Demographic

[ailbhe]

It's odd how many recently or hugely pregnant people I know, suddenly - I never did before I was pregnant myself. It's all a big conspiracy!

One by one, my family are asking me "What, you're not still breastfeeding her, are you? Why?" It's an effort to tell the truth - "Why not?" rather than come up with rational justifications along the lines of "WHO guidelines... NHS guidelines... The global average is over 3 years you know..." and, worst of all, "Because of her dairy intolerance." What am I doing, justifying myself like this? Feeding my baby is normal. Formula feeders don't have to suddenly justify why they haven't changed to something else at 9 months. Why is formula feeding more "grown up"? Why is breastfeeding only for young babies? What's wrong here?

Hi, choir.

Comments

Re: Demographic

[pne.livejournal.com]

I've heard that sentiment before, too -- "when they start to walk" or "when they can talk" being quoted as points to stop breastfeeding because continuing would be "weird" or, as you said, "a bit sick".

*shrug* I'm for breastfeeding them as long as mother and child are still fine with it. If that's more than two years, why not?

Re: Demographic

[mollydot.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine said "when she gets teeth", which seems to make sense to me. But I know nothing (no children) & obviously people do continue to breastfeed past that point. Do teeth cause a problem? If so, do you just put up with it, or does the kid learn not to bite after a bit?

teeth and nursing children

[pne.livejournal.com]

We shall have to find out; I don't have any first-hand experience, either.

Re: Demographic

[k425.livejournal.com]

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<ljuser="k425sbug"> got his first teeth at 7 months. At 16 months he's still breastfeeding. He has bitten on occasion - in general it happens when he is simultaneously teething and snuffly and tired. I pull him into the breast so he can't breathe and has to let go, and I tell him that biting isn't on. If he does it twice the feeding session is over. For at least a minute, after which I can't bear it if he's still crying.

Re: Demographic

[ailbhe]

Linnea has had teeth for a long, long time. Um, over half her life, anyway. She currently has four front teeth top and bottom, and is working on molars. And she never bites deliberately, and the lower teeth are covered by her tongue when she's actively sucking anyway. So it's occasionally a problem if she's startled while feeding and accidentally clamps her jaw together, but she's never left marks.

Fingernails, now - fingernails are different! She's drawn blood with those.