Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Infant feeding

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

23 mo - I think she wants to bf again but....

4 replies

Hadeda · 01/12/2009 15:08

My DD1 is 23 months old and recently has starting showing a lot of interest in my bf DD2 (almost 5 months). DD1 weaned herself at 14 months, probably because I was pregnant and the milk didn't taste great and there wasn't much supply (I was about 5 months pregnant then). At the time I was quite upset and it is still a regret for me that she stopped bf then - I sort of feel I forced it on her by being pregnant.

When DD2 was born I was prepared for DD1 to ask to bf but she didn't. Now, months later, she seems to want it. Whenever I cuddle her or sit and hold her she puts her hands down/up my shirt. She also says "no" at any suggestion that the milk is for DD2 only. She hasn't tried to suckle, but then also hasn't been given an opportunity to.

I'm really torn. Firstly, DD1 has a LOT of very sharp teeth these days and hasn't fed in a long time. I do not want to be bitten, especially since I feed DD2 around every two hours. Secondly, a part of me feels that she's moved on from bf and perhaps we should leave it at that. But I also feel that if she actually asked to feed I couldn't tell her "no".

Has anyone any experience of feeding a child after a break like this? And is my concern re teeth and her lack of recent bf experience a real one?
Or does anyone just have some words of advice? I just don't really know what to do and what I would like to do about it, if anything.

OP posts:
mrsjammi · 01/12/2009 15:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Babieseverywhere · 01/12/2009 17:40

The teeth should not be an issue, my 3 year old has a full set and does not bite me (just nipped me a couple of times as a young baby and never again since)

Regarding the break in nursing, she might have lost her ability to latch but equally she might return to nursing easily. The only way to know for sure is to let her try.

I read in my tandem nursing book that it is very common for children to wean whilst the mother is pregnant and some of these children will ask to nurse again when the sibling arrives. So your daughter's behaviour is totally normal.

Lastly you talk about her not asking to nurse. How would you feel about taking the lead and offering a feed ? Maybe you could gauge by her reaction if this door has firmly closed nor not ?

Hadeda · 02/12/2009 15:28

Update - as if she could read what I'd posted!, yesterday afternoon DD1 decided she wanted to feed. So I let her. It wasn't the most successful feed ever as she has a cold so can't breathe through her nose. I don't think she got any milk - but then I expect it's the principle rather than the sustenance for her. She also didn't bite but I am still concerned about that. I know older children don't bite (thanks for the reassurance babieseverywhere!) but what about those who've had a 9/10 month break.....?

Anyway, biggest surprise of whole thing was DH's reaction. I mentioned it among all the things we'd done during the day and he was surprisingly and emphatically anti. He says his main issue is the "load" on me feeding two, but he also views it as a baby thing that she's outgrown. Very weird, esp since he knows I plan to let DD2 self wean (unless another pregnancy gets in the way).

Still thinking how I feel about it all, so conflicted.

Mrsjammi - have you read Adventures in Tandem Nursing (Hilary Flowers is author). I got it when pregnant and found it v helpful. She gives a range of experiences from mums happily feeding 3 to others who decided they didn't want to tandem feed, as well as lots of other useful info. Your library might have it, that's where I got mine from.

OP posts:
mrsjammi · 03/12/2009 13:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread