April 3, 2011

"Continued Breastfeeding" : straight from the mouths of babes

synchronized chalk drawing 
 [synchronized chalk drawing]

This morning Ivy and I had a talk about "nah-nap" (what she calls nursing). Basically I was asking her why she likes it so much. I mean, she is two-and-a-half now, and I am trying to figure out her plan for our breastfeeding relationship. So far, I kinda feel like I'm always on tap, her personal keg. And a mom can start to feel used, you know? 

She can speak very well for her age, and she said I just love it! And I asked her what it tastes like. It tastes like... (her smiling eyes looked upward and she thought for a minute) it tastes like flowers!

We giggled and no, I do not think my breast milk really tastes like flowers, but I think that is her way of saying it is all unicorns and rainbows. And I love that I can hear that in her own words. Like, maybe this is how your newborn would describe it if he could, you know, talk. You know, when they flutter those eyes in complete and utter pleasure... maybe she's speaking for nursing babies (and toddlers) everywhere. And that's kind of awesome.


I am  joining this month's Carnival of Breastfeeding, theme: extended nursing.


Please visit the other participants:
Elita @ Blacktating: The Last Time That Never Was
Diana Cassar-Uhl, IBCLC: Old enough to ask for it
Karianna @ Caffeinated Catholic Mama: A Song for Mama’s Milk
Judy @ Mommy News Blog: My Favorite Moments
Tamara Reese @ Kveller: Extended Breastfeeding
Jenny @ Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: The Highs and Lows of Nursing a Toddler
Christina @ MFOM: Natural-Term Breastfeeding
Rebekah @ Momma’s Angel: My Sleep Breakthrough
Suzi @ Attachedattheboob: Why I love nursing a toddler
Claire @ The Adventures of Lactating Girl: My Hopes for Tandem Nursing
The Accidental Natural Mama: Nurse on, Mama
Sarah @ Reproductive Rites: Gratitude for extended breastfeeding
Nikki @ On Becoming Mommy: The Little Things
The Artsy Mama: Why Nurse a Toddler?
Christina @ The Milk Mama: The best thing about breastfeeding
TopHot @ the bee in your bonnet: From the Mouths of Babes
Callista @ Callista’s Ramblings:  Pressure To Stop Breastfeeding
Zoie @ Touchstone Z: Breastfeeding Flavors
Tanya @ Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog: Six misconceptions about extended breastfeeding
Jona (Breastfeedingtwins.org): Breastfeeding older twins


By Stephanie Precourt, Stephanie Precourt - 4:03 PM
tags: , , ,

51 comments:

  1. I love this! I had to read the whole thing out loud to my husband. I love hearing what comes out of the mouth of babies. Can't wait until Charli is old enough to tell me what she is thinking!

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  2. I love this, Steph. Axel is 28 months and really incredible talker, and here are a couple things he's said about nursing lately: "I love Daddy's hugs and Mama's nurses." and "Will you please nurse me, Mama? It makes me feel good." And every few days he is sure to remind me, "I'm not big, Mama. I'm still little. I'm not a boy, I'm a baby." I did not think I'd still be nursing this much at this age (child's age), but I don't see this ending anytime soon.... Thanks for the sweet little post here and letting me chime in. xo

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  3. So sweet! I love her description.

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  4. I love this! (And I'm even reading it while nursing Finley.)

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  5. Oh, that is precious. What wonderful memories, for all too soon she will grow up :)

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  6. What a sweet sweet thing. Ivy is sweet sweet herself!

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  7. This makes me want to have another baby so I can have another toddler nursling.

    And I don't say that lightly.

    Unicorns and rainbows, indeed. :)

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  8. ha ha - I love this post because this is exactly what I'm going through these days. Exactly. You say it so well.

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  9. Absolutely love this! I can tell my youngest ( 2 1/2yrs) still loves nursing and looks forward to it every evening (the only time she asks to nurse anymore) ... but she doesn't tell me that. Yet. :-D

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  10. That is just so sweet! Unicorns and rainbows indeed. :)

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  11. I read this while nursing my 3-month-old, and, while he can't tell me "it tastes like flowers" just yet, his contented sighs let me know I'm appreciated. Thanks for the encouragement to keep this up until he can tell me so!

