeeding and I can nurse and surf the web at the same time. Go me! </p>