Facing a storm of opinions

 You're still nursing?????
I get this question all the time.  Brandon is still nursing and I feel like I shock a lot of people when they hear this.  For me my reason for continuing with nursing is very simple.  It makes Brandon happy and it's the healthiest form of milk for him.  I'd be lying if I said I wanted to breastfeed from the get go.  It took a lot of thinking for me to want to nurse him, but I kept an open mind and just thought I'd try it out and if I did not like it we could put him on formula.  But after a rocky start we're finally  in a very happy place.  I treasure the moments I get to nurse him into a milk induced sleep and have him go from screaming and crying to instant silence and relief.  I also never realized that when I'm nursing him I am forcing myself to put my feet up and rest (which is much needed these days).   I've been reading up on the benefits of nursing him up until 1 year old and I can't help but want to.

Long-term benefits for Brandon

Greater immune health antibodies pass from Mother to baby to prevent getting sick

Fewer infections studies have shown that longer breastfed babies have fewer inner ear and respiratory infections

Protection from SIDS they have a better arousal from sleep at 2-3 months

Less diabetes  less likely to develop type 1 diabetes when exclusively BF

Less childhood obesity the chances of baby becoming extremely morbidly obese are reduced

Less tendency to develop allergies you decrease the chance of giving any allergies Mama or Papa have to when bfeeding for extended periods of time.

So will I nurse him until he's 1?  Who knows, I have been taking all my cues from Brandon.  Whenever he wants to nurse he gets it, but he won't take anything else but breast at B&B time (breakfast and bedtime)  In the afternoon I can get him to take a bottle AND now a sippy cup.  That's right after nearly 1 1/2 months of trying he is holding and sipping his cup by himself.

I'm not sure I would have lasted this long living in America.  I received so much encouragement and support from my midwife, doctors, and friends.  It seems like here in The Netherlands they don't give mothers much option to do anything but breastfeed.  It's so simple.  So until further notice I am a mixed feeding mama (formula, water, and breast milk).  I'm sure I'll write a blog about how much fun weening goes so until then just assume I am still nursing.