Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Dear "tired & Sore mom",
    
    If this helps....A friend of mine knew someone who nursed her son until
    he was 3 1/2!!  I thought that was a bit too long myself, but whatever
    floats your boat!!!!  Ya know?
    
    Mel

    I know lots of people who have nursed their children well past 19
    months.  Most children sort of wean themselves as other food becomes
    interesting and they're too busy to spend the time nursing.  You can't
    nurse while cruising around.
    
    One of my cousins had a rule.  The child had to quit nursing when their
    feet touched the floor when they sat on her lap!!!  Needless to say - 
    they were all older than 19 months when they quit.  They range in age
    from 5-18 yrs now.  No one's the worse for it.

Elspeth definitely nursed past two years -- it may have been more like three.

If you want support for something that many people look on as rather odd,
I can recommend the book _Mothering Your Nursing Toddler_, which you could 
probably obtain from your local La Leche League.

	-Neil

I nursed Brian until he was 19 months as well.  I was the one that was 
ready to quit at that point, even though I loved it.  My pediatrician 
recommended tying the weaning to a trip, which is just what I did.  I 
had to go away for a few days (five, I think) and when I came back I 
just said there was no more milk.  He cried buckets twice, but I held 
him and rocked him and then he was over it.  Pretty clean all in all.

About two weeks later he asked for "nur" and I let him try. He 
satisfied his curiosity in about 5 seconds and never asked again.  Of 
course by that time there really was no milk.

For my own comfort while traveling I expressed milk when I got too 
full for comfort.  Only happed twice in the five days.  Your body 
adapts quickly.

Norma

    I'm at ten months and going strong till whenever he's ready to quit.  I
    also recommend "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" (order through La
    Leche, 1.800.LALECHE).  Come to think of it, ask LLL for the name of a
    leader in your area, you will find lots of other moms doing child led
    weaning.
    
    My son just cruised in, send mail if you want suggestions on the
    biting.
    
    =ss

    A friend of mine nursed her daughter until she was at least two. 
    This is the norm in most nonindustrial societies.
    
    My friend worked it by offering her daughter milk from a cup with
    meals.  Since she didn't deny any nursing opportunities, her
    daughter didn't associate learning to use the cup with being
    deprived of something else valuable to her, but since she was
    getting some of her milk from the cup, she didn't want to nurse as
    often.  Gradually the daughter gave it up altogether as she grew
    to prefer table food with the adults.
    
    --bonnie

    I got the impression that you're ready to stop, but your child doesn't
    want to?  My suggestion, if that's the case, is to find a special cup
    for the child to drink from (take him along to the store to help pick
    one out), and try to redirect him to it when he wants to nurse.  Let
    him sit on your lap and cuddle while he drinks.  At this age, for all
    but the strongest attractions (and nursing may be that strong,
    unfortunately for you!), attractive alternatives work pretty well.

    On the other hand, if the encouragement you've gotten here has helped
    you decide to continue the nursing, go for it!  I'm sure you'll both
    benefit.

	cheryl

    I nursed Justine until she was 18 months. I wanted to wait for her to
    quit on her own but by that time she was just nursing occasionally in
    the morning and at night and for a comforting mechanism. As she would
    get frustrated she would pull at my shirt and throw herself into
    position. So of course when I wouldn't give in on those occasions we
    found other comforting techniques between us.
    
    I loved nursing too, but when we reached this point it was a little to
    much to continue. Starting then, when she was ready to nurse I had a
    bottle ready and cradled her with the bottle and blankets, etc. It
    didn't take long after that. She tried to nurse a couple times after
    that as an experiment I suppose.    

    re .8
    Out of curiosity - how long did she continue to use the bottle after
    you gave up nursing?
    

    My cleaning person nursed her daughter until she was 3 1/2!  And it was
    mom who finally said no, not the daughter.  This was recently and I
    believe the little girl still uses a bottle at times as well.
    
    -Tracy
    

    Mine both nursed beyond 2 years.  Although there were less than
    understanding people who made remarks about how long I nursed, most of
    my friends also nursed kids beyond 2 years, so I had good back up.
    
    Lolita quit when she was 28 months and I took a weekend trip.  By that
    time she only nursed at night, so it was fairly simple to get her
    interested in other night time activities.  
    
    Trips didn't work with Carrie.  She would wait patiently, and when I
    would come home say nice to see you mommie, "mamie's please"  and climb
    in my lap.  When she was just short of 3 on july 4, she gave them up on
    her own and she and I were traveling together.  Since she was old
    enough to bargain with, the deal had been for a tricycle if she stayed
    off the breast for two weeks.  
    
    I think it's fine to nurse a child as long as you and the child are
    comfortable.  Do what feels right for you two.
    
    Meg

    Justine is now 21 months and still asks for a bottle occasionally in
    the morning. Come to think of it she used to ask for a bottle in the
    evenings, now I can't remember the last time she had it. It's funny,
    no one (in my or my husbands family) has any objections to her having
    the occasional bottle (I heard the stories of when my husband was just
    over two and they marched through the house and threw out all of his
    bottles then he went and retrieved them all). When I was still nursing
    her, I was constantly asked, "when are you going to quit that".
    
    Back to getting rid of the bottle, I'm not going to worry about it just
    yet. She is putting words together and growing so fast. I'm going to be
    taking a week off at Christmas. That might be a good time to work on
    it.
    
    - Jan -

    Hi,
    
    Did you see the movie, "The Emperor of China"?  It shows him nursing at
    about 10 years old!  He had a dedicated wet nurse, didn't see his
    mother at all, and was raised by eunuchs.  Hey, that's an idea for us
    harried working moms.  You probably think I'm daft.  Well, that's the
    sleep deprivation of my new baby.  And yes, I am really enjoying the
    nursing but will certainly give it up if we start another pregnancy. 
    Super Woman here tries to be everything to everybody but feels great
    now and then to say no.  No wonder that song, "I Cain't Say No" from
    Oklahoma keeps running through my head.
    
    Never thought life could be this intense.
    
    Laura