Odd question for breastfeeding moms....?

Question

I have breastfed my son since birth and expected to stop at six months. Once I realized they need formula or breastmilk for the first year I decided that breastmilk is best and will continue. BUT I'm totally not okay with breastfeeding my son once he sits up to eat. I'm not comfortable at all with him doing this, I'm okay with breastfeeding right now because he lays down to eat. How weird is that? Am I wrong?

To clarify::::He sits up to eat his baby food and cereal, I'm just not comfortable with him sitting up to nurse.

Answer 1

I don't think it's weird, and I definitely don't think it's a matter of "right" and "wrong." Different people have different emotional responses to breastfeeding -- when it is appropriate, when it ceases being appropriate, etc. In some instances it's pretty clearly cultural: some women I know, for example, come from a culture where most women breastfeed but where breastfeeding typically stops when the baby is six months, and they view breastfeeding infants who are older than that as somehow being, well, icky, for lack of a better word.

In general, when we think of breastfeeding we envision a young baby that is unquestionably an *infant* lying cradled in its mothers arms, blissfully and in some (literal) respects ignorantly suckling away. In the United States, where breastfeeding is a pretty controversial issue to begin with, we certainly do not, as a culture, promote the image of an "older" baby at the breast. Hey, we think the breast is a sexual object first and foremost, right? Anyway, a baby who is sitting up already is clearly not a newborn....that baby doesn't fit (our) image of breastfeeding. There are babies who walk before they are one year old -- would you feel that breastfeeding a baby that can walk up to you and tug at your bra because it's hungry is somehow not okay? Same thing.

Everyone has her own ideas about what's okay and what's not, when it's okay and when it isn't okay anymore. What you're' feeling isn't wrong, and if you feel uncomfortable with nursing a baby at that point in time you shouldn't do it -- but since you do agree that breastmilk is best for baby and want to continue with breastmilk, you may want to feed your baby expressed breastmilk, at least, once he is sitting up. The positives are that he will continue to get breastmilk, and you will know you are doing what you can to ensure that; the negatives are that pumping is a PITA, and that it is never as efficient or productive, so you may or may not be able to meet his needs if you pump exclusively (you probably would be able to just fine, but some women really don't do well with pumps at all, and I'm one of them.)

On the other hand: when your son starts sitting up unassisted he will probably continue to take his breastmilk lying in your arms, as always. Mine certainly did (and while I didn't breastfeed exclusively, I didn't stop breastfeeding altogether until my son was 18 months). So you may not feel at all uncomfortable, when it comes to it.

Answer 2

I'm still breastfeeding my 13 month old daughter, and I still hold her in the cradle hold to nurse her.

Well..........for now anyway lol, as my pregnant belly grows I will have to make other arrangements. Once she can no longer fit across my belly (which will be very soon) I will either lay down on my side to nurse her, or will have her rest her head on my belly as her body lays across the couch.

So anyway, point being, your baby doesn't have to Sit up to nurse no matter how old he gets =)

Answer 3

My daughter nursed til she was 10 1/2 months old and never once sat up to nurse. She always preferred to lay down.

Answer 4

I'm still nursing my 16mo old boy and he still lays in the "cradle hold" position to nurse. It's nice to snuggle that way!

Well done for nursing 6 months! Way to go and keep up the good work!

Answer 5

You can put him in any position to nurse.
My son pretty much only breastfed for 1st year
He began eating solid food after age 1
When he began eating more he nursed for naps, going to bed so he was usually laying down anyway.

Answer 6

Why do you think he will start to sit up to breastfeed? He won't unless you put him into that position and get him used to doing it that way. Just lay him down if he tries to latch on while sitting up. I don't really think it's an issue you have to worry about. My daughter is 11 months and still lays across my lap. She used to lay on a nursing pillow all the time, but as she got bigger it wasn't as comfortable, so now I just cradle her across my lap.

Answer 7

So keep him lying down, once they are over a certain size it is easier to nurse with them lying down anyway (easier if both are actually).

Remember breastfeeding is a two way street. I've nursed my oldest with him sitting in my lap, standing beside me, lying down, upside down etc. Now that I am nursing my 21 month old and 1 month old its even MORE insane. But that's my choice, and I often tell my son he can only nurse in X position for whatever reason. For awhile we only nursed in the bedroom because otherwise he would turn his head without unlatching.

Breastfeed in whatever position is physically comfortable for both and mentally acceptable/convenient for you.

Answer 8

I breastfed until 15 months and never had my daughter sit up. I always cradled her like an infant when she nursed. It wasn't weird at all.

Answer 9

My babies always laid down to nurse, even when they were older. I nursed two until they were 15 months old and the middle one until 10 months old (when I got pregnant again, she quit nursing on her own).

I can't imagine nursing a baby sitting up, either, but I never had to do it. I'm sure you wouldn't have to, either.

Answer 10

i breastfed both of my kids to 1 year and i never really had them sitting up to breastfeed. i always had them in a laying down position. it would be a little weird if the baby was sitting up.