A "bit of my crunchy side"... Yes I still breastfeed....

I dont even know how to start this post, but I know that I have a lot of things to say.  Over the past few weeks, I have come across more than one person who has showed complete shock that I still breastfeed my two year old son.  I dont know if I would go as far to say they look discusted, but concerned.  If they only knew I breastfed my first son until he was almost three. 

I dont know if I am 100% pro baby-lead weaning or not. I know that there are reasons, and to me they are valid good reasons for a Mom to wean a child and it is all good.  But for me, I just cant bring myself to do it.  With my daughter I lost my milk supply drastically when she was 9 months old and quit, I didnt have the education about breastfeeding as I do now.  With Tayven, our second, I quit nursing him while pregnant for Zayden due to emotional and mental pain (dealing with PPD, being pregnant and nursing wasnt exactically my idea of a good time then, and thats another story) I stopped, once Zayden was born Tayven wanted to nurse again and I let him and he stopped a few months shy of his third birthday.  I tandemed (nursed two at the same time) for almost 10 months. 

We have tried a few times to diminish the amount of times he is nursing during the day, but everytime there is a tooth, a sickness, or any change in schedual, we are back at nursing like a three week old baby with a growth spurt!  I love nursing my son for the most part, sometimes though a wiggly 30 pound boy who is pulling at your jewlery and kicking you in the face while nursing for the 5th time that afternoon can be a bit <insert hair pulling here>.   We co-sleep so during the night he will help himself..and the times he has been in his own bed, I have actually found myself "sleep nursing"..making my way into his room at his beckon call and nursing him.  For those who last heard he was no longer nursing at night...HA..that lasted maybe a month... and I am not joking when I say every time I attempt night weaning I get mastitis (a really nasty infection in the milk ducts) and you are not supposed to stop nursing when you have mastitis..sometimes I think its a curse LOL. 



Zayden- Summer 2010



He is however starting to enjoy solid foods. We did baby-led solids with Zayden, skipped the jars and just let him try what we were having.  He honestly never at too much solids till just the past six months I bet.  And in no way shape or form is he "failure to thrive".   

One question I have been asked more than any other question is "Is that breastmilk any good for him anymore???  It cant have any nutrition in it."  ofcourse it does! Breastmilk changes with your child, for your childs needs. God made it to do that!  Isnt that so awesome!? 

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html#nutrition

That is a great link about extended breastfeeding.  There havent been a ton of studies done on breastfeeding over the age of two that I can find, but there is definatly tons of benefits that you can look into in that link if you are interested.  If anyone reading this has some great information of the nutritional value of two years or beyond I would love to see it and give it a good read :) 

I dont get overly angry or sad when people give me weird looks, but I do wish that it was more culturally "normal"..I think its getting better. 

I dont start getting lippy at people about me breastfeeding my toddler, but I do gently say that it still gives him loads of nutrition and protects him from illnesses and helps as well with allergies (which I have a few of).  
I have also been asked why I never gave him a bottle.  We did with Tayven and it worked fantastic. I have nothing against bottles, but with Z, we just didnt do it.  To give him one now I think would just be weird!  Plus Im just too bloody lazy to do any more dishes!!! ;)  I dont know if there is a "right" way to dealing with this issue.  Everyone has been taught something and they see it as right. And it is right for them.  I used to do the formula/breastfeeding debate all the time... now I just dont and I am happy with my decisions and I dont judge other Moms for their choice.  Parenting can be hard enough! lol Plus..Jesus was breastfed!  (Had to add that :)