Why do people

Laura Zoey - posted on 06/17/2010

i only had 6 weeks off of work. I think that yes the formula feeders set the trend and we all need to shout our facts to everyone who will listen so the ffders wont be the loudest voices out there.
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.ht...
awesome awesome site about the natural weaning age. seriously check it out

Gwen - posted on 01/23/2010

My daughter is 3 years, 7 months. I work full-time on a busy hospital floor. I pumped past a year, then just kept breastfeeding just when I was home, since they can eat pretty much regular food after that. I valued that mommy time since I was at work so much. We are mostly weaned now, but she still asks to nurse a couple times per day. I tell her, "no," then try to divert her attention. She has nursed once in the past week. I was going to let her self-wean, but it wasn't ever going to happen. I watched a video a couple of years ago of a woman still breastfeeding at 6 and 8 y/o girls, and I just don't want that. I do think one-year weaning is a ludicrous boundary/perception that needs to go out with the feathered hair of the '80's though.

Children become attached to breastfeeding for comfort. I've been taking the tack with DD that she's grown into a little girl, and breasts make milk for babies, and mine are out of baby milk. So today she says, "I'm going to drink really big nurses. I'm a little girl, and I'm done with little milk." My husband and I had a good chuckle. I'm not that big, so I'm not sure where she's going to find what she's looking for.

Bridget, there are many breastfeeding groups on the internet that can help you through many issues. Kellymom website is one. I enjoyed the yahoo groups, breastfeedingworkingmoms; pumpmoms and extendednursing (or something like that). There are many knowledgeable people who can help with any issue under the sun.

Bridget - posted on 01/22/2010

Wow, I only had 8 weeks off work after a c-section. Anyways, I'm new to all of this stuff. My son is 6 months old and we are having alot of trouble nursing. I really hoped to make it at least to a year but we are down to one time a day... But anyways what do you think about the British(?) lady breastfeeding her 8 year old? They draw pictures of her breasts and everything.

Crystal - posted on 01/22/2010

LOL that's awesome!

Sam - posted on 12/30/2009

Hahaha, That's great!

Nicole - posted on 12/30/2009

"So isn't it time to wean" say my sister in law. 'Nooooo... I told you a month ago that we are doing natural duration nursing. remember the WHO recommendations?" I grumble.
"Well they are your boobs" -sooo missing the point.
"Katy, why are you bugging her about Phoebe weaning? you nursed until you were four" chirps my father in law.
Ha hahahahaha! I win :D

Sam - posted on 12/29/2009

My daughter is 3yrs and 1 month old and I can count on one hand the number of times she's been ill.

It annoys me when people abruptly wean just because the baby is 12 months (or 6 months, or whatever.) I also think people are crazy to think it's normal or more acceptable to drink milk from a cow than breastmilk.

I'm actually trying to go vegan due to the injustice of Dairy farming.

Crystal - posted on 04/12/2009

I guess so! I'm still nursing my almost 17 month old and am 3 months pregnant with #4. We just got sick, with a cold or something and while I am still slightly sick, he's already all better. I'm sure that had NOTHING to do with the milk he's getting.....LOL

Jen - posted on 04/12/2009

I know!  A friend of mine (still nursing her 2-year-old son and about 3 months pregnant with number 2) says that people must think we start producing water on a kid's first birthday. :)

Crystal - posted on 04/12/2009

Ugh, that's what frustrates me, no nutritional value?? Right, cause magically at one all the nutrients, immunological benefits and everything just disappear right?

Jen - posted on 04/12/2009

You know, it's not just other parents or family members who promote this idea of weaning at one.  When my second daughter was born, I was still nursing my 18-month-old daughter.  The pediatrician at the hospital who checked out the baby asked if I planned to breastfeed or had any questions about it.  I said no, that I'd been nursing for 18 months, and he said, "Oh, you know that there's no benefit to nursing now besides bonding, right?  That there's no nutritional purpose for nursing past a year?"  I was too tired to argue, so I just smiled and said I didn't mind bonding that way.  How can pediatricians say this kind of stuff when the AAP recommends "extended" nursing?  No wonder American women get so confused and conflicted about breastfeeding!

