"Extended" Nursing

Teddy is now 13 months and we are considered "extended nursers".  So what does that mean?  It means we have mastered many more nursing positions than the 3 they teach you at the hospital or in breast feeding books.  There is the standing nurse, the running nurse-where he moves his legs from on top of my lap to the front of my lap then off my lap, then back on and so on and so on, the talking nurse-where he practices his vocabulary of words while nursing and most recently the squirming nurse where he moves his head all over and still manages to keep his super suction latch!  But mostly extended nursing just means more nursing!

I see extended nursing as more nursing in a society where any nursing past 12 months is considered unusual or out of the "norm".  We nurse 3-5 times throughout the night (still), we nurse 2-3 times before our morning nap (still), we nurse  after naps (still) we nurse after meals (still) AND we now nurse when we are sad or unhappy or hurt.  Yep more nursing.  New positions. And more nursing past 12 months.

Nursing is just who we are these days.  It is what brings us back together when teddy has had a whole half hour by himself playing with his toys or an afternoon of exploring the grounds of starbucks or a new playground or a few hours of sleep on his own.  It is not hard, it doesn't hurt, I'm not engorged or leaky.  It is fun and sometimes funny. Yes, it is time consuming (still) and tiring (still) and can be awkward when we are around people who are not open to extended nursing, but having a space for teddy and mommy to reconnect with each other and cuddle for a few minutes together at an age where it is easy to lose that connection so quickly with new-found independence is totally worth it!

NEW! You Know Your A Mama When...

It's been a few months and our babies are growing!!!  Have you looked around lately at your life and seen something that TOTALLY would not have been there if it weren't for the baby in your home??

I knew I was a mama tonight when I ate pizza and oranges for dinner! ...yum!

How 'bout you?

Haven't forgotten about the blog! ...

Well it has been quite a while since my last post.  I have been thinking about milk mamas and have had numerous ideas for posts in the past month, but with a kitchen reno in the works and taxes due in almost one month (I am the bookkeeper and just had a baby=waaay behind!), I've been a little pre occupied!

However occupied, I am in need of some milk mama support...

With our next two teeth just arriving, I've found myself nursing a lot the past week!  While glued to the rocker or lying awake at night, I've been some what fantasizing about weaning Teddy from night-time nursing.  I definitely couldn't start something like while two teeth were coming-but now they are here and I'm envisioning a full night of sleep again!

Before I begin this attempt, I'd love to hear from mamas who have successfully or unsuccessfully weaned.  Although it was my plan to allow teddy to decided when he would stop nursing-we are approaching 1 year and I would love some uninterrupted sleep!!!  We are weaning from the meds he is on in about 3 weeks and I'd love to start attempting to rock and comfort back to sleep other ways besides nursing at night shortly after that and before Teddy turns 1 year in 6 weeks.  ADVICE NEEDED!!!  Send it to me!!  even if you think I shouldn't wean Teddy, I'd love to consider all input before deciding to step in and wean myself....