Category: Weaning

To the people who ask…

“Why do you *still* breastfeed?”

“Why do you breastfeed a toddler?”

…I could tell you a few things.

I could tell you that the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of two years and beyond as desired by the mother and child.

I could tell you that the biologically natural age of weaning for humans is between 2.5 – 7 years.

I could tell you that breast milk is just as nutritious (and actually packed with more antibodies) for young children as it is for young babies.

I could tell you that my child likes to have the option of nursing for comfort, just as much as he likes hugs, kisses, and self-soothing techniques.

I could tell you that breastfeeding is more than just food.

Many of these answers worked for a while. A good two years, really.

But now that I’m growing a second child in my womb and MaiTai is three years old, the questions have changed.

“Why do you *still* breastfeed during pregnancy?”

“Will you tandem nurse and why would you do that?”

This time the answer is simply… I don’t know.

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