“A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion”
Okay,
So I consider myself to be a rather "earthy-mamma" and this is something that I am learning to take more pride in. We are a pretty much organic eating family...soon to be part vegetarian as soon as I take some cooking classes and I am usually spending some time looking into alternatives to the mainstreamed way of doing things, (i.e.: dropping the herd mentality) such as my research into homeschooling.
What I find is that the main people who have HUGE negative opinions generally have done zero research and or had no options to them for alternative choices. Understanding this is giving me much more confidence to forge ahead in the directions that work best for me and my family.
With that said, I thought I'd share a post about tandem nursing.
I love this quote..
"Relaxed weaning is one of the biggest advantages of tandem nursing, in my opinion. I want my kids to nurse as long as they need it, and tandem nursing enables me to not push them into a stressful and premature weaning...." To this I give a hearty amen...
Most people, (in my immediate circle) Literally look at me like I am crazy when I mention that my toddler still nurses on occassion (about 1 or 2 times a day now). Yet, the more that I learn, the more that I am at peace with what is working for us...
Here is a bit of an article that I read..very interesting and informative. For the full thing visit
Why Tandem Nurse?
Most people know that breastfeeding is best for babies, but fewer are aware that it's also very important for toddlers and beyond, for emotional as well as nutritional reasons. The AAP now recommends nursing for at least a year, and longer if mutually desired.1 The immunological benefits of breastmilk for a toddler are the same as for a baby. Nursing toddlers get sick less often, and usually less severely, than those who have been weaned. If a toddler does get sick, it's nice to have food available that is easily digested, full of antibodies, and offered in a warm and comforting way. Toddlers who are picky about food might not eat vegetables, but they get a lot of nutrition from mother's milk.
Breastfeeding is also a great way to calm out-of-control children, especially if you are visiting a place where they can't roam around freely. It gives busy toddlers a few rest periods in the day, to get more energy and security to go on exploring. At night and before naps, nursing helps children unwind and relax for sleep.
There are benefits for the mother too. A woman's risk for breast cancer decreases the longer she nurses. Nursing can help with natural child spacing, because it often takes a while for fertility to return when you are nursing. Anthropologist Katherine Dettwyler has determined that the natural age of weaning for humans is somewhere between 2.5 and 7 years.2 If you nurse that long, it isn't unusual to end up tandem nursing if you want more than one child.
The Fun Part
Tandem nursing really has helped my children accept a new baby. Toddlers can be jealous about the time mom spends nursing the baby, but this is not an issue if they still have the comfort of the breast. Also, there is something inherently calming about baby and toddler nursing together, both for the mom and for the nurslings. The nursing will generate a lot of prolactin, the "mothering hormone." It also has been reported that siblings who are tandem nursed seem to experience less sibling rivalry. I can't confirm this, since I don't know how it would have been if I had not tandem nursed my kids, but it makes sense to me. It is so nice to see my two year old put a loving hand on her baby brother when they nurse together.
Just some thoughts from a thoughtful momma!
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