You're STILL breastfeeding???

21 Month Nursing Story...

After writing my birth story for Max I was encouraged to also write our "going on 21 month old nursing story". I loved this idea! I feel very strongly when it comes to breastfeeding, and I am very passionate about helping others overcome their challenges when breastfeeding isn't going so easily. I've been called a "super nurser", and that somewhere in my soul is a "lactation consultant" waiting to be found. It makes me grin from ear to ear hearing these things, as nursing did not come super easy for me and my Maxi.

I remember reading all of these breastfeeding books while I was pregnant, preparing for what they said was "so natural" and the "easiest and best choice" for me and my baby. I hadn't even given it any thought that maybe it wouldn't work, or would be difficult. NEWSFLASH PEOPLE!!!!! It's not easy, I dont think for anyone in the beginning.

After 40 minutes of pushing, and Dustin delivering Max and putting him on my naked chest I remember being sort of confused. Thinking, the books said that he would smell me, he would inch his way towards my nipple all by himself, that he would know EXACTLY what to do. Well, none of that shit was happening. I was trying to shove my huge boob in his face, which i was scared would suffocate him in the process, it hurt SO BAD, and I was feeling defeated. It didn't help when one of the nurses made a comment about my apparent "shallow nipples" as she handed me a nipple shield. So now, Im trying to hold this brand new baby, stick this suction shield to my boob, and then try and nurse him?! What a mess! It was working, sort of...I thought. I wasn't at all really sure to be honest. I remember calling my mom and telling her that they gave me the shield, and that i felt bad about it. She promised when she came out in a few days she would help me.

We stuck with the shield that first week while waiting for my mom to arrive in Seattle. What a HUGE pain in the ass it was, but it did the trick. Max was nursing like a champ, my milk came in great and all was good. My mom arrived when Max was 7 days old. Whenever it was time to nurse she helped adjust and poke and prod to make sure he and I were perfect. And so on we went...for 21 more months and counting, continuing to nurse. The time has flown by really...I cant even believe that we still are nursing. It has just worked for us really. To break it all down literally is pretty simple for me. For one thing, I cant imagine how people really afford formula. Its insanely expensive! And I felt strongly that if I could make it for FREE then why would I buy something thats not even the real deal?? For two, once you got it, ITS EASY! And by easy I mean this, no midnight warming of bottles, no measuring, no bottles even if you are at home, you can grab a diaper and GO for the afternoon because YOU have everything that that little baby needs.

There are definitely some "cons" to my nursing experience thus far. Max didn't sleep through the night until he was 16 months old. He woke up EVERY 3 hours of the night, and was only comforted by me nursing him for a few minutes. It was awful. I returned to full time work when he was 8 weeks old, so no sleep was REALLY rough! Pumping was always a real bitch too! Thankfully I always work in my own room so I'm able to shut the door and pump basically whenever I want/can. But then there I am, sitting in a room alone, feeling like the human cow. NOT FUN!

My challenge at the moment is NOW WHAT? This little boy of mine loves his "beebees" and I dont see him not wanting them anymore any time soon. I definitely still am producing a good amount of milk so the nutrients/antibodies is still amazing for him. But he is almost 2. I was hoping that one day he would just stop asking for it, but I'm not really sure if thats realistic or not. I dont believe theres anything wrong with him continuing, but Mumma would love to have her boobs back at some point. HAHA! Actually its quite astonishing that the international average length of nursing is between 4 and 7 years. So i suppose going to around 2 isn't that crazy now is it?

I was doing some research on breastfeeding average durations and came across this:

“The role of breastfeeding in attachment parenting is about so much more than simple caloric input; attachment parenting encourages bonding and skin-to-skin contact, of which breastfeeding provides both,” Kwasnica said. “I think that we in Western society lose sight of what breastfeeding an older child is all about: it’s a simple cuddle time with mom, a time of warmth and love and nurturing, where a busy toddler can reconnect with mom.

“We are mammals,” she continued. “If we lose our sense of human connection, human touch, what does the future of humanity look like? Pretty bleak, if you ask me.”

And this is exactly how I feel! I love this explanation! Of course my almost 2 year old isn't sitting in my lap for 45 minutes nursing away like he was when he was 6 weeks old. Its a quick snuggle, 10-15 gulps on each side and some hugs and kisses. Or when he gets hurt or is scared he immediately is relieved. Its pretty awesome stuff.

I was pretty lucky that I never really had any issues with how much milk I was making. I know a lot of people say "their milk dried up" or "they weren't producing enough", and this definitely wasn't me, which I'm sure also helped our nursing relationship last this long. I know there are ALOT of things a nursing mom can try if she is feeling this way:fenugreek,oatmeal,pumping at certain times mostly AFTER a feed to ask your body for MORE PLEASE. And there are a lot of different essential oils and herbs that can help as well.

So in the end I suppose we will see how Max does over the next few months on our nursing journey. I'm hopeful around his 2nd bday that he will decide he doesnt need the daily "beebee" fix as he does now. But I also am not great with saying NO to my little man, who just wants to snuggle his Mumma and get some GOOD MILKY LOVE!!!!!!

pik from the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

XO, MILKY MUMMA