Calling all extended nursers...

[lizamann]

DD is still going strong with the nursing at 10.5 mths, nursing several times a day. And I mean SEVERAL. I don't even know how many because I don't want an actual number in my head. Let's just say that I can't get through a 45-minute music class with out whipping it out once or twice...

Anyway, I am trying to decide now if I want to do child-led weaning, or encourage her myself to wean sometime in the next 6-8 months. I hear it can be easier to wean around a year because they're so distractable then.if you wait, then you might be signing on for quite some time. I think I can see nursing a 2-year old, but am not so sure about a 3 yr old or more!

I don't plan on having any more kids, so the "getting my body back before the next baby" thing isn't an issue like with Mary and Liza. Partof me wants to do the extended thing, but another part of me doesn't.

Are there any extended nursers out there who regret it?

In any case, I think it's time to start decreasing the frequency. I'm reading "How weaning happens" and "Mothering your nursing toddler" to help me decide, but I was wondering if there are any real life stories from you all that could help me!

[sparkeze]

I'm still nursing my 2 yo DS. Some days it's hard, some days it's great - but I think it's not so much about the actual nursing, more that raising a toddler is crazy. I think nursing makes my life easier in a lot of ways. When DS is having a meltdown, nursing makes the world right, and when he's sick and can't keep anything down, nursing provides some nutrition and a lot of comfort. I have a very active toddler too and some days the only break I get is when we sit down to nurse.

It sounds pretty normal that your DD nurses so often. I think in the next few months you'll find that she loses some interest and some days you might be thinking "please nurse and relieve my engorgement!" That tends to happen to a lot of people somewhere around the 1 year mark - which is probably why a lot of babies are weaned then. Personally, I think that there are enough benefits to extended nursing to keep chugging along, but it's a decision that you'll have to make for yourself. I think sometimes parents feel that once their babies are weaned life will be so much easier, but you still have to be a parent, and that is just hard work, whether you nurse or not.

So I'm pretty biased, but I think you'll have a hard time finding someone who nursed for 2-3 years who regrets it!

[Rachels]

I'm still nursing Abigail at 22 months, and I'm SO glad. The second year of nursing has its challenges, but they have been totally worth it. Also, she's now old enough that we can talk about it a little, so I can tell her we need to wait, etc. EN is great for kids, health-wise, and it's also an emotional boon.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[AngelaS]

I nursed Adrienne for 19 months and Gabrielle for 14. With both my kids I nursed on a schedule, so they knew that nursing was what we did first thing in the morning, after naps and before bed. They didn't ask for it at other times.

I don't regret nursing longer than (ALL!) those around me did. But when we weaned, we were both ready. :D I pushed for it with Adrienne and G let me know she was ready to be done.