Breastfeeding support group with my 19 month old

[B3ck89]

Has anyone attended a breastfeeding support group with their toddler past the baby years?
I’ve been struggling the last week with my 19 month old feeling like he’s constantly biting me and teeth grinding, my nip is actually so sore from it.
There is a group this morning and I’m debating weather to go for some advise.
I know I know I shouldn’t feel embarrassed going, but I don’t think I’ve seen an older baby/toddler there.
It seems the older he gets, the more I’m aware on people’s opinions.
I’ve had a few comments about how he’s too old to still be feeding

Soon as I come home from work he grabs my trousers and guides me to the sofa and pushes me down, funny and cute but I would love to be able to walk in the door and at least put the kettle on first

I go to my local NHS breastfeeding group. There are several mums who attend with their older toddlers, who they're breastfeeding. The Health Visitor who runs it gives them as much advice as she gives to the mums of younger babies, and there is no judging. You should go!

You should go, lots of people breastfeed toddlers, it's just less visible because it mostly takes place at home before and after sleeping.

I breastfed until 20 months, only stopped because I was pregnant. I would have liked to have reached 2 years as recommended by the world health organisation.

You'd be welcome to my group, OP! I run out local one. If your toddler is biting or grinding teeth, push their face into your breast for a second or two so they come off and put them on again. Obviously don't do it for any length of time but it helps when they come off instead of you trying to prise them off.

Well done for feeding so long

Biting and grinding I found success with stopping every time and relatching. Putting a pinky in the corner of the mouth to ensure no nipple being dragged between teeth on the way out. I didn't find that the push face in to breast worked for us but it did for my friends.

Is your little one teething? Quite often a sign for mine that pain relief, gum massage or a teething toy was required and cuddles. Cold drinks and ice poles might help too.

We don't talk enough about older kids and feeding because of "ick" that society has put on it. There are lots of us out there who have fed much longer than 19 months, they are still so little

Go, it's a breastfeeding support group. There may not be professionals there but it's worth a try.

I Fed both my kids until almost 2yo and it does feel a bit weird telling people. I had one biter ( be carefully as I got mastitis from it) and one non-biter but boob obsessed and very twiddly.I would suggest watching for a pattern of the bites e.g. is it at the end of a feed or the beginning and trying to pre empt when that will be. Also if he bites take him off straight away and explain that hurts.

Well done though it's not easy. Be aware of the signs of mastitis. If he has broken skin and it's not healing, still sore days later you are at high risk!

I'd definitely go, i tandem fed mine, so i had a baby and a toddler and i went to my local group. (I'd also trained as a breast feeding counsellor). One of the leaders told me she thought it was great that I'd gone and that i would be inspirational to others and that i was helping to normalise extended breast feeding.
When mine started biting and doing that things where they look round with your nipple still in their mouth, so your are stretched beyond what you thought was possible, i had to use the finger in the side of the mouth the break the seal, before re-latching.

I went to a BF group recently and there were a couple of older kids of around 2 and 3 there and feeding. Go!

I was going to say "I'd go" but I went through the same with my 19mo recently & didn't pluck up the courage to go! It only lasted a couple of weeks & has much improved since she had 3 molars come through in 24 hours! I honestly thought I was done, it hurt so much, but it's back to normal now. Hopefully it's just a phase for you too!

As others have said - guidelines recommend 2 years! Anyone who bats an eye at a toddler being breastfed is ignorant, or perhaps even jealous/has a complex that they did not. Who knows. Either way it’s a different beast from a little baby and perfectly normal to need some support and guidance! Well done!