What is your difinition of Extended Nursing? - Page 2

[tracymom]

I put over 2 because I think that's when I really started thinking about this as a long-term relationship. It began getting a little tricky socially b/w 1 and 2 years but this last year I have really felt like the only one in my ZIP code nursing a kid over 2. Still lovin' it though! well, most of the time.....

[hydrangea]

I feel like someone else here who said that it becomes extended nursing when it is no longer easily accepted socially. I think this is different in different communities. Some women are unfortunate enough to be in communities where they have absolutely no support for nursing from the very beginning, and in their cases I would say every day they manage to nurse their baby, even if it is less than a week, is extended nursing.

In my community, disapproval kicked in around 2 years.

I do think we need to be careful in this discussion though as in some communities, how long one nurses one's baby actually becomes a competition.

[marilyn]

Gee, what lucky babies to live in a community where length of nursing becomes a competition! If a child continues to nurse, he/she is not ready or willing to wean....for anyone who has suffered through a "nursing strike" if they don't want to it's pretty much impossible to get them to!

I voted for 3+ years as qualifying for an extended nursing relationship. From reading the preceeding posts, I guess alot of
mom's feel pressured from society/family etc and consider 1 year extended or whatever their culture dictates. I'm actually quite surprised that such a mainstream group like the AAP recommends at least 1 year with 2 years being best (or something to that effect). Oh, I've felt the pressures too.....felt the eyes on me!
I refuse to care!

I've been told that if I didn't/don't wean ds he never will, by his pediatrician, no less. It just made me more bound and determined not to listen and allow ds to wean at his pace. Slowly but surely he has/is. He'll be 4 in August and he nurses before naptime and bedtime and before getting up in the morning. 3 times a day for about 10 minutes. It was once every 10 minutes for 30 minutes! I had my baby a little late in life, I guess I'm too stubborn and bull headed to let family or culture influence my choices. Over time as ds has given up nursing times, he has yet to go back and request them again.....I know when he decides it's time to quit, that'll be it. And what a bittersweet day that'll be! Marilyn.

[Jyotsna]

Over 3 years

My daughter is 23 months and still nursing. I voted after three years is extended nursing. I nursed my son until age 4. There are some days where I can't imagine nursing the next day, and then the next day comes and I can't imagine the day when my daughter doesn't want to nurse again. I just can't imagine it.

She will be two soon, and I feel like I can nurse her for one more year. I still remember watching her nurse for the first time, and how amazing and powerful those first nursings were. In many ways I wish I could go back to that place. But there is some of me that would love to be able to wear a long dress, and a regular bra!

I will nurse her until she self weans.

Jyotsna

[candiland]

In my mind, over two is extended nursing. I mean, even the WHO recommends AT LEAST two years' worth of nursing. I nursed my DD for two years, and I guess I would have agreed being labeled an "extended nurser" after that point... although, quite honestly, I don't give a flying crap WHAT other people might label me...:

[petitemama]

I said past 2yrs. only because WHO recommends breastfeeding for at least 2 years. My ds is 21/2 and personally I don't feel like an "extended breastfeeding mom" but we like to label things and 2yrs minimum and after that considered extended sounds good to me.

[tessamami]

Originally posted by hydrangea
I do think we need to be careful in this discussion though as in some communities, how long one nurses one's baby actually becomes a competition. [/B]

Anything and everything can be a competition but you just can't MAKE a baby nurse, so that would be a strange one.

Anyhoo - I think of over 2 years as extended because of the WHO recommendation and because the 1st year just flew by.

Part of me doesn't mind nursing a little longer and part of me really doesn't want to go another year. Of course when DD needs some comfort I pray she will nurse so that she will calm down (tantrums aren't fun) so I will miss it when she decides to wean.

I am also so grateful to have nursed a baby into toddlerhood and so grateful to have my beautiful child! Of course, I'm not just talking about breastfeeding.

[Krystyne]

I said over 3, though after reading the reasons others have said about why they chose 12 months (based on society's views of nursing) I can see why some chose that answer.

I am very active in my LLL toddler group. I first started going to it when DS (2/21/1998) was 13 months. Hestillseemedvery much like a baby to me. Right up until the day I had my DD (1/19/00), I saw my Ds a a tiny baby. But then when he walked in the room after I had my newborn he suddenly looked like an adult in comparison. But still I saw my ds as a baby/toddler. It wasn't until he turned three that I noticed that Ds was the oldest by several months in the toddler group. By 3.5 I knew very few people still nursing. At 4 I knew 5 people (at least three who were out of the closet nursers). By 4.5 I know a few people. Ds has recently weaned on his own. Well at least weaned IMO, he hasn't nursed in over three weeks and yesterday he asked to nurse, but got on for a minute, and said he was checking to see if it worked still. It does. DD is 2.5 and is now the oldest in the toddler group.

