I am due in a few weeks & this morning my 5 yr old son was asking about feeding the baby. I am going to breastfeed her. How do I explain this to my son? I don't want to tramatize him, but I think he needs to understand what is going on.
2007-02-21 01:47:41 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Just explain matter-of-factly where the baby's milk comes from. You can tell him that the same is true of all animals, and maybe even see if your library has any videos or books that show baby animals nursing.
A five-year-old does not yet think of breasts as sexual objects, so there should be nothing traumatic about it. If it is the way the baby has been fed from the beginning, it won't seem weird to him. I would just encourage him to ask questions if he wants, and don't try to keep him away when you're feeding. He's only five, so modesty isn't really that important, and you don't want him to feel left out, or that there is something special you and the baby do that he can't be involved in. Breastfeeding is totally natural...if you relax, and don't seem to feel awkward about it, he won't either.
Good luck, and kudos to you for doing the healthiest thing for your baby!
2007-02-21 01:58:22 · answer #1 · answered by RB 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you're worrying about it too much. I faced the same situation with my baby and when my 5 & 7 yr olds (girl & boy) asked about it & what i was doing with the baby i just told them that mommy was feeding the baby. When my 5 yr old asked why i was feeding the baby that way i told her simply that when the baby is very little that that is the the best milk for her & will help her big and strong.
I didn't go into all kinds of details about how things work and i also didn't pop them out in front of the kids when i needed to feed her. I think if you're honest with them, in addition with being a little discreet eventually they won't even pay it any attention.
Good Luck, breast feeding can be tough but well worth it if you can stick it out & get the hang of it.
2007-02-21 01:58:12 · answer #2 · answered by Kimberly P 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would tell him that you are going to feed the baby mommy's milk. Explain to him that when mommies have babies their bodies make milk for the baby to drink. Mommy's milk is the best milk for the baby and will give her all the vitamins she needs to grow. Tell him that your milk is going to be in your breasts and that is how his baby sister will get the milk from you.
I babysat a 4.5 yr old boy when I was breastfeeding my 4 month old daughter. He was not breastfed, nor has he seen any baby breastfed before. He asked a couple of questions, but was ok with the answer I gave him and never really said a word about it. Once, my daughter was crying and somebody said "Maybe she wants a bottle" and he quickly told him that she drinks her mommy's milk.
Congratulations on your pending arrival and your decision to breastfeed!
2007-02-21 01:58:35 · answer #3 · answered by CPS Fanatic 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its funny my 6 yr old has gone through pregnancy with me 3 times so I think he knows more about being pregnant then any MAN I know!!! But thats the good thing you should always be honest with your childern no matter what the subject. My childern and I read the baby week by week books and look at pictures and I explain what the uterus is and the what the placenta does and even how each of them were born. I had 2 c-sec and one vaginal delivery. But as I am explaining all about pregnancy I also tell them that my belly gets bigger and so do my breasts and when the twins are born they need mommies milk to get very strong and healthy because it will protect them from getting sick and make them big like they are. And then I ask them "do you think thats a good idea?, Do you want your baby brothers to get as big and as strong as you are?" They always say "YES" I hope this helps you in your venture to explain to your son. Good Luck and Congratulations!!!!!!
2007-02-21 01:57:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It shouldnt tramatize him at all! Its a natural course of life.
My nephew was 5 when my son was born and he was around us nursing quite frequently.
He was confused when a cousin came over with a bottle, he didn't understand what she was doing with it!
In the begining, we just explained to him that thats where babies get milk from, and that was that.
You may want to assign him a "helper" job. Like, getting you a glass of water everytime you sit down to nurse. Explain to him how important the water is to make milk.
Goodluck!
2007-02-21 01:56:29 · answer #5 · answered by Mommy to David 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is simple breastfeeding is the best and safe method providing essential nutrition (food) for the baby.And when the baby comes than you may even feed the baby in front of 5 year old to show him and make him feel comfortable with the whole picture. It natural and not at all traumatic to older children.
You may have even breastfed him and he needs to know it too.
2007-02-21 01:56:02 · answer #6 · answered by Adnan S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just straight out told my 6 year old. I just told her that I was breastfeeding the baby and that was how I fed her when she was a baby. That mommies can feed their babies that way when they are little and that it is healthier for them that way. I think the only worry I had telling her that was that she would go to school and tell her friends "my mommy feeds my sissy milk from her boobs." LOL. But she never did (at least not that I know of). The hard part for me was her wanting to know about how the baby was going to come out. She assumed that they were going to cut my stomach to get the baby out. I just kinda let her believe that one. I didn't know that she was ready to know how the baby REALLY was coming out.
2007-02-21 01:55:48 · answer #7 · answered by mommyof2 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i agree you definately need to explain it to him if he had never been around anyone breastfeeding. i'd go to the library and see if there's a book. has he been around puppies or kittens nursing their babies? if so you could explain from that perspective. mommy has milk just like the mommy dog or cat or some animal he may have seen at the zoo or a farm. good luck. i'm looking forward to seeing other responses because i will be doing the same thing in about 8 months.
2007-02-21 01:54:39 · answer #8 · answered by Psalm91 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was 7 years old when my baby brother was born. The hospital they were going to deliver him at had a special class for children on what to expect when your parents are having another kid. They went over everything from breastfeeding to how to handle the baby. I am sure your hospital has something of the sort.
2007-02-21 03:43:37 · answer #9 · answered by Vickie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its not a big deal. the 5 year old won't be traumatized. You don't have to SHOW him, if that makes you feel uncomfortable. thats not quite right either. But if this were the case (Trauma), then every "Older" kid in history would be traumatized. :)
explain it as "The baby can't feed itself, this is how babies get their nourishment for a while". and leave it at that. If he has more questions, certainly field them. the only thing worse would be to shut him out of the whole process, cuz hten he'll feel as if he can't come to you with questions. Let him come to you on this one. Don't force it on him, but don't shy away from it if he asks.
2007-02-21 01:53:59 · answer #10 · answered by jmaximus12 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