I'm breastfeeding my 10 month old, how do I...?

Question

How do I deal with my mother and other family members telling me to wean my baby now?? They are very persistent in telling me that breastfeeding is gross and that I should never do it in public or around other people. I nurse whenever my son is hungry, regardless of where I am. Does anyone have any suggestions??

Just so you all know he refuses a bottle, drinks juice from a cup but won't drink breastmilk (which I can't pump anyway because my milk never would let down without him) and eats solids like they're going out of style. He is big for his age and already walking and eating finger foods!

Answer 1

You're the parent and you just have to do what works. I breastfed my daughter until she weaned herself at 31 months. I got a lot of flack but just persisted in doing it wherever and whenever she needed to nurse. Just tell them that you are going to keep doing it and that you'd appreciate it if they don't make any comments because you are not going to change your mind. They are wrong. You can also say the World Health Organization recommends nursing until at least the age of 2. Then persist in doing what you know is best for your son- he's a lucky boy to have a mom to nurse him.

Answer 2

First of all, congrats on your new baby!

The fact that you breastfeed your baby shows that you care about your baby's health. Studies have shown that breastfeeding for the first year are very beneficial to the baby in helping with immunities as well as providing a special bond between mother and child.

My wife is currently breastfeeding our 9 month old and everyone around us is very supportive. I'm sorry that is not the case for you. As a mother, you will just have to do what YOU feel is right and best for your child. There will always be people around to tell you how to run your life, but they have their own life to run. You take care of yours.

In order to help them see everything from your perspective, that may never happen. You may want to do some research online showing the benefits to breastfeeding and help them understand. They come from a time when breastfeeding (especially outside of the home) was not socially acceptable.

I wish you the best and keep up the good work! :-)

Answer 3

First of all, congratulations on doing an amazing thing for your baby. You just have to know in your heart that you are doing the right thing. And you are. My husband's family who we live near was fairly anti-breastfeeding. I found that if I could launch into a bunch of statistics about reductions in ear infections, breast cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, and increases in intelligence, they would just shut up. (See http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBbenefits.html for even more benefits!) At the very least, you can quote the American Academy of Pediatrics who recommends at least ONE YEAR and for as long as possible after that. You should also check out your local La Leche League. It will give you a community of people who will support your breastfeeding.

I also found that my son and daughter were wanting to nurse, they were also acting a little snarky and would pitch a fit. I would grab them up and announce to everyone that I needed to address it in private. They assumed I was spanking the poor kid in the next room when I was actually nursing. Somehow spanking was preferable to nursing I guess! Another tip is that I gave my children a code word for nursing. My son would say "Bay-Bay" and my daughter says "Day Day". That way, no one else knows what they are asking for.

I nursed my children a long time. Once they got to be a year old however I really tried to limit the amount of public breastfeeding I did mostly because as they got older they made it harder for me to be discreet because they were wiggling, pulling up my shirt,
messing with the other breast, etc.

Now that my kids are older and have beautiful straight teeth, are way healthier that their bottlefed cousins and are both in the gifted program at school, my husband's family has finally admitted that I did the right thing. This is just the first of many situations as a mom when you have to stand up for your child and make some waves to ensure the best for him. Don't stop breastfeeding until you or your son are ready, and please do it for at least a couple more months, no matter what anyone says.

Answer 4

Keep doing what you are doing. I agree that a child should be weaned off the breast by the age of 1. Any time after that is a little different. Even try pumping and giving it to him through a bottle or a cup. At 1 my daughter started having her milk mixed, 3/4 breast milk 1/4 whole milk. So on and so on until she was just on plain old whole milk. I understand the bond of breast feeding but it tends to get a little weird once at the toddler stage.
Good luck.

