Did your mom breastfeed?

[arihillfarm]

My mother didn't BF me and I even overheard her say at an afternoon party when I was a teenager that she didn't BF because she didn't want her breasts to sag. Way to be unselfish Mom! She did CD at home (1972). She was less than supportive of breastfeeding my DS and always made a big deal about it, looking really embarrassed. When I was visiting her when he was 3 months old, she asked me if I was going to pump enough milk for him since we were going to be out the entire day. I just looked at her and told her it doesn't work that way. He won't take a bottle and even if he did, I'd have to pump AND feed him which would take twice as long and it's much harder to pump in public with no one noticing than just feeding the baby, I did start to feed him at a restaurant one time and she had a fit hissing, "There are men here, go to the bathroom." So???? I told her no way was my child eating dinner in the bathroom. Another time, we were in a mall food court and I had carefully placed myself and my son in a corner and piled a winter coat on the table in front of us. As soon as she saw me start to nurse him, she jumps up and holds up the coat in front of us. Gee thanks Mom, now everyone is looking over here. The kicker? She's German where almost everyone nurses and breasts in public (even those not nursing) are not a big deal. I think she's been in the USA too long...

-Astrid

[jc12551]

None of us were bf'ed, none of my aunts bf'ed either. But they all regret not doing it and want to watch me

My DH's family is very pro bf'ing. All three of my MIL's children had a very rare milk protein allergy and couldn't bf. But they are from Latin america and BF'ing is very common.

All CD'ed and think I am CRAZY for doing it now. They keep buying me sposies!

[Willows]

My mom breastfed all eight of us. The minimum was 1 year, and my youngest brother almost 5 years. I think pregnancy interrupted some of the relationships.

[pjjb]

My mom did not breastfeed me or my sisters. Both of my sisters have breastfed their kids - times are a changing and I am so glad. It is a real shame that our culture dismissed a natural maternal activity as "unseemly" for so long.

[kgmom]

My mom breastfed premature twins (my brother and I were 3 and 3.5 lbs at birth) back in the '70's. We were her first, so she had no breastfeeding experience, and no real help pumping and then later getting us onto the breast, but she managed it anyway. She weaned us around 13 months. I knew if she could manage that, there was no reason for me not to breastfeed! Fortunately, my own experiences were much easier than hers...

[TwilightMommy]

yes but not for long
i myself new it was best for my child and thats what i wanted to do even though i had never been around anyone that had as i was young and all that..didnt know a thing about it but it was natural and very easy..we luckily had no problems with it

[NSnewmom]

My mother BF me for 9 months and my brothers for 1-2 years, despite getting grief from her mother that breastfeeding was for "poor people and gypsies" and that she shouldn't do it in public. Growing up, I remember seeing at least one aunt breastfeed too. I never even considered not breastfeeding and when I had a friend who did not breastfeed, I had to deal with my mother asking why she didn't (I still don't know her reason because she didn't tell me so I figured it was none of my business). Most of my friends breastfeed too, so I have lots of support.

MIL didn't breastfeed DH because she got severe mastitis when she tried to breastfeed her first, but she is supportive nevertheless, as is my father's mother (who had the same problem--mastitis with her first, so the rest weren't BF) and DH's grandmother, who did not breastfeed. My mother's mother came to meet my baby last month, and said nothing about my feeding choice. She just left the room when I did it.