Breastfeeding nightmares

[confusedmummy09]

Its taken some thinking about but iv finally decided to post this.

Im breastfeeding my beautiful 12 month old DD and lately people have been making remarks about the fact that im still breastfeeding. Some people have made me feel really insecure about still feeding her at 1 and many have made me feel almost embarrest about feeding in public now. The reason i post this is i had the most horrific dream that i was taken away for sexually abusing my child. I think this is related to people making me feel like im doing something wrong for still breastfeeding her. What do i do? just put up with the dreams? Do you think theres something wrong with me? Im so confused i dont really know what to do.

there is nothing wrong - am sorry people are making you feel so bad about doing something which is natural, normal and which you are both enjoying

would it help to know (as you prob do) the WHO and NHS recommend bf for at least 2 years?

I am still really comfortable feeding her and she seems to really enjoy it. Its the dreams that i was worried about. Iv had this dream a few times and i wake up feeling asif iv abused my child. I know it might sound rediculous because i know its olny a dream but i cant help feeling guilty when i wake up and its affecting my relationship with my DD

they sound very vivid! it sounds as though other people's prejudices are really getting to you.
Can you meet up with some older baby feeders? NCT or a sure start breastfeeding group, or an MN meet up?

Yeah i think that would help. I dont really feel weird about breastfeeding her at 1. It must just be something in my subconsious making me feel like im doing something wrong because of the reactions iv had. I very rarely feed her in public now because i pump if she needs any in the day. I find myself feeling abit down about it all though.

I dont feel breastfeeding is a sexual thing atall and have never felt uncomfortable about feeding up until lately. And i almost feel asif theres something wrong with me for having dreams like that. what do i do?

nothing rong with you but your subconscious is listening to idiots and believing them
I';m currently feeding an almost 3yo and a 16 wo, so if it's wrong they'll take me away first

haha even my HV told me i need to stop feeding before she asks for it because its 'innapropriate' and almost made fun of a woman who was in her care who was feeding a 5 year old which i think deserves a pat on the back as i dont think ill get quite as far as that.

I would get along to a breastfeeding cafe, LLL meeting or whatever if you can find one near you. I'd have thought that seeing ums breastfeeding much older babies/toddlers would probably help to counteract the feelings you are having. I'd also have thought that the breastfeeding support lines would be happy to talk it through with you. They aren't just for problems getting going with breastfeeding.

Finally. Good on you! DD is 8 months and still breastfed. My target is currently 12 months and then I'll assess (will be back at work, so depends how evenings etc are going).

If you want to start a 'say well done and make me feel good' thread, I'm sure people will play along!

confused..., if you'd like some support to counteract the negative comments, come join us here

within psychology there is NO agreement that dreams represent anything to do with the "subconscious". There is plenty of evidence that they simply represent random sorting of personal experiences, hence why we have some very boring and also some very wild and wonderful/or not so wonderful dreams. In other words, a dream can be just a dream without the content having any real significance or underlying meaning.

Sounds like you are ANXIOUS and therefore support as others have suggested would be just the way to go.

thankyou for your replies ladies they have really made me feel better.

As for the dreams i dont really know what to do. i want to continue breastfeeding but despite knowing logically that theres nothing sexual about it after having these dreams i do feel asif iv done something wrong. I can never remember the whole dream just someone crashing in and taking me away for child abuse. Im frightened the dreams may get worse and i just wake up with a sense of guilt and like iv wronged my DD. am i thinking to much into it? i just need reassuring that im not weird.

You are not weird.

Try reminding yourself that "a dream is just a dream"!

I am still feeding my dd at nearly 3 years old, so I would say that you are not weird. Just because other people are ignorant and don't understand, does not mean that you are weird.
It is worth continuing, for your health, as well as your DD's. It will prove to be an invaluble tool to help calm the frustrations of early toddlerhood and the separation anxieties that go with them.
Honestly, click on the link in my last post and you will see how many other people like you there are on MN

I know. I probably sound rediculous. But im that sleep deprived from not wanting to sleep incase i have another weird dream. And worrying that theres something wrong with me. I even had myself convinced that I was doing something wrong and maybe it was my subconcious telling me that i want to hurt my child which i know is completely stupid. My daughter means the world to me and I just couldnt believe that even in my dreams i could hurt her. I am going to try just reminding myself that a dream is just a dream an speeking to other extended breastfeeding mums. These stupid dreams have made me forget whats important and thats that shes healthy and happy which she is.
Thanxs for all your replies i really do feel relieved that you have all been so supportive as i was really worried about posting this incase anyone told me that i was a weirdo lol.

No one on MN would tell you you were a weirdo for feeding a 12 month old baby (and if they did, 10 other posters would be on within half an hour to tell them they were the one with the problem!). What in the world could be odd about it?

Try to bear in mind that it is this country which is not normal. Just like we eat too much sugar and don't take enough exercise, we've (socially) moved a long way away from what's biologically normal in the feeding of a baby.

do you suffer from anxiety about other things? Are these dreams a regular thing?

i do suffer from anxiety quite abit and i have had a few dreams like this this one in particular was awful.