Extended Nursing Support Thread part 4

[Mama2C]

Manueli - sorry for the late reply! DS is now down to only 3x a day. I do a lot of cuddling/distracting when he asked for it at other times. He has gotten a lot better these days! I still really like BFing and am happy with the 3x...no more! He hasn't had an actual soother since about 15 months so you're probably right that the breast was his soother. He still likes to get drowsy on it before sleeps but falls asleep in his own bed.

[tigerlilly905]

I've been meaning to join this conversation for a while! Ds1 is 20 months and Ds2 is 7mos. I'm tandem nursing. I pump for Ds1 and he also nurses in the evening for his wind down. Extended/tandem nursing has been one of the best choices I've made for our family. Looking forward to chatting with you all.

[ZacsMumme]

Hi ladies, I have a question for you all if that is okay?

We are going through a bit of drama at BT ATM and my DS seems to want to BF on and off and on and off once he has really finished and realises it is BT. I am not sure if he is using it because he doesn't want to go to sleep, or something else? He also has randomly started to pull my top down at tiems he hasn't been BF in AGES like 4pm or so I offer food or water and he isnt really interested

Have any of you been through this around this age? If so what did you do? Did it come right? He is 14.5 months old and gets a morning and evening feed. (I feed him at NW when ill and teething and I have to admit he has been poorly so I suspect this is becoming a habit ATM, I have to wait for after our week away to tackle this)

TIA

PS...I am really wanting to start weaning too...but he loves his BF

[*Ali*]

Firstly welcome tigerlilly, sorry I missed you joining. It has been quiet since then.
Sara, we got this around a year and still do a bit. Does he go straight to bed after the feed or have another stage to the wind down? I found having something else after like brush teeth, read story, use the toilet etc meant it wasn't so much a case of well bf is finished so into bed. Then we had a rule that once he's brushed his teeth he can only have water. I also tell him sometimes that next time he gets off it's the end of the feed so it's his last chance. And don't allow any running around or playing and then coming back to it. Hth.
Cadan turned 2yo this month and is still nursing strong morning and at bt, never any other time. He's started asking after his nap some days but we dropped that at least 9 months ago. Wouldn't mind him self weaning now tbh.

[ZacsMumme]

Thanks Ali
I have started talking to Zac about BF a lot more, and I suspect the wanting to nurse at odd times may be due to a bit of SA? H seems to want it when we are out with relatives places...

Thank you for your thoughts on the BT BF. I think we need to move it as you say. I thought telling Zac Its time for your feed then twinkle twinkle and BT would help,but now I think he is refusing BT and this is his excuse to not go to bed!

It's overhaul time after our week away (starting to,orrow) so DH will make a plan that includes moving that feed to before brushing teeth and story maybe.

[tigerlilly905]

I have started talking to Zac about BF a lot more, and I suspect the wanting to nurse at odd times may be due to a bit of SA? H seems to want it when we are out with relatives places...

This is what I was thinking. He could be going through some SA.. even at BT as well. Also, what's his teething situation like? Does he have his molars yet? I think it was around that age that Ds1 was getting his molars and he was suuuper sensitive at BT. He might just need the extra comfort right now?

DS1 gets expressed BM before nap, and nurses before bed. He'll also randomly nurse throughout the day if he asks, it just depends.  If I'm wearing a low cut top he always asks more I also always have expressed BM in the fridge for him so there's the option for him to have it in a cup. (but of course he'd much rather have his boobies )

[ZacsMumme]

Thanks hun, I think your right. Tonight it seemed much more SA like behavior, and during the day he is very clingy with me, not wanting anyone else and sporadically needing cuddles and kisses.

He doesn't have any molars, tooth #8 cut. He only has his top and bottom 4 incisors. He is very sensitive to teeth though, and his reflux flares when he teethes which doesn't help.

[katyusha]

Anyone else is having sore breasts from teething babies? I went to put teething gel on and found not one tooth but 3! 2 top incisors and 1 molar. No wonder he does not like one side. Grrrr....

[ZacsMumme]

I got a few bites but nothing major...hope your not getting chaffed or too sore...Lansinoh?

[katyusha]

I resort to bonjela before feeds. Unfortunately  we get NWs now but it will pass, I figure.

[Shiv52]

I'm only remembering about this thread!  And Rosa is 15 months in a few days so I guess I am an extended nurser! 

Are you guys intending to feed until your LOs self wean?  With M at this age she was down to 2 feeds, am and bedtime.  But R would ask about a million times a day for milk.  She's sick and teething too at the minute and having NFs and I feel like I have a newborn again!  I guess with her I don't see an end in sight at all!  I am happy to keep going for a while though but just wondered what your thoughts were on how long you will BF for?

[katyusha]

I'm hoping M will self wean but due to milk allergy I am kind of worried how he would be on Nutramigen alone. At the moment I have to be dairy free as well, so is a tad annoying, but there's something nice about closeness of BF that makes it worth it. Plus it calms him down really well. NFs are a nightmare though.

[ZacsMumme]

Shiv your R sounds a bit like my Z I doubt he will wean himself, and is asking more for it. I am guilty of feeding still at NW...he gets sick or teething and it starts, them we have to retrain when we get back from hol Z routine is getting a revamp!

ATM he has a morning and BT BF and a bottle before his nap (like 30 mins before) but going to merge morning and nap feed to 1 bottle as its affecting his solids I think.

Kate, I totally live the closeness...but I know for us anyway the NF are becoming a problem. Grrr

[*Ali*]

I was planning to wait for Cadan to self wean but he's just turned 2 and showing little sign of weaning so I may start encouraging him. We only have the morning and bt feeds. He readily accepts a refusal for requests at other times.

[Khalam's Mama]

I thought I would wait for K to wean but ended up actively weaning because it was becoming a major source of frustration for him (and me!). I plan to wait until 2 yo and if there is no sign of self wean with B I will actively do it I imagine.