Welcome to our newest forum! - Page 2

[darlindeliasmom]

I'd like both

I agree with Ellie'smom. I think that extended bf'ing needs its own forum, separate from general bf'ing. Perhaps a subforum under the new breastfeeding forum?
But as a bigtime clw'er, I also agree that we have very different issues than other "extended" moms. I like having a place where we can talk safely about this; I'm so in the closet about the REALITY of my bf'ing experience at LLL meetings, for example (can't scare off the "short-termers") (and I mean that sincerely, since I DO believe that EVERY feeding counts, and it's a victory to get some moms to nurse to 6 mos.).

anyway, I continue to be confused by people who DON'T do something thinking that those of us who do having a forum to discuss it implies a judgment of them...I have learned to keep my mouth shut so many places on these boards that, oh well, I've been around since the old old boards and I STILL don't have 1000 posts...

Thanks Cynthia, for this forum.

[mom2threenurslings]

I am overjoyed to see this forum!!!

It's great to have a place where I won't constantly have to see the word "weaning" in the titles of questions and won't have to be afraid of a debate happening in a thread in which a mama states that she is nursing a 7+ year old. I think this forum is very much needed for mamas who practice natural / child-led weaning.

I don't feel that this forum is any more "exclusionary" than homebirth, homeschooling and beyond, etc. There are many moms on MDC who don't embrace every concept presented, and some of the forums are somewhat opposed to each other (homeschooling/schooling for example). I think it's a great resource for mamas who are considering child-led weaning, who don't know what child-led weaning is, or who want to know more about it.

Thank you for this forum...I look forward to posting here often!!!

[eclipse]

yeah, i didn't realize that EBF was gone - I don't think that's a good idea. I think the issues faced by EBFers are vastly different than those faced by women with infant nurslings. I think there need to be subforums for EBF as well as CLW.

[Mom4tot]

Thank you, thank you for this forum

[Peppamint]

Originally Posted by callmemama

I also think it may be a good idea for extended to be combined with getting started and overcoming difficulties. I was guilty of never visiting the getting started forum. Perhaps now there will be more experienced people over there to offer help.

A good point, one I hadn't considered!

[ktcl]

I'm disappointed that the extended breastfeeding forum is gone..

[gretasmommy]

Hmmmmmm . . I'm also a bit confused as to where I fit in now. My DD is almost three, still nurses, but like Ellie'sMom, I have put some limits on our nursing relationship that might be looked down upon by some in CLW.

It was really nice to visit the EBF forum for support and advice. I will miss it, as I really felt welcome there and I am not sure how welcome I will be here . . .

[mountain mom]

I think that the only thing that we should all keep in check is respect.

Gretasmommy I think it would be wonderful for you to be here! I get tired of having to tell people that we are CLWing. I think if one has really strong feelings against CLWing they probably shouldn't be on this particulair forum.

There is always a grey area. If handled with respect, a grey area can exsist.

[gretasmommy]

Thanks Mountain Mom

It's the respect part that seems to be difficult to remember here at times. While I love MDC, it seems more and more these days that things become heated and judgemental . . .

I sure hope your confidence in us as a group isn't misplaced!

[MamaAllNatural]

For those wondering if they fit in, I think what's important with CLW is that the child leads the way in the *final* weaning. It's almost impossible not to set *some* limits with nursing. If you are planning on nursing until your child is ready to stop you most certainly belong in the CLW forum.

[Quirky]

I also do not think it's a good idea to combine Getting Started with EBF. Weaning issues aside, both fora are pretty busy with different problems of early vs. later nursing, and I think it merits separation so that the threads don't disappear too quickly without getting answered. There are a lot of things in EBF that have nothing to do with mother-led weaning - societal pressure, starting other foods, teething, pressure to wean from medical types, etc., that I think merit their own space.

I've spent a lot of time in both Getting Started and EBF when I have time, trying to help other mamas, especially when I see a thread that hasn't gotten answered yet. It's too easy for those threads to fall off the first page, and I think that will get worse with the two combined fora.

