You're right to breastfeed

I think it's important for all breastfeeding moms to know the laws in their state that protects their right to breastfeed. For instance some states protect a mother's right to breastfeed on public and private properties, some don't. Sometimes people will challenge you, there are A LOT of STUPID people out there, but if you can quote the law to them I bet they won't know what to say (some states will even fine the person for challenging you right!).

http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/Health/BreastfeedingLaws/tabid/14389/Default.aspx

Inspection, I say again, Inspection

My daughter did something she has never done before. I've had some thrush issues, AGAIN, and so I've been using a cream to get rid of it and then lanolin cream at night to keep the soreness at bay. Well I sat down to nurse my little one last night after I got home from work and she looked at my nipple with dried cream on it (most of it was all gone) and said "Oh, no a mess, a mess!" It was so cute, she said it in a very distraught tone and then promptly took a baby wipe and cleaned me up. Latter I had to apply the lanolin cream in secret because she saw me grab the tube and yelled (from across the room), "You stop it!". Apparently Lanolin cream, while safe for a baby to nurse, taints the taste of the milk.

Being a military member I've stood my fair share of inspections, but this takes the cake as the funniest.

Another wonderful reunion

My daughter is now about 2 1/2 and I had to take another business trip away from her. I wasn't sure we would be able to continue our nursing, but I know it means a lot to her (moms of nursing toddlers will understand) so I decided I would at least pump during my trip and let her decide as soon as I got home if she wanted to continue. Once again it was a grueling add on to an already packed work trip, but I somehow managed to make it a priority and kept up my supply while transversing the globe (I flew to Singapore and back). I had similar problems this trip, soreness that comes from exclusive pumping, slight engorgement, and exhaustion, but I knew what to expect and I had promised my daughter that even though I had to go she could continue nursing when I returned if she wanted to.

Our reunion was a joyous one, she is always so happy to see me and of course I cried upon seeing her and my husband. I guess the tears were for the time lost, and in just 8 days she really had grown and is talking a lot clearer. I offered her time to nurse as soon as we sat down for the metro ride home and she gladly accepted. She then surprised me by nursing almost non-stop for three hours while I rested (jet lag finally got me). She's still nursing a little more than usual (I think it helps her feel closer to me), but she's settled down a lot and seems to be as happy as ever.

Any working mom who is considering pumping while away on a trip should definitely try it, I truly believe nursing makes our separation easier, it keeps me attached and committed to my daughter and it gives her a little comfort before and after that only nursing can provide.

Hopefully I will not have to repeat this experiment for a while, and yes we are self-weaning so we'll just have to see how long that goes. For now I take it one day at a time and enjoy our closeness because I am sure all too soon she will be an independent little girl and no longer my nursling.

strawberry milk???

When I first started nursing I remember reading a note that went something like this; if there is blood in your baby's spit-up, don't worry. It is probably your own blood. I then thought, oh how nice (not really I was in pain). Anyways I had a bad case of thrush a couple weeks ago and ended up bleeding again, but I didn't realize I was. I was pumping along minding my own business when I realized at the end one side of milk was apparently strawberry flavored. I know what you are thinking, ew gross, but for some reason I found it funny. Who else can say their breasts have made strawberry milk? So I took a picture to prove it and once I got my thrush cleared up, again, started using a vinegar and water solution which seems to be working fairly well to prevent new outbreaks (but if you start using it too use a little lanolin cream once a day as well to keep your nipples from drying out).

