This is Exley. He is 20 months old. He breastfeeds a lot. Like 7,582 times during the day and 10,498 times during the night. We share a bed so he wakes up, latches on and goes back to sleep. He nurses to sleep, to wake up, for comfort, before he eats, after he eats, when he’s resting and all other times too. He is loud. His voice booms in your chest and pierces your ears. He likes to follow his big brother around. Exley thinks he can do everything his big brother can do and falling on his head never holds him back. People often wonder if I get criticized for breastfeeding both Exley and his big brother, Jack (4.5 years old). I do online, but not in my real life. I wouldn’t keep critics in my life anyway. My close friends and family support my decision. Extended family and acquaintances seem to keep comments to themselves if they have any. I plan to breastfeed both of them as long as they want. It’s not always fun, but it works for us. It’s far more than food; it’s comfort, security, attachment, bonding and nurturance. I believe that allowing them to wean in their own time will lead to independence, high self-esteem, health and a sense of connection to their family and the world. I don’t think nursing Jack takes anything away from Exley. I think Exley gains a unique relationship with his brother along with all the other “perks” of breastfeeding.
This is Jack
This is Jack. He’s 4.5 years old. He nurses to sleep and for comfort, a couple times a day, but if it were up to him it would be 75 times a day! He likes to be worn in a toddler carrier if we are in a new or loud place. He likes trucks, Rescue Bots and telling stories. He has ideas for books and plays. He loves to run. He’s sensitive, talkative and funny. Breastfeeding has given him nothing but milk, love, nurturance, security, comfort, safety and attachment which will lead to independence, courage, health, self esteem and emotional security.
Tandem Nursing in a Ball Pit
Jack (4.5 years) and I started a game where we fell into the foam pit backwards. Exley (18 months) started to join in. One of the times Exley came over and flopped onto my chest. He pulled at my shirt, Jack saw this and yelled, “boobie time!” They both latched on for about a minute and then I said, “ok, that’s good!” And then we started to play again. [Read more…]
I Judge You
By Abby Theuring, MSW
The “mommy wars” are imaginary. They do not exist.
People judge. It’s normal and it’s natural. It’s not a human flaw. It’s not that people haven’t heard the whole story. It’s just what happens with humans. We judge each other. We are social creatures and this is in our nature. We do not have to stop. We do not have a major character flaw. [Read more…]
BREASTFEEDING CRITICISM by guest blogger Ashley Cmar
IT WAS HER RIGHT TO EAT by guest blogger Paola
My name is Paola and I’m 26. I’m a single mother to my two year old, Daenerys. We have been nursing since she was three days old and when I saw your post today on Instagram about nursing in public, I felt really excited about that. I do have a blog on Tumblr but I thought I’d write something new about it rather than send you a link to something old. My feelings about it are different now that we’ve done this so long.
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Before I begin about our journey to nursing in public, I think it’s important to note how we started. Daenerys was born with the cord round her neck and they swiftly pried her away to the NICU. A nurse wrongfully recorded she had gone five minutes without breathing and I met my baby two hours after she was born. She had tubes everywhere and I couldn’t hold her.