...is not like nursing an infant.
An infant nurses for nourishment, comfort, and security.
A toddler nurses for nourishment, comfort, security, and FUN!
Toddlers engage in "walk-by nursings" wherein they sneak in a sip while literally still walking by.
Toddlers like to play "peek-a-boobie."
Toddlers know how to lift up your shirt and get at what they want--by themselves.
Toddlers think it's funny when the milk shoots across the room, and they will pull off repeatedly just to see it do so.
Toddlers get so excited about nursing that they laugh and then milk comes out their nose.
Toddlers like to drink from one side while cuddling the other (without that pesky bra in the way, thank-you-very-much!)
Toddlers give lup-bats* to the breast.
Toddlers like to nurse while climbing, standing, sitting, rocking, playing with blocks, or otherwise wiggling a LOT.
Toddlers like to nurse upside-down.
Toddlers like to give breast-zerberts in between sucks.
Toddlers say "nurn!" and sign "milk" while nursing, and then afterwards smile and say "doo!" (thank you)
Toddlers run and run and run and run...and then climb into the big bed (by themselves) and lay down and start signing 'milk' because they are ready to nurse to sleep now.
Toddlers melt mommy's heart in a whole new way.
Do all nursing toddlers do this? Well, I don't really know. But mine sure does!
*Wolf's toddler pronunciation of 'love pats' (so-named because pats on the bottom are obviously not little spanks...)
2 comments:
Hi! Just stopping by from MDC...nice post! I just posted a thread on MDC with my own blog entry about toddler nursing, too! I love the walk-by nursings. I'll never forget the day I was bent over the bathtub washing my hair, believing that my toddler was still sleeping in the bed, and suddenly I feel him nursing while standing beside me, leaning sleepily against me! toddler nursing is love! :)Elissa
Ha! Very similar to my own nursling's behavior. I have her asking me now when she wants to nurse. She signs it by saying nurse (index finger poking her cheek) please (rubs her tummy), then after she nurses, she says thank you (hand on her chin, she doesn't complete the sign anymore). The sign she does for nurse is actually eat. I tried teaching her milk, but she was more receptive to signing eat for nurse. Nursing a toddler is... fun... I guess. It's certainly a nice thing to have available for times of uncertainty or when they're having tantrums!
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