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Austen was born the result of an emergency C-Section after we had
planned a natural "Bradley" birth. He was very drugged and tired when he was born, and made no attempts to nurse for two days after his birth. I continued to try to nurse him, and he continued to scream and refuse. We returned home from the hospital with a non-nursing infant. On the third day, I began to express breast milk and feed it to him from a bottle. It
broke my heart to do this, but I was committed to exclusively
breastfeeding him. We started putting the breastmilk in a SNS, after about two weeks, and slowly training him to latch on. After a total of three weeks, and three lactation consultants, Austen latched on! I immediately threw out the SNS and all of the bottles! I knew if he did it once, he could do it again. Within two weeks he had it, and has been nursing for the last three years!
Though it was extremely draining on me the first three weeks, I am extremely glad that I was committed to breastfeeding him. I credit my sister and my husband with their amazing support. Everyone else kept telling me to give up and give him formula, so I now understand why so many women give up on breastfeeding, despite wanting to nurse. I am saddened there is not more positive support, so HORRAY for "Kidz are People Too" and other pro-breastfeeding support sites !
I always thought I would nurse for two years, but when Austen turned two, somehow that didn't seem like a great birthday present ("Happy Birthday, you're weaned")! I wonder if he would have weaned earlier if his sister had not been born. When I became pregnant with Hailley when Austen was just 12 months old, he seemed way too little to wean, period! Often he sees her nursing and that is his cue!
Austen is amazing to nurse! He sometimes bumps into something and says, "Mommy, I need ninnies for that!" or we'll be driving in the van and he'll say, "Mommy, when we get home, I'm going to nurse you up!" He has such a sense of humor! Many people think that once a child is talking and can ask to nurse that they must be too old, but that doesn't seem to be the thought on bottles. Austen is a very secure, confident, outgoing, wonderful child! He is the first child in 48 years, on my husband's side of the family, to completely avoid childhood allergies, asthma, hospitalizations, and medication. He is also the first child who has nursed at all.
Hailley was born the result of an induction! Happily, after a few small scares (including the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck twice), she was born vibrant and healthy! She also latched on within five minutes after her birth and has been an avid nurser from the start! I was thrilled she latched on so easily, and was stumped why it wasn't so easy with Austen! It just seemed so EASY with her!
The nurses at the hospital confronted me at my discharge about their "obligation" to report me to social services, if I continued to adhere to my plan to tandem nurse Austen and Hailley. I was approached by a team of nurses who grilled me about compromising Hailley's health and her becoming malnourished if I continued to nurse my toddler. I was NOT going to be bullied into abruptly weaning my 19 1/2 month old, and what for? I never heard from social services, but between my two children, they each gained 6 lbs (that is a total of 12 lbs) in SIX WEEKS following Hailley's birth. No malnourished children here!
Hailley and Austen often hold hands an stroke each other's hair when they are nursing. Sometimes, if Hailley cries, Austen tells me, "Mama, Hailley needs to nurse because she is sad." He has been known to grab her "ninny" and squeeze it so she can "get the milk faster!" (OUCH!) They also giggle and try to steal each other's "ninnies" sometimes!
I strongly feel that tandem nursing has enhanced the bond between my children. My pediatrician always says, "See you on your next well baby visit!" as they are rarely sick!
By the way, Hailley is the SECOND baby in 48 years on my husband's side of the family to avoid all allergies and asthma related conditions and medications. She is also the second baby to nurse!
~ Anne
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The image of nursing toddler is copyright 1997-98 Lori Thompson Photography. Used by permission.
All stories are copyrighted by their authors and are used by permission.
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