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  12. Amazing photograph - really!!! This is my bedtime conversation with my three yr old tonight, while her little brother lay next to her patting her tummy and waiting his turn:
    So you like nursing then?
    uh-hu
    Does it taste good?
    uh-hu
    That good?
    Snap off: Too good to give up... Snap on!!!

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  13. I love this.

    It's the conversations like this that help me when I feel SO OVER nursing my own 2 1/2 year old.

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  16. This was just so lovely to read and really encouraging. I nursed my first till he was 14 1/2 months (yes, I want credit for that 1/2 month :) and I was unknowingly pregnant with milk that was drying up. I'm now nursing my new 4 month old and wonder how long we'll go. My parenting journey this time has already been so different. I guess you could say I'm a recovering babywise follower who is greatly inspired and encouraged by learning from you attachment mamas. I have much to learn, indeed. I really love it and am so inspired when I read things like your blog (your breastfeeding posts are some of my favorite!) Blessings to you. xoxo

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  17. This is really encouraging to read! I am pregnant with my second child, but still breastfeeding my first, who is 14 months. It's a challenge, but I continue on because the breastfeeding relationship is such a beautiful one. To be able to one day hear my daughter say why she enjoys breastfeeding would be just amazing!

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  18. Anne, just so you know I started out with babywise, too. I didn't know any different! I am so happy to find a way to mother that is more "me" :)

    Steph

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  19. How sweet. I just weaned my almost three year old, simply because it just became way too much for me, and he said his "boo boos" tasted like cookies and ice cream.

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  20. I nursed my daughter until she was 3 years and 3 months. I wanted it to be an easy wean, meaning no tears and we were able to achieve it at that age. When she was still nursing she would say it tasted like cake. And to this day, she is 4 years and 3 months today, she still compares things that she REALLY loves to her "milky" as she called it. I think that it is precious!

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  21. steph, i love this post! such tenderness. my first little one weaned before two when i was very pregnant with my son. i hope he and i get to nurse a long time:)

    rainbows, unicorns, and flowers, indeed.

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  22. Awe, love this! I asked Gretchen the other day about her "buckies" and she said "is SO good!!" and them pretended to chomp on them before having a nice long drink.
    I really love our relationship, but I'm also on tap 24/7, as you said, and there are tough moment. 90% love, 10% touched out from time to time :)

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  23. This is so sweet and lovely. It makes me wish that my twins had been better nursers. Instead, I pumped exclusively for them. Would have much preferred the cuddles and love!

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  24. Another recovering Babywise follower here, Anne! Not that I have a problem with mamas who follow it, but I realized that it's not for me.

    Love this post so much, Steph...I sit here nursing my 9 month old as he drifts to sleep, and reading Ivy's description made me a little teary-eyed. Thanks for sharing.

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  25. Thank you for this! I'm 32 weeks pregnant and my 27 month old has been nursing a LOT recently due to illness and teething (up from a nice and easy twice a day) and I've been feeling so frustrated with her. This was a nice reminder of why we are still going.

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  26. Im with alot of the ladies here...I needed to hear this tonight. my 15 month old has been crying alot tonight, dont know if its teething or ear infection (we will head to dr tomorrow) but the only thing that has helped her tonight has been nursing...LOTS of nursing. Though it wears me out sometimes, I'm so thankful to have that comfort to offer her. Id like to think its like flowers to her too! :)

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  27. I wish I had thought to ask my older daughter! She doesn't remember now, but I did nurse her to 3½yo. Hopefully I'll remember to ask my younger daughter. She is 1½ now and not talking much.

    Beautiful post, thank you for sharing!

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  28. This is so so sweet.

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  29. I love Ivy. And you. Beautiful post, sweet friend! I was nursing Ezra as I read it, and when I looked down at him, he smiled this huge grin, and milk proceeded to pour out the sides of his mouth. It truly is all narwhals and peace signs.

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  31. so sweet! My 2 yr old just weaned...I think we both still miss it some.

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  32. I love how she describe breastfeeding. I wonder what would the description of my little girl once I ask her the same question. :)

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  33. That is so awesome. Mine just turned 2 and I'm looking forward to when she can express how she feels about nursing.

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  34. I'm so glad you posted this! It is SO encouraging for all the nursing mamas out there!

