Pictures of Older Nurslings?

[Enudely]

I have a 4 month old dd and am intrigued by the idea of Child Led Weaning, the problem is, I just can't picture a 4 year old nursing! It just doesn't seem like it actually happens. I know I'm the product of my culture and obviously it does happen. Does anyone know where I could see pictures of older nurslings?

[MySunflowerBoys]

A lot of MDC moms added their nursing photos to this gallery. You can see lots of nursing toddlers here! http://celebritybabies.typepad.com/p...breastfeeding/

HTH!

[ferretfan]

i just showed my 11 month old a bunch of those pics, she smiled and signed 'milkie' at each one awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[josh&davesmomme]

it's hard to actually see the nursing but in this photo my older ds was nursing ( he was almost 4 in the pic) the baby just unlatched while daddy was going to get the camera
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...101_0440-1.jpg

this one is Josh nursing ,about 6 months before weaning ( again almost 4)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ursingjosh.jpg

and this last one he isn't breastfeeding, just had to throw it in because it's a sweet pic, it was taken 6 days after he weaned himself but still needs his mommy (4 yrs 3 months)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...me/cuddles.jpg

when I began our bfing journey I never imagined I would nurse past 12 months but as time went on it just seemed like the right thing for us to keep going- I think by the time he was 2 is when we decided I wasn't going to wean him he was going to wean me, but still couldn't picture myself nursing a big 4 yr old but when that age came, it felt like the most natural beautiful thing in the world.

[Enudely]

thanks so much!

[CrunchyKat]

Originally Posted by MySunflowerBoys

A lot of MDC moms added their nursing photos to this gallery. You can see lots of nursing toddlers here! http://celebritybabies.typepad.com/p...breastfeeding/

HTH!

I love this one. Dd and I are on there 3 times! :

[~Megan~]

Please understand if parents here are protective of the images of their nurslings. While we see these images as loving we recognize that others may not have honorable intentions with those pictures.

Sometimes you just have to live something to fully understand it. If you are really intrigued seek out a LLL meeting where you will likely find mothers who have nursed toddlers and can share their experiences with you.

[Enudely]

thanks everyone, I realize that this is a personal thing to ask. I was more intrigued by 5-6 year olds nursing (I've seen a lot of todders nursing) and there's only one picture in that whole library of a child who looks to be that old. This one picture did help me wrap my brain around it a bit more though. Thanks again!

[Meiri]

I found that they grow slowly enough that each day, nursing is as natural as it was the day before. They don't go from 4 months to 4 years immediately; they get there gradually.

[sasntappy]

It's funny. With my first one I said I would try to nurse her until she was a year. A year came and went and I couldn't imagine her or I giving up nursing yet. I remember when she was 16 months old people being flabergasted that i was nursing such a big girl (maybe it was because I was 8 months pregnant at the time) but she just still looked like such a baby to me and so obviously still needed my milk. I could never have imagined tandem nursing when I started out, just as I could never have imagined nursing a three year old when I started out. But when the time came, listening to my girls and to my instincts, I just couldn't imagine doing anything else. I had never seen older children nursing either, but it wasn't about older children in general---- It was about my nursling and what she needed. Picturing what it will be like to nurse an older child when you are holding a tiny infant is difficult. But when your tiny infant grows and still needs your milk, it's antibodies, and the comfort nursing provides, you aren't looking at this great big child, you are looking at your grown baby. And giving your baby what she needs is just natural. My older daughter weaned herself when she was just over 3 years old very suddenly--which is how she has done every developmental task. My younger daughter is still nursing occasionally and she will be 4 the end of November, but is just as big as her 5 year old sister. I can't explain why nursing her doesn't seem weird, but it just doesn't. And when the time comes, if you listen to yourself and your nursling and not to other people, it won't seem strange to you either.

[gina871]

I started my nursing adventure with the idea I would nurse for a while. Then when I learn about the benifits my goal was 2 years and now 2 year latter we are still nursing with a younger sister too. good luck , just take it day by day. and befoer you know it they will be soooo big

[mamamilkbar]

When I first started I was thinking at least a year, I then learned more information and said at least 2 years, then when I was pregnant I thought she would wean but she hasn't. Two months after DD2 was born and 2 months until she is 2 she is still nursing strong. Now my idea is when she is done and ready... If you click on my signature where it says tandem you can see a pic of them nursing together,not a 4 yo but almost 2 Good luck!

[FillingMyQuiver]

Originally Posted by MySunflowerBoys

A lot of MDC moms added their nursing photos to this gallery. You can see lots of nursing toddlers here! http://celebritybabies.typepad.com/p...breastfeeding/

HTH!

A few of those pics made me giggle, the mama blow drying her son's hair while he nursed, the kid in the dragon costume.... it's so wonderful seeing real life mamas nursing real life toddlers in real life situations It makes me smile that DS is the same way

[ochoco]

I just also wanted to say thanks for the link to the nursing gallery. I am very interested in learning more about CLW - as others have said, it seemed sort of 'fringe' or 'odd' at first, but now that I am nursing an eight-month-old, suddenly it doesn't seem weird at all. (I hope I'm not offending with these words; just being honest about my own shifting perceptions, you know?) Anyway, I love seeing the sweet innocence and love in those photos...I feel that the tide is turning and long-term breastfeeding will someday be "mainstream"!

[Kira's mom]

At the beginning it was challenging and I prayed I would make it to a year. Now at almost 3 1/2 it is just natural. Dh still gets the biggest smile when he watches us nurse and says"Gosh, I just LOVE you guys!!"

[MySunflowerBoys]

the mama blow drying her son's hair while he nursed

That's us! I'm the one that posted the link. DS #1 was 2 1/2 in that pic and he just loves to have me dry is hair with the hairdryer after a bath. I think you can guess the other thing he loves after a bath!

[mom2threenurslings]

Great pictures!

I'll have to find pics of my kids nursing.... I'm currently nursing my almost-1 year old, my 4 year old and my 6 year old. When I was pregnant with my first (who self-weaned on his fifth birthday) I thought nursing past 6 months was wierd. THe first time I saw an 18 month old nursling in real life, I was amazed and thought the child looked so old. Now 18 month old nurslings look so *young* to me!!!

Over 7.5 years later I've been nursing for 7.5 years straight...many of those years nursing through pregnancy, tandem nursing, tandem nursing through pregnancy and triandem nursing! My 6 year old just lost his two bottom front teeth - that's a new experience for me!

[Enudely]

When I started this thread, I was mostly interested in seeing pics of older nurslings.... age 4-5-6 and up because I just can't picture it. I realize it's really personal, but maybe you'd feel comfortable posting a few picks of your (very lucky) older nurslings? If not, I completely understand

[Angierae]

I don't think I have taken any picures of my 5 yo nursing. She mostly only nurses at bedtime and it just never ocurred to me. Hmmmm...might be something I might like to have a picture of. Thanks for the idea!

[Softheart]

This thread reminds me I'm meaning to get some nice pics taken of my older nurslings in action...