I had planned to stop breastfeeding and wean baby off the breast when she got to 1. Well, a year and almost half months down the line we are still on it. Ei! This world 😅. So it looks like we are going the full mile towards 2years before the boob gates are finally closed and kept under lock and key.

According to WHO, it is recommended that “ From the age of 6 months, children should begin eating safe and adequate complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years and beyond.” Extended breastfeeding with this recommendation in mind is basically continued breastfeeding with complementary foods for your little one after their first birthday and beyond.

So how’s it like?

Breastfeeding in itself is exhausting, draining, painful ( every baby has invisible baby shark gums) and hungry work especially in the first exclusive 6 months period. Initially, I had planned to do exclusive breastfeeding but the flow wasn’t as strong so I supplemented with Nan1 formula until she was about 3 months when she rejected any form of milk in a bottle. Not even freshly, divine, delicious expressed mama’s milk in a bottle! Thankfully, my flow started increasing and soon it was almost 6 months when she started showing interest in what I was eating. Baby’s first solids was an easy journey with her favourites being corn porridge and diced mango. You’d think she’d pay more attention to the better tasting first solids but nooo ! It had to be breastmilk as dessert.

A baby’s feeding time is controlled by you the mom; moving the nipple towards his upper lip to get a good latch etc. By the time baby was almost 6-10months, all I needed to do was to pop out the boob for her to grab hold and suck. What is it with baby’s movement when breastfeeding? Small enjoyment and their hands will be beating on your boobs to draw out more milk, standing on you whilst sucking, feet performing circus acrobatics in all directions! And the humming!! Hilarious!!

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I noticed after a while that, I was now a human pacifier. She would cry and scream only to suck playfully and then bite me occasionally and then laugh when I scream. 😒 But I am totally grateful that it’s my nipple and not a plastic pacifier that she prefers. And also she preferred the right boob for the slower flow which helps her to relax and sleep and the left boob for a stronger flow when she was hungry.

I used to wonder if it was painful whenever I saw toddlers with teeth and still breastfeeding. Now I wonder no more. Woe unto you when baby sleeps on the boob and clamps her teeth unconsciously! Chaiiii!! That is some painful move!

Like a mama friend told me sometime, your nipples will never be the same 🤭. I honestly don’t know how to describe the landscape and shape of my nipples now 😜. My chest has veins stretched out in thin Iines towards my breast area. Whew! I’ve never been busty so I consider it a blessing to be able to still breastfeed with these small ‘oranges’. 😁

As at today, Essi looks up at me, raises her hands up and says ‘come’ which for me is a signal that she wants the fufor . Other times, she will say ‘brrest’ i.e. ‘breast’ when she has the feels. Having to hold a toddler to breastfeed is of course tiring but you don’t have to feed her for long, neither do you have to use both hands. You can scroll through your instagram feed whilst you feed 😄. A feed takes about 5 minutes on each breast before she goes off to search for something to destroy or rearrange.

How Society Is Handling My Extended Breastfeeding.

True story. I was at a funeral a month ago and I had Essi in my arms when she started clawing at my blouse to suckle. I’m sure she was overwhelmed by the number of unrecognisable sea of humans and needed to be in her ‘safe warm space’. As she suckled, a woman beside me looked at her and said, ‘shame! ohoo! shame’ and then she laughed. I didn’t say anything to her but I was confused. Is it because she sees Essi as ‘too old’ to be breastfeeding? I don’t remember where but someone also said the same thing when I was breastfeeding publicly at another location. This is tiring and a bit embarrassing. What is the beef if a child eats well and wants to have ‘sweet after meals’ ? It’s some way paa. Breast milk nutrition actually evolves over time as a baby grows providing the child with much needed nutrients even at toddler stage. What’s more some way is that it’s the women who shame me oh! Imagine!

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Sometimes this is how I want to react 🙈

Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding

You definitely lose more calories and post-baby fat but if only you aren’t overeating your Mom’s rice balls and groundnut soup.
It helps to comfort and soothe baby when the teething storms arise. Teething is one wild and stressful ride and loss of appetite is a terrible symptom which affects baby and indirectly gives mom a a shadow of a mental breakdown. Give baby the boob as your breastmilk is enough for them until their appetite is back to normal which is within a day or two.
It helps with your toddlers physical and mental development and protects them from all kinds of viral and bacterial infections. I can’t remember the last time Essi had a cold, illness or a weird skin rash. Immunity booster!
Although it can be tiring especially after a very long day, it’s actually very comforting for me and a time of quiet bonding with her. I sing to her and also pray over her life whilst she suckles. Very soon I won’t have that anymore. Allow. 😝
Breastfeeding also reduces my risk of breast cancer. I recently went for the breast cancer screening at StayWell Healthcare and I was in the clear 👍🏾🥳.

Challenges in Extended Breastfeeding.

Any time I'm home, she eats less and wants more boob action. This is frustrating and tiring after a long day. To sometimes get around this, I buy fruit snacks to distract her.
It's more physically draining on the body . Drinking more fluids and eating well helps to regain lost strength.

As Operation Stop Breastfeeding At 2 draws closer, I’m seriously thinking of ways to help my little one forget the boob. I have heard how some moms smear aloe vera, bitter leaf and even ground paracetamol on the nipples to discourage the toddler from sucking🤣. Maybe i’ll try that or leave her with my Mom for 3 days until she gets the message. Hmm.. I am not looking forward to it at all! What did you do to wean baby off breastmilk completely? Share your wisdom tips with me and other upcoming new Moms please!!!