Yep! We're Still Nursing

by Michelle Sapp

I am currently nursing my little Ryan who will turn one on November 28. I can not tell you how grateful I am that we made it this far.

My goal at first was 12 weeks because I knew I would be going back to work. However, after the first few weeks, I invested in a double breast pump and became friends with it. I stocked the freezer and vowed to make it until my milk ran out. I pumped three times a day at work and was able to drive to the daycare during my lunch to nurse Ryan.

I discovered Breastfeeding.com and learned many new things from reading about other mothers successes so, we just kept on going and going. I didn't have any reason to stop. I was making it work and Ryan reaped the benefits.

I watched many other little babies in the nursery suffer through colds, stomach bugs, ear infections, and RSV while Ryan never seemed to "catch" anything. I knew it was because he was still breastfeeding. I have nursed him countless times, cuddled him in my arms, gazed into his eyes, and as our nursing relationship grew, learned his little pat on my shoulders meant he was ready to nurse. I also learned to nurse a 9 month old that was learning to stand and intrigued with the world around him.

If you have ever nursed a 9 month old, you know what I am talking about. They become nursing contortionists! I didn't realize that I would ever nurse a child who was almost upside down with one foot in the air. I learned quickly that Mardi Gras beads or even reading a book were great for taming this wild nursing gymnast that had emerged.

We are now approaching the one year mark and I have made it through a diminishing milk supply (which fenugreek really helped), sore nipples for which Lansinoh cream saved me, frustration, exhaustion, working full time and still maintaining a nursing on demand relationship.

I learned to trust my heart and let Ryan nurse to sleep if that is what he wanted and I have seen a more dependant baby grow from that. Trusting my heart and doing what is right for us had been the biggest part of being successful. We are now reaching a point where people ask "Is he still nursing?" in a way that I know really means "isn't it about time he stop nursing?" I don't hear them though.

When we sit down together in our special chair at home, time stops. I look at him, he looks at me and we giggle. He stokes my hair or glides his tiny hands across my face and I can't think of anything I would rather be doing. When he's finished and he sits up with that reddened face and drunk gaze and he leans over and kisses my cheek, well that is all the motivation I need to nurse till he is ready to stop!