Feb. 5, 2008 - Yes, he's still nursing
When Biruk was smaller, many comments were made as I headed to the nursing room in church about how I would have to quit soon because of his teeth coming in. I just smiled and walked on. I heard other mothers saying “Oh, yes, her teeth came in and I was done!” or “He bit me once and that did it!” Now, I do understand that those little chompers can be very uncomfortable. But it is possible to teach your baby not to bite down while nursing. It does seem such a shame to cut off the best possible source of nutrition for an infant because he tests out his teeth on his mommy just once. Especially if he’s an early teether at 4 or 6 months.
Anyway, I still make my way through the nursery to the back room every Sunday, even though Biruk is closing in on 9 months now. And I am still the primary source of nourishment, which is astonishing to even me, his mother, given his size and rate of growth. He enjoys a bite of “real” food now and again, but not enough to make a meal of it. It doesn’t seem odd to me that he is still nursing, and I hope we can continue this for a good year more, but I run across an awful lot of people who think nursing past 6 months is bizarre. I do have some very good reasons to continue nursing though.
It’s good for Biruk physically. He is too young for cows milk, and is getting the most perfect nourishment available for him. Breastmilk’s composition changes according to the baby’s needs, from one session to another. He is getting antibodies from each and every meal, protecting him from illness and strengthening his body. He’s getting calcium and good fats. He’s not getting any sugar (unless doting grandparents take pity on him and feed him ice cream), empty calories, processed food stuff. There’s no worry about contamination or recalls or whether the packaging is sterile. Nursing is even supposed to be good for jaw development. There’s no physical reason to stop.
(Visit kellymom.com for a comprehensive list of all the physical benefits of extended breastfeeding)
Nursing is also good for Biruk emotionally. It guarantees him one on one time with me several times a day. As busy as I am with the other two, if he were using a bottle I’d be tempted to set him down and let him feed himself more often than would be good. I’m not saying that everyone who uses a bottle does this, but that I personally would have a very strong temptation to!
With all his developmental leaps and bounds, all the new learning and thinking and observing he’s doing, nursing gives Biruk a chance to unwind and calm down a few times a day. I love watching how he goes from Busy Boy to Blissed-out Baby within a few seconds. He closes his eyes, and curls up against my stomach as if he were still in the womb. Sometimes he pats me, just to make sure I’m still there (he doesn’t want to bother opening his eyes to check).
But wait, there’s more! Nursing is good for me too! I wish I could say it melts the fat off me like it apparently does for some women, but that is not so. However, there are still many physical and emotional benefits. Oxytocin is good stuff, folks! J I know it doesn’t work this way for everyone, but nursing gives me a nice long break from PMS (and on that front the whole family benefits!!!). Since I am often rather crazed and prone to moods that swing wildly with hormonal changes (Josiah has adopted a policy of blanket forgiveness of anything that I say when I’m pregnant, because he’s realized I’m not even close to “normal” then), it’s nice to be on a more even keel for a while. As with Biruk, nursing forces me to calm down and unwind. Since he’s always been so big, lying down is the only truly comfortable way to nurse him, and those 10 minutes of forced resting a few times a day have been a lifesaver for me. I don’t normally nap or even lie down unless I absolutely have to. Nursing ensures that I do have to. When the boys have been running me ragged it is so absolutely wonderful to put them in bed with their books, and then go zonk out for a few minutes myself.
And finally there’s the purely pragmatic benefit (also known as the side that accomodates the Lazy in me). I don’t like washing dishes, so the less, the better. No bottles to wash (and I consider that one of the very great benefits of breastfeeding)! Going out is still easy-no clean water concerns, no refrigeration concerns, no taking a kitchen with me in the diaper bag. I’m a fly by the seat of my pants type of person and the fewer things I have to remember to bring with me, the better off we all are. I can’t leave my own milk behind, by accident or on purpose.
The only real down side is that I’m nursing a baby the size of an average two year old, but he doesn’t have the coordination of a two year old. If he keeps this up, he’s going to be the size of a three or four year old before he weans, and with the acrobatics toddlers are prone to, that is going to make nursing much more interesting in the months to come.
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Comments
Feb. 5, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by carrotqueen
Yes, it's always the acrobatics, not the teeth, that have done me in. Fortunately they haven't come into play until after a year or so, so at least we've made it a year. But I've never been determined enough to keep it going once every meal becomes a wrestling match to Stop Looking Around and Just Eat, OK? At least my babies were small.
I've made it through two without even owning a bottle, and yes, the laziness factor definitely helps me. If I can avoid extra dishes, I certainly will!
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Feb. 5, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Bravo! Huzzah for laziness! LOL =) of course...all that other stuff is good too =P
Sandy from crosswalk
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Feb. 6, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by mama at mamashealthyhabits.blogspot.com
I also like to nurse them to at least a year. With my 10m old it didn't work that way. I'm hoping with my next baby due in July I can go back to that tradition!
http://mamashealthyhabits.blogspot.com
and http://celebratinglifeandmotherhood.blogspot.com
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Feb. 6, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
I'm all about the laziness aspect- nursing is just plain easier! This is one reason I delayed solids- nursing is also way cleaner! I am nursing a large baby too- a 26 lb one yr old, and I get my fair share of strange looks. Thanks for the reminder about all those good reasons to nurse!
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Feb. 6, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Martha
As a nurser who smiled and nodded along to the comments about babies who got their teeth and quitting nursing, I did have to quit with my first one because of teeth, but he was 15 months, so not too early. I was also expecting so, I was very sensitive, I guess! But, he was not biting me, his teeth were just so sharp they cut me without realizing it....Happy nursing to you! i was always glad my babies were tiny because even at 2, they could pass for younger and i did not get as much flack for it!
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Feb. 6, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Rosy
Yea for nursing! I'm still nursing my almost 11 month old, and much like Biruk, he doesn't much care for "real" food. He's not tiny, and he has teeth, but we both enjoy breastfeeding so much that neither of us is ready to quit!
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Feb. 29, 2008 - wonderful
Posted by mrs dandy
I enjoyed your blog. Nursing is wonderful! I am looking forwrd to nursing my third in a few weeks! My first two nursed until 19 and 17 months. They both gradually weaned, and it was fantastic!!!!!!!
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