This Thread is Dedicated to Child-Led Weaning Mamas! - Page 5

[Peppamint]

I love the new smiley (see siggie)... and yes, night nursing is the easiest of all! I rarely have to help ds latch on and sometimes wake up on my back and he's laying on me nursing.

[hnybee]

I am there!!!

[jazminflower]

night weaning is not for us either...though whenever nights get a little muc, i mention it and then she sleeps through glad to see others out there with me...i know dd is no where near ready to be done with her "ah ha boo"

love the new smiley also!

[Brendi]

nightweaning?!

Ds : is most dependent on the night/nap nursing--that's usually how he falls asleep. And he also want to nurse when he wakes up.

[MamaAllNatural]

So, I have a couple questions for all you CLWers, just out of curiosity...

At what age did you stop NIP?
How many people know that you're nursing your older nursling?

For me I stopped NIP when she was closer to 2. I just started making it an "at home" thing since I knew I would start feeling uncomfortable in public as sometimes I don't want to put up with a lot of crap.: This has never been a real issue. We nurse in people's homes that know we breastfeed but of course now that she's 3 she'd rather be doing all kinds of fun things while we're out instead of nursing anyway. However we were at a birthday party at our neighbor's the other day and she was very tired and asked for "mai mai." (Note, this neighbor was hiding in the house to nurse her 2 week old ) and I said, "Ok, are you getting tired and need to go home for mai mai?" and she said (with some attitude), "No, I just want mai mai at the party!" :LOL She ended up playing more and when I finally got her to come home I nursed her. It was pretty cute though. I wish I had the guts to NIP w/her. I'm just not that brave.

The people who know I'm still nursing her are my dh (of course), my sisters and parents (although some may get weird about it soon), my aunt, uncle and cousins (all way supportive), and a few selected friends - (oh and all of you! ). I nurse her in the homes of all these people as well.

[Peppamint]

My dd rarely asked to NIP after about 14 months or so... she was always too busy. Of course, I was working too so she was used to going long periods sometimes without nursing (she did drink water from a sippy). Ds however is going strong at almost 13 months. My dd weaned at 20 months (younger than I expected and younger than ds will wean I'm sure).

Right now my thought is screw them if they don't like it, but I am sure it could be intimidating to NIP with a toddler when you don't do it often.

[shanetedissac]

My first weaned at age 4 and my second weaned at 2, same time as his older brother. It was interesting that my younger did it the same time as his older. Guess he wanted to be just like him No idea how long my baby will nurse. With the older two when I was pg I would start to put their nursing into the daily rhythm to get ready for new baby. Since I will not be pg again that will not play into our nursing relationship. So, it will be a whole new ball game.

[NoraB]

My DD is almost 23 months. We still NIP whenever and wherever. I'm hoping I can keep that up as she gets older.

[Brendi]

Nursing in public

My ds is 15 months. Though he still wants to nurse a lot, he is able to go for longer. I usually nurse him at La Leche League meetings, as he's often getting tired then. I only nursed him once recently at a restaurant.

[UrbanPlanter]

DS is nearly 26 mo, and we nurse in public selectively; most places I'm ok with it, and now he hardly ever asks to nurse in a restaurant (unless it's getting late and he's tired; and I will nurse him bc it's easier than dealing with a meltdown). Usually wherever we are is a child friendly place, anyway, like park, playground, playgroup, library, etc. But we try to resist nursing in some other places that are less "accommodating" to us (mainly bc it's not comfortable for me...) although if my ds is very insistent I will nurse him anywhere bc otherwise I'm in for a major meltdown.

I am getting nervous tho bc next week we are going to visit relatives in Orlando so,
1. I will be off my "turf" and might be less comfortable, and
2. My sil weaned both ds' at 12 mo so she and bil and mil and their kids are not used to seeing an older nursling; I'm not sure how they will react or how comfortable I will be, because
3. ds is such has such a voracious nursing appetite - he could nurse every 10 min if he had the chance, and he likes to crawl all over me and do acrobatics - you know what I mean mamas!!! So I don't know how that will go over in front of the family!!! We might have to retreat to the bedroom for "quiet time" several times a day!

[~OceanPotion~]

Dd nurses in public a fair amount still and shes just about 3. Im comfortable and so is she so we'll continue on.

[MamaAllNatural]

Originally Posted by ~OceanPotion~

Dd nurses in public a fair amount still and shes just about 3. Im comfortable and so is she so we'll continue on.

Good for you! That is so awesome. If we could all just come out of the closet and do this I'm sure the public would get used to it much more quickly. So, have you had any interesting experiences or reactions from NIP w/your dd?

