Ada is almost 18 months old. We are still nursing. At dinner with a bunch of moms, one of them said, “We stopped last summer, but I can’t imagine he would sit still long enough to nurse.”
I couldn’t help myself, I burst out into hysterical laughter. I laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face. The other mother of another nursing toddler giggled, as well. The non-nursing toddler moms looked at us, confused. Finally I was able to eek out words, “you think toddlers are still when they nurse? Really? Ada is the queen of nursing gymnastics.”
She has begun to calm down a bit, but there were a few weeks when I didn’t think we would make it. Monkey toes were up my nose, around my head, and pulling my hair. There were days when I was sure she was measuring just how far my nipples would travel while still attached to my body. Despite all of that I wouldn’t give up that experience for all the riches in the world.
She is down to nursing about three times a day, four if she is over tired or sick. The most important nursing session is the one before nap time, because I have yet been able to get her to nap, consistently, without nursing her down. I am okay with continuing to nurse her for a while. We are talking about baby number two and that will probably become a reality sooner than later. I am not sure if I am prepared to nurse while pregnant. Both experiences, while rewarding, have also taken their toll, and I am not sure if I will be able to eat/drink enough to maintain a milk supply while growing a person. My plan is to continue nursing, while working to get her to nap and go to bed awake. That way if we need to wean suddenly it won’t be as traumatic.