I adore nursing Stella, but lately I’ve become her own personal jungle gym. She literally wiggles and crawls and moves all over me while nursing, until she finally settles into a position that is usually belly down (her new favorite way of sleeping) instead of chest to chest (which she is supposed to be!).
What a cute butt!
Such a little twirp. I don’t know how you nursing Mommas of older kiddos do it!
Oh – and speaking of nursing older kiddos, I have no idea how long we will continue to breastfeed, but at 10 months, Stella is definitely old enough now to “ask for it” (be it crawling over to me and leaning her head on my chest…
…or excitedly “mmmmm”ing and clapping her hands when she sees me making a bottle to send to daycare. It drives me absolutely fucking bonkers when people say some variation of “if they’re old enough to ask for it, they too old to be on the boob.” Um, what? Why? Because you are uncomfortable with a woman’s body and the absolute normalcy of breastfeeding, my child should have to drink something other than breast milk before we are ready for the transition? UGH. Like I said, drives me bonkers. Sorry for the tangent this morning. 🙂
/endrant
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I love her pamper/diaper that’s showing in the top pic. I think that when people say if they’re old enough to ask for it blah blah blah means older kids. Not Stella’s age. At least that’s what I think. I have a friend whose son is 5 and she is still breast feeding. I have to admit it makes me uncomfortable but also cause he doesn’t cover her boob like most women she believes the naked body is to be admired and so her son is usually naked, even at social events and she whips out her boob often and feeds him. She’s even pulled out her boobs on many occasions in public conversation to show both men and women and let them feel how engorged she is. I definitely don’t think anyone making that statement means a baby like Stella or even a kid two years old. I may be wrong but I just can’t see someone meaning a baby. A toddler perhaps but not a baby.
Ya, I still think the comment is rude to make to ANY nursing mother – no matter how old the child is. It’s like negatively commenting on ANY aspect of a person’s parenting choices. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
That being said, I have NO problem breastfeeding anywhere and everywhere in public, BUT I also read the crowd, and if it seems like a situation where I should be more discreet by moving away from the group, I do. I don’t “cover up” with a blanket or anything (b/c that would be WAYYYY more obvious with Stells trying to rip it off her the entire time!)…but I do wear clothing when I’m out and about that allows for discreet nursing.
Also, why in the world would you WANT ppl to feel your engorged breasts? My husband and my sis-n-law (who’s one of my BFFs) are the only ppl who have felt that, and it was in the privacy of my own home. Phew.
Like I said she is a bit different when you visit her at her house she her husband and kids are stark naked. They believe clothes are confines placed on you by society. In public her kids may show up wearing clothes but at some point they get undressed and stay undressed.
I totally get what you’re saying about breast feeding. I don’t usually feel uncomfortable when anyone else does it just this one friend maybe its the manner in which she goes about it. I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough because I do intend on breast feeding.
Just wanted to also say sorry I have used the statement before totally in reference to my friend but I won’t from now on cause really a woman should be allowed to breastfeed however long she wants and baby wants. It was a totally shallow statement to think. Thanks for putting it in a way that made me see another side.
TOTALLY didn’t want to make you feel bad Jan – you’re right, the friend you’re talking about is going about life in a way that most in our society wouldn’t be comfortable with. That is definitely her prerogative (especially in her own home), but one would hope that she also understands that many people will NOT be comfortable with her nudist choices in that regard. I’m guessing breastfeeding is just a small part of what makes people uncomfortable in that situation. 🙂
Haha, these pictures are awesome!! She definitely looks like a wiggle worm.
hahah this photos are too funny and remind me of Alidia lately!! She is always pulling at my top to get what she wants!
Ugg, I also hate when people say ridiculous stuff like that.
Do you still breastfeed completely on demand? How often does Stella feed? Do you think you could email me a typical day of feedings? I am struggling a bit at the moment because as you’ll read on Alidia’s 9 month post later today, I have been feeding her roughly every 2 hours in the day (basically since she was born) and JUST realized this isn’t ‘normal’ at her age and she ‘should’ be going longer so I am trying to extend the time between feedings. I did this yesterday and she did so well and didn’t even ask for it really until 4 hours between so I wonder if I have been the one ‘making’ her feed every 2 hours when I just sort of thought she wanted it but really she didn’t need it. It doesn’t really bother me to feed every 2 hours but 4 would definitely be handy. She does go about 11 – 12 hours at night without. Ohhh.. who knows what is best?!?
