4/4!

Well it's nice to get 4/4 since my baby is 5 weeks old and I'm nursing

4/4 but nursing an almost 6 month old

4/4 and nursing an almost one year old, I'M ALMOST DONE!!!

4/4 ... not nursing (no kids yet)

4/4. Not nursing anymore but easy to remember

wow, I have never breastfed and I got 4/4. Both mine were formula fed ( very happily). next time I intend to try breastfeeding though.

4/4. But I have two kids that I've breastfed.

3/4 and pregnant...still have some to learn

The first should really read "at least" 8-12 times a day. There's not a limit of 12, you should feed as often as your baby desires. It's really common for them to cluster feed when your milk first comes in (or to help it come in) which can result in feeding every half hour or more.

I'm almost 3 months into nursing my third and looking forward to a few years of it with her.

This quote from the link bugs me:

"What many new mothers don't realize is that breastfeeding is really a very quiet and relaxing time. If your baby is latched on properly they eat very quietly," says Pat Sterna, IBCLC, a lactation counselor from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

The first few weeks of breastfeeding, especially your first, are not necessarily relaxing. And all my kids were noisy eaters, they grunted a lot. She's feeding into that "if it's causing you stress, you're doing it wrong" myth.

If your infant is eating every half hour it is likely they are not getting enough during each feeding. Only for the first couple weeks should an infant nurse so frequently. Ideally babies nurse every two to three hours. If they seem to cry in between feedings you should try rubbing his/her tummy for gas, talking to your baby or burping him/her. Sometimes parents are quick to feed a crying baby but more than likely the reason they are crying is because of some other discomfort or boredom - additionally, some infants have colic which might just make them cry... nursing might comfort him/her and be a "quick fix" but this only causes the child to want to nurse frequently (even if he/she isn't hungry) and sometimes causes stress for the mother... in turn making nursing stressful.

If breastfeeding is stressful then it is very likely that something isn't going properly. Nursing should be a time for bonding not stress. Stressing more while breastfeeding may actually cause your milk to come in less or not as quickly, making it hard for the baby to nurse and less enjoyable for both mother and baby. And, always remember that nursing will cause a new sensation to to your nipple and may take a little time getting use to but it should never hurt or be painful. If this is the case the baby is latching on wrong.

4/4 but I've nursed two babies. Can't wait to nurse the next! Good advice ladies above. I would only add that when I nursed my daughter, I *thought* she was feeding for the entire 45 minutes I had her on... SO not the case. Their mouths can move in their sleep!! With my son I made sure he stayed good and awake, ate the entire time, and then he was completely set for the next 3 hours. If he cried before the 3 hour mark (approximately, obviously) I knew it was something else (tired, overstimulated, gassy, etc).

Yes, the question is referring to the first few weeks. Where cluster feeding is extremely common in order to establish milk supply. It's also common during growth spurts and when mom works during the day so the baby reverse cycles at night to re-establish that contact.

I personally am not a believer in setting times for my own children. I nurse when they're hungry, whether it's been 30 minutes or three hours. It's not my first course of comfort, but I don't rule it out either just because "they just ate." There is no ideal for all children, it's what mutually acceptable for both mother and baby. I'm a big fan of comfort nursing as well - if they're upset and nursing calms them, all the better for both of us. If they don't need it as food, it's just eliminated from their system rather than stored as fat anyway. Again, I'm not saying that's best for everyone, just how I personally prefer to handle it.

I disagree that in the first few days breastfeeding is only stressful when something is likely going wrong. It's tough to adjust to, to get the feel for, etc. It's ok to feel stress, it doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. And no matter how well it's done, some women simply do feel a lot of pain at first. I would cry every time each one of my children latched on for the first week, and cringe for the next few weeks, even though latch, suction, etc were all fine. It's always a good idea to have stressful feelings and pain checked by a lactation consultant, but it doesn't mean you're doing it wrong.

4/4
I nursed my first for 5.5 months when she weaned herself.
I nursed my 2nd for 2 weeks
I nursed my 3rd for 2 or 3 weeks, I don't remember, it did not go well at all.
I did not nurse my 4th child, she was soley formula fed.

4/4 but I won't be able to breastfeed due to a breast reduction I had 10 years ago.

I didn't get any right...of course I've never had a child either. Breastfeeding has always been a confusing topic for me.

Well I got a 4/4 but I've been nursing now for 4 years straight between my two sons. My daughter, 12 years ago, was mostly bottlefed, because I *didn't* get correct information about breastfeeding.

4/4, because my SIL breast fed both of her children for a year each.

i agree with greggie 100%.

in the beginning, breastfeeding can be incredibly stressful and quite painful even when you're doing correctly. i'm currently nursing my second (8 months old and i nursed the first until she was 15 months). the idea that having your nipples continually sucked on 8-12 times a day isn't going to cause pain or soreness is, frankly, ridiculous. i've never met a nursing mother who didn't admit that it hurt like hell at first. i think people and organizations (i won't name them) who insist that you're doing something wrong it if hurts do a huge disservice to new mothers who don't know what to expect. if you stick with it, the soreness subsides and you can't even remember that it used to hurt. it can take a few weeks before your nipples are accustomed to their new job.

as to the stress, not every mom and baby have an easy time getting the hang of breastfeeding. some babies are really fussy and some mothers just don't enjoy it. even if it's going really well, mom is still not getting a lot of sleep in the beginning and having a new infant to take care of takes it's toll, so some stress is perfectly normal.

also, there's no need to judge other mothers on how often they feed their children, be it by breast for by bottle. all kids are different (my daughter nursed very frequently in the beginning b/c she was small and could only hold so much milk at a time, but my son feasted at each feeding and could last a lot longer b/c he was larger).

breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience, and i encourage every mom to at least try it. if you soldier through the beginning and you enjoy it, it just keeps getting easier and becomes second nature. it's also cheap (free, in fact!) and environmentally friendly.

4/4. I nursed both of my sons for at least three months a piece. It saves a lot of money. My youngest son was a sleep eater. He would nurse while he slept. I started to supplement only when my supply didn't keep up with demand. He eats like a grown man

3/4. I nursed my son for eight months and then he was done with me. His first 8 to 10 weeks went were basically spent nursing him about 15 hours a day. He only slept about 7 hours in a 24 hour period. It was rough, but its what worked for us. I think that that mothers should be left to do what feels right for them and their child, as long as the child is growing and thriving.