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Hello Nixon | Extended Breastfeeding a 15 month old

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{look away Uncle Kenny, look away!}

Extended breastfeeding

My Little Hippo is still breastfeeding.  I remember saying to Dave and my mum about 3 months ago, “I just want him to keep going until we are done with his surgery and then he can quit whenever he likes”.  Well, Nixon’s surgery was just over 2 months ago and the wee babe is showing no signs of shaking his boob habit.

E self-weaned at 12 months so I had expectations that Nix would behave similarly.  Turns out I was strangely naive to think my kids might be similar in any way!  As a Mother of two breast-fed children, I have always been confident with nursing in public if I have needed to, but actually discussing breastfeeding feels like it has gotten a bit more awkward the older Nixon gets, and it feels like others may have gotten more uncomfortable with the idea as well.

Tough shit I say.

Nix had his 15 month immunisations on Monday  and after a jab in each leg and in one of his arms, he was in full rage mode and almost succeeded in body slamming the nurse {she was quite petite and Nix is not}.  When my babe winds up like that there is actually nothing that will calm him down except breastfeeding, it’s his own little Hulk Mode, and when you’re tipping the 95th percentile that rage can hurt!

We also had the pleasure {?} of our Plunket visit on Friday.  After being verbosely congratulated for my nipple skills, I was told that breastfeeding four times a day was quite a lot at this age.  You seriously can’t win with those chicks.  I honestly give zero fucks about the opinions of Plunket.  They failed Nixon as a baby when he had so many signs of a serious problem {hello Hirschprungs Disease, normally diagnosed as a newborn!} and when E was a toddler all they wanted was to see him drinking formula – wtf?

So anyway, today was a fantastic day of post-imms tenderness combined with teething preciousness, the only time he was at peace was when I nursed him at lunchtime.  He woke up soon after, failing to have a good nap all day, but at least he was able to catch some zzzz’s and forget his baby problems for a while.  

FYI, no judgements here, it makes no difference to me whether you bf or not, how long you did it for, or if your kid loves his bottle.  As long as you’re feeding your children something and loving your babies hard out you’re winning in my eyes xx

Comments

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7 Comments

  1. A little bit country · October 7, 2014

    Yay for boobs! I breastfed all three of my kiddies, the longest until he was two. I used to get funny looks as my boys were in no way petite, they are strapping young boys. Do what feels right for you and Nixon. xo

  2. Cat · October 8, 2014

    Yeah Nixon this is where I change my hashtag to #yesnixonyes
    I have one of each – one bottle one breast – I hear what you say tho about it going ‘underground’ the older they get!
    And Bahaha I share your plunket views !!! Apparently my formula fed baby struggled to thrive and my breast fed baby was ‘bonny

  3. Sunshine_Leonie · October 8, 2014

    Why fix something if it aint broke? Go you 🙂 Hope little hulk is feeling better today xx

  4. Elizabeth · October 8, 2014

    Go you – I breastfed Lydia until she was 18 months old, and at 15 months she was still on four feeds a day as well! At that stage I was just pregnant with Ash though, so I called my Mum up and we spend two weeks weaning her down to two feeds a day, as I was not coping! But she carried on those two feeds (first thing in the morning, and the final feed before bed) until she was 18 months, and then she just weaned herself.

    Ash however, weaned himself completely at 12 months – totally threw me, as I couldn't believe he could do it so quickly and easily! He went from four feeds to nothing literally overnight… and I have to admit to loving it, having a three year old and a one year old – life was getting rather busy; so that was one less thing to worry about.

    Go Nix, he obviously still needs it… and yay you for just letting him go on as long as he is happy to!

  5. Jenn · October 8, 2014

    I have a 3yr old feeding once a day and an 11mth old feeding a trillion times a day…plunket would have a thing or two to say to me also I think!

  6. Lisa · October 9, 2014

    I think it’s great that you are still breastfeeding nix at 15 months, if it’s working for both of you then there is no need to stop! I am sorry your experience with plunket has been a negative one and if your nurse has left you giving ‘zero fucks’ about what she says then ask for a new nurse or decline the service, no point having the visits if it is of no benefit to you. As with gp’s, midwife, teachers, actors friends etc there are some you will get on with and some you won’t but they have to tell you the government recommendations and research so just take the info that works for you and ignore what doesn’t work for you, as for the hirschprungs it’s the midwife who dropped the ball on that because as you said it should be diagnosed at birth.
    So again I want to say well done for breastfeeding and ignore others If they feel uncomfortable because human breastmilk is made for humans….cows milk is cows breastmilk made for baby cows haha
    🙂 (not that I am saying cows milk is bad!)
    ????