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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Feeding a toddler is so much nicer than feeding a baby

34 replies

squidkid · 05/12/2013 08:43

Just thought I'd say that and list some positives

she smacks her lips and says yumyumyum and smiles at me afterwards, MELT
it takes 5 minutes and we only do it once or twice a day
I can wear normal clothes and normal bras
it is magic for tantrums or illness
I can feed her or not, my choice, I've just stopped feeding at night, I work evenings sometimes, I can go away and see my mates
she can sort her own latch out and I don't really have to do anything
when she is sad sometimes we feed in the bath, it's the snuggliest giggliest thing ever

Feel free to add to the list!! I like to remind myself of the positives to keep me going through the harder times. Feeding a baby was special in its own way and I enjoyed lots of it, but it was also exhausting, restrictive at times, painful at times, I didn't really stop leaking from the other boob till about a year old, hated the stupid nursing bras, got engorged when I missed feeds, worried about her if I wasn't around. This is just like a lovely extra for my lovely little girl. She is 14 months now.

OP posts:

leedy · 05/12/2013 11:44

Totally agree on all of the above. Poor DS2 has been poorly lately and I don't know what I'd do without the magic of boob.

PinkPepper · 05/12/2013 11:53

Snap my sons 16 months and happy with once a day. I've even skipped days and my supply has been ok and he's fed afterwards.
Tbh I could easily stop now, if I distract him he's not too bothered. But why would I want to when it's so easy and cosy :)

rosiedays · 05/12/2013 11:55

Thank you ladies, I've had a few tough days lately (only 4.5 months) with social pressure and exhaustion. Great to hear all the good reasons to keep going. :)

mummymog · 05/12/2013 22:21

How long would you say it is before baby can sort their own latch. My DD is 9 weeks old and I don't think i'm ever going to make it to EBF (loads of top ups to keep her weight gain just now) so I'm looking forward to teh golden age of solid food and a morning and evening breastfeed.

Can I have a golden target of when they latch themselves to work towards and cheer me up?

neontetra · 05/12/2013 22:28

Mummymog, though I can't name a certain age, it genuinely did just get easier and easier for me. After, say, three months, we were laughing, save the odd nursing strike.
The best thing for me about bf a toddler has been having no worries about dd becoming dehydrated during the three tummy bugs she's had - she's kept down bm when she couldnt keep down water.

FetchezLaVache · 05/12/2013 22:34

Mummymog, my MW made me giggle when I was struggling at the beginning by saying that they just get to a point at which you can just chuck 'em up your jumper and they sort themselves out! She was so right.

DS self-weaned at 3.5 a few months ago, and I always describe BFing a toddler as my reward for BFing a baby, so thanks for this thread, Squidkid! A big nostalgic "oh yes" to all of your list. I would add "or when they fall over and bloody their nose in Home Bargains" to #4, though.

zoobaby · 06/12/2013 03:30

DS is 14mo and teething again. BF certainly helps both of us whenever he's highly distressed in the middle of the night. I think it would all be so much more awful and traumatic without the magic of boobs. No idea how non-BFers do it!

It's funny cos when we first started I doubted whether we'd even make it to 6 weeks .

JimbosJetSet · 06/12/2013 04:14

DS is the same age as yours OP, I'd never thought about swapping back to normal bras from the nursing ones! Can I ask about the logistics of feeding whilst wearing a normal bra ?

GColdtimer · 06/12/2013 04:20

Mummymog, from memory I think it was about 3 months. It does get so much easier.

WetDogLovesHubert · 06/12/2013 04:25

Can I add that your baby's head is no longer eclipsed by the size of your breast (particularly if full)!

Original poster

squidkid · 06/12/2013 05:52

mummymog you're doing so well!! 9 weeks is a tough time. I can't remember the date exactly, but there are some comedy photos of me feeding hands free at around 3 months, so her latch must have been good by then.

JimbosJetSet well it's not very dignified, I would just pop the boob out the bra… but I so rarely need to. Because I generally only feed morning and bedtime lazy mummy is usually in her pjs then with no bra on! I don't expect to feed her during the day so I wear my normal clothes. My boobs are now the same size as pre-preg so I could rediscover all my lovely bras, made me very happy.

wetdogloveshubert I know some people aren't used to seeing toddlers feed, but I just think it looks so cute at this age, when they sit in your lap and have a little feed. When I had a teeny babies and I was a tired mum with postnatal body and maaaaaassive boobs I felt much less dignified and cute!

