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View Full Version : Weaned toddlers - do they remember nursing?



tny915
08-15-2005, 12:59 PM
We weaned DD last month, and yesterday we visited the County Fair. We were checking out all the livestock when she turned to me and signed and said, "Milk, milk, milk!" I looked around and saw all the pigs lolling about with their teats exposed. She recognized that they were for suckling and wanted to make sure I knew.

I actually miss nursing a bit, but had to wean for medical reasons. I'm a little curious as to when or whether DD will forget about nursing. Anyone know?

cara1
08-15-2005, 01:01 PM
I weaned DS at 25 mos when I was pregnant. By the time DD was born, he was 2 yrs 8mos and didn't remember it. He still doesn't (he's over 3). It's very sad. I keep telling him that he used to do it too, but he remember nothing. He has actually said, "no, I didn't like Boobie," which makes me sad, but what can you do?

alkagift
08-15-2005, 01:06 PM
I weaned a year ago and I don't think DS remembers at all. On the rare occasions when he's seen me in my bra, he just stares and stares, like he's trying to figure out why "the girls" look familiar, but can't place it...

Allison
Mommy to Matthew, who is TWO!

kensjen
08-15-2005, 01:15 PM
he just
>stares and stares, like he's trying to figure out why "the
>girls" look familiar, but can't place it...


That is so funny! I wonder if they ever get that deja vu feeling??

hez
08-15-2005, 01:22 PM
Payton's been weaned a month and still wants to reach down my shirt and 'hold da nurse'. I'm pretty sure he hasn't forgotten yet, but that's OK. I figure the memory will fade 'til he gets a sibling, and then maybe that memory will become the stronger since he'll be older? No idea.

slknight
08-15-2005, 01:26 PM
I thought DS had definitely forgotten. We weaned at 17 months and I bitterly regret it, so it's been just over a year. Anyway, yesterday, he saw me getting dressed and starting pointing to my breasts and yelling milk. I have no idea what triggered that because he's certainly seen me naked before. So maybe he hasn't really forgotten.

bluej
08-15-2005, 01:27 PM
LOL! Ryden has the same look on his face when he sees me getting dressed!

Calmegja2
08-15-2005, 01:34 PM
Yes. Josh still talks about "the nursers", compliments them, pats them when he's nervous, and occasionally will ask to nurse, and he's been weaned for about 6 months now.

kransden
08-15-2005, 02:08 PM
I weaned dd Feb 04. Every once in a while she'll want to pat them or put them in her mouth, but mostly she just likes to snuggle against them. So she remembers.

Karin and Katie 10/24/02

Momof3Labs
08-15-2005, 02:37 PM
DS weaned at 19 months, almost 16 months ago. He does not remember, and actually seemed to forget quite quickly (he definitely weaned without looking back at all).

marit
08-15-2005, 02:38 PM
I miss nursing my DD too!

I weaned her when she was 2 yo (you'd think she will remember something, right?). Now we have a new baby and she is definitely fascinated, by him nursing, but she does not remember it herself (she is 2.5 now). She asked several times to nurse too. When I let her, she would just put her mouth on my nipple and giggle, but not suck.

deenass
08-15-2005, 05:50 PM
I weaned when my son was 20 months, he's now 29 mos and still remembers nursing (and has recently try to nurse again!) I have a lot of friends with little babies so he sees them nursing a lot).

I once asked him if he remembered nursing and he said, "I nurse your boobies" When I asked him what came out he said "milk" then he grabed my shirt and said, "let me show you." It was both shocking and sweet (no so sweet when he try to "show me at a library class though!)

mainepotato
08-15-2005, 07:07 PM
We have a similar story (minus the new baby, lol). DD weaned herself when she was 2. A couple of months later she asked to nurse again and I let her, but she just put her mouth on it and giggled! Did she forget how? That was baffling to me!

By the time she was 3 she had forgotten about nursing completely. She's almost 4 now and she looks at me skeptically when I tell her that her baby sister is going to drink milk from my breast. She thinks the baby should drink a bottle instead. I don't think so... :)

mamicka
08-15-2005, 07:40 PM
DS weaned at 15 months & says he remembers when I ask him but I'm not really sure.

FWIW, my mom nursed me until I was 3 & I don't remember at all.

Allison
DS #1 6/03
DS #2 4/05

Puddy73
08-15-2005, 08:09 PM
Lori, I just saw your siggie - CONGRATULATIONS!!

I weaned DD two months ago and she seemed to forget pretty quickly. Once in a while she will peek in my shirt and say "Hi num-nums!" but otherwise she doesn't ask to nurse any more.

