Saturday, November 27, 2004

Nursing the five year old

I was reading a post from the Dotmoms today. In this particular article, Jessamyn is lamenting the passing of her nursing days. I can relate. I always lingered over nursing and gave it up somewhat reluctantly. It can be very sweet for both Mom and baby. One of my daughters has a new baby and they live with me. She is learning for herself how absolutely wonderful it can be to nurse. She is also learning how confining it can be when "Mom Is The Source Of All Milk".

My oldest daughter's experience was a little different, Mom wanted to linger, however, her daughter, Laura Grace seemed to be a little embarrassed by the whole nursing thing and gave it all up at 7 months, gratefully.

I clung to nursing a bit. My longest stint was for my 4th and youngest child. He was 14 months old and the only boy. He was fascinated by all things feminine and the nursing thing was beginning to be a bit, well, embarrasing. When I quit I think we were both a little relieved.

I had a tendency to be a tad compulsive and deranged when my children were young, however I am glad I was never like the Mom listed in the LeLeche League book (early eighties edition) I had when my children were small.

There was a woman who at the time of the publishing of that edition, was still nursing her 5 year old son. (how would that work with kindergarten?) She also had no plans to give it up. Nope, wise woman of the world that she was, she was continuing to nurse her son IN CASE ARMAGHEDAN CAME. Because if Armaghedan came there would be no food. (How would she have milk to feed the five year old without food? But I digress) I think maybe she was suffering from delayed post partum psychosis continued by the plolonged nursing activity.

2 comments:

Christy said...

As Laura Grace's mom, I am now in the position of looking back and remembering how superior I thought all of my knowledge that I THOUGHT I had about babies...then Laura Grace got a personality. Sigh...we all learn eventually that the pediatrician is the one that doesn't know crap. When they suggest that you give them "tummy time" no matter what, and that newborns should eat on a schedule, you realize that they do not live in the real world. Laura Grace screamed all through tummy time, the only thing that got excersized where her lungs-she still sat up, crawled, walked, and talked early. Yes, my child is gifted and had probably three tummy sessions. As far as feeding, from one month on she knew all she had to do was grab at my shirt, wallow in my boobs, and chew my shoulder-I would feed her no matter what. I told the pediatrician-you walk around with a baby rubbing on your boobs!

Anonymous said...

Hi.. thanks for sharing informative..
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Jessica
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