She's 13 months this December so I thought I'd do a little breastfeeding update. Charlotte is still on the boob full time can you believe it!? Well I guess it isn't surprising that she's still on so much as that she's on full time. And it doesn't look like she's going to give up any of it any time soon. I tried to ease her into a morning bottle, well ease at first but then afterwards I really started pushing it. But there's no having it. She has such a little temper (Scorpio baby) that the bottles fly and the arms flail and she arches her back and screams bloody murder every time. You almost have to duck to not get hurt.
I'd really like to replace the morning feed. It's so hectic in the morning that I can't get her fed and get Little S and me ready and out the door without being late. I usually try to get her satisfied until I get back from the school run with a petit suisse (yogurt) and a compote but she sometimes throws such a fit that I have no choice but to calm her by giving her a little feed. I don't mind the evening feed and the goûter feed but this morning feed is really tough and there's the babysitter issue. I'd love to get out for a night.
I try to not offer so much on demand unless she's upset or teething. I've also noticed when we're in a new environment she wants to feed too and this is really uncomfortable because now that she's a big girl I have the "you're feeding a child over one" stare. It often comes with comment too, just of the curious kind, "how old is that child?" or "she isn't weened yet?" I'm a discreet feeder, so much so that people often don't notice that she's even feeding but when they do they tend to make comments. I know it's frowned upon to feed past six months in almost all western cultures and especially in public so I've pretty much expected it and I got these comments with Little S too. He was fed until 15 months.
I'm very blasé about it. It's my daughter and I love her and I'm uncomfortable when she isn't happy so it really doesn't bother me. True I'd prefer to eat my lunch in peace but if she asks I can't really say no. And trust me the people you won't be very happy if I say no. You have to see her temper to see what I mean!
I don't know how long this will go on. She's more attached to the boob than Little S ever was. He's a bit jealous lately which is funny. I think he sees her as ready for bottles too and so sometimes when she's feeding he tries to mess with her ears or bug her or climb on my lap. A few times he's climbed on my lap lately and snuggled his head into my shirt and dozed off a little, and every once in a while he'll make a funny suckling noise like he's doing a pretend feed. It's funny how they don't forget.
I guess I shouldn't rush it. And I am really happy that it's lasted this long. I never thought I'd make it past six months with either one. Go me!
15 comments:
Yay well done to you!!! Ignore others, the WHO reccomends feeding till at lest age 2.
I used the "don't offer, don't refuse" technique to wean my boy starting at around age 18 months and it still took him till 2 1/2 to fully wean! I guess some ned it longer than others.
She'll get there, you'll be surprised how much she changes now she's getting past her first year. I found the boy walking made the biggest differance, once he'd been walking for a while he was too busy to feed and it really cut back.
I stopped breastfeeding my son at 13 months, kind of by accident. He bit me, I was startled and yelled "NO!", he cried, and that was it. By then, though, we were at two feeds a day because I was working three jobs.
You're doing fine. And I love that photo of the little miss! :)
I'm just amazed that 13 months have gone by. How on earth did that happen?!?
Chris,
I b'fed Ben til he was 8 1/2 months old and that was only because he stopped! I could have gone on. I had to stop b'fding Brody after 1 week because of my heart medications. I was heartbroken because I had planned to b'feed him as long as he desired knowing he was my last. So I'm glad you are getting to b'fd this long! :O) I miss that. I know that sounds crazy and I'm feeling a bit weepy today but it was such a special time with Ben and I.
Arwen
Yeah you indeed! Good job. Don't worry about the looks/comments. I got plenty too, but stayed as discrete as possible and just did what I had to do. I didn't really mind at all until about 18 months and started the 'don't offer, don't refuse" routine. Took her until about 25 months (and another miscarriage for me which was excruciatingly painful and I refused to nurse) to finally wean. It was the right time for us both.
You do what you have to do!
Go you! You're doing what's best for you and for Charlotte no matter how long you breastfeed, and it's truly no one else's business.
I actually had a really hard time nursing in public with Julien the past few months because he was so easily distracted. I'm OK nursing in public, but there's a difference between nursing and having everything hanging out because he wanted to have a look around!
Alison haha she already did that to me and I had the same reaction and then she started bawling. I was surprised and was thinking "Oh come on I didn't yell *that* loud..."
Arwen - I'm really sorry. That must have been really hard to have to stop :( I have good memories of you (& me) on the bf boards sharing stories and asking advice.
Cherise - I'm really sorry. I didn't know that :( I don't see us going to 25 months but that's amazing that you have.
Erica - haha I sometimes wonder if from my perspective it looks like less is showing than what really is showing. She does the peep show too now and it's worse and worse.
Jemma - I have a vague memory of walking having to do with some bf changes too. I wish I'd kept notes the first time.
I didn't set a goal or anything, other than "as long as we both want to." By 2 years I was ready to stop even though she'd have continued on much longer. At that point she was only nursing 1-2x per day anyway, mainly before bed. I did stop pumping at 13 months, which I had hated anyway so was glad to stop.
And thanks. We're teetering on secondary infertility (an ectopic + 2 miscarriages + difficulty conceiving + being old), but I'm still holding out hope.
Good for you! It's hard though. I had the same issues with bfeeding in public after one. I was happy to keep it up, but other people did tend to stare and make comments, ask questions, etc. In Italy it's totally acceptable to go to one year, but after that, people get funny about it. I fed Jack until he was 18 months, when he self weaned, but I stopped feeding him in public because of other people. It just make me too uncomfortable, and I hate that it was like that, but I will probably end up doing the same with James.
I think it's great if it works for you.
one of my good friends, a perfectly normal, not-a-weirdo, breastfed her last child for FOUR YEARS, at his request...she was absolutely fine with it, and i suspect was pretty happy indeed, since he was her baby, coming 12 years after his brother! remember that the world has nothing to do with you, and only you and charlotte share this breastfeeding intimacy...hassles, yes, but also what FUN!
Do you think she might take it from a cup rather than a bottle? Or take regular milk for the morning?
You are doing great, Chris! Mae weaned herself at 20 months. It was a gradual thing and I was glad she did it on her own terms.
And I wanted to ask you why you are bothering with the bottle... unless it's to make mornings easier. We went straight to a sippy cup and it was pretty easy after that since there was no weaning off the bottle.
Well done you, this is great. Do not worry about the stares, I got them all the time, but by 30 months, it got too much so I never fed baby in public. Your daughter will show you the way.
Happy Yuletide and Joyeux Noel to you and yours and best wishes for 2009. Have a great day,
peace
Lune x
Em/Jennifer- She takes sips from a cup but it takes a looooong time to give her a drink. I do it about twice a day. As for sippys in France it's not always easy to find them and they're often exensive (5 euros a pop). Little S never took to a sippy and I spent a fortune on them trying out different models. I have a lot of evenflo glass bottles (easy to clean!) and S used to lay on the sofa with a pillow and eat which was nice for him.
Lune - Thank you!
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