By Melody Griffith
Num Nums is leaving
I feel it everyday
Even though it’s time to go
A part of me wants you to stay [Read more…]
Goodbye Num Nums
8 Reasons to Wean, NOT!
If you are a breastfeeder you have most definitely heard at least one of these. I am not here to tell you when to wean, but I am certainly here to tell you when not to wean. Breastfeeding is hard and days can be difficult to get through. Weaning often crosses our minds because we think life will be easier without it. But many of us don’t want to wean. I made a list of terrible reasons to wean! They all come with links to whole episodes from The Badass Breastfeeding Podcast that I cohost with Dianne Cassidy, IBCLC. The podcast is dedicated to correcting the bad information floating around out there.
You can find almost 50 episodes of information that you need. Podcast for Apple / Podcast for Android [Read more…]
There’s No Such Thing As a “Former” Breastfeeder
I see this a lot. A mom finishes breastfeeding and then she posts on our wall or in a breastfeeding support group that she is leaving because she no longer belongs.
NO.
That is not true. Actually if you are totally done breastfeeding then you are the expert! You have so much valuable information to pass on to others. You have done it from beginning to end! No matter what happened during your journey you are sitting on some seriously helpful information for another mom. Please stay and connect with other moms. Pick your favorite breastfeeding group and stay! Be the mom that’s been there through it all.
My Mom on the right nursing my sister. Her sister (my aunt) on the left nursing my cousin. Both woman are deceased. The babies are 42 now. Pic from 1976. Photo shared by Virginia.
My Weaning Story
My blog is 6 years old this week. Exley was hanging out on my lap today while Jack was playing video games when I realized that by the blog’s 7th birthday I won’t be breastfeeding anymore. Jack is on his second week of not nursing. And this guy asked to nurse today, but only because I was about to post this! He goes days between asking. It won’t be long now. When he nursed he asked why there was no milk. I said he can still nurse, but that the milk is gone. I explained that as kids gets bigger and eat more food they nurse less and eventually there is no more milk. This is all part of the journey. Whether you’ve followed from the beginning or are just joining us you’re witnessing my weaning story.
Breastfeeding: You Never Know When It’s the Last Time
“I feel like Jack is going to be one of those kids that breastfeeds until 7 years old,” I said to my husband one day when Jack was around 1 year old. I had been learning a lot about breastfeeding, mostly through the moms at The Badass Breastfeeder Facebook community. I learned that kids who are not weaned early can breastfeed anywhere from 2.5 to 7 years old. Before kids it would have completely freaked me out. Now that I had celebrated my very first nursiversary, after fighting tooth and nail to save what seemed like a doomed breastfeeding relationship, I couldn’t imagine why on earth I would ever wean him. My husband took a bit longer to adjust to the idea of coloring so outside the box, but ultimately we both felt that what helps Jack is much more important than anyone else’s opinion.
Breastfeeding Is Your Journey and No One Else’s
There is not a single voice that matters in this decision besides you and your child’s. A person wrote to me recently about how she had promised her husband that she would stop breastfeeding by 3 years old. Well, the child is now 3 years old and she does not want to stop breastfeeding, but her husband is pressuring her to stop. I told her that her husband’s opinion will matter when he is the one breastfeeding. Too harsh? No. A breastfeeding relationship belongs to the owner of the breast and the one suckling on said breast. Period.
Breastfeeding Ends, No Need to Rush It
My husband caught this slice of life today at the indoor festival. My littlest son was tired and overwhelmed. He asked to nurse so we sat and had a snack while he had mommy time and dozed off for a nap. My biggest son gave the hot dog a thumbs up. Just a couple years ago my biggest would have done the same thing, sought me out to nurse for comfort. But now he, like all the kids, has adjusted and finds comfort in other ways, like a hot dog or hug or just sitting and resting with the family. He is beautiful living proof that they all stop breastfeeding eventually, that breastfeeding beyond infancy does not cause bad habits or psychological harm and that even if left to breastfeed until they themselves decide to stop it will all happen sooner than you think and go by in a flash. And when the comes it will resemble a punch to the throat. Hold them close, badasses, there’s no need to rush it.
When It Comes to Breastfeeding Everyone Has the Answer
I haven’t been totally honest with you. I haven’t been sharing my true breastfeeding journey for a while now. I was at first. I was all kinds of honest about how much breastfeeding drove me crazy, how nursing aversion set in and how I felt so touched out. I also shared the triumphs and the beauty. I still share that freely, but something has happened to my expression of the bad days.
I got so sick of hearing, “Well, time to wean!” And even the less obvious but still obnoxious, “You really need to listen to your body and it sounds like your body is telling you it’s time to end your nursing journey. But you have done so great, you should be proud!” Thanks, but I didn’t ask for your opinion and I don’t need your directive on how to feel much less on where I am in my breastfeeding journey.
I got so sick of reading those comments and hearing those snide remarks from random people who I dared express a moment of frustration to. Why are we so weaning focused? It’s like as soon as we latch a baby on it’s all, “When are you going to wean? How long are you going to breastfeed?” Why can’t a person just breastfeed and see how it goes? Why do we have to know the end before the baby can even suck, swallow and breathe at the same time? [Read more…]
Weaning: Your Story. You Own It.
By Wendy Wisner
We need to come up with new language for long-term breastfeeding.
Here’s the thing: I’ve used all the terms myself. I have said I’m doing “child-led weaning.” I’ve called it “natural weaning.” I say often that I am nursing my children “until they are done.” I have called myself an “extended breastfeeder” and I have said I am nursing my kids “long-term.” [Read more…]
Why Would You Nurse a 4-Year-Old?
You may be expecting a snarky blog post aimed at critics of “extended” breastfeeding filled with awesome comebacks to sling around comment threads of breastfeeding posts. But I have written enough of those. A recent conversation in a thread on my own page reminded me that some people just… don’t get it. Some people just really don’t know why someone would breastfeed a toddler. They ask, “But doesn’t he eat food? Drink regular milk? Isn’t he too busy playing?” This post is dedicated to all of the people who want to know more about this. The people who ask questions, hold back judgement and have an open mind to listen to someone else’s experiences. [Read more…]
