Friends asking how long you are supposed to nurse

[veryerin]

Recently I've had to friends from high school ask me how long you are supposed to nurse.

One is newly pregnant. I told her two years and she said, "Yeah, that's what I thought. I just wasn't sure. I knew it was at least a year though." :

The other friend is not pregnant, and has told me in the past she is wierded out by breastfeeding, but will do it for the sake of her kid. She had told me before I had dd that she would be uncomfortable seeing me nurse, I said tough cookies. Actually seeing me nurse in social situations wasn't wierd, though, and made her more comfortable with it. When she asked me how long you are supposed to nurse, I once again said two years. She said, "Yeah, ok. I thought it was like 18 months or two years." Then I said, "But lots of people quit only after a few weeks, I can't imagine doing that." When she heard that most people stop so soon, she was horrified. She said, "What?! That's ridiculous! Why would you stop so young? They definitely need at least a year!"

Just thought I would share. It was so nice that both of them, neither of whom had really looking into breastfeeding before, thought it was the norm to nurse for a couple years. And so great that both plan to nurse that long someday!

[MommyJoia]

I just spoke at a breastfeeding class for pregnant moms and dads and their jaws hit the ground when I said I nursed dd#1 for almost 3 years and that I was still nursing dd#2 at 13 months :

I said, "you'll see, when 12 months comes around you'll feel that your baby is way too young to ween..." they were pretty much horrified.

[Swan3]

Originally Posted by veryerin

Just thought I would share. It was so nice that both of them, neither of whom had really looking into breastfeeding before, thought it was the norm to nurse for a couple years. And so great that both plan to nurse that long someday!

:

It's mamas like you who normalize BF who help this happen. Our numbers are growing!!!!

[mandam]

When J was first born and we started nursing, I'll admit that I thought I would be counting the weeks until our year was up. Now at almost 5 months I think there is just no way this is ending when he is a year, it would break my heart.

[Koloe]

Originally Posted by veryerin

The other friend is not pregnant, and has told me in the past she is wierded out by breastfeeding, but will do it for the sake of her kid. She had told me before I had dd that she would be uncomfortable seeing me nurse, I said tough cookies. Actually seeing me nurse in social situations wasn't wierd, though, and made her more comfortable with it.

I know when I first went to LLL meetings it was weird to see preschoolers nursing. Intellectually I understood the value of it, but emotionally it took me awhile to get there. But now that I'm nursing a preschooler it doesn't even phase me. LOL

[minkajane]

When DS was first born, my SIL told me she didn't think she'd ever BF because she'd be too embarrassed to do it in public. By the time DS was a year and a half old, she was complaining to me about how her sister didn't even plan on nursing for a whole year! Every little bit makes an impact.

[mommaknowsbest]

Originally Posted by Koloe

I know when I first went to LLL meetings it was weird to see preschoolers nursing. Intellectually I understood the value of it, but emotionally it took me awhile to get there. But now that I'm nursing a preschooler it doesn't even phase me. LOL

I could have written your post!


To the OP, I was,and still am asked that question! My answer after nursing Dc #1 past age 4yo, is,that a babe should definitely be bf until *at least* 2yo,but really above and beyond if it is mutually cool with mom and babe.

What an awesome friend you are!!:::

[veryerin]

Yeah, when I said two years, I said as a minimum I just made it to my first goal (one year) and am on to my second goal - two years

[ChrissyleighRN]

Happy Mama!

Originally Posted by Koloe

I know when I first went to LLL meetings it was weird to see preschoolers nursing. Intellectually I understood the value of it, but emotionally it took me awhile to get there. But now that I'm nursing a preschooler it doesn't even phase me. LOL

You guys nursing toddlers are awesome! Mine is 4 months old, and I have made a year my goal so far, but it is so stinking easy and convenient now...I went to a breastfeeding support group meeting through our county health department, and a woman there was pregnant and nursing her toddler (who gave me a big toothy grin). It was the first time I had seen a pregnant woman nursing, as well as a toddler. She gave me the heads up on our local LLL-she said there were lots of "closet" breastfeeders ( I commented that I feel funny sometimes because I feel like I am the only one doing it here). Funny.

[Meg_s]

Yeah before I had even given any thought to kids I asked my mom how long she nursed, and she goes "until you started to get teeth, around 3 mos or so" and just took at that as a sensible guideline. Then when I got pregnant a friend's mother gave me a Dr. Sears Book (this friend and her brother were nursed until 5 years old which shocked me when I found out) and I started to visit mdc, and made a friend who was also preg. and did child led weaning with her first. Seeing and hearing about extended nursing made me comfrotable, even though with my first I told myself that I would just make myself last the year. He's almost 3 and not weaned yet, my 2nd is over 1 and constantly nursing. People just need to get familiar with the idea and it's not hard to accept.

[Breeder]

Everytime you NIP it sends little ripples out into the world that breastfeeding is normal.

[Stephanie29]

That is just awesome that your friends think of it as "normal"!!!
YAY!!!
good for you!!!

[MilkTrance]

Originally Posted by MommyJoia

I just spoke at a breastfeeding class for pregnant moms and dads and their jaws hit the ground when I said I nursed dd#1 for almost 3 years and that I was still nursing dd#2 at 13 months :

I said, "you'll see, when 12 months comes around you'll feel that your baby is way too young to ween..." they were pretty much horrified.

When I was pregnant, I thought that keeping my baby in a bassinet for 6 months was beyond ridiculous -- certainly at six months, the baby is more than old enough for a crib?

Yeah. Well, turns out I only used the bassinet for about 2 weeks. Maybe not even 2 weeks. We started co-sleeping and never stopped.

And my 15 month old is still a baby-baby-baby to me. Even though he isn't to anyone else.

People can change their minds/hearts.

[mommyto3girls]

Originally Posted by Breeder

Everytime you NIP it sends little ripples out into the world that breastfeeding is normal.

Sorry I had to read this 3 times to realize that it did not say Little Nipples!

Made my day!

[FullMetalMom]

Originally Posted by mommyto3girls

Sorry I had to read this 3 times to realize that it did not say Little Nipples!

Made my day!

[_betsy_]

I work with several younger women who are in ifferent stages of life, you know? First real job, first appt. on their own, some have boyfriends, one's newly married. They are all fascinated by me as a working mom, pumping, nursing, all that. I've hopefully helped normalize nursing for them, too!

It's neat when someone asks the questions, and you think they are going to be like "Why bother? I was FF and I'm OK!" and instead it turns out "Yeah, that's what i want to do!"

[veryerin]

First off, dying over the "little nipples" thing.

Second, My single, young, SIL just found out she was expecting. I don't want to pressure her into any parenting practices because she is stressed enough right now. BUT she mentioned to me that she was going to sign up for the WIC bfing program because she said she wasn't planning on doing formula AT ALL :

I don't want to give myself too much credit, but I am the only one that has exposed her to bfing. None of her friends with children bfed. She is also talking about having a natural birth, cding, and babywearing