Are you breastfeeding a toddler?

[AngieWin]

See you there!

I'm there!! Note the signature! (Not real original, but I'll work on it!)

 

[MOQu]

OK, so the best info I've found on disboards today is leaning about MDC! I've had a blast over there reading posts from Mom's like me who live within a few miles of me.

By the way, I go by MOSh513 over there and at TourGuideMike's too!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Question: If breastfedding toddlers and preschoolers is so "natural" why do we need 12 pages and almost 200 posts patting ourselves on the back for doing it?

Wow, you extended breastfeed also? You said "we"...

 

[flortlebap]

My DD will be 14 months on our trip and still nursing!

So glad to find like minded mothers, I was going to post something similar today but noticed your thread first!! It's just a shame that some people don't like it but there you go, everyone has a choice about it. I'm just amazed that even a Disney board can turn into a breast v bottle debate...

 

[gottalovethem]

Ok Gotalovethem. Maybe I can help. I had the same issue with Lily. I think she was 9 months old. (I remember because I was at WDW in May.) and she had new teeth. It was't that she was nursing with her teeth or bitting while she nursed. It was just they kept getting in the way. Well it hurt, and I grined and beared it because she wasn't bitting. It ended up rubbing a hole (or 2 ) in my nipple. Then it hurt like hell. So I had to stop nursing on that side as much as I could and let it heal (used Lanoish on it.)

What did I learn from this mistake? If it hurts make them stop. That is the only why the baby can learn not to do it that way. They figure it out. Let them nurse again, but take them off and say that hurts. Lily figured it out somehow. I just had to let her know what not to do. She didn't know what she was doing wrong, these teeth things in her mouth were all new to her. She was not trying to hurt me. It took about 2 weeks to heal. In the meantime I changed my postion and started on the other side each time.

Thanks DisneyPhd, and the other moms who gave some advice. I have changed positions (did that Thursday) and have shoved him on more and today, Sunday things are tender but feeling a little better.

I think you ladies were right, it wasn't that he was biting or using his teeth, it was a new position for his mouth.

BTW - You pumping exclusive moms are amazing. I admire your dedication.

 

[PoohHappens]

Yes, I can see how that would more then a bit difficult (to nurse a 18 month old who hadn't been before.) I think if I adpoted a newborn I would give it a real try (as much as I had for my 2 other children, but then again my body already knows what it is doing, I know it works.) To nurse your 1st child who was adopted would be a major feet!

Anyone here ever nursed adopted children, or twins? I always admire that. Talk about deidcation. Giving up some foods, med, or drinks is nothing compared to that in my book.

I have not made it through all the responses, but have enjoyed what I have read. I have nursed my adopted DS. He is my first and currently only child. I will admit it was a lot of work, but well worth it. He was a newborn when we brought him home. We only made it 3 months as my supply did not increase as his demand did. Having never had children or being pregnant the supply issue is usually a little more difficult. I would love to encourage anyone out there who is considering this to give it a try. I am willing to offer help to any and all. I am a L&D nurse and worked for 2 years with our LC as well. As a side note my son got his first ear infection within a couple weeks of no more breast milk. Congrats to all you nursing mamas. Way to go!!!

 

[flortlebap]

I have not made it through all the responses, but have enjoyed what I have read. I have nursed my adopted DS. He is my first and currently only child. I will admit it was a lot of work, but well worth it. He was a newborn when we brought him home. We only made it 3 months as my supply did not increase as his demand did. Having never had children or being pregnant the supply issue is usually a little more difficult. I would love to encourage anyone out there who is considering this to give it a try. I am willing to offer help to any and all. I am a L&D nurse and worked for 2 years with our LC as well. As a side note my son got his first ear infection within a couple weeks of no more breast milk. Congrats to all you nursing mamas. Way to go!!!

Wow... stupid question but how do you nurse adopted babies? Isn't it the pregnancy/birth hormone that causes your milk to kick in?

 

[DisneyPhD]

I have not made it through all the responses, but have enjoyed what I have read. I have nursed my adopted DS. He is my first and currently only child. I will admit it was a lot of work, but well worth it. He was a newborn when we brought him home. We only made it 3 months as my supply did not increase as his demand did. Having never had children or being pregnant the supply issue is usually a little more difficult. I would love to encourage anyone out there who is considering this to give it a try. I am willing to offer help to any and all. I am a L&D nurse and worked for 2 years with our LC as well. As a side note my son got his first ear infection within a couple weeks of no more breast milk. Congrats to all you nursing mamas. Way to go!!!

Wow, so many women I truely admire on this thread! That is GREAT!

Gottalovethem, good it is getting a bit better. It feels bad to make them stop, because they aren't doing anything "wrong" but if they don't know it hurts, they don't know to change. I reallly don't know how they figure it out, but they do.

Can somone please pm me the link to the other board? Thanks so much.

 

[PoohHappens]

Wow... stupid question but how do you nurse adopted babies? Isn't it the pregnancy/birth hormone that causes your milk to kick in?

Yes it is , but it is also the demand that increases or establishes the supply. I pumped religiously every 3 hours for 6 weeks before the arrival of our little one. I did not even know when we would get baby when I started, I just figured I would keep on going until we did (even if that was a year). I did also use some medication that Jack Newman MD (the guru of BF) reccomends. It worked great. I was very blessed that my son latched after 4 days of bottles at the hospital. I could only pump 3 ounces at the top of my supply, but I was thrilled. I saved any and all milk I got even if it was drops before he arrived.

