How do I get my partner to agree with me about bf?

[RStelle]

Hello, my dd is only 5 months so this is in the future, but I would love advice about it now. Before my dd was born I never thought very much about how long I would bf for-- just thought however long we wanted to--now that I am actually bf I feel more strongly that I don't want to stop just because my dd turns 1, but my partner and I are not really on the same page. We haven't talked about it a lot, but it's clear that she feels that after dd turns 1 it would 'starts to get a little weird'.  I've talked a little about my feelings, WHO recommendation, etc, but I didn't want to push it because I didn't want to create tension around this. I think she just doesn't have the right mindset about it--like she has the dominant culture mindset that doesn't realize that bf can't be weird because that's what breasts are for. She's a wonderful and supportive partner, it's not like she would be mean about it, but it's going to be hard if we aren't on the same page. So has anyone ever experienced this, and what did you do? How do I change her mindset?

[Marissamom]

at this point, I would say "let's see if you still feel that way in 7 months" and leave it at that. DF thought that having our kids nursing as toddlers might be weird, but by the time we got there he didn't feel that way anymore. sometimes it's a lot different when it's your baby, because you still see them more as your baby than as a toddler, plus you get to see how much nursing still means to them. 

[Alison1810]

I agree that waiting it out is probably best, and in the meantime just keep mentioning the benefits. To be honest, when my DD was a newborn I didn't really think about nursing her past infancy, but my mind soon changed as I watched her grow. She's now nearly 20 months and although some people make comments about us "still" nursing (my mother mostly), everyone comments on how smart, healthy, well-behaved and happy she is and I know that our nursing relationship has a lot to do with that. I'd say as you near your little ones first birthday your partner will see things from a different perspective.

[dakotablue]

Waiting recommended here too. Dh thought over 1 would be weird, almost 2 would be weird and so on. Right now...Ds1 is almost 23 months and Dh is totally fine with nursing and doesn't want me to stop yet (well I should say indifferent 'I don't have a problem' yet) I think seeing how it works and the closeness and ease...it becomes part of life and the age doesn't stand out as much, kinda like when you look at photos from two months before and wonder how that much time past.

Cross the bridge when you get there if you get there.