At fifteen months, Cameron still nurses frequently. Yes, the toddler. Breastfeeding a toddler?
He has just started to sleep through the night. {This is a thing that has always troubled me, sleeping through the night, what exactly is the definition? I’ve heard mommas say that their baby slept through the night and to them that means six hours, I’ve heard others say it is eight hours straight and then here I read that it only means sleeping from midnight to five in the morning. What?? If you were to ask me, sleeping through the night means sleeping from when he goes to bed at 8:00 to when he gets up a 6:30. But maybe that just changes the definition to sleeping all night.}
Back to the topic of interest. Nursing a toddler.
Is breastfeeding a toddler difficult? No, nursing a toddler is the same as nursing a newborn or infant. Just because your little one is now walking and running doesn’t change their ability to latch and suck. They may bite every once in a while, but if you have trained them not to, then it is almost always an accident.
Will my toddler remember nursing? It is very unlikely that your toddler will remember nursing. If they do remember anything, they are probably going to remember how it made them feel, safe, comforted, and loved, rather than the actual nursing. And if they remember the nursing portion will it matter to you? It will simply remind them that nursing is a normal part of life and a way to feed a hungry baby.
What will people think when they know I nurse my toddler? Does it matter to you what other people think of your nursing? Why? You can simply tell them that the WHO advises breastfeeding until the age of two. Or that it isn’t their decision. As long as you and your toddler are happy and both still enjoying the nursing relationship there is no reason to stop breastfeeding simply because your baby is walking.
#breastfeeding a #toddler means that my baby still gets the good for him breastmilk to help him tear around the house faster, he probably won't remember it, and it won't turn him into a pervert. Click To TweetWhat if I don’t enjoy breastfeeding my toddler? Then by all means go ahead and start weaning. If your child shows no signs of starting to wean himself, then you can take the lead. Start with eliminating the middle of the night nursing sessions if they aren’t sleeping through the night, or all night, first. Then slowly cut out daytime feedings. This process can take as long or as short an amount of time as you like. With my oldest son Seth we started cutting out middle of the night sessions at eighteen months, but he nursed until twenty-two months when he finished the weaning process on his own.
Does a toddler still get health benefits from nursing? Yes. If your toddler is still nursing he is still receiving antibodies, and immune building vitamins that can lower his chances of catching viruses. Just like when your toddler was a newborn, breastmilk also provides calories and good fats to help your little one grow strong and healthy.
Should breastmilk provide the majority of my toddler’s calories? It is recommended that toddlers over one year of age start consuming calories from sources other than momma’s milk. This is because their nutritional needs are on the rise as they are more active and their world is growing larger. Breastmilk can help to supplement your toddlers diet and is a good way to keep their immune system at it’s best.
Does momma receive health and emotional benefits from breastfeeding a toddler? Yes. Like their toddlers, the momma’s who are nursing them will also receive health benefits. These include lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer, helps to burn calories and may delay the return of your period. Some emotional benefits that momma’s receive are partly due to the rising levels of oxytocin and prolactin every time you nurse. Oxytocin is the “love” hormone and prolactin is the “mothering” hormone. You may find yourself more connected with your toddler after nursing and have a little more patience with them during their next tantrum.
Cameron and I had a rough patch when postpartum thyroiditis hit around 8 weeks, but after I figured that out and how to keep up my supply while dealing with Hashimotos, our nursing relationship has been smooth.I’m not sure how long Cameron and I will continue this part of our relationship, but I do know I will miss these days when they are gone.
The days of cuddles and conversation when Cameron decides it is time for “nee” (nummies).
The feeling of his little body relaxing and falling asleep in my arms.
The chance to sit and not feel bad about the things that aren’t getting done, like the pile of laundry or the sink full of dishes.
The days of being able to eat a little extra to keep my supply up. 🙂
What is your view on sleeping through the night? What does it actually mean? What will/do you miss most about nursing your baby or toddler?
We are still nursing at 2!
I was curious about you cutting the night feeds first – I think that for me would be the last to go. My goal at the moment is to cut the day feeds. At night it helps him get back to sleep. (How did you do it?)
