Toddler nursing - anyone feel like coming out of the closet and sharing toddler nursing tales?

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Permalink Reply by Kim on February 13, 2009 at 12:12pm

Hi Meredith! Nope ~ you're not the only one. I nursed my now 6 year old until she was 18 months, and she self-weaned when I was about 7 months pregnant with my son. He is now almost 5, and nursed until he was about 2 1/2 - same thing just at night. He was waking up a few times to nurse at night, and I was just tired out! So I decided it was time to stop, but I was worried that he would be upset. So a friend gave me a great idea to try. I put bandaids over my nipples and told him that they were broken and there was no more milk. It really showed me how compassionate a child he is because his reaction was that he was very concerned because he thought I was hurt. He made up a story that I fell on the sidewalk and broke my "nursies". It was the cutest thing....but anyway, he would ask every few days if they were still broken, but never seemed upset about it. I was relieved that it worked out. As far as when to stop, I just felt like it was time and just followed my instinct/intuition or whatever you want to call it :-) Now we have a 6 month old daughter, and my plan is to nurse her until I know the time is right to stop. Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by jenny on February 13, 2009 at 12:14pm

I have so far breastfed 9 dc. The longest was dc 8, who was 2 and a half when I gave it up. I normally dried up when I became 3 months pregnant, but I managed until 7 months pregnant. I was glad of the excuse in the end, as she was getting too old. She used me as a pacifier to get through her teething!

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Permalink Reply by TheMacMommy on February 13, 2009 at 12:33pm

Mine will be three end of June and he still nurses in the mornings and occasionally for comfort. I also sometimes feel like I'm a "closet nurser" because I wonder if people would look at me funny since my son looks like a 3.5 yr old. Not that I care anyhow and I wouldn't hesitate to nurse him in public if he wanted to, but those days are over. It's more of just a comfort and cuddling experience now and doesn't have much to do with food since he eats like we do. These days will be gone forever some day as pre-school is just around the corner, so I'm just cherishing it so I don't regret not having done it later on as some of my friends and family have pointed out.

Anyhow, hello, I'm here – another fellow extended nurser out there in the wild :) Crikey! I hope National Geographic doesn't come out after us for documentaries on such a rare species!! LOL!!

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Permalink Reply by Michelle R. Sadler on February 13, 2009 at 4:31pm

Hi Meredith and everyone, great topic!! I am too bfing my almost 18 month, I see no end in sight and I'm fine with that. I am tired of fam &friends looking at me like I'm a weirdo!!! I feel like this is the most natural thing in the world and I'm so sick of defending myself!!

To answer your question Meredith, you are letting your child decide when to stop and I think that's great. If you're down to a few minutes each night, she's getting close! But if you want stop, that band aid thing sounds like a good idea!!!

We mother's need to realize that however long we nurse, whether it's 2 months or 2 years or more, we have done the best thing possible for our babies!

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Levesque on February 13, 2009 at 6:44pm

My son will be 3 in April and the kid nurses All day and night. I think it's a bit much but it's what he needs. Mommy needs sleep! lol But I love him so much and I'm not ready to let it go all the way I'd love for it to ease up though. I nurse him in public pretty often too. It is so natural stick with what your heart tells you when you look back fifty years from now you will feel good about your choice. They are only little for such a short time. It feels like forever my daughter just turned 4 and it's like WOW she's 4. She even asks to nurse sometimes if she's really hurt. Good way to love your body look at all the amazing things it does!

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Permalink Reply by lilbitzfoxe on February 15, 2009 at 12:08pm

I nurse my eighteen month old and - guess what I still nurse my 3 1/2 year old at bedtime too. I've introduced the concept of weaning to the older one and suggested that 4 year olds don't really nurse and perhaps he'd consider giving up but I won't push him. Apart from the health benefits I don't know how I would get him to sleep without it. Anytime I tried to pull back before he got sick straight away. ?He's also not the best eater on the planet and at least I know he is being nourished through breastmilk. I plan to feed them till they stop themselves but as they become reasonable I set some limits as I don't like the looks I get when they are shouting for 'milka' in the supemarket.

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Permalink Reply by Jake Aryeh Marcus on February 21, 2009 at 2:16pm

Just joined Twittermoms. :) Nursed my boys to ages 2, 3, and 4 respectively. I am of the "stop when he wants to or you have some other reason to" school of thought. :)

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Permalink Reply by Amy on February 26, 2009 at 7:50pm

Yay, more 'extended' nursers. My daughter will be two in May, and I have no plans to stop nursing, I'm all for child-led weaning. She nurses several (5-7) times throughout the day, for a few minutes each time. She nurses before bed and 2-3 times at night too. I also don't hesitate to nurse her in public when she asks. If people are offended by it they can feel free to look the other way. She's not the best eater, so its nice to know that she's getting some balanced nutrition. It's also wonderful when she's sick. She just went through a bout of RSV and wouldn't eat or drink anything for almost a week. Thank heavens she would still nurse. I have no doubt that if it wasn't for nursing she would have been hospitalized. Her doctor told me that "You should stop nursing, after a year they don't get any benefit from it" I was so mad. The doctor is flat out wrong (in my opinion at least), so know I'm trying to find another doctor who will respect my decision to continue nursing.

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Permalink Reply by SilverRoseHJW on February 27, 2009 at 9:18am

::Opening Door::

Well, not really coming out of the closet here, since most in my circle knew I still nursed my DD! She was about 22 months when I stopped, and then it was only b/c I was put on bedrest with my second, at 5 months. DD nursed basically when I got home from work, but that was cutting down, and at nighttime.

My DS, who's now a few days shy of a year old, will continue to nurse until he weans himself. I'm already getting the "When are you going to stop nursing?" questions, which I ignore. I'm non-confrontational - and will do what I want regardless of other people and their incessant questions and comments ;)

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Permalink Reply by BellaSmiles on March 1, 2009 at 11:14am

I am a breastfeeding mama to my 17 month old, and we just found out that I am pregnant with #4 baby. My daughter still nurses a couple times during the day and at night...and for comfort. I don't think she will be ready to give up the boo-juice anytime soon...but..that is up to her. I'm so sad at times because of women who feel they have to hide the fact that they are continuing to nurse during the toddler years. Hold your heads up high, girls...YOU ARE AWESOME!

XO

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Permalink Reply by Dagmar Bleasdale on March 1, 2009 at 10:32pm

Oh, you are not alone! My son is almost 2 1/2, and although I could not breastfeed him for two weeks, we are now back on track and going strong! In fact, I just posted an entry about that just now! Take a look at my blog, http://DagmarBleasdale.com, and you can read all about my breastfeeding a toddler :)

I don't hide that I still nurse him, I'm proud of it. If anyone wants to say something about it, they can, but it is in my and my child's best interest to let him wean on his own. The health benefits are simply to big to be ignored, for both mom and child!

So keep on going :)

Best,
Dagmar

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Permalink Reply by Elita on March 3, 2009 at 2:53pm

My son is 15 months old and still nursing, and honestly I don't think we'll be stopping any time soon. He nurses when I get home from work and in the mornings before we get ready to go to work/daycare. He is ADAMANT about nursing. I feel like he still needs me, so I am going to continue on. My goal is to allow him to self-wean, but I may reassess that if he hasn't weaned by the time we plan on having our next baby, in a year or so.

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