Answer 5

Your family would hate me. My daughter is seventeen months old and shows no signs of wanting to wean. Show some respect for your family, and don't nurse around them. Your child is old enough to understand how to wait. Offer snacks and juice instead. If your family brings it up, be honest. Say "we're not weaning just yet." or "we're cutting back on the nursing sessions" keep in mind, even if you start to wean now, it could be a couple of months before you're finished. I've been trying to wean my daughter since her birthday, and she has no desire to. She only nurses in the morning and at night, but we're not giving up those feedings anytime soon. It's up to you, your husband, and your baby. Try to ignore what everyone else says.

Answer 6

Typically a baby is taken off the bottle at 1 yr old. I would not be in any hurry at 10 months old to wean off the breast. Try explaining to your family that you don't want your baby on formula and that they are on formula until they are a year old and that you fully intend on breastfeeding until atleast then, that is if thats what you want to do. Tell them that breast milk is the best you can give your baby and thats what your going to do. As far as you go, just know that you are giving your baby the very best! Congratulations on breastfeeding for this long, keep it up.

Answer 7

I breastfed for over a year but I have heard of people doing it for years! I wouldn't recommend years but whatever length of time first and foremost breastfeeding should feed the child and not make the rest of society be horribly uncomfortable by having to watch boobs while they are trying to order their meal. Neither should they have to be forced to tell their children to 'not stare at your boobs'. If you feel the need to breastfeed, a nice discreet blanket draped over the shoulder and 'breast' in use would highly be appreciated. We all have to compromise to get along in this world if we can. Sometimes you just don't want to run to a bathroom or have the privilege to seclude yourself and the baby due to the fact that you have other things you may be doing at the time such as watch the dinner or the other children. Weaning the child should be a combination of factors such as survey of other's experiences and what the baby's and your needs are.
And speaking from experience, do NOT take the word wean lightly. I got engorged and the pain was HORRIBLE! Breastfeeding is a privilege and healthful and awesome bonding period that is given to mothers who have the time and desire to allow themselves to be blessed by it. Enjoy!

Answer 8

AAP recommends breastfeeding for the ENTIRE 1st year. WHO (World health organization) recommends brestfeeding for the 1st 2 years of life. In Bible times, children were not weaned until age 3 (this maens Jesus probably nursed until that age) In some countries it is considered normal for children to nurse on demand until age 5.

1st tell them it is normal, natural, beautiful thing to breastfeed your child. It is your child and your educated decision to bf him until (insert age you plan to wean or tell them when he self weans) and if they are offended they can look away or leave.

Check out the LLL website and know your state laws. In my state (GA) it is legal for me to feed my son anywhere we have a right to be. They also have forums where you can get support (or just vent) to/with/from other bfing moms.

Tellt hem you breastfeed your child because you love hima nd want what is best for him and breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS. decreases the risk of getting diabetes, decreases your baby's chance of getting meningitis, Crohn's disease, leukemia and other cancers. Decreases his risk of allergies, asthma and other respirtory infections.. It is the perfect nutrition and will reduce his chancese of obesity. It also increses his immune system and will increse his IQ by an average of 10 points!

You're a great mom! Keep up the good work!

Answer 9

Tell them to bugger off. Really, it's YOUR call! You've got at least 2 more months of this, depending on how long you want to go. And I would say as long as you're discreet about it (try to keep yourself covered w/ a blanket, coat, etc. in public), then go ahead and nurse in the middle of the mall! Nursing DOESN'T look like the perfect picture of nature to everyone (despite the fact that it IS natural), so not everyone will appreciate watching you flop out the ol' boob anywhere you please, but if you try to maintain some modesty, no one should object to you feeding your baby.

Answer 10

I breastfeed my four kids also, but stopped around 10 months. They should be weaned by one year as a basic timetable. Breast feeding is not gross and is best for both you and baby. You do what is best for you and your baby. Start to introduce different things to him when he is hungry along with your breast. Eventually he will start liking the sold foods and maybe everyone will leave you alone. Give them a little satisfaction, but do it on your own terms. Good luck!!