Breastfeeding my Toddler

To celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Week, I decided to write a post about where we are at when it comes to our breastfeeding journey. Ethan is now 14 months and so qualifies as a toddler. Breastfeeding Ethan hasn't changed at all. He feeds when he wants to and still enjoys boooobbiee. I can definitely see that nursing him has great advantages. He is easily soothed & comforted at my chest. He is strong even though he looks slight. We actually call him Bam-Bam because he can carry, break things you don't think he can. Toddler lock anyone? He is clever, friendly & adventurous.

Nutritionally, nursing has saved my sanity on more than one occasion. From his natural phases where he doesn't eat as much to when he is ill. I can rely on my milk to not only satiate him but to provide adequate nutrients & anti-bodies to help him get better.

We have come a long way from month 8 were I truly thought I would stop nursing because Ethan was at a biting stage and my anxiety was high before every feed. I read this article from The Leaky Boob and it helped me in 2 ways. Firstly, it helped me realise I wasn't the only one & ultimately, it changed my perspective. I went from "This is hopeless, I'm going have to stop nursing him, this is heartbreaking" to "This sucks (pun intended) but this too shall pass, it's just a phase, We can do this."
My ladies on GCM gave me hugs and support too which I truly appreciate. He doesn't bite anymore and he is currently cutting his 1st pre-molar.  One question people ask me is how many feeds he has. The truth is I simply don't know. He is fed on demand just like he has been since birth. If he asks, he gets. Although sometimes when I'm busy, I tell him to wait till I'm done. For example, I was chatting to a pregnant mother at Mothercare in my peer supporter role and E started to go "booobiee muma" I simply said "When mummy finishes talking to the lady" I don't know how much he understood but he didn't ask again till she was gone.

I'm in a comfortable stage with Ethan although at night there are times I feel touched out but I nurse him because he needs it.

How do you feel nursing your child?

More Info:

KellyMom - Nursing past Infancy

La Leche League - Nursing beyond One

What I learnt at Britmums Live!

So the big event has come and gone. While I'm still buzzing & motivated, I better write it all down. Before I do that though. I just want to say this - Britmums Live 2012 was Awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I got to meet some of the twitter folks I already chat to & met so many delightful people. If you weren't there this year, Please come next year. I'd love to meet you. Yes, YOU!

OK What I learnt ....

1. Conferences aren't that scary, Take your smile, iphone  & positivity with you and you'll do well. It did help that I had a butterfly sticker on my badge ( I made sure it was a pink one, things like that matter to me).
2. Don't bother lugging your laptop there. I didn't need it. Next year I'm taking my tablet. While I'm on the topic of things you don't need - My breast pump ( I ended up hand expressing rather well actually after forgetting the pump charger in said laptop bag) & my raincoat, extra breast pads & what seemed like the entire make-up section of House of Fraser (Only needed lipgloss) . 
3. Your son will be fine without you. Mark & Ethan had a fabulous weekend. Daddy Day Care was a success. There was no tears from BOTH man & boy, Ethan didn't get through the 260ml of milk I left him and he stuffed his face all day too.
4. Try not to get done for Libel - I'm not the controversial type anyway, I have opinions but the Legal session just taught me how to express them while staying far away from defamation.
5. The Google Spider Crawlers exist. I knew it wasn't a myth.
6. I need a Facebook page to help build a community - I had been dilly dallying but I have now decided I want to be able to chat more with you guys. The comment form isn't cutting it!
7. I am getting better! My Anxiety was tested to the MAX this weekend and I didn't plummet. I was highly nervous about leaving Ethan, I even toyed with the idea of not going but with my hubby & therapist's help, I pushed through and yes there was a tearful episode in the Ladies loos but ultimately, I kept it together, I let go, I had fun. Anxiety didn't control me, I controlled it.
8. Bloggers are brilliant. I'm proud to be one. So proud that I'm making a Tshirt!
9. Goody bags are heavy! Especially when you are lugging 5 of them across London.
10. The confident me is in there. I saw a peek of her this weekend. I walked straight up to Cherry Healey with a cuppa in my hand and introduced myself as a fan. She is so lovely, She chatted to me and that felt good to know I didn't chicken out.

I'm Back Baby!

P.s Photos from the event coming up!

What We've Been Up To - May!

Catching up with Mamatography!

The month of May has been quite a month, We enjoyed the beginnings of Summer, My mum had a citizenship ceremony and we moved house -again!

Started getting graze boxes to prevent my blood sugar crashing, I always have a nutritious snack!

Ethan & I discovered a hidden garden - It is beautiful! Hidden behind the cathedral walls, We spent a great time there!

The day arrived where my bubba had his first boo-boo. My anxiety spiked as I saw the blood gushing, He fell on concrete in a friends garden and hurt his hand. I managed to talk myself down and deal with the fall out. Wipes, band-aids and mama milk!

Love this photo of them playing, I'm their personal paparazzi!

My mum's Citizenship Ceremony! We travelled down to share her day and ended the day with Nandos!

2 days later, We moved house! We didn't even pack. It was sudden as it was only the flat downstairs. The old couple that lived beneath got a retirement flat so We decided to take their flat for the outside space and it's bigger for the same rent!

Old  Kitchen emptying!

E & I escaped to the library

New Lounge!

Old Lounge emptied!

1st Night in our New place.

Snagged this dresser on eBay, always wanted one! Now we have space!

Tete a Tete!

Peekaboo!

We joined a local Home Education Group and this was our first outing with them, It was their annual walk. It was a scorching 23 ° Celcius! We walked 4 miles in 2 hrs. They are a lovely bunch. I was so happy to meet people who subscribed to Gentle parenting - essentially being nice to your children and treating them like they are people. Funnily enough E isn't the youngest in the group! The youngest is Zinnia who is 5 months old and the oldest is 16 and there are lots in between!

The day the beach was misty!

tools of his trade!

Mama's!

and rest!

playdate with the lovely Poppy!

Then it was a different sort of LLL meeting! Alfresco!

"You pap me, I'll pap you!" 

Tea and Tealights with my hubby! Really enjoying our courtyard!

Ethan the climber, it all begins!

Off to do the month of June!

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Are you up for a challenge? One that will take something from you every day, but give a whole lot back too? How about joining me for the photography challenge in 2012 then? A photo a day of whatever your day involved. You can jump in any time through the year!
If you’d still like to join us, you can start at any time, just sign up here and our host will email you further information.
Without further ado, here is the current list of all participants for Mamatography 2012 so far!

• Diary of a First Child
• Me, Mothering, and making it all work
• Loving Earth Mama
• African Babies Don't Cry
• E-ma's Bloggy Blog
• Boo, Roo and Tigger Too
• Vibrant Wanderings

• Momma Jorje
• Anktangle
• The Princess Poet's Life Adventures
• Baking Momma of Two
• handcraftedtravellers
• Ponderings from the Kitchen
• Loving {Almost} Every Moment