    I'm a recovering Babywise mom too. Like Abby said, I'm sure it works for some people, but it was not the right fit for my son, husband, and me. And it was actually THIS BLOG that opened my eyes to a brand new style of parenting that fits us just right!

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  35. Oh my, Sarah, thank you for your encouragement to me!

    Steph

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  36. Thanks for posting this. I am feeling particularly "drained" {pun sadly intended} today and it definitely helps to think that my little guy enjoys/appreciates it.

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  37. Thanks for posting this. I am feeling particularly "drained" {pun sadly intended} today and it definitely helps to think that my little guy enjoys/appreciates it.

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  38. Hi, I'd like to ask what is this babywise and what is attachement (parenting)?

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  39. good stuff! <3 this. I am feeling so drained and think I want to be so over nursing my 18 month old who nurses like 4 times an hour/every hour and has never slept more than 2 hours straight since birth. I'm a single mama so I am so tired! But after ready this, it just renews the reason why I have never pushed the reason for weaning EVER and will continue until he is ready to. His smiles after nursing and telling me "next" to switch breasts and then saying "all done" and snapping up my bra (LOL) shows me HE is in charge of the situation, not me!

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  40. I adore Ivy and this description. My 26 month old and I have been working on our nursing relationship too. It's been difficult, because last fall we were close to weaning...and then with my husband's stroke, it's still affecting her strongly. She's become more needy with me and some days will not let go of me, so I've learned to cook dinner with her on my shoulders (which she climbs up there by herself, my little monkey...).

    But we're working on it. Most of the time, she does great. We've set up the guidelines (i.e. no need to nurse in public and no nursing when she's "hunqwy", etc.) and working on her eating real food when she's hungry instead of just wanting to nurse to eat. We've gone to sleep a couple times without her needing to nurse and it's been nice to have that bit of a release, the guidelines are definitely helping as well.

    Sometimes though, knowing that she still needs me and wants me desperately is nice...especially on really bad days.

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  41. Yep! All kinds of awesome. :-)

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  42. I love Ivy's comment about nursing. Definitely makes you wonder if that's how all nursing babies feel. Thanks for your comment on my blog.

    -Hannah

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  43. I've tasted breastmilk (my own) and I have tasted formula... I do NOT know how babies drink that stuff. I formula fed so I'm not knocking formula feeders. I am just saying when you really think about how it tastes there truly is NO comparison. Not that your little girl needs formula at 2 1/2 yrs but was just thinking about that recently. Anyway what a sweet little comment! My 17-month-old just self-weaned. I'm all dried up until new baby arrives in Sept.

    I know what you mean about feeling like you're a keg on tap! It was a relief but also REALLY sad when my toddler stopped.

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  44. Extended nursing definitely has its moments (good & bad!)

    My daughter has just started this thing where she'll put both hands together and say: "Mommy-dear, pleas-a may I nurse the Mummy boobies". It's adorable and highly embarrassing. Can't seem to get her to drop the booby part either.

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  45. this is so sweet. :) and really, if it makes a baby's eyes roll up into their head, then it's gotta be delicious!

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  46. wonderful post! ;D
    Hi! My name’s martina and I come fom Italy… I’d like you visit my blog and if you want, follow me! I wait you and your tips! Kisses ^^
    marti

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  47. My just-turned-2-year-old doesn't have quite as expansive a vocabulary yet. But she does understand everything...and she can communicate her wishes w/ gusto too!

    Last night, I asked her if perhaps we might be "all done" with nursing now. Her answer was quite clear - so we continue.

    stephanie@metropolitanmama.net

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  48. Cute cute cute.

    My two-and-a-half year old told me it tastes like ketchup AND cookies!

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  49. Love it! I mean, what is more special than flowers? Sometimes when Luna is latched on and clearly done "drinking" I'll ask her if she's finished. She'll furrow her brow and shake her head no - still attached, of course.

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  50. Such a great description, "like flowers." My kids haven't been able to describe it, but at 4-years-old, 3-years-old, and 19-months-old, I know they all love it!

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  51. I like this post for the breastfeeding carnival. I think you're right that she is speaking for little ones who aren't using words yet. I just love what kids come up with to describe breastfeeding and the taste of milk.

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