[merpk]

I voted past 12 months, but on reconsideration, would change that to past 2 years. Up until 2 years they're really babies still, so to me that's not "extended" in the sense that nursing babies is how it should be.

But according to societal norms, in the USA nursing past 6 months is "extended nursing."

Sad, ain't it.

- Amy

[mirlee]

My son is soon to be 2 1/2 and shows no signs of slowing down. I don't mind most of the time, but there are occassions where it is just not what I really want or need to do at that time. We have tried weaning him, but that just makes his demand skyrocket. We are now taking the position that if he will take something else, fine, if not, that is fine also. We aren't pressuring and are letting him be the guide.

[Irishmommy]

Extended nursing is anything longer than me! Dd2 is 25 months and is showing no signs of quitting!!

[uzra_hashmi@rediff]

What is your definition of extended nursing?

I would consider the line for extended breastfeeding soon after the baby "really" does not need breastfeeding insofar as his / her basic nutritional needs are concerned. That could be around two years or so, that is also prescribed in our religion. I would give a damn about what the society thinks "tolerable" so far as me bf'ing my baby is concerned. But the definition of "extended bf'ing" (in terms of baby's age) does not mean that one should deny the breast to the baby thereafter or weaning gets justified and be induced. Actually his /her "emotional needs" might continue much beyond that type of cut off definition (age) and the mother would be doing only her natural duty in allowing the baby / child to suckle even afterwards. I am told that sometimes because of such emotional needs even school going children seek bf'ing though it might not be regular, nor even for milk. Mothers rarely admit that they occasionally allow suckling to the child aged even 8 or more years. it is not necessary either (being a secret bond between the mother and the child) but not perverse in anyway (perversity is in the minds of those who are self styled representatives of society). For a better understsanding of the bf relationship, however, such statistics must also be explored.
Uzra

[nicey4887]

I definitely think it depends on society but in my opinion I would say over 4 but that wasnt an option so I said over 3... but that doesn't make it wrong though .. my dd is 18 months old and still nurses, although she does see to be slowing down ( weaning IDK ) and people gasp when I say I still nurse.. and the fact that I'm younger doesn't make it any better

[PiePie]

i answered beyond 12 based on the fact that i live in the us. i think elsewhere the answer might be more like 24+.

[JamieCatheryn]

Originally Posted by Joan

my vote is: "The phrase 'extended nursing' should be stricken from the language, so that there is simply...nursing."

How's that?

"Extended" implies a "stretching out" of something--I haven't stretched out my children's nursing time, I've just met their needs.

: This is what I was going to say.

[the_lissa]

I voted 2 years because that is the recommended minimum, but I agree extended shouldn't be used.

[Aliviasmom]

I voted over 12 months.

Culturally, here, in my location, I don't run into moms that nurse past 6 MONTHS (if that ) very often, and those that do, generally go for the long-haul.

I do, however, know one mom who nursed twins for 9 or 10 months and another who pumped (got BM about 50% of the time she said) for twins for about 6-7 months. As a mom of only a singleton, I'm REALLY amazed by these women. I know how hard it was for me to nurse soooo much (but I loved EVERY second of it!) those first few months, that I can't IMAGINE doing it for two at a time. Maybe it's just MY view point, but I think nursing/pumping for twins (or more!!) for 6 months deserves more recognition than for a singleton.

I'm sure, however, if I was in a different location and breastfeeding long-term was more "the norm", it wouldn't faze me as much.

[gcgirl]

I went with after 3 years because I've been reading that most kids wean themselves naturally before then. Culturally, that's waaay out of bounds, I realize. If we're talking U.S. expectations, then past 1 year is definitely it.

[Zadee]

I picked 2, but, really, extended nursing is one year older than my kids current age. Right now, that is 2.

Maybe it's just MY view point, but I think nursing/pumping for twins (or more!!) for 6 months deserves more recognition than for a singleton.

You are super sweet. :

[Aliviasmom]

Originally Posted by Zadee

You are super sweet. :

Aww! And here I thought I'd be FLAMED for it! :