 

[iradi8]

Back in 2003 when my dd was 25 months old we went to WDW for the first time. I nursed her on the TTA, Pirates of the Carribean (she fell asleep on two different occasions while nursing amidst the gunfire), Carousel of Progress and various other attractions. No one noticed -- at least I don't think they did My dh didn't even notice most of the time and he was right there

 

[iradi8]

Mommas that exclusively pump just rock in my book!!! You are awesome! And so dedicated!

ITA. That is hard work and a lot of sacrifice to give those kiddos that liquid gold!

 

[sara74]

Read lots of this thread as I wait around for the birth of #3! It's too hot to do anything but sit anyway!

I did BF DD for 9 mos (6 exclusively and then stopped pumping at 6 months) then I BFd DS for 10 mos exclusively and stopped pumping at 10 mos and weaned about a month later. My Pump in Style and I are very close as I went back to work at a young age with both kids.

I have a question for all of you...with both kids we had big time thrush issues. With DD it was so bad that it was why I weaned her! I was depressed, tired of nystatin, tired of gentian violet, tired of pain! With DS when the problem crept up again DH finally agreed that I should try Diflucan (which I had mentioned with DD but he didn't want me to take anything). The Diflucan worked great and I was able to BF for quite a while longer. Does anyone have advice on heading this off at the pass? Can I get it stopped before it starts? I tried acidophilus with DD and it didn't seem to do anything. Having never had a yeast infection I don't understand why I am so prone to thrush? Is it leaking? I seem to leak like mad from day one - like a constant state of let down!

Now with DS #2 my goal is at least his first birthday! Pumping works well for me, extended family has gotten a little less weirded out by me, and if I can get this thrush thing under control then all the factors will be in place! I don't know that I'll ever make it as long as some of you but I'd like to make it longer than I have before!

 

[DisneyPhD]

I have the link, (thanks amarberry). I think I will use the name Mrs.PhD there, since DH is the real Phd and I stole his name here (and am too used to the name to change now.)

Pooh happens, wow, really that is so great. Great job. I don't care what mean spirited people might say about patting ourselves on the back, you deserve a hundreds pats! (and cheers ).

 

[flortlebap]

PoohHappens that is truly amazing. Your dedication is just unbelievable, it makes me a little sad though to think of how much you went through when there are plenty of mothers out there who don't even give breastfeeding a chance even when they have milk there!!

 

[Tired Mama]

sara74,

You might have a systemic yeast problem, as we do. We are doing the Specific carbohydrate diet, pecanbread.com If you need more info, please PM me.

 

[flminivanmama]

Pooh happens - you rock!!

 

[GEM]

Well, I wanted to jump back in here and say that, since I posted way back on one of the early pages here, Paul has pretty much weaned himself at 40 months. It was a gradual process of him giving it up on his own, and he hasn't nursed in about 2 weeks now. I do miss it, but I have so many wonderful memories to cherish of that special time in our relationship. Nursing a baby is incredible, but nursing a toddler is SUCH an amazing experience.

Most of you know that Paul was a micropreemie, 13 weeks early and weighing only 1 pound and 7 ounces. He spent just over three months in the NICU. I pumped continously, round the clock every three hours for him the first few months so they could feed him my milk through a tube, and then I fought long and hard with the doctors and nurses for the right to let him try actually nursing. So, when he was about 2 months old and just about 3 pounds, I started working with him seriously on latching on. By the time he went home a month later he was only 3lbs and 14oz, but he was nursing for all of his feedings! But, I was still pumping very often to keep my supply up, because he couldn't take much milk from me at a feeding. After all that work, there was no way I was going to encourage him to wean before he was good and ready! At 40 months, he was finally ready, and even though I wasn't...quite...I knew he was done. I feel so good for having been able to give him over three years of milk, and I know it's made a difference in his health and in our relationship. Despite spending the first three months of his life in a hospital (the first 6 weeks on a ventilator) Paul has never had one single sick doctor's visit. No colds at all, no ear infections, no tummy problems - nothing! That's totally amazing for any baby, let alone a preemie! And, I (and his doctor) credit a lot of his amazing health to his getting my milk. Aside from all of that, providing milk for my baby through pumping gave me a way to feel really connected to him in the NICU, which is sometimes hard for mothers. I felt like I was really doing something special to help my baby by providing him with something that no doctor or nurse could. Having that to focus on (plus just having the routine of constant pumping on a set schedule) really helped me get through those first horrible weeks when we didn't know if he was even going to make it.

I'm sorry for rattling on, but I just wanted to share our story one last time, since I'm feeling a bit down about him being weaned. I also wanted to say a special "way to go" to all those mommies who have beat the odds to nurse or pump for their little ones with special issues and situations and to all the mommies brave enough to nurse their toddlers and not care what anybody thinks!

 

[flortlebap]

GEM - you shouldn't feel down about him being weaned - so many babies don't get any breastmilk at all, or stop after just a few days or weeks... 3 and a half years is pretty good going by anyone's standards.

And weighing only 1lb he was probably born without the ability to suck... so the fact that you were able to feed at all is amazing!

 

[GEM]

Thanks. I'm not down about him weaning, really. Just feeling a little "bittersweet" that he's growing up so fast, I guess.

 

[flminivanmama]

Hi GEM Are you having a weaning party for him? we had a big one when my boys weaned. they loved it and still remember it