My toddler wants to try 'mummy milk'...

[pickleplusone]

I'm after some suggestions of how people have tackled this situation.

I've just had a second DD and there's a 21 month age gap between her and my first DD. All's going ok with breastfeeding, but DD1 is desperate to feed from me as well (I stopped feeding her when she was 10 months).

I'm at that Dolly Parton stage of huge boobs, sore nipples etc, so there's no way I really want to let her try (I don't trust any involuntary reactions I might make to accidental biting and I'm slightly scared that she might declare she likes it and keeps wanting to feed).

I've offered to put some in a cup for her, but that's no good. The only thing she wants is to feed from me.

Anybody got any good tips for getting over this?

Can you explain that mummys boobs are sore getting used to feeding the baby, and that when they have got used to feeding the baby then you promise you'll let her have a go?

And then hope she forgets?

I have a 2 year gap and DD2 is only 11 months, and I know we had this, and already I can't quite remember what happened. I think I offered her the breast and held her like the baby, and she looked at my nipple and burst out laughing. Then pretended to feed. Then looked confused and silly and stopped and went and did something else. She did it about 3 times IIRC and then didn't ask again.

I had a similar experience to ISNT. I offered my dd some off my finger (which she told me wasn't as nice as milk from the fridge) and then did hold her to feed. She really wasn't interested and, tbh, I think that she'd forgotten how to suckle. Maybe offering her some in a cup/bottle while you're holding her like a baby?

You could say no as the milk is to help the baby to grow teeth and you have teeth now!

I had a 20 month gap and my oldest has asked at various times if she can have some of mummy's milk too.

I have always said 'I'm sorry, no, it's just for little babies, not big girls like you' although DS is far from being a little baby at almost 18m and I think I will be continuing til he self weans

She was FF from 3 months but just likes to copy him! So I treat it the same as any other behaviour I suppose.

I would be tempted to agree to her having a try.

I know, I know, she has teeth, your boobs are very sensitive right now.

But I suspect it is the sense of being left out, nothing to do with the milk. If you say yes, she might lose interest. In any case, she wouldn't know how to latch on, I am sure.

so, ,perhaps next time she asks, just say yes, no problem. See her reaction. If she loses interest, offer her a drink in a cup and praise her for being a big girl;

You might feel this is a risky strategy I would be tempted to try it because once the forbidden fruit is no longer forbidden, it might be more interesting for her to do something else.

Here's hoping.

Pickle, I read a similar thread on here a while ago (no idea where, sorry, won't be able to find it).
Lots of mums said the same had happened to similar age children, they let them have a go, generally couldn't latch and lost interest almost immediately.
Anyone else know the thread?
Sorry, not hugely helpful!
congrats on your daughter

Thanks, I'll 'risk' saying she can next time she asks then!

Fingers crossed she just wants to know that she "can", and when she realised she can, she won't!

My DD definitely didn't know what to do, i weaned her at 14mo and this was when she has just turned 2.

dc 1 and dc2 were like that but once they were allowed didn't really want to try it