As for sleeping through.. seriously.. lol… sometimes he does and other times he doesn’t. I’ve figured out that if he has had enough to eat it helps him sleep better. But who knows. Sometimes it is because he is cold. It’s all detective work…
I totally agree about how it does help the connection. But normally he has had the tantrum before we breastfeed to sleep cos I’ve figured out he is tantruming because he is tired!
We cut out night feeds with our oldest first because I needed the rest. It worked great so that is what I was planning to do with Cameron but he started sleeping all night first.
Our pediatrician recommended cutting night feeds first so baby learns to self soothe and to help get them to eat more during the day, but obviously each momma and baby are different so do what works for you. 🙂
Hey I just wanted to know HOW you did it!!!
Sorry, I answered to why not how. 🙂
Okay so how: over the course of a couple weeks we eliminated Seth’s night feedings to one by slowing stretching the interval, he was on a pretty good schedule, so we would wait half an hour, feed him and then stretch the next interval a half hour, until we got it down to one night feed. We did one night feed for a couple of weeks and then started working on eliminating that one. When he got up we would get him a drink, cuddle, maybe offer a little applesauce or a cracker if he wasn’t acting full and then put him back in bed. The first few nights he fussed a little and then he was fine with just getting up for a drink. After about a week or two he was consistently sleeping all night.
Now that he is older we just send him to bed with a sippy cup in case he needs a drink in the middle of the night.
Great post with great points, Rebekah! I don’t think breastfeeding beyond infancy can be emphasized enough! I find it is so helpful too to write it how it is going for you personally, too. Gives you a chance to evaluate it all and gives your readers some insight and good reminders!
Thanks! 🙂
My mom just showed me a great graphic that talked about the benefits of breastfeeding during the toddler years, I’ll have to see if I can insert it into this post.
Great round up! I totally agree that if you are no longer comfortable then you can start weaning. There is no wrong or right when it comes to feeding our kids, we do what we can and our best given certain situations. I wish I nursed my kids longer but both decided they don’t want mom’s boobies anymore when they turned one. I guess that’s the downside of mix feeding, they learn to love the taste of formula more.
Love the new look by the way!
Thanks Jhanis! I still have things I want to change around, but I need TIME. What mother has enough of that?
And yes, I completely agree, each momma has to decide what is best for her and her baby. Some babies just decide they are done.
You have perfectly summed up my thoughts on nursing a toddler here! I weaned my third child at 25 months, last fall. It was hard (I had to wean because of an infection) but I’ll always be glad we went as long as we did. <3 Great post!
I will be so sad when my Cameron weans. Some days I am ready for him to be done and then others I’m glad we still have this part of our relationship.
Thanks for coming by, Valerie!
Thanks Valerie! I’m not looking forward to weaning Cameron at all, I’m kinda hoping he will nurse until I get pregnant again and then wean himself like Seth did.
Just wanted to share my own experiences with breastfeeding toddlers… I weaned my first 2 boys at 3 months cause I didn’t know what I was doing and I didn’t seek for help… I was 17 and 19 years old… I weaned my 3rd one at 4 years old, after nursing her during all my pregnacy of the fourth one and co-breastfeeding her and her little new sister for 18 months… That was my greatest breastfeeding experience, wow! I weaned that 4th one at 3.5 years too… The 5th one has been weaned at 3.5 years as his sister and same thing for our last one, 3.5 years too… Last year… I didn’t forced anything, they were just losing interest as time went by and I slowly take advantage of that to change their minds or spaced nursings. ENding up for them all with only when it was time to go to sleep or to ease some pain… I didn’t regret anything except that I gave up with my 2 first sones 🙁 I had wonderful relations with all my children and I can’t wait to start back with this little baby girl in 14 weeks!!! I co-slept during all my nursing months so it was also easier for everybody. Might sounds ackward or different, or maybe natural for others but at then, the only thing matters is how WE feel about our own experiences! Thanks a lot for opening a door on toddler breastfeeding, I’m always happy to read about it hihi! Thanks for your awesome blog too, I nominated you for a Liebster award on mine cause I just discovered it and I already love it hihi!
Isis
Oh wow! You have had a lot of experiences. That’s awesome! Thise first children do show us things we would do differently with more. 🙂 It s their job as “practice” kids. :p
Lolll! Practice kids, hihihi! Love it 😉
Oh, thanks for the nomination, it’s so sweet of you. I’ll have to come over and check it out! 🙂