Can we please have EBF back and make CLW a sub-forum? Important as it is for CLWers to have a safe space, I don't think it merits its own forum in lieu of having separated Getting Started and EBF. I think it would be much better as a sub-forum just as EC is a sub-forum under Diapering.

[TigerTail]

quirky has just said everything i meant to. i never felt weird talking about nursing a 7 yr old in ebf & aside from trolls was always supported; the only dissing i've ever gotten was from the more militant clw'ers for telling my 7 yr old, 'y'know? i don't want to do this any more.' is cm aware that what some people's definition for clw, is different from some of the more moderate definitions i've heard in this thread?

please bring back ebf; clw will be a great subforum, but merging ebf with the difficulties faced by bfing nbs is confusing.

suse (currently tandeming my 2 & nearly 4 yr old, with no plans to stop but reserving the right to wean if i choose to in future years. that means i can't get in the club.)

[MamaAllNatural]

We could really do without the sarcasm, don't you think?

[UrbanPlanter]

I think the "getting started" forum should probably have been kept, for all of the new nursing moms to focus on the newness of nursing.

But the "breastfeeding" forum should sufficiently cover any other issues outside of "getting started", "support and advocacy" and "CLW" IMHO.

And I think that anyone who thinks that the way their nursing relationship is going would not be condoned by the strictest CLW'ers should still feel welcome in the CLW forum bc there are probably many definitions and interpretations to CLW, and this is something we can begin discussing in that forum to try and delineate the parameters of child led/respectful weaning.

I would welcome anyone in the "CLW Club" today, whether or not they were sure that they would remain members or even qualify. Sometimes I wonder if I do!

[TiredX2]

Jenny, Andrea & anyone else feeling this:

Though I am the mother of an almost 3 year old nursling, I have set some limits on her nursing that I think many who are really committed to CLW would not agree with. Now I feel like I don't fit in anywhere.

I have been "hanging out" on the CLW thread for quite some time now and there have *never* been negative opinoins expressed towards my DDs weaning or the limits I choose to place on my DS. There is a wide variety of behavior among "CLW"ers and I think you would and should all feel welcome

[MamaMonica]

I had understood CLW to mean you can set limits and do have days where you just want to wean. It took me years of avoiding threads/converstations about CLW to realize this after I felt I did not do CLW with my first because I cut back on some nursings with her and did tell her to wait and "no" when I was done NIP after age 2 1/2. I think that there is a possibility that not everyone will feel they fit in here including good moms who ebf.
I'm still glad to see the forum though.

[UrbanPlanter]

I consider us to be CLW.

My DS is not quite 3 yo, but I have been setting limits with him for a few months now.
I won't always nurse him when he asks (if I haven't finished my dinner yet, or if I have to go pee really bad, or if we are in a restaurant, to name a few...). These are recent limits, and there are probably more, but they are more about recognizing needs vs. wants, and convenience of catering to wants. If it is convenient to nurse a "want" I will never deny him, but if it is inconvenient, I'll ask him to wait.

And I still think we are CLWers!

[Megieblue]

I'm not all that happy with this name change. I consider myself an EBFer but certainly not a child led weaner. My son is 2.5 and I am encouraging him to wean. This is not a positive change for me.

[MamaAllNatural]

This is not a name change, this is a *new* subforum for mamas who are doing child led weaning.

[stirringleaf]

i think it really seems like a name change becasue extended breastfeeding is gone--and so is getting started? is that right? i am not sure if i am a child lead nurser either, like some of these moms have expressed. i think having a forum for child lead weaning is FABULOUS but i am not sure why the others had to be cut out. i have concerns about that as well, as someone who has used all the BF forums here. i just wanted to voice that too, and i hope the others can get added back on.

unless its OK to post weaning questions on the child lead weaning board? like i dont get where i post stuff like that for my almost 3 YO nursling....i want support for EB but i dont want to feel like i am offending CLW moms by asking for help with mother lead weaning.