How long do you breastfeed?

With my daughter I breastfed her until she weaned herself at 22 months (that was a sad day!). Yes, we did supplement with formula as we thought she needed, especially during hot summer months. I would have kept breastfeeding if she'd wanted too, though, and among my circle of friends I think about 50% continued breastfeeding up through 2.

Never did formula. I breastfed my 2 until they were 1 and then they got whole milk. (My oldest was slightly older than 12 months when I completely stopped) I would have probably continued longer, but with my job it was difficult. Yes, I pumped and my husband fed them with a bottle. They would not take bottles from me. We referred to the milk as liquid gold.

Most of my friends breastfed until their children were 1 or a little longer. Only 1 friend went a longer time. I am thinking their child was 4 when they stopped.

KarilouMomof2 is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Tempe. Her daughters are 9 and 6.

I breastfed my first son until 26 months. Of course, the last 9 months or so, were pretty much just at bedtime. The second son weaned himself at 18 months. I was determined to breastfeed, so we threw away the hospital samples of formula, because they were much too tempting at 2am. I worked full time, and it became really difficult for awhile. I resorted, with both kids, to using a concierge service to run breastmilk home in the middle of the day, when I fell behind and remained just a feeding or two ahead of them. There were some work days that I had to call in sick, simply because I didn't have enough milk pumped to leave the house. EVERY Friday, I vowed to pump all weekend and make the next week easier, but I hated pumping and I never did get ahead. I knew that I needed to set the alarm and get up at midnight to pump, but no one that sleep deprived, is rational. Every morning, I woke, nursed, pumped, washed the pumping gear and headed to work. In between meetings and stuff, I pumped twice a day. When I got home, I nursed them right away to reconnect. Deperate, one day when my son was 5 months old, the concierge service delivery was on it's way, but my husband called and said the baby was crying now. He tried to give my son formula, but he refused it. So, we resorted to adding an oz and a half of bottled water to the breastmilkt o stretch it. It was exhausting, but I'm glad that I made it! I tell my friends that breastfeeding is like "drinking and driving"...You have to make the decision and commit to it. Because once you're sleep deprived and everything else deprived, it's too easy to say, "well, I tried, but this isn't working for me". I said that every day for 7 months, at least, but took it one day at a time, literally.

I breastfed my first two until a year. DD3 just turned 1 and I'm planning on going a while longer...not sure how long yet.

I was less informed with the older girls and thought 1 year was the "right time". Now I really believe the right time is when both mom and baby are ready.

DD3 got a bottle of formula 2X. All of my frozen milk had been thrown out due to thrush :( and I had something I'd committed to doing. I was surprised that she took it just fine. Boy did she have stinky diapers though!

I was lucky enough to either not work or work from home, so pumping was just for the rare occasions I wasn't here. I commend all of you that work and pump...you really are supermoms!

Most moms I know barely breastfeed or go straight to bottles.

I only breastfed my daughter for three months. I had to go back to work and it was just to hard to pump. Between meetings and try to play catch up from being on maternity leave it was to time consuming.

I was working with my first and she lost interest at about 7 months. My son, I was home, went 18 months. My twins went about 14 months. I loved breastfeeding, I miss the closeness.

Lovemy4 is a discussion leader for North Central Phoenix, tired mother of 4 great kids and wife to one great husband.

I went six months with my son, then got really sick and just couldn't do it anymore. I will say, I supplemented with formula for the daycare. I had one bottle (sometimes two) of breast milk and the rest of the feedings were formula. Pumped with my Medela at work.

I was determined to hit a year with my daughter, even as a working mom, but I ended up getting really sick when she was 7 months. I tried, but so much of my milk dried up that I just gave up. Sometimes I wish I didn't give up so quickly for the mutual benefits to her and me (losing weight). But she's healthy.

Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.

My first son was born very sick and at one day old had to be flown out from the hospital in Payson to Banner Desert NICU, where he stayed for 11 days. I could not hold him, so the only thing I could do for him was to pump. I pumped for 8 days before I was able to bring him to the breast. It took a lactation consultant and a lot of tears, but we finally were able to successfully breastfeed. Because he was so sick, the doctor ordered one bottle of special formula at 2 am and ordered my husband to feed the baby then. Woo hoo! I went back to work and worked full-time while I pumped. Pumping was awful, but I knew I was doing the best for my child. I pumped for 2 years while I worked, which was an accomplishment because I was not always in the office at pumping time. At 2 years old I decided that we needed to wean. No one else I knew was breastfeeding a toddler and I wanted to have another baby without tandem nursing. While we were weaning I became pregnant. Nursing my toddler and the early stages of pregnancy made me wean him a little quicker. At 2 years and 2 months we were done and we made it through all of his teeth.

My second son was born and had only 2 or 3 bottles after birth, until I recovered from my c-section. He was a nursing champ and I reduced my work time to only 2 days per week. My husband was off work those 2 days and I would leave work and go home to breastfeed my baby, when he needed it. I lived close to work and they understood while he was little. This worked for awhile, until I realized that I needed to be a stay at home mother. When he was 11 months old I became a stay-at-home mother. Right after that I went into the hospital for an emergency gall-bladder surgery. For one day I could not nurse him and he refused a bottle. He did take baby food and a little juice, but he waited until the next day when I could nurse him. The doctors worked well with me to change the medicine so I could nurse him. We are still nursing at 2 years, 1 month old. We are now down to night nursing only. I plan to fully wean in the next few months. I have been pregnant or nursing since October 2002, without a break!

Everyone has such different breastfeeding experiences, don't we?
I breast fed and pumped my first for 4 months, when I had to go on a business trip, and when I returned he would not do it anymore. For some reason pumping was really hard for me, plus Alex had reflux and he spit up everything so we often ran out of pumped milk. He ended up on formula.

My second child was breast fed full time until 8 weeks old, then part time when I went back to work. I did not even try to pump for her.

With my youngest, I weaned him under doctors orders at 12 months. He would never take a bottle so he has never had formula, he went straight from breast to solids. He was the hardest to wean because I had stayed home with him, and he was more attached to me than the first two since I worked with them.

Whatever you decided was best for you is all that matters! I think this is one topic you will never really get a clear consensus about.

Susan & Neil Hampton have three spectacular children, Alexander, Isabel and David, plus one amazing teenager, Eric. Susan does community outreach for arizonamoms.com.
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” - Margaret Atwood

I breastfed for three months with both kids until I went back to work - there was no private place to pump, unfortunately - and supplemented with formula.

Susie is a discussion leader in the east valley for arizonamoms.com. She has two sons, ages 6 and 2.

I'm in the minority in my circle, too! :) I was way into ecological breastfeeding and natural child spacing and all that and thankfully, had a wonderful breastfeeding experience. My son has still never had a pacifier or bottle--I wouldn't have it any other way. He didn't have any solids for 6 months and is now 27 months and still nursing several times a day. I was never away from him overnight until he was almost 2 years old and I did have to pump to avoid becoming engorged. He has never been to the doctor for a health issue and is incredibly healthy. With my next, I don't know if I'll be able to pull it off to the same extent but I'll sure try! It's so much more convenient than bottles and I'm OK with being his human pacifier--it still beats dealing with a real pacifier!!

I am still nursing my 15 month old daughter. I returned to work at 12 weeks and pumped like crazy...middle of the night...in the car on the way to work and back...2 times at work..after she went to sleep. She's never had formula. I started introducing solids at 6 months.
I am definetly in the minority. Most of my friends formula fed only. I do get a ton of critisism from family mostly but I know I'm doing good.
It's a personal choice...whatever works for you for however long.