EBF - I love it, do you??

[ChocOrange05]

DS (18 months) is BF once a day in the morning. I love it because:

• he grins when he sees me and crawls up the bed to latch on
• he plays with my hair whilst feeding (sometimes pulls hard but I manage to overlook that!)
• he looks so peaceful whilst feeding (and its the only time in the day he's still for more than 30 seconds!)
• he tried to feed before bed yesterday and when I said no, in the morning, he giggled.
• he is a very acrobatic feeder.

Are you sure you are enjoying this for entirely natural reasons? Your tone is odd

aww chocorange, i can totally relate to all of those!
I have a lovely picture of ds2 feeding on christmas morning when he was really poorly, and (aside from the fact he was ill) it's just so lovely seeing him snuggled up like that nursing

lilysmemo... am not sure what you're insinuating, but it doesn't sound very nice. If you have a problem then come out and say it!

Lily what a nasty thing to say.

Chocorange what a lovely post DD also is an acrobatic feeder it makes me .

at lilysmemo - whatever you're implying seems pretty off to me.

Chocorange lovely post . My DS is 10 weeks, and after a rocky start, I'm starting to love EBF too . Today, in the heat, he was so narky and whiney and feeding lying down was the only thing that calmed (and cooled) him down. Looking into his eyes as he looks up at me melts my heart.

I also love looking at him and thinking, "wow, I grew that"

I apologise- and honestly did not mean to offend. I have bf myself and intend to with my new baby due in the next weeks. There are odd men who sometimes post on these forums . I must have a suspicious mind, so sorry . Tracey

I feed my DD once a day in the mornings too. It's my favourite time of day. My DH brings her in and she sees me and squeals (she's 9 months) and she insists on holding my DH's hand the entire time she's feeding. It's so sweet. I'd love to feed her more but I work full time and very long irregular hours so just keeping this one is so special to me. I plan to do it as long as she wants - nothing old man dodgy about it - just fab family time!!

My LO is 5 months, and I love to see how she smiles when she un-latches to have a look at me and then starts coo-ing and trying to talk to me, it is such a special bond, I LOVE it so much and she does too!!!

Lilysmemo thanks for explaining - would you believe I forget about things like that! Good luck with your birth

lola my DD (4 months) does the same thing . I love it when she smiles up at me with big milky grins. She looks at me like I'm the most important person in the world (but don't tell DH)

Yes, the weird men and their lactation fantasies. Got to watch out for those

I am feeding my 19 month old daughter and have had the odd wobble, partly because I was still feeding on demand and finding the constant demands in the day wearing -- especially when out and about. And I feed to sleep and all night and spend usually 1-2 hours of bobbing dozy feeding in the morning.

I decided to cut down the day feeds 3 weeks ago and although there was some protest, she's got the message and I'm finding I'm enjoying it again. Yes, sometimes I find the settling wearisome, and when she's tired she's a real pincher, and she's so acrobatic it feels like I'm feeding a baby alligator.

So now I feed her before dinner, then feed to sleep, usually one to two wake ups (we sleep in my bed) and feeding on waking (leisurely)

I think I'd like to tackle the 11pm-6am feed/s next.

One thing she does that is sweet is I make a face at her, or blow a raspberry and her eyes smile and she'll break off and spit milk out, giggling "I'm a milk spitter!"

She also likes to alternate "other side, Mummy, I want other side" every minute or so.

can I ask you ladies who are feeding toddlers - as I only fed my DD for 6 months , is it uncomfortable as babies get bigger? I weaned her as I was being bitten due to her teeth coming through - and as she was an enthusiatic "solids" eater I felt she was getting enough nutrition elsewhere, and to be honest I wanted my body back !
I hope to feed my new baby for 9-12 months if all goes well.

Teeth aren't an issue, although she has nipped me once or twice -- prompting a stern 'no!' She even falls asleep gnawing on the nipple and that doesn't hurt. Mind you,

Having moved beyond a year, and BLW going very well, it's not about nutrition so much, more about relationship and comfort. And I love that. I have had wobbles, I have fended off criticism and have fed recently in public (I don't really care that much but it can feel a bit like people who notice are quite shocked).

