breastmilk after weaning?

[PollyC]

Hello

My baby is only 4 months old but I wonder for the future...how long can you pump milk after the baby is weaned?  Couldn't you like feed it to the baby out of a cup?  Then they can get the good benefits of the breastmilk even after the nursing time is over.  But I wonder, can a woman still even make milk if the baby is no longer suckling?

What do you think?

Polycarpia

[PatioGardener]

I think it depends on the mother. Some moms respond really well to the pump and others don't. Even the moms who pump easily see a decrease in supply as time goes on though. The pump just isn't as good as getting milk out as the baby!

For me, if I could nurse the baby then I would not bother. What an awful lot of work when I could cut out the middle step and just nurse my child! I feel that if the child still needs to suck, and still needs breastmilk, then they still need to nurse. We're mammals, and that's what mammals do.

Nursing isn't just about the milk - there are other reasons to nurse a child as they get older. It facilitates normal jaw and face development (potentially saving trips to the orthodontist!), it helps with emotional developments, it helps with brain development, and it is a fantastic way to soothe and connect with a child.

At 4 months I could not imagine nursing a 9 month old even (my DS is now 9 months old). At 4 months it was still about nursing every 2 hours and I had no idea how my nursing relationship with my baby would change as he aged. Now I look forward to nursing a toddler. I can't wait until he has a word for nursing (right now he signs 'milk'). Even at 9 months I love how nursing can help calm and soothe him after a tumble.

There is absolutely no reason to think that nursing an older child will be harmful to them in any way. I hear that occasionally - that nursing will 'damage' a child. Nursing is normal! If the child wants to keep nursing, and the mother is agreeable, then there is no harm, only good.

What has got you thinking about the future, PollyC? :)

[PollyC]

oh jeez, I don't know, I just was thinking about when the little one is bigger...what it will be like...they really change fast, just like I was warned!

Anyway, I will nurse as long as the baby is willing, but I've had some friends whose babies up and weaned themselves without a backwards glance, even though the mothers didn't feel ready.  So, that just got me wondering.

thanks for the reply! 

[PatioGardener]

They do change so fast, don't they?  Some days I am so thrilled about it, and others I just want to hang on to every sweet second.

Often moms who say their babies weaned one day and never looked back are actually describing a nursing strike. They are pretty common, and often you can work through them if you know about them. If you don't know about them then they are distressing and confusing and baby can be weaned early because of them.  Kellymom has some great info about strikes here: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html#strike

My DS went on strike last month. he had a cold blocking his nose (hard to breathe and nurse at the same time) and a really sore throat. I fed him breastmilk popsicles (momsicles!) and pumped and gave him milk in a cup and after about 18 hours he nursed again.  It was not fun, but fortunately we worked it out.

I have to say the best part of nursing a nine month old is the absolute joy it brings him. He gets the best smile in his eyes when he looks up at me while nursing, like he is saying "Thanks, this is awesome!" 

What is your favourite thing about nursing your 4 month old?