help! 3yr wants to bf?
pet...@sprynet.com
Hi, I have a 4 month old son who I'm bf. I also have a 3 yr old son. I was never able to bf my 3 yr old after the
first week because I was hospitalized with a uterine infection and put on IV antibiotics. The nurse told me I
couldn't bf while on the AB's so I stopped. I found out later that was wrong but this was also the nurse who
came into my room one day (while I was suffering with engorged breasts) and said "Ooo, your leaking!" . I felt
like saying "Ooo, you're an idiot!" - but I refrained. :)
The question I have is that my 3 yr old seems to show an interest in bf now that I'm bf the baby. Not all the time
but every once in awhile he will lean down as if to nurse and pretend to drink. I don't want him to feel rejected
but I don't feel very comfortable with nursing him either. So far I have just told him thats "babys food" and he
seems to accept that. I also give him lots of cuddle time with and without his brother and he doesn't seem
jealous at all.
Does anyone have any experience with this or any suggestions? I'd really appreciate it.
~Kris (mom to Brandon 3 & DJ 4mos)
Jessa Zimmerman
The sources I have read suggest that you agree. He may very well just want
to know he could try but won't really do it. Or maybe he will once but
just to experiment. I can't really imagine he'd pick it up as part of his
real routine. He probably just wants to know he can have what you give to
the baby. Maybe if he seems like he really will take you up on it, you
could offer to hold him that way and cuddle or read - give him the close
mommy time without the nursing!
Anthony Soong
My daughter (turning 3 on Saturday!) still likes the taste of Bmilk.
When Maddie was born almost 6 months ago, she suddenly took an interest
in Breastfeeding too. Although she started to pretend breastfeeding
her dolls! Whenever I expressed some milk and left it in the fridge,
she would steal the bottles! (clever girl) and I would find her hiding,
drinking it. She now understands that when she was a baby, this is how
she was fed but now she is a big girl, she drinks "cow milk". Although
her facination with this isn't over, she still likes to look at photos
of me feeding her. I think it may be a nostalgic thing! I think it
completely normal to try and re-enact 'being the baby'. You seem to
be doing everything right for Brandon by lots of cuddle time and stuff.
Keep up the good work!
Sherry
Dave & Colette
At the risk of sounding like a total radical (but, hey, I am!) is there
any reason why either of you doesn't want to let your 3 year olds
breastfeed? I know several toddlers over the age of 2 who still
brestfeed ... some with younger siblings and some without. I'm currently
8 mos pregnant and my almost 2 year old is still an avid nurse; I'm
sure she'll still be breastfeeding when the new one arrives. Also,
I've heard stories of toddlers who had already weaned and when a new
one was born asked to nurse and were allowed to. Some of them lost
interest and just wanted to be assured that they could, and some nursed
a little bit every now and then for a few months or so. Anyway, I
just wanted to present the possibility ... human milk is not just for
infants; many toddlers love to nurse!
Colette (mom to Amy, a beautiful homebirthed 23 m/o)
(and Jumping Jack who is expected sometime in late December!)
"Nature can provide for the needs of people; [she] can't provide for
the greeds of people." - Mohandas K. Gandhi
anthon...@ualberta.ca (Anthony Soong) wrote:
>My daughter (turning 3 on Saturday!) still likes the taste of Bmilk.
>When Maddie was born almost 6 months ago, she suddenly took an interest
>in Breastfeeding too. Although she started to pretend breastfeeding
>her dolls! Whenever I expressed some milk and left it in the fridge,
>she would steal the bottles! (clever girl) and I would find her]
>hiding, drinking it. She now understands that when she was a baby,
>this is how she was fed but now she is a big girl, she drinks "cow
>milk". Although her facination with this isn't over, she still likes
>to look at photos of me feeding her. I think it may be a nostalgic
>thing! I think it completely normal to try and re-enact 'being the
>baby'. You seem to be doing everything right for Brandon by lots of
>cuddle time and stuff. Keep up the good work!
>>> The question I have is that my 3 yr old seems to show an interest in
>>> bfnow that I'm bf the baby. Not all the time