OP posts:

Rhododendron · 06/12/2013 22:14

+1 to this list! (except the feeding in the bath, never done that but lol)
I also like how my 16mo says "mi, mi!" excitedly when going in for a feed.

Faverolles · 06/12/2013 22:22

Ds3 is nearly 3 now, and it's lovely feeding a toddler!
He's past the acrobatic feeding stage, so no more feeds with an upside down toddler slung over my shoulder.
He now sits and sometimes asks politely, he'll tell me when one isn't working properly.
The last few days whilst he's been ill, breastfeeding has been a godsend, there have been a couple of days where the only thing he's had is bm.

AmandaCooper · 07/12/2013 14:42

I know I shouldn't say this but I love the way you can stick them on and get some peace and quiet for a bit!

DS was definitely self attaching by 20 weeks because I remember the HV commenting on it. I'm not sure how long before that he got the hang of it. It's so so easy now.

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 07/12/2013 14:57

Ds2 is 2.2 and feeding him now It's the only way we can manage day time sleeps, teething and DS1's assemblies. Though he now demands it every time we go into the school hall!

themummyonthebus · 07/12/2013 20:32

I guess it's different for everyone but DC2 is 4 months next week and had just started self latching, but we had some lip tie problems at the start.

DC1 self weaned at 2.3 and the good memories of feeding a toddler are what have kept me going through the significant difficulties I've had with this one.

coffeeandcream · 07/12/2013 20:43

I'm very of you all! My DS went on a nursing strike at 9 months and I miss feeding him, it was just lovely to be cuddled up in our own little world. And yes, boobs are magical and the universal cure for tantrums, illness, bumps, waking in the night etc etc.

nickeldonkeyonadustyroad · 07/12/2013 20:48

she says "milk" and smiles afterwards.
she pats my boobs (copying me from when I would squeeze them to work out which one was next)
she blows raspberries on them.
she knows that they're for comfort as well as food.

at night, she swaps herself into the corrwct position

nickeldonkeyonadustyroad · 07/12/2013 20:52

zoonaby exactly!

they guarantee she'll go to sleep (when she's tired and getting scratty)
and she had a cold last week and lived on yogurt water and breastmilk (the frequency was like a newborn!)

NothingsLeft · 07/12/2013 21:40

I love feeding DS as a toddler. He gets so excited when it's boob time. His little face lights up and he stands on tip toes with the anticipation of it all. So cute.

It's also great if I fancy a break, a sit down or a bit of MN. It's pretty much the only time he stay still

newtonupontheheath · 08/12/2013 12:56

I'm so glad I read this thread. Dd is 14 months and I'm having a huge wobble about feeding her. I fed ds til he was 20m when he self weaned but it seems so much harder this time looking after an older child, work, housework and having to do every bed time because dd won't take a bottle/cup (we've bought so many I could open a sippy cup shop!)

AmandaCooper · 08/12/2013 13:12

Nothingsleft that's so lovely! DS is just the same - as soon as I lay him down to feed he gets this look of giddy anticipation and a huge grin spreads across his little face.

nickeldonkeyonadustyroad · 08/12/2013 18:15

it's the "hhaaammm" as she latchelatches on! proper "gimme milk!"

MommaLHK · 09/12/2013 17:50

I completely agree with all the positives of Bf-ing a toddler. It is special bonding time and most importantly, is like a magic elixir for solving any tantrums and getting the little one to go to sleep at night. For all those wonderful benefits, I have continued to bf my 23mth old up to last week. Now trying to stop as I've got #2 on the way and it has been VERY challenging. Feel that we are now struggling with tantrums, and separation anxiety as I have to deny her the comfort she has come to love. I offer substitutes of regular milk and tons of hugs and cuddles, but so far it's not enough. I'm hoping that if we push through the next couple weeks, she'll adjust and it will all be water under the bridge....

msmiggins · 09/12/2013 18:01

Because a toddler ca tell you what it tastes and feels like. My DD told me that breastfeeding was like drinking " beautiful jewels"

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