Nursing manners & acrobatic toddler

[AngelDog]

I've got my come-uppance for being smug that DS has never been a very active feeder. Now at 22 months the acrobatics have started.

I know it's normal, but I want to know whether I need to stop the acrobatics at home to prevent him doing them in public?

I don't mind him wriggling around at home as long as it's not uncomfortable, but today at church he started to kick off when I wouldn't let him lie on his back on my lap and put his feet on the floor at the same time (all while still attached to the breast of course).

He feeds in public quite a lot. I don't mind people seeing I'm feeding but I definitely don't want him exposing more of me to public gaze than is strictly necessary.

Hmm, my approach to this has been to not feed her in public unless absolutely necessary, in which case she is generally tired and needing the comfort so doesn't wriggle too much. At home she climbs all over the place, bum in the air, standing on one leg etc. Owww if she slips! I don't know how you can stop the acrobatics really - they're experimenting after all. I would suggest you try not to feed him in public if it becomes a real problem. Probably not very helpful - sorry!

Sorry AngelDog I had to have a little giggle when I read this as I was imagining your LO doing this , I am sure I won't find it so funny when DD starts though

On a serious note. . . .I would imagine that at 22 months your DS would have enough understanding to realise that if he wants to feed he must behave nicely otherwise there is no milk, you may need to also put these rules in place at home because he may find it confusing - Good luck x

angel Mine is only 15 months but wants to do these things sometimes - in which case I just stop him feeding and say he can't unless he does it properly. Took some persistence but it is a lot better than it was.

Hello - 14 months DD is the same - like to sort of walk up by front and wiggle up bum in the air.......it's annoying. I only reprimand her if she bites or really hurts me as she's so young....

I would do the same as madameJ (and have done!)

Thanks everyone. I think I probably need to bite the bullet and get tough with him at home. (A bit of a shame as he does enjoy it. :))

I can see the funny side. Although what with the acrobatics and his new interest in my nipples I do think some nursing manners might be in order.

We were leaving a shop earlier and he asked for milk. When I said he could have some when we got to the car he started shouting, "Nipple! Nipple!" at the top of his voice. Thankfully it sounds like "bip-bee" so no-one would know what he was saying, but I'm sure the day of clearer pronunciation will come.

Today he started off almost in the position described in my OP and ended up lying across my lap on his stomach in the foetal position.

Good luck with it. I do think that if they are BF older then learning some "manners" is a good thing.

DD2 went though a stage of nipping me and I took the same approach ie "no" and take off breast. They can learn that BF is nice but there are 2 people involved and they both need to be comfy.