Not completely on demand, no. I’ll shoot you an email in a sec! In the evenings she tends to be more cuddly and might nurse more often (I think this is also b/c supply tends to be lower in the evenings so she’s not getting as much at one time)…though the rest of the day she eats every 4 hrs or so.
I know I have used that statement before, but when you put it that way I guess I should find another way to say that I think older children should be weaned. I think that everyone has their own idea of what age someone’s child should be weaned. My personal opinion is somewhere around age two, but I can tell you that’s its not necessarily for an good or obvious reason. In fact, I can tell you that any working woman who makes it near a year while still nursing is my hero.
I’m glad you can admit it’s not for a good or obvious reason that you feel that way 🙂 I think that’s key for a lot of ppl that say it – when questioned WHY a child should no longer breastfeed after a certain age, they say ummmmmm…. or “it’s gross” … or something equally ridiculous. (not to call you ridiculous *grin*)
I have no desire to breastfeed a child beyond the age of two, but that doesn’t make it any of my business if someone else DOES feel that’s right for her and her child. I can tell you that I became much more “meh – whatever” about the topic once I started breastfeeding Stella, I think mainly b/c I realized how convenient, free, healthy, and bonding it is — there are a zillion reasons why people could choose to continue it, and to each their own.
And thanks for the accolades – it IS tough to EBF when you work outside the home, but for us, it was worth it, and I’m glad I made it a priority. I am going to quit pumping around a year b/c I am SOOOOO tired of that damn pump, and I haven’t yet decided how the weaning process will go, so I’m sure there will be many changes in the breastfeeding arena for us sooner rather than later.
So true! It’s funny once you have a baby how much your attitudes change!
I so remember when Gracie wanted to nurse in crazy weird positions and I was like, ” Seriously, child. Sit still!” haha 🙂 I only nursed her after meals (and snacks) at this point though, so I made a point of (almost) always being somewhere quiet and alone. She never really asked for it, and I think it’s bc I did it that way. If I was more on demand, she probably would’ve demanded it more 🙂
Ya – I usually only nurse after meals at this point as well (and at bedtime), so we’re usually at home. Even in a pitch black bedroom she does this lately though!
At least she’s a cute twirp. 😉 Mira also climbs all over when she’s feeding. It’s ridiculous. Her favorite is to stand up and lean down with her butt up in the air, but she wiggles all over too. It’s good that Stella isn’t pulling your shirt off you (yet) when she wants to nurse. Mira does that and it’s extremely awkward in public!
That second photo is hilarious…. it looks like she couldn’t get there fast enough 🙂
Too cute!! Sofia has become a real wiggler during her bedtime nursing session and for the last couple of nights has not really settled down to nurse at all. I fear she might be self-weaning. But then in the mornings she is raring to go. And she loves to nurse sitting up next to me now.
Interesting – Stella’s worst wiggle worming happens at the night time nursing session as well. Usually I finally just put her in the crib and go out of the room, and she talks herself to sleep. Maybe she’s dropping the last nursing session since she eats so much at dinner? I dunno…
She sits up next to you to nurse? That’s hilarious! Stella hasn’t tried that one yet. 🙂
Yup, that’s exactly what I do with Sofi, too. I give her a couple tries but then she just seems too disinterested so I put her to bed. She chats away and playes with her pacis or her bunny and finally goes to sleep…
I’m waiting for the day G starts this with me! He has become a super wiggle worm when I try and nurse him. Now I’m starting to wonder if he’ll try nursing on his tummy like Stella. That’s the position he seems to like to end up in, then he tries to crawl off my lap.
I didn’t want to go past 6 months, but like you’ve said, BFing is so convienient! Now my goal is 9 months where I’ll reassess things. He won’t take a bottle if I’m home, so I don’t know how that transition would go. I def. want to continue pumping through the first year though.
Simon nurses in every position imaginable. At times the jungle gym gets old, but whatever. At 15 months we are nowhere near ready to wean. And if you had told me 15 months ago if I’d still be nursing I’d have thought you were nuts. I’m guessing we’ll go til around 2, but I’m not putting any real limits on it at this point. If you do think you might nurse past a year, I do recommend “Mothering your Nursing Toddler” It has some good tips for limiting nursing and making transitions.