I do sometimes find the acrobatics, the pulling, the kneading and the rolling the other nipple annoying. And I think this closeness (we sleep in the same bed) has come at some cost to our sex life. But we're prepared to put up with that for now.

I don't have any feelings about my body not being my own -- it IS my own regardless, but I do sometimes have a hard time feeling touch overload and feeling resentful I'm the only one who can put her to sleep.

I've also not had a period in 19 months, and while that's in some ways a good thing, I have a condition called Ashermans (endomitrial condition) and need to know I can still have periods because repeat treatment will take ages and I'm 38 and time ticking if I want another child (70 pct sure I do). So while I don't want my body back, I do want my fertility back.

I am not particularly hippyish or earth mothery (although I not have a pram and hoik her about everywhere) but would breastfeed another child to the 2-year mark and more (if it was my last and less intensively feeding) even if there were no health benefits to it at all.

I aim to wind down the feeding (I've cut day feeds out now) to just night time and then to night wean and then to wind down completely by around 2 years. I'm ready and even if she might want to carry on, that's my intention and I'm doing it as gently as I can.

a very simplistic answer is that the actual breastfeeding and latching is completely painless and a doddle and the time spent feeding (although I can be found with her on my lap sleep/feeding) is short - 2-3 mins.

But there is the kneading, pulling and treading and standing up and thrashing about and twiddling the other nipple like tuning a radio to contend with

lol Doris you are more of an earth mother than me , my nipples are super sensitive and kneading and pulling doesn't sound like much fun - but I will see how I get on . I doubt very much I could go longer than 1 year as I do start to get wierded out with images of David walliams and his "bitty", but that says more about my conservative NIrish upbringing than the rightness or wrongness of it.
thank you for your honest opinions- and I hope you get your love life back soon- it is very important !

Haha, well, I'm an earth mother who likes Porsches and sportsbikes, wine, Chanel handbags, more wine and fuck-me shoes!

Ah, I used to think "bitty", and so did my husband and we used to laugh about this five year old American kid in Thailand who used to ask "Mummy, can I nurse now".

But honestly there is no magic switch that makes them suddenly go from being feed-able, to being un-feedable at 1 year, 14 months, 18 months. My husband completely came round to when feeding go going and never slyly mentions when I'll stop (guess because he gets a pass from putting her to bed, although he bathes and storifies)

ANd sensitivity? Well, mine used to be, but you could slam a car door on mine and I'd barely feel it
Mine used to be supersensitive,

sorry for the ballsed up typos (am at work

i haven't found it uncomfortable at all. a lot of babies go through biting stages, but that can be fixed
as a general rule they don't bite while feeding, because the tongue is over the bottom teeth so it's impossible. it's when they stop that they do it! so if you watch closely if feeding a biter and take them off the moment they stop actively sucking then you can nip it in the bud

Thanks for sharing guys - I like that I wrote EDF as Extended Breast Feeding but some others interpreted it as Exclusive Breast Feeding - not a problem as we are all doing the same thing, just a different stages and enjoying it!

lilysmemo not a pervy old man, I promise - just a contented mum wanting to share. I don't know anyone else who is still feeding so nice to hear from others.

DS bit me twice a couple of weeks ago and he knew what he was doing (bit down gently, I said "ow", looked at me and then bit down really hard!) so I thought I was going to stop but we have persevered and no biting since (touch wood).

Doris I am having the same dilemma at the moment, I haven't had a period for 28 months and we would like to have another baby at the end of the year so I think I need to stop but I am holding off as long as possible! I also love making DS laugh whilst feeding, I pull funny faces or blow at him and he giggles, whilst firmly keeping my nipple between his teeth!!

Blue Sounds similar to me - I work long hours and this feed is our guaranteed time together each day. Holding your DH's hand sounds so cute!