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Adventures in toddler nursing.
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(I originally wrote this in my CafeMom journal. CafeMom is very mainstream, and I wanted to bring awareness to full-term breastfeeding (extended nursing). I've also changed the term "extended nursing" to "Full-term nursing" because saying "extended" suggests that we are doing something that is out of the ordinary. After posting this on my CM journal...I got 99% positive reactions. I had 2 people send me negative mail, and everyone else was positive.
So, here's goes..disclaimer and all.. ;)
*Disclaimer* This is a story about what it's like to nurse a toddler. What it's really like. If you think full-term nursing is gross, icky, and wrong or whatever, don’t read it. Don't comment, either. I've nursed 4 boys, and believe me, there is nothing you can say that I haven’t' heard before. Sure, nursing a toddler isn't for everyone, but it works for our family. The WHO and AAP recommends nursing for a minimum of 2 years. MINIMUM. Which means, we're at the minimum in the morning. BUT, that doesn't mean we are going to wean in the morning...quite the contrary, actually. We believe in child-led weaning...meaning that when my baby...no matter how, old is ready to move onto bigger (ha) and better things, then he'll let me know. In fact, the world-wide weaning age is between 2.5 and 7 years old. SO, if you feel you need to tell me what an awful mom I am for nursing past-oh, I don't know- 6 weeks, a year, once they get teeth or once they can "ask" for it...well, take that to the "I am uneducated about full-term nursing" journal, and post there. *End of Disclaimer*
So, What's it really like to nurse a toddler? Well, let’s see. At two years old, which we will reach tomorrow, most kids are pretty independent. So is my little Calen. In fact, Calen was really independent when he was just over a year. Can you believe he climbed this play structure all by himself? To the TOP? He was only a little over a year at this point.
Oh, and he loves to go down the water slide, too...ALONE! (And, of course, that was over the summer...6 months ago)
So, we know that he's independent. BUT, if he's so independent, why nurse him?
Well, the benefits of nursing a toddler go beyond a year. And, beyond milk. All the benefits your baby gets from nursing continue for as long as he continues to nurse. They go beyond he physical benefits, too. There's an emotional side to breastfeeding a toddler. We all hear about how a breastfed baby bonds differently with mom...well, it's the same with breastfed toddlers. They bond differently than a toddler that was weaned early, or never breastfed.
But, what's it LIKE to nurse a toddler?
I'm not convinced I can explain it, but it's the most wonderful thing in the world. First, you have your beautiful baby...uh, toddler, looking up at you. They look at you with the most loving eyes. Eyes that melt your heart, finding their way into your heart, into your soul. How can you not LOVE seeing this beautiful face looking up at you?
But, nursing a toddler isn't easy. It's...well, if you really want to know...it's *involved*. There are two types of breastfeeding toddlers. Toddlers don't want to "sit still" anymore. They want to run, jump, and play....and still know that mom is there with the "booboo". So, most of the nursing that happens is, what I call "Fly-By" nursing.
I feel like singing the Go, Diego, Go song, with my own words...."Quick, Take a Sip". That's really what it's like. They just run up, ask to nurse, take a "sip", and off they go. At this age, they are too "busy" to stop and *really* nurse, but they want to know it's still there.
Which is why you find a lot of toddlers like to nurse standing up.
Like that. And then, they are off again, ready to explore the world. OR, you find yourself with a toddler that nurses in the "Nurse-nastics" fashion. This is the toddler that won't sit still for anything but also won't let go of your breast, for anything. Fortunately, my toddler does both, so I'm able to show you what that looks like, too!
It starts out innocently enough...
Then you realize they have "tricked" you into thinking it was a "fly-by", and they ask for the other side.
See where his hand is? Well, you don't want it there, so you start to move it away....only to have this happen:
 
 Ok, that's enough...My face hurts! So, I try to distract him, and he decides this would be more fun:
UMMM, where are you going kiddo? Eventually, they end up like this:
Thankfully, NOT attached to the breast right now...LOL. So, as the day goes on, we nurse again....and you never know what's going to happen...
Either way, they eventually find themselves worn out at the end of the day...and what a better way to wind down than this:
Sure, nursing a toddler is exhausting, but we don't do it for ourselves. We do it for our little ones...our little ones that in 5 years, won't be nursing anymore. That in 5 years, won't climb on our backs, and jump over our shoulders. That in 5 years, won't want to cuddle up to mommy, lay down with a little hand upon our breast, and settle in for the night.
Our babies will live to be 80...maybe longer because they were breastfed...so giving just a few years of our lives...so they can have forever...isn't too much.
Sure, he's two years old now...but time flies...and I swear it was just yesterday that he looked like this:
Happy 2nd Birthday, Calen!
I'm so proud of you!!!!! Love, Mommy!
Tags: Breastfeeding Toddler Babyextended Full Term Difficulties Triumphs
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