Why Do You Nurse A Toddler???
I am "still" nursing my nearly three year old son, Griffyn. As a proponent of breastfeeding legislation, which we have been working hard on for the past three years here in Washington State, I am well aware of the benefits of nursing an infant. I have always intuitively known that the health benefits of breastfeeding to both my child and myself did not suddenly stop when he turned one, or two. After listening to Dr. Katherine Dettwyler recently, I am also better informed of the (known and possible) benefits of continuing to nurse a toddler.
My son and I both revel in our nursing time. It reminds him, those times when I am not at my best, that I always love him. It helps us both to relax. It has been a life saver when he was so sick that he could keep nothing else down. His health is spectacular; he had one ear infection and no other health problems.
Mostly, Griffyn nurses to sleep and when he awakens. He rarely nurses during the night these days. It took two and one-half sometimes very tiring years but we now both sleep through the night--that is normal and exactly how it should be (easy for me to say now!).
Griffyn will wean when he wants to. We share the family bed and I suspect nursing will continue for some time. As Dr. Dettwyler's studies have shown, a "normal" human breastfeeding relationship will continue for from 2-1/2 to 6 or 7 years. If Griffyn is still nursing when he enters the first grade, I may have to finally say "enough"!
~ Marsha
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