Our breastfeeding journey has not come to an end quite yet. We are now hitting our 17th Month of nursing and I couldn't be more proud about it! Honestly, I am very much so on the discreet side of breastfeeding a toddler ( Minus this blogpost), and I feel that it is because of how society has everyone feeling that breastfeeding beyond a year is taboo... I wish I were more open about the fact that we have successfully been nursing our son for the past year and a half but I am still shy about the whole thing. I want to mention and tell everyone about our lovely experience and this is comfortable enough for me by blogging about it. Mr. Noah never had any trouble as a newborn with latching on or objecting to nurse, that was never an issue. The only "issue" and I say that in quotations because many people say I'm blessed, was that I over produced milk. I agree it is a blessing but can be a little bit of a pain. Because of over producing, my doctor said I could be feeding triplets, I was always super full of milk. If I wasn't nursing, I was pumping, and yes that only increases the milk production but I wanted to make sure I didn't stop producing enough milk for Noah, who fed every hour or so. It was difficult trying to get out of the house and go anywhere or do much of anything because of this. It would get extremely painful when they would fill up, which took two hours of not nursing or pumping and then I'd leak.... And that wasn't pretty at all.
At a year, we began giving Noah cows milk and he took it but still very much so perfered the boob. So even though I did try and weane him and just do cow's milk, I would nurse him mornings and nights, and I thought we were doing good until I formed a clogged milk duct. That was super painful and happened because I still produce a lot of milk and If I don't expell it, it gets stuck in there and starts to develop an infection. That since than, has happened 2 more times. Not fun. I always stop it from getting worse by applying heat to the spot and breastfeeding more or pumping.
And Now?
So where do I stand now with Nursing my 17 month old? Yes I breastfeed and intend to do so until he weanes himself or until he turns 2. I don't think Breastfeeding should be anything taboo, breastfeeding a toddler should not be looked down upon. It is a blessing, and it's what our bodies are meant to do. It is only here in the U.S. that it is looked down upon for breastfeeding a toddler but everywhere else they recommend that I child is breastfed until at least 3+.
I'm not bold enough to breastfeed cold turkey in public, I use a cover or go in another room and that's just what makes me comfortable.
Our Nursing Benefits
Ahhhh, there are so many ways in which Noah has benefited from nursing! He has only gotten a cold twice and he's almost 2! Many statistics say babies may get sick up to 11 times in the first year! That would mean having a sick baby every month, but not for us and I can definitely say that it is because of breastfeeding! All the nutrients in the milk are so good to a baby! He does not have any allergies, sicknesses, ecezma, anything wrong with him.
He is so advanced. He has been advanced since he was about 4 months old. He started sitting up around that time, and ever since he's been off the charts advanced. He is bilingual, comprehends what we say to him, speaks many words, lets us know when he wants something ( like a banana, to watch blues clues or dora , or even needs to poop!) He is very smart and again, I blame it on the breastmilk. =)
His proportions are just right, he is not underweight, not overweight, he's perfectly and has been perfectly in the right spot for his height according to the charts. And he is on the taller side. If you were to meet Mr. Noah, you would probably think he was 2 or so. He looks older and bigger but not hefty if that makes any sense. ha.
One major benefit to nursing, is the bond between he and I. I love how he stares into my eyes and holds my hand while nursing. It's a nice way to get quality time with him since all he wants to do now is run and play.
Not So Fun Side
For starters, the title is Breastfeeding a Toddler, so you're wrong is you think its super peaceful and calm everytime we nurse. He is usually doing some kind of a new gymnastic trick on me while hooked to the boob... Don't ask me how it's possible but he does it. He likes to stand, sit on me, pull, tug, twist, anything while breastfeeding. And even though he's past the biting part, Thank you Lord, he does it now because he thinks it's funny.... Not funny Noah. NO!
Also, he asks for "chi chi" yes, but if I say no, there goes his hand, down my shirt, in public to try and scoop it out. And that's embarassing to me.
Lastly, nursing at night = co-sleeping which is okay but can be a bit uncomfortable, so I find myself getting up two times a night at 2am and 5am to get him a bottle so I can sleep comfortably. It definitely takes a lot to nurse, and I'm super thankful I stay home to do so but do not be fooled, it is an incredible amount of work to do so.
So, since I'm more on the private side of nursing, I do want to share a few pictures of us that I never post on instagram. Nursing is a beautiful thing, a gift from God, and I wish I had more balls when it came to being out there with it but since I'm not, this is my way of showing how proud I am of us for accomplishing this goal I always was excited for while pregnant with him.
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| had to nurse while at dinner at an italian restaurant, with my cover of course, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. |
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| he's def worth it. |
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