Kelly - posted on 03/31/2009

I totally agree! My son just turned a year on the 21st and I have had so many people (really for the last month) asking, "So when are you going to wean him?" "How much longer are you going to nurse?", etc. I reply the same way everytime, "When he is ready, and he isn't yet."

Myranda - posted on 03/08/2009

I have found that weaning your child when they are not ready is more difficult than anything. I had to force wean my middle son because of complications with my pregnancy of #3. He was ok after a week away at aunt Manda's. I was put on strict bedrest.

Gabriela - posted on 02/25/2009

My daughter just turned 1 and she doesn't show any signs of wanting to wean. I am happy to nurse. That is our time, it a perfect apportunity for me to sit down and relax. I have been working since she was 2 months and I have no issues nursing. I no longer pump at work though. So during the day she gets cows milk, i go home during lunch and nurse her. She still prefers to nurse.

I don't really pay any attention to the comments that I shoud wean her. I am doing what I think is best for my child. Maybe another mom thinks is best to wean at 1. That is her choice and I respect it.

Tonia - posted on 02/19/2009

I so hear ya! Whether or not you work or not, you can still nurse your child over 1 years old. I am so tired of hearing DD is "old enough" to be on cows milk.... Um we are the only species that still drinks milk after being weaned... 

To each their own, I guess, all I know is that I am trying to go for the child lead weaning with DD, because I think it's best for us (her and I). I don't understand why people have to say anything about it, it's not like I am asking them to nurse my daughter.

Crystal - posted on 02/17/2009

Yea, we only get 12 weeks generally to come back. I got more than that with my first son only because I went back to work when he was 12 weeks, and my Mom got into a car accident when he was 13 weeks old and they let me take a month off to take care of her because she was permanently paralyzed from the waist down after that. I returned to work again part time when he was 18 weeks old. I worked there, and then another place until he was about 9 months old and then I quit and never looked back.

Heather - posted on 02/17/2009

Wow, I didn't know americans only had three months mat leave. That is horrible. I had a year and wasn't ready to go back.

Nancy - posted on 02/17/2009

I think that the "magic age" is set by our formula feeding society.  Since children are only given formula for the first year (usually) and then weaned to milk, society thinks that children should be weaned from breastmilk at a year also.  However, it is sort of "wierd" thinking to me that people believe at one year a child who has been breastfeeding should switch to cow milk...

I agree that cow milk is the appropriate choice for those who have been formula feedind but in my opinion, a breastfeeding mom who wishes to continue breastfeeding should do so, because her milk is created just for her baby and a cow's milk is created for a baby cow.

I personally do not feel that a child should be forced to wean at any age, but should be allowed to wean at their own pace...but that is what has worked for my family...and each family has to figure out what works for them.

April - posted on 02/12/2009

I returned to work after 3 months with my 1st and 4 months with my 2nd child, so I don't think returning to work is really the issue. In my opinion, american society frowns upon nursing a child past the age of 1 due to strange victorian-era body issues, and antiquated beliefs on what is appropriate for young children. In other countries it is the norm to breastfeed well into toddlerhood, and nursing in public is not given a thought, unlike here.

Crystal - posted on 02/12/2009

I would think that, but it's in the SAHM section, and they are just deciding that's when they should wean.

It's not some magic age, and most people usually return to work if they are going to when their baby is 3 months old as that's when maternity leave is up.

The WHO recommends 2 years of nursing.

Heather - posted on 02/11/2009

Well I personally think that most people choose to wean at one year old because they must return to work. That is the age that I had to partially wean my daughter, for that reason.

Perhaps also people think that one year is the golden age because if that is the age that most mothers must return to work, then perhaps that leads society to think that that is the age when a baby no longer needs his or her mother. As well one year of age is a common guideline to differentiate a child from being a baby and being a toddler.

I wish I could have stayed home with my daugher until she was old enough to go to school, but unfortunately I have a job and have no choice but to work.

Crystal - posted on 02/11/2009

when baby and mother are ready....but there are people who are weaning just because their child is turning one and wondering why they are having such a hard time with it, because they seem to think that it's the "correct" time to wean.

Heather - posted on 02/11/2009

So when is it that you think they will be ready to wean?