I have never breastfed (never had a baby, either, for that matter) but I think at least one thing to factor in is not all women are physically able to breastfeed. My mother was unable to breast feed me, and I had to eat somehow. I think the other reason the numbers are so low is because so many women work outside the home and have to leave the baby with someone else, which I'm sure makes breast feeding much more difficult.

Thanks for adding me as a friend. I started looking at your xanga and I really like reading your stuff. It makes me excited for my future and hopefully being a mommy someday. :)

right here! I breast, and I do it on demand. I love it, and its hard but Im older too almost 40, are older women lets say over 25 more likely to do it?

I am a stay at home mom of my first baby, she is 9 weeks, and I have a duel breast pump. I realize hat I am very lucky and it is easy for me to be at home AND pump but man, I have a sister in law that works full time and breastfeeds her 9 month old. It is so hard these days I figure hell as long as you are feeding your baby and they are healthy that is all that matters.

I think the main reason those numbers are so low is because the lack of breastfeeding support. Everyone is concerned with 'not offending the formula feeders' that breastfeeding isn't talked about at all! Sadly, because I was so uninformed I didn't
breastfeed my older boys. No one talked with me about it besides asking "Are you going to breast or bottle feed?" I just naively believed that formula was just as good. I wish someone had just told me all the great things about it and how easy it would be after we got adjusted!

When I got pregnant with my 3rd son, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I had joined an attachment parenting message board around that time and got lots of information and support. I wouldn't have survived the 3 weeks of latch and supply issues if it wasn't for the support I got from my husband, family and that message board. Now my son is 9 months old and we don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I'm not sure if we are going to do child led weaning but I can see us going until he's 2.

I'm a big breastfeeding advocate now. I try to inform people without being preachy. It's hard getting away from formula feeding being the norm but the more people who breastfeed, especially in public the more the message will get out that mom's milk is best.

@TornadoChaser - I am in complete agreement that the lack of support for breastfeeding is a huge impediment to successful breastfeeding.  We tend to one of two things in the hospital: 1.) Pressure moms to "get" breastfeeding before we push them out the door (as I spoke about in my blog with how quickly women are discharged without the tools they need to be successful). This I think often leads to formula feeding.  Or 2.) Not really mention much about it, or certainly not the long term benefits of breastfeeding.  Women may be breastfeeding when they leave, but not really have information about why it is worth the effort to continue.  Either way, I think the lack of information and support on our part, despite "breastfeeding friendly" environments, as we call them, needs a lot of work.

@hannahtan528@xanga - Infected with what? And what kind of medications were you on? If you don't mind me asking.

Iron is safe to take while pregnant and breastfeeding. Look. I'm sorry if that was the only reason what stopped you from breastfeeding. 

I breastfed my daughter until she was 1 and half years old.  She's a very clingy one and it was very painful.  She sucked the daylight out of me.  

My daughter is almost 11 months old and she is exclusively breastfed (with some findger foods now though).  I plan on going for as long as she needs/wants it. 

I am fortunate enough to be a SAHM.  However, if I was a working mom, I would pump and give breastmilk in a bottle so she got the same nutrition and benefits from nursing. 

I agree, there is very mainstream support for breastfeeding.  In addition, breastfeeding moms have to deal with the issues of trying to feed our children wherever we are, whenever.  Most people are offended by this natural thing, even when we try to be as discrete as possible.  Women have been kicked off airplanes, booted out of restaurants, and asked to leave public pools because they were trying to feed their child.  However, a mom offering a bottle or finger foods NEVER has these issues.  Apparently nursing moms are supposed to lock themselves in their homes for the duration of their nursing experience so we don't offend people. 

Also, you have to really WANT to nurse.  I know many women who gave up quickly because they felt 'they couldn't do it' ... or felt they didn't have enough milk... or their milk dried up by 8 weeks.  The truth of the matter is that it is more likely women produce TOO much milk then not enough.  Many women are just not educated about lactating.  Once your body settles down and the supply/demand cycle is efficient, your breasts don't always feel full...but that doesn't mean you aren't producing milk. 

I had a really hard time in the beginning ... but with the help of a lactation consultant we got our issues worked out and we are still going strong.  I think many times women dont' want to ask for help because they think it should just come naturally.  Breastfeeding is an art that has been lost through the years.  Mothers and grandmothers used to help out the new moms ... we do not have that same sort of community any longer. 

In addition, we are bombarded with formula adds about how they are 'close to breastmilk' ... and have comfort proteins and such.  Women are not educated about the EXTREME benefits of breastmilk.  The fact that your milk changes with your baby and offers your baby exactly what she needs at the age she needs it.  The milk you produce when your baby is 2 weeks old is completely different from what you produce when your baby is 6 months old.  Not only are there superior benefits for baby, but mom benefits too.  Breastfeeding helps your uterus return to it's prebaby shape and size, helps reduce the chances of breastcancer, and aids in shedding the baby weight to name a few.

If we want more moms to embrace breastfeeding (whether through pumping or at the breast) then we HAVE to educate women about this natural perfect food for baby and all the benefits.

Yeah to all those extended breastfeeders! I am working on baby # 3 here and all three will be exclusively breastfed, the longest was my middle child at 19 months she weaned herself  when I got pregnant with my 3rd baby. No matter how hard breastfeeding might be at times and even pumping if you work outside the home, the benefits are so worth it for your baby!  I do pump occasionally when I need to be away from my little one, but I have really enjoyed the benefit and bonding breastfeeding has given me. I am a Lactavist all the way!!  (I even own a shirt that says that!!) We DO need to support new Moms or moms that don't know all the benefits of breastfeeding. A smile, a nod or a kind word to a breastfeeding Mom (in private or public) is a great way to show support! And hey buying a pump will be a lot cheaper in the long run than buying formula!

I dont know much about the topic, but I do know that my brother's girlfriend, when having her first child, was debating between the two, and one of the things I recall her saying as a con of breastfeeding was that one of her friends hadn't realized her baby wasnt getting enough ... something. Not sure what. Apparently because her breasts werent supplying enough, but she didnt know, so the baby had to be hospitalized. I know the friend she was referring to, so I'll have to have another chat with her to clarify the details - its been a while since that conversation. I'm sure SOME people have their reasons to choose bottle, but I do think that lots of people just dont know. Once they do know, then they can make their choice based on all the pros and cons.

As for my son, he was breast fed until 6months, then switched to formula due to his mom's demanding job. (she is a manager at a fast food place, and was constantly working over 40 hours each week, usually like 60, and was always very tired. I dont blame her for it, we got in a good 6 months still, and I'm glad she did her best to do that.) Going on that topic, so many workplaces are ignorant to new moms... oh well. We deal.

:)

I am a SAHM (mostly - I work outside the home 1 part day per week) and I breastfed both of my babies exclusively until they were 4 months old. With both of them my milk dried up almost overnight for no apparent reason. I wasn't supplimenting or pumping - just breastfeeding and they both woke up one day and I didn't have enough. I tried all sorts of things to keep it up and bring it back, but nothing worked. My lactation consultant and Dr. feel that it is a hormonal thing since it happened at almost the exact same time with both babies. I was planning to breastfeed until they were at least a year, but finally resigned myself to the fact that it was not meant to be. I figure that they got the most benefit out of it during the most crucial time, and am thankful for that!