Every stage of nursing is a new adventure. For you moms that have nursed over two years or decide to go that long you'll find out, but it's still just as rewarding. Recently we had an outbreak of the stomach flu and the one person who caught it last and had the easiest time of it was my nursing daughter. Not only did she catch it three days after the first outbreak, she was drinking milk (mama's milk) and holding it down after only five hours of the stomach flu. It took us adults a whole 24 hours to start holding down liquids again. For me that proves the benefits more than anything. I know it did for my husband too, we been having low estrogen issues and after many doctor visits was told I have to either suck it up or quit nursing (because there are no other options for our particular issues) so I asked my husband if he wanted me to stop (before the stomach flu he would have said yes), but to my surprise he said "no, she's (our daughter) the healthiest of us all, no reason to stop doing what is keeping her so healthy". He's absolutely right, although I am cutting my pumping sessions down to once a day to see if that helps clear up some of our issues.

PS: The recipe for the solution to avoid thrush is 1 part vinegar 9 parts water.

My motivation

At two years of nursing the question has been poping into my head often, "When should I wean my daughter?" I decided that when she is ready we will wean and not before, I believe that my working leaves a little hole in both our hearts which we both fill up a little with our one on one nursing time. Not to mention the added benefits when she is sick because all she will do is nurse and if she wasn't still nursing she'd get no nutrition at all during those times.

For added motivation I found this little blurp on a sheet in my buildings lacation room. I have highlighted it and posted it to my wall so I remember.

"Breastfeeding is more than just nourishment. It is a special relationship between mother and child. Babbies have a need to suck well into the second year of life and continue to need the physical cuddling and holding associated with nursing. It is recommended that you breastfeed for your baby's first year of life of even longer if you and your baby wish."

public nursing

This is a huge art display at the American History Museum in Washington DC. I thought it was great to see of all the displays they could have put up for early American immigrants, they chose one of a mother nursing her infant. Hurray for public nursing!

breast feeding a toddler

We are quickly approaching my daughters second birthday and subsequently our two year anniversary for breastfeeding. For some strange reason I assumed the longer we nursed the easier it would get. In some ways it has, my daughter and I are pros and reading each others signals and communicating. I have found though that it is a constant re-dedication and commitment I have to make each day.

Here’s a few thought about making the continued commitment, if you chose to do so, and some things to expect.

Raised eyebrows – expect people will ask you how old your little one is when carting around your breast pump at work – expect they will give you a second glance and perhaps and raised eye brow when you say “two years old” or older.
New problems – I’ve found that nipples crack just as easily after two years as they did after two days – lanolin cream is still a good friend – I’ve also encountered some new problems such as blisters – ¼ teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water and soak for three minutes (please don’t laugh, although the picture you are thinking of is pretty close to how it was, windows closed of course)
Self doubt – I find myself still enjoying our moments and then at other times wanting to postpone nursing requests– sometimes my daughter will go all day without wanting to nurse and I think she is done and get sad and other nights I am an all night buffet (very infrequent now, but with the occasional cold comes a less that restful night). The self weaning process takes time and I find that if I trust my daughter will know when she is done nursing for good then I feel I am actually building a trust relationship with her that will last for her whole life (that probably only makes sense to other mom’s of nursing toddlers).
Good doctors are harder to come by – when you find a good gynecologist (in my opinion every woman should have one she is comfortable with) you go out of your way to keep that doctor. Right now a good doctor is one who does not tell me to stop nursing. For whatever reason I feel it is important to continue until we are both ready to quit and my daughter is certainly not ready (at least most days) to quit. I was very lucky and found a doctor out here that thinks my decision is great and told me I’m amazing for working and still nursing (A+ in my book of doctors), so now I have someone to call and ask what to do about blisters and new cracks and re-occurrences of thrush, etc.
Make some friends – I think making friends with other nursing mom’s (big plus if they are believers in toddler nursing) is important for the support, especially with the increase of raised eye brow syndrome you will suffer from. La Leche League is a great way, I haven’t found a group yet, but I am making friends in the buildings lactation room, it is always nice to run into another mom carting around a breast pump (it’s like an instant bond).

I hope that this proves helpful for someone. Nursing is great and nursing a toddler is not only great, but also a fun adventure (most of the time). I suggest any mom considering it to at least give it a try for a couple of months, you might find you really like it.