Breastfeeding when you’re a teeny tiny baby seems to be a very relaxing experience. Snuggled up close to mummy, listening to the soothing sound of her heartbeat, getting milky drunk and finally drifting off into blissful sleep…
Breastfeeding when you’re a toddler is very different. For a start, there’s more of a self-service element – the ability to indicate that you want to feed by simply going up to Mummy and pulling her top down. At home, this isn’t usually too much of a problem although Mummy sometimes seems less keen if this happens whilst out and about.
Once feeding has commenced, the sequence of acrobatics can start. Arm stretches are usually first – Mummy’s face is fun to play with especially when she’s wearing glasses which you can try and pull off. There’s a chance to try and practice some dentistry skills by trying to poke your fingers inside Mummy’s mouth to check her teeth – she loves it when you do this, especially if she’s trying to have a conversation! The other favourite is sliding your hand under Mummy’s top and pulling at her bra straps or pinching her shoulders.
Leg exercises are next – the more wriggling and kicking the better before experimenting with the different positions that you can get into whilst still staying attached – standing up on the sofa with your bottom in the air and waving it from side to side seems to be a preferred move here.
Sometimes you forget to let go if something distracts you and makes you try to turn around. A little yelp from Mummy soon makes you realise that you need to let go or turn back around again. Occasionally she will try and remove the breast from your mouth at this point and those little teeth are quite handy for attempting to hang on if you’re not keen on this idea. But that’s not something you try very often as Mummy seems to get quite cross when you do that.
Often it’s just a quick feed you want – after all, there are toys to play with and furniture to climb and a whole big wide world to explore. There’s no time anymore for long milky-drunk cuddles – you’re busy, busy, busy these days! But when you’re feeling sleepy or poorly, then those cuddles become quite magical again and even when you don’t feel like eating anything, you can nearly always manage a bit of Mummy milk. Snuggling close, listening to the soothing sound of her heartbeat and drifting off to blissful sleep…
Oh hon those milk-drunk cuddles are so amazing aren’t they, but so short lived. I can really relate to this post! Freddy is going to be one next month and often goes the whole day without feeding now, and nothing during the night anymore. He’s still having between half an hour to an hour’s feed before he goes to bed, but the end is in sight for us. I can’t see us having any more kids either, and I know it will be bittersweet when the end does come…
Oh yes, I can imagine that finishing with breastfeeding will be very bittersweet – it’s the end of a chapter of your lives, isn’t it?
Louise, you’re making me so melancholy with these pics. I stopped breastfeeding my little one when he was 8 months because he gave up wanting it at night. So my milk dried up and he now thinks that my boobs are willies. (I recently said this on Mummy Tries’ blog!) Your pictures are really sweet. Even though the cuddles aren’t as long and lingering as they used to be, they’re probably still just as sweet. I miss mine (o:
#TheTruthAbout xx
So sorry for making you melancholy Fiona – it is hard when they wean a little sooner than you were hoping for. It did make me chuckle that he thinks your boobs are willies though. Hope you’re still getting plenty of cuddles even without the feeding x
Awwww! So so cute!!! And those acrobatics look incredibly familiar….these toddlers clearly share their tips!!! x
#thetruthabout
Thank you 🙂
This is so lovely!!
Thanks Jodie 🙂
Oh I can totally relate to this, they must all share tips at baby/toddler groups hehe
I think they must sometimes! 🙂
I never experienced this Louise because the longest i breastfed for was 20 weeks for various reasons. I do remember a friend posting a couple of acrobatic breastfeeding pics with her toddler though – then he became a bit obsessed I think and would chase her around the house when she got home from work (as a nurse) pulling her top up and trying to latch on! Bless ’em they know what they want and how they want it!! 🙂 Thanks for linking to #thetruthabout Xx
Oh yes, they definitely do! Lovely to link up to #thetruthabout again 🙂
That’s a lovely rendition of toddler breastfeeding, I remember it well especially the teeth bit
Lol, oh yes – thankfully Sophie doesn’t use them too often! 🙂
oh fantastic! brilliant post. I can relate to a lot of this 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Awww I remember before I weaned my son he is like this. He is 2 when we stopped so he is already mobile and mobile he is like Sophie =P
#pocolo
Ah yes, once they’re mobile it does get interesting! 🙂
What a lovely post. Grace chose to give up breastfeeding at 9 months and it was very bittersweet. I never really had the acrobatics! Thank you for linking to #PoCoLo x
Thank you. I can imagine it is very bittersweet to have to give up sooner than you’d hoped although 9 months is still a good amount of time to breastfeed. Lovely to link up again to #PoCoLo x