Jennifer
Mommy to Annabelle 9/03 & a little pumpkin due 10/05

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Rachels
08-15-2005, 08:25 PM
Well, we weaned at three, so Abigail certainly remembers it, but I think many nursing toddlers remember. In our case, it's something we'll consciously talk about as often as she likes. One of the very sweet things about having nursed a toddler is knowing that she will hang onto the memory of that special time.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02
New baby coming in October!
(Holy smokes, it's a boy!!!)


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amethyst_36m.gif
Nursed for three years!

kep
08-16-2005, 12:32 AM
This thread is so close to my heart. I'm still nursing my son (turned 2 in April), and while I'm thinking about starting to slowly wean him, nursing is so important to him (& me!). I don't know how I would have gotten through the time between his first birthday and now if we hadn't been nursing. It is just the ultimate soother (sp?), and several times when he was sick, it was the only thing he would eat or drink. My son is so silly, sometimes when he's nursing, he'll look up at me from the corner of his eye, and just start grinning. It's just so cute and funny that I crack up, and we just stare at each other, giggling. It has just such a speical time for us, and now that he is older, it is so much nicer. I didn't mind nursing him when he was younger, but it is so great now that he doesn't nurse quite as often, and he understands more. I sure hope he remembers, I know I will.

Kells
Mommy to my beautiful little boy, Luke (April 2003)

Completely obsessed with strollers, carseats, slings, basically all baby gear...

__________________________________________________ __________
P.S.- Rachel, I am so impressed that you nursed until your DD was three! Congrats, that is such an accomplishment. Would you mind if I PM you? I just have a couple questions...

s7714
08-16-2005, 01:12 AM
I weaned my older DD at 21 months (shortly after realizing I was PG with #2). She hasn't asked to nurse in the past six months or so, although a couple times when she saw me nursing her sister in the beginning, she'd eagerly stand close to me, smack her lips and make slurping noises like she wanted to have some too. Since I didn't offer, she'd just giggle and go about her merry way playing. I'm not sure if she actually remembers nursing or if she just wanted whatever her sister was getting. Maybe I'll ask her tomorrow if she remembers and see what her response is!

Jennifer
Mommy to
Annalia 3/03
Sophia 6/05

lizajane
08-16-2005, 07:19 AM
we weaned at 14 months- while pregnant with #2. schuyler learned so quickly that breasts were for feeding his brother than he no longer associates them with milk for himself. does that make sense? if i have my shirt off, he says, "baby dylan's mook!!" and points.

he giggled and "pretended" to taste baby dylan's milk a few times, so i finally asked him if he wanted to try it. the first time, he didn't suck. just laughed. but the second time (days later) he did get a taste. he laughed a little as though he were surprised to get milk in his mouth and never commented on tasting it for himself again.

newmama4
08-16-2005, 08:32 AM
I am still nursing my 9 month old and was in music class (at the end of the class with snuggle and the older kids get a juice box or sippy cup or whatever). I was nursing Hannah and an older little boy (about 4) said to his Mommy that I was feeding my DD just like he was fed. The Mommy was surprised that h e remembered what nursing was and that he was nursed. Who knows what can trigger a memory later on.

Elise
Hannah Meira's Eema (11/16/04)

houseof3boys
08-16-2005, 09:03 AM
Ryan was weaned at 13 months and really has no memory of it. I have shown him pictures of himself when he is nursing and he just stares at them. When I nurse Riley, he "nurses" one of his babies too. :)

wagner36
08-16-2005, 10:57 AM
We had some friends at our house a couple of weeks ago, and there were lots of nursing babies. Charlie has twice now caught me off-guard and started doing this weird licking thing on my boob (over my shirt). I haven't quite figured out what to do about it - I don't think he could remember nursing, but he's been thinking about it a lot about it and is clearly interested. I haven't really addressed it with him yet, since I've been kind of shocked each time. He's also been making me nurse his babies and stuff cows. When I told him that mommy didn't have time to nurse the babies, he put the stuffed cow udders in his baby's mouth. Pretty cute.

I *hope* that I'm raising a big breastfeeding advocate though. We were at Ikea last weekend (nightmare, btw), and he saw a baby getting a bottle, and he said "no mommy, me baby need boobs" and looked very distressed that the mom wasn't nursing. I'm not sure if the woman could understand him or hear him or not, but I hope he doesn't walk around making formula feeders feel bad!!

aliceinwonderland
08-16-2005, 10:59 AM
That IKEA story is so cute... :)