Welcome Extended

My son is now 16 months and still breastfeeding. I have encountered a bit of surprise as most Americans don't go beyond the recommended (at least) one year. Most American women aren't going beyond the first 3 months. Pressure, stress, work, society's demands, teeth come in and just the fact that breastfeeding is a lot of work. It's a full time job in itself. And that once every two hour feeding schedule is ALWAYS once every two hours (except sleep). Even when the baby starts eating real food.

My son wakes up to nursing, then has breakfast then sometimes nurses with his snack, then nurses to nap. Wakes nursing then lunch and nurse with snack, then sometimes takes his second nap, with of course, a feeding. Then wakes up and has his dinner and then nurses at least one more time before nodding off to bed. When you account for meal preparation in there, it seems all the boy is doing is eating. Well, he's doing a lot of growing too.

So, I want to help encourage women to continue breastfeeding as long as it's comfortable for both mother and child. At least one year for the health benefits, and beyond for all the other benefits. I'll be compiling a list of pro's and con's later on, which readers are welcomed to add to. If any breastfeeding mother (or if you're planning to) is wishing to help contribute to this blog, please send me a message for an invite, you are most welcomed.

I'm a stay-at-home Mom, so exclusive nursing was an easy option for me. To me, my son is worth the self sacrifice of my time for a year or two, which will benefit him for the rest of his life. Early nutrition is essential. Especially if your child is born premature or with a low birth weight. Besides, I enjoy the time I get top spend holding him, and now more so than ever as he wants to spend all his time running around exploring and playing rather than being held. I know when he gets older, I'll never get to sneak in those extra hugs and kisses, so best get all that I can now.

I plan to allow him to wean himself. He's already started dropping the snacktime nursings or not nursing as long when he does take them.. I hear it is easier on both mother and child if weaning is done gradually rather than all of the sudden. I remember the excruciating pain I was in the beginning when I'd become engorged. I've been told you have to not feed for about three days and be engorged all the time and wear a constricting bra and not take too hot of a shower and be in a lot of pain. No thanks. That sounds like Mastisis (sp? infected duct) to me.

And it can be traumatizing to have the comfort of nursing and mom's love suddenly withheld. Best to do it on his terms. If he gets to choose when to break free of nursing, he may lead a more independent life. So them crazy experts who do all those studies say.. What do they know?

Well, that's what fits my lifestyle the best. Of course, we'll each raise our own kids are own ways and who's right and who's wrong is really a pointless debate. I really don't want this blog to digress into heated debates about whether or not to breastfeed our children and who's evil because they do or don't.

The point of this blog is to spread the word about the benefits to both mother and child to breastfeed and to give encouragement to those who do to try to stick in there. The going will get rough, after three months of being deprived of sleep and your little bundle of joy has woken you up in the middle of the night to try out his new chomper and clamp down on your tender nips you might want to throw in the towel right then. So join this blog, tell your stories, share some mom to mom advice.

We're here to establish a support system for moms like us. All are welcomed here, no matter what creed, race or other. Only one rule, play nice. No nasty blogging or flame war type of behavior will be tolerated in the least. Myself and Julieta are both admins, so contact either of us to join.