[FreeRangeMama]

Ds1 doesn't nurse in public anymore. Its not so much that I am uncomfortable, but he just wanted to nurse EVERY time ds2 did. It was just too much to have to try to juggle a newborn and a 2yo and nurse them both. I don't nurse them at the same time, and I never used a stroller when ds2 was new so it didn't really leave a lot of option. It was more of a phase for ds1 anyway. He hasn't had any real interest in NIP since he learned to walk, too many other interesting things to do. Ds2 already doesn't like to nurse in public. I have to take him to the car just so that he will relax, and even then he will only nurse enough to get him through till we get home. Such a hassle, I wish he was an anywhere nurser like ds1 was.

I am a proud tandem nurser though. I tell anyone who will listen that I am nursing my 8 month old AND my 3 yo. I figure they might think I am crazy (and many do :LOL) but at least it gets the issue out there. Maybe I've opened a few minds too.

[eilonwy]

I've nursed in public a few times since I've been visibly pregnant. While Eli is only 18 months old, and small for his age at that, I've definately gotten a few looks from people when I nurse over my big belly. :LOL It won't stop me, though. If Eli needs to nurse, he needs to nurse, regardless of where we are.

[NoraB]

Yay to the NIP'ing mamas of toddlers and older nurslings! I think the more ppl see extended NIP'ing, the more acceptable it will become. Some ppl are shocked by it simply b/c they've never considered extended nursing before.

[mother_sunshine]

The last time I NIP was when dd was 4 or 5. We took her to the movies with us and I nursed her almost the entire length of the movie. But it was dark so those who did see us didn't say anything. I stopped NIP (in daylight) when she was around 3, usually only when she couldn't wait.

I think it's beautiful when I see an older nursling breastfeeding. If I knew then what I know now then I wouldn't have hesitated to NIP anywhere/anytime when she was a toddler. I felt kind-of like a freak then, like everyone was watching us, but now when I see a child nursing I can see how sweet it really is...and I wonder what in the heck was I so worried about. It's not a big deal at all. But if I nursed in public NOW then I think it would probably be a scene. :LOL Then again, dd wouldn't ask to NIP now anyway because she only nurses at bedtime, and she's weaned herself down to once a week or less.

I think dh is the only person IRL who knows that dd still nurses. My Mom probably knows too but she hasn't asked me since dd was 6 (and then it was with mixed/hesitant support). It's not that we keep it a secret or anything, dd just doesn't nurse in front of anyone anymore. I don't know if I would want to tell the whole World anyway because I know that people can be hurtful and ignorant and I wouldn't want to open dd nor myself up to that. I feel good about talking about it here though.

[mom2threenurslings]

I nursed my oldest in public the day before his fifth birthday (which was the day he chose to wean). I've tandem nursed a 4+ year old and a 3 year old (or a 4+ year old and a 1 year old ... or a 3+ year old and a 1 year old!) in public. I have nursed a 23 month old while 9 months pregnant in public. Basically, I nurse my children in public when they ask to nurse in public. There are exceptions, of course, when it's just too inconvenient ... but I never refuse because I'm worried about comments or stares.

My entire familiy knew I nursed Alex until his fifth birthday...I'm not sure some of them know he's weaned ! They (and dh's family as well) all know I triandem nursed and that I continue to tandem nurse my chidren. They have long since discovered that I basically go against many of their preconceptions and that's just the way I am. I'm the only cloth-diapering, ebfing, triandem/tandem nursing, nursing / tandem nursing through pregnancy, homeschooling, tongue-pierced, tattooed family member on either side. Well, there is one exception...my MIL, a former LLL Leader, ebfed her kids!

[TiredX2]

I don't remember when I "stopped" nursing DD in public. It just got to the point where she was interested in other stuff and I was usually having my hands full w/DS. If she was hurt or upset though, and wanted to nurse that was fine.

DS still is a frequent NIPer (he is 2.5). In addition, I tried night weaning him (just to get him to give me one 4-5 hour break) and it worked for maybe 1-2 weeks then a lot of stuff came up and I gave up. Oh well. I'll hope for sooner, rather than later.

[MamaAllNatural]

T

Today my dd said my milk tastes like candy to her!

I would love to hear what some of your verbal nurslings have to say about nursing and your milk. To me it is so sweet to get some positive feedback and hear about their breastfeeding experience in their own words.

[eilonwy]

During my pregnancy, my supply dwindled to practically nothing. One afternoon, Eli asked to nurse and after he latched on he looked up at me and grinned excitedly. I looked down at him and asked him what he was doing and he said "A mamma milk-milk!" and latched on more excitedly. As he was drifting off to sleep, he smiled and said, sweetly "It's milk." It was sooo adorable!

I also think it's sweet when I ask if he wants a milk-milk (what we call his bottles of soymilk) and he says "No, I want a mamma milk-milk. Nursie-nursies, please!" Too cute!