This sentence really irks me! Lennox is almost 14 months old and yes I'm breastfeeding him. I didn't think i would breastfeed this long; i was breastfed till about 7 months and many of my nephews and nieces were also breastfed till around the same time (below 1 year). So I never imagined that i would go past 1 year.
I am a proponent of breastfeeding, but also a proponent of feeding your baby, whatever way that might be (formula, or breastmilk). What i notice here in Europe is that people stop breastfeeding much, much earlier. I usually get these 'when are you going to stop' questions from people here. Back in Asia it's quite a norm to still be breastfeeding around age 1 and nobody really thinks of it as 'taboo' even if you go past 1. I guess this post came up because recently i went to a party here in Holland with some of my husband's family, and when it came up that i was breastfeeding, a certain 'Aunt' was like, "ooooooh, Lennox still gets the booooobie??? Did you guys know that? [proceeds to turn around and tell other (women) in the room] Wow she's still breastfeeding! Can you believe that! Oh yeah Javanese people usually like to breastfeed for a long time."
OH. MY. GOD. i was so annoyed!!! But all i could do was manage a weak smile and rebutt "umm, i'm not javanese (then she continued to say, oh yeah but people around that region like to breastfeed for long time) *i totally had to roll my eyes*. then i added "yeah i still have milk so why not".
UGH. i hate myself for being so meek. Sometimes i feel that since i'm the 'foreigner' here and Dutch is not my first (or second) language, i try to steer clear of uncomfortable situations and conversations like these. COME ON SITI you are more than proficient in your Dutch you can definitely say what you think!
ANYWAYYYYY.
My breastfeeding journey has luckily been smooth sailing from the start. I was prepared for the cracked and bloody nipples, pain and engorgement and basically all the grief that i heard is so common in the first few weeks at least. But i had none of that! Lennox latched on perfect from the moment he was born and i had no problem with supply; i think i will be eternally grateful for that. And i also had an awesome post-natal caregiver (kraamzorg in Dutch) who was also a lactation consultant, so the first 10-12 days after birth, i had her guide me a few hours each day and she give me valuable tips which made my breastfeeding journey such a joy.
So when breastfeeding was going well, i told myself, "ok so i will exclusively breastfeed till he starts solids at 6 months". 6 months came and left, and he started eating real food. I used the BLW method of introducing solids which was so much fun and he loved to try new foods (even now). Around month 6-9, he was still breastfeeding every 4 hours or so, which honestly got a little tiring. That was when i started to think about when he would stop breastfeeding and whether i should actively start to wean him from breastmilk.
Weaning was not something i thought of all the time though, because there are just so much benefits of breastmilk and if i had the supply, why not? In fact most experts recommend breastfeeding for a year minimum and until 2 if possible. Till now Lennox has only been really ill with a fever once in his life, and i would like to think that my breastmilk is the one that has been keeping him healthy (and pudgy!).
Luckily for us when he started to eat more during meals around month 10, the breastfeeding also reduced to before nap times and sleep at night, which was about 3-4 times a day. This remains true up till today when he's almost 14 months.
I know that he doesn't always nurse for milk, but more for comfort. When we were in Singapore on vacation for 5 weeks, and when my mom put him down for the naps in the day, he wouldn't need any milk at all. But when i'm the one putting him down, it always leads to tugging of my shirt and him signing 'milk' to me.
Sometimes i think, man i'm going to miss this when he doesn't want my boobs anymore. I really love the closeness i feel when feeding, that i am able to just sit back and relax with him on the bed or couch and just take a few minutes looking at each other (sometimes he pokes me in the eye or tries to put his fingers up my nose though. haha).
So yeah, i don't know how long i'll be breastfeeding, but for now, as long as he wants it, and as long as i am able to produce it, then i guess that'll be what we're doing!
I am a proponent of breastfeeding, but also a proponent of feeding your baby, whatever way that might be (formula, or breastmilk). What i notice here in Europe is that people stop breastfeeding much, much earlier. I usually get these 'when are you going to stop' questions from people here. Back in Asia it's quite a norm to still be breastfeeding around age 1 and nobody really thinks of it as 'taboo' even if you go past 1. I guess this post came up because recently i went to a party here in Holland with some of my husband's family, and when it came up that i was breastfeeding, a certain 'Aunt' was like, "ooooooh, Lennox still gets the booooobie??? Did you guys know that? [proceeds to turn around and tell other (women) in the room] Wow she's still breastfeeding! Can you believe that! Oh yeah Javanese people usually like to breastfeed for a long time."
OH. MY. GOD. i was so annoyed!!! But all i could do was manage a weak smile and rebutt "umm, i'm not javanese (then she continued to say, oh yeah but people around that region like to breastfeed for long time) *i totally had to roll my eyes*. then i added "yeah i still have milk so why not".
UGH. i hate myself for being so meek. Sometimes i feel that since i'm the 'foreigner' here and Dutch is not my first (or second) language, i try to steer clear of uncomfortable situations and conversations like these. COME ON SITI you are more than proficient in your Dutch you can definitely say what you think!
 |
| Nox at about 2 weeks old. Man he was TINY!! |
ANYWAYYYYY.
My breastfeeding journey has luckily been smooth sailing from the start. I was prepared for the cracked and bloody nipples, pain and engorgement and basically all the grief that i heard is so common in the first few weeks at least. But i had none of that! Lennox latched on perfect from the moment he was born and i had no problem with supply; i think i will be eternally grateful for that. And i also had an awesome post-natal caregiver (kraamzorg in Dutch) who was also a lactation consultant, so the first 10-12 days after birth, i had her guide me a few hours each day and she give me valuable tips which made my breastfeeding journey such a joy.
So when breastfeeding was going well, i told myself, "ok so i will exclusively breastfeed till he starts solids at 6 months". 6 months came and left, and he started eating real food. I used the BLW method of introducing solids which was so much fun and he loved to try new foods (even now). Around month 6-9, he was still breastfeeding every 4 hours or so, which honestly got a little tiring. That was when i started to think about when he would stop breastfeeding and whether i should actively start to wean him from breastmilk.
Weaning was not something i thought of all the time though, because there are just so much benefits of breastmilk and if i had the supply, why not? In fact most experts recommend breastfeeding for a year minimum and until 2 if possible. Till now Lennox has only been really ill with a fever once in his life, and i would like to think that my breastmilk is the one that has been keeping him healthy (and pudgy!).
Luckily for us when he started to eat more during meals around month 10, the breastfeeding also reduced to before nap times and sleep at night, which was about 3-4 times a day. This remains true up till today when he's almost 14 months.
I know that he doesn't always nurse for milk, but more for comfort. When we were in Singapore on vacation for 5 weeks, and when my mom put him down for the naps in the day, he wouldn't need any milk at all. But when i'm the one putting him down, it always leads to tugging of my shirt and him signing 'milk' to me.
Sometimes i think, man i'm going to miss this when he doesn't want my boobs anymore. I really love the closeness i feel when feeding, that i am able to just sit back and relax with him on the bed or couch and just take a few minutes looking at each other (sometimes he pokes me in the eye or tries to put his fingers up my nose though. haha).
So yeah, i don't know how long i'll be breastfeeding, but for now, as long as he wants it, and as long as i am able to produce it, then i guess that'll be what we're doing!
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