an odd BF question

kenyakeetah

Now don't get me wrong, and please don't flame my little one is almost a year old we are still bfing with no real idea when we may wean.

 

But

 

My husband and I was talking and a thought hit me about bf, we say the longer the better, the nutrients are awesome and we should let our little ones self wean....however with my work with farm animals and domestic animals when they have their babies at a certain point the mama animals start to kick away the calf, lamb, puppy etc from them telling their little one, enough your done, you eat grass etc like everyone else now...

So I quess my question is once our little ones are eating everything why is it not natural to "kick" our offspring off the boob and direct them to the "grass"? 

Just random thoughts that national geographic and night time chats make pop in my head 

jcsumm0

This is a great article that relates the natural age of human weaning to other animals and other biological factors.

https://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html

celiabwatson

I think it is natural but society wants you to do it earlier than is natural. Toddlerhood is naturally a time of picky eating, both in terms of types and amounts of food. I am so glad my son is still nursing because otherwise I'd have to worry all the time about his nutrition. I think by the age of 4 or so (typical weaning age across the world) children are more likely to understand the concept of food and nutrition and feed themselves appropriately. I'd rather save those battles for when my son is more equipped to understand.

Does that make sense? 

jcsumm0

Also, keep in mind that cows and pigs are not really worried about the emotional part of breastfeeding, and breastfeeding a toddler is also about the attachment and emotional stability it gives them.

3003girl

That is a pretty funny vision - I'm not very farm savvy so I have no idea how that works. I will say that, at 23 months, my kiddo is the worst eater ever. So I am happy that she is still breastfeeding 4-6 times a day. 

When she gets to be 4 or 5 I might try kicking her though. jk!  

thehotheartline

jcsumm0:

This is a great article that relates the natural age of human weaning to other animals and other biological factors.

https://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html

 

This article is fantastic!!!!  

PansyPants

I totally get where you're coming from. As silly as it seems, a lot of my instinct as a mother have been aided by watching my childhood pets and the animals on my uncles farm. Mother cats wean their babies and when the baby tries to nurse she lays on her stomach so they can't. She'll still let them nurse sometimes and will slowly wean them, but she's definitely encouraging them to seek out other food.

The time when a mother cat does this is roughly early toddler age for a kitten; well through their infancy and into the romping and exploring phase. Around when it seems like a good time to start weaning a human child.

I think some kittens and some children need to have their mom metaphorically lay on her stomach. They would nurse until middle school if given the chance and at that point it's not needed. I see nothing wrong with that. It's done for the good of mother and child in a way that redirects them to seek out other nourishment but doesn't hurt them physically or emotionally.

PansyPants

I just realized that what I was thinking of as "early toddlerhood" is really 3-5 yro and not at all early toddlerhood.

celiabwatson

I actually do "lay on my stomach" sometimes with my son. He will frequently choose nursing over a less preferred activity and I will actually have to physically fight him off if he becomes persistent. I also don't allow him to tandem nurse at bedtime. I prefer to have some individual nursing time with each child at that time, so I will hold a pillow across half my chest or something to stop him from nursing. He's getting better at it, but still very rarely will choose other foods in place of wanting to nurse, it's more often a toy or activity that will distract him away.

nosoup4u

kenyakeetah:

My husband and I was talking and a thought hit me about bf, we say the longer the better, the nutrients are awesome and we should let our little ones self wean....however with my work with farm animals and domestic animals when they have their babies at a certain point the mama animals start to kick away the calf, lamb, puppy etc from them telling their little one, enough your done, you eat grass etc like everyone else now...

The vast, vast majority of mothers I know IRL have weaned their babies at 12 months, which is exactly what you're saying animals do. I don't think you can compare animals of other species with humans, in all honesty. 

I think the average range for nursing among primates is until the baby gets molars, right? That would put humans around two years. I

SunnyMuffin

solidio:

That is a pretty funny vision - I'm not very farm savvy so I have no idea how that works. I will say that, at 23 months, my kiddo is the worst eater ever. So I am happy that she is still breastfeeding 4-6 times a day. 

When she gets to be 4 or 5 I might try kicking her though. jk!  

thanks for posting this, because I have friends with babies close in age to my own who are down to 2 bf sessions a day... and I was starting to think my baby was weird for nursing 6-7 times a day still at 10.5 months.  

SunnyMuffin

nosoup4u:

The vast, vast majority of mothers I know IRL have weaned their babies at 12 months, which is exactly what you're saying animals do. I don't think you can compare animals of other species with humans, in all honesty. 

I think the average range for nursing among primates is until the baby gets molars, right? That would put humans around two years.

You're right, this study says the first permanent molars.  In human years that is apparently about 5.5 years.    https://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html 

nosoup4u

SunnyMuffin:

nosoup4u:

The vast, vast majority of mothers I know IRL have weaned their babies at 12 months, which is exactly what you're saying animals do. I don't think you can compare animals of other species with humans, in all honesty. 

I think the average range for nursing among primates is until the baby gets molars, right? That would put humans around two years.

You're right, this study says the first permanent molars.  In human years that is apparently about 5.5 years.    https://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html 

Ah, yeah, permanent molars! I was thinking baby molars seemed a bit early from average age of weaning worldwide. Probably should have read the article, hee hee hee.