Three Already
My youngest daughter turned three this past week. Her birthday brought a rush of emotions for me. Amazement: how could she be three already? Surprise: where did that growth spurt come from and how did she suddenly (but right on schedule) fit into her 3T clothes? Pride: she is so much fun, even as she grows more independent and tells me, “No! I like it the way I like it!” Trepidation: I remember when my first daughter turned three. That was the age when breastfeeding really became suspect. Up until then, the people around me generally supported the nursing relationship. After all, “two” is still a little babyish. But when “two” turned to “three,” we apparently crossed a line. I rarely had occasion to nurse in public, but there were times when I did — when I put my child’s needs above what strangers thought of us nursing. I certainly didn’t feel comfortable though letting the other preschool mothers and the teachers know that we were nursing. The only person I made a point to tell was our pediatrician. Doctors need to know that “extended” breastfeeding is a normal practice, and that it produces healthy children who hardly ever need to visit the doctor!
This time around, I dread the feeling of having to “closet” our nursing relationship. I won’t go out of the way to hide the fact that we’re nursing, but I won’t encourage it in public and I will discourage it (delay, distract, etc.) in certain situations. My daughter comes first, but now, when she’s three, I get the sense that part of putting her first means backing off the nursing in public.
What do you all think? Was there a time when you no longer felt comfortable nursing in public? Did it happen at age three or a lot younger?
Tags: breastfeeding, extended breastfeeding, lactation, toddler nursingRelated Stories
POSTED IN: breastfeeding, extended breastfeeding, toddler nursing
4 opinions for Three Already
Jen
Dec 16, 2007 at 1:05 am
Kayli turned two last month, and I’ve pretty much stopped nursing in public unless she is hurt. I’ve been trying to stop the random “I’m bored what should I do oh look there’s mom and she’s sitting down so why don’t I latch on for 6 seconds then wander away then come back again 30 seconds later” thing. That drives me batty.
So, I’ve been encouraging her to nurse just three times a day, none of which are in a public place. First thing in the morning, right before nap, right before bed.
I don’t have a problem with nursing toddlers/children in public, though, and I’d do it if necessary and be willing to defend myself if anyone questioned me.
Emily
Dec 17, 2007 at 7:41 am
Happy Birthing day to you!
I don’t remember the last time that I nursed in public. Baby girl just turned 2 at the end of September and I would say that for at least the last 6 months, she had been nursing pretty much before nap/bed time, so I had no need for nursing in public.
MomOnTheGo
Dec 20, 2007 at 4:15 am
Reid is 3 and a half and is nursing only before nap and bed and first thing in the morning for the most part. It’s rare that she asks to nurse in public but if she needed to nurse (hurt, distraught, etc.) I would. We recently took a train trip that spanned a nap and bedtime and I nursed as required. No one said anything or seemed to notice. In August, when we travelled by train, the fellow across the aisle picked up and replaced the sweater I had propped my elbow on when I was nursing. I smiled and said thanks and that was all the notice we seemed to get. My bigger challenge is Reid, who likes to push my shirt all the way up. She understands that in public we need to be discrete and I just need to remind her.
YetanotherJenn
Dec 20, 2007 at 12:52 pm
I started seriously discouraging nursing in public when my second pregnancy started to show. My daughter was a bit over two at the time. I’d been receiving some evil looks when I nursed her as she neared two and I just couldn’t face the disapprobation in addition to the nausea and nipple sensitivity and exhaustion.
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