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I "gave it a try" for 3 months and now it's been 10 years!

post #1 of 55
12/24/08 at 1:57pm
Thread Starter 
My oldest child turned 10 on Monday. The past ten years have flown by! I remember the first time he nursed - how unsure of myself I was. Scared that it was going to be physically and/or emotionally painfuly for me. And then I looked into his eyes and experienced Bliss. We struggled with latch problems and thrush for the first 6 weeks. When I made it to the 3 month mark, I changed my expectations to 6 months. Then a year. Then all of a sudden I was pregnant and nursing, then tandem nursing, then tandem nursing through pregnancy and triandem nursing. Then he self-weaned on his fifth birthday. Then another pregnancy and more triandem nursing. Then another pregnancy, triandem nursing and pregnant ... my second child naturally weaning just shy of his seventh birthday. And here I am, triandem nursing for the third time - with five children from 10 years old to 10 months old and I've been nursing for 10 years straight. I find it amazing that I've come so far and that this breastfeeding journey, that I was at first so unsure of, has been wonderful, blissful, amusing, and too amazing to do it justice with words.

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post #2 of 55
12/24/08 at 2:06pm
WOW that is amazing! Go you!!! ::
post #3 of 55
12/24/08 at 2:09pm
That is absolutely amazing! You are amazing to me!!
post #4 of 55
12/24/08 at 3:21pm
congratulations! thanks for sharing your story!

--Heather
post #5 of 55
12/24/08 at 3:55pm
That's amazing! :
post #6 of 55
12/24/08 at 3:58pm
yeah, just amazing!!!!
post #7 of 55
12/24/08 at 7:57pm


(one for each year!)
post #8 of 55
12/24/08 at 10:44pm
Mama, you rock!
post #9 of 55
12/24/08 at 11:03pm
Wonderful, Mama, wonderful. You, however, aleady know that(and so do your kids).
post #10 of 55
12/25/08 at 12:08am
Amazing. Just amazing.
post #11 of 55
12/26/08 at 4:44am
My goal is always 2 winters, bc I read that it lowers rick for RSV. But 7 yrs for one babe!!!!! Tandem and peggos!!! Awesome. I lost track, what was the most tandem nursing at once?
post #12 of 55
12/26/08 at 7:41am
So, you're still nursing your oldest at 10 years old?
post #13 of 55
12/26/08 at 4:18pm
hoa mama! You are amazing!:
I am still nursing my 6 year old son, and it is truly amazing.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Lollicup View Post
So, you're still nursing your oldest at 10 years old?
From what I see:

Quote:
Then he self-weaned on his fifth birthday.
post #14 of 55
12/26/08 at 5:12pm
Thread Starter 
My oldest self-weaned on his fifth birthday, but I've been nursing at least one child (mostly 2 or 3 children) since Dec. 22, 1998. The most I've nursed concurrently is 3 - I did triandem nurse during my last pregnancy, but the oldest nursling at the time self-weaned during pregnancy. I'm now nursing my 6.5 year old dd, my 3 year old ds and my 10 month old dd.

Thanks, Mamas!!! :

I look back and remember how scared I was to try breastfeeding and my views on it during my pregnancy with ds1 ... I only breastfeed because my dh wanted me to. At the time, I thought that a 6 month old baby was kind of old to be breastfeeding and definitely not a 1 year old. Who knew that five years later I'd be celebrating that child's weaning day?
post #15 of 55
12/26/08 at 6:18pm
Opps - got sidetracked and forgot to say ::: that's awesome mom2threenurslings!
post #16 of 55
12/26/08 at 6:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom2threenurslings View Post
Why am I still breastfeeding my 6 year old?
Because she still has the need to nurse and isn't yet ready to wean. Because it's a wonderful way to reconnect with my very independent daughter. Because it's normal and natural and I couldn't imagine forcing her to stop before she's ready.

Perhaps you should read up more on child-led weaning and the average natural age of weaning in humans (between 3 and 7 years of age). "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" by Norma Jane Bumgarner and "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" by Hilary Flower are great resources, as is kellymom.com.

Nursing a child of any age is for their benefit (you can't force a child to nurse). Breastmilk never loses nutritional value, and still contains all the antibodies and other benefits no matter what the age of the nursling. I don't find it at all annoying at all...in fact it continues to be as special as it was when I was nursing her as a newborn - just different!
congratulations on a very diplomatic answer, mama and also on nursing and nursing and nursing! my 7y11m old last nursed on...i think it was 12/9 this year. he may be weaned. i am recording each of the days now, because i want to make sure he's absolutely done before i get my commemorative tattoo
post #17 of 55
12/27/08 at 7:46am
You.Go.Girl!!!!!
post #18 of 55
12/27/08 at 11:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chelsmm View Post
Who says it "should be" for babies and toddlers?

Nursing is not just about nutrition.

I think when you know the kids you realize that these are normal, healthy kids who just happen to nurse sometimes.
:
it's a mind shift, here in this country. you have to take the "sucking boobs" part out of the equation. because it's not sexual, and that's how people think here, unfortunately. especially when the child is "older". they are still children, and for some reason, some need to nurse longer. of course by that time it's mostly about comfort, but who knows what other needs they have.
the fun part about having an older nursling is they can tell you all sorts of stuff that you'd never know from a child who can't yet talk, or who can't articulate enough.
plus, like the PP said, there are no "shoulds". there are cultural norms, but those aren't shoulds, and they aren't necessarily correct. it's all individual.
the worldwide average age for weaning is 4.2 *years*. and it's "developed" nations such as ours and the UK, who wean our children ultra early, that bring that average *down*!
Kathryn Dettwyler is an anthropologist who has done a ton of research about breastfeeding worldwide. google her and check out her website. it's fascinating! i think the oldest recorded nursling is 9 or 10, even. mine's nearly 8 and he nursed a couple of weeks ago. by this time it really is every couple weeks and only for a minute or so, total. weaning is like growing-- slowly, slowly, slowly. they taper off, and taper off, and taper off, till you both realize it's been forever since they nursed and it's done. they're weaned. i'm glad i let my son self-wean. nobody was forced to stop doing something that is mutually beneficial, and it's been good.

HTH
post #19 of 55
12/27/08 at 11:55am
Congrats, Amanda! I have such respect and awe for you.
post #20 of 55
12/27/08 at 2:19pm
This is a support forum and not a debate forum. No one posting here should feel the need to defend CLW. Therefore, I have removed several posts and the replies, well-thought out though they were.

If a member is interested in learning more about child-led weaning or extended nursing, they are certainly free to start a thread, either here or in the Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy forum, provided that thread helps maintain a comfortable and respectful atmosphere for our members.
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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Breastfeeding › Child-Led Weaning › I "gave it a try" for 3 months and now it's been 10 years!