Setting breastfeeding boundaries for toddlers

Setting boundaries with your toddler. After their first birthday, as your toddler starts taking more table foods, nursing 2-3 times a day (2-4 cups worth of milk) gives your child all the nutritional and medicinal benefits their growing body needs. You can offer the breast whenever you want and your child may ask for the breast LOTS. Sometimes I feel like Peach asks to hang out at the breast more now than she did as an infant. At this stage you get to decide when, where and how long to breastfeed. Setting boundaries is healthy. It can also be a useful tool for when you’re out in public (I know, with COVID things have changed, but this still applies).
Boundaries:
💡For some, choosing a designated place or time and be helpful for establishing a breastfeeding routine. Toddler knows that they only get boobie when in that place or in that time of the daily routine. No routine or schedule needed but it can be helpful depending on your family structure
💡Talk to your toddler (12 months+) about your boundaries. When possible, start using language while baby feeds like “please” and “all done” paired with whatever you’re calling you milk starting at 5 months when baby learns cause and effect. You’re just teaching them the language at that age, not putting boundaries yet. Then they will already have the established language and pair wanting more or being done as a toddler. But it’s never too late to start speaking to your little one during breastfeeding!!
💡Have distractions ready for when you don’t want to nurse and toddler does
💡Change up your routine or wear high neck clothing as needed
💡Don’t give in if you don’t really want to nurse. If you cave after saying no multiple times, toddler will learn you don’t mean what you say and escalate the tantrum until you give in and give boobie

What tricks have worked for you?
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#toddlerlife #toddlerbreastfeeding #toddlerbreastfeedingproblems #extendedbreastfeeding #normalizebreastfeeding

[kathleenevans]

Bottle fed babies are so much easier to wean. I didn't go through any of that misery.

[itztocaemma]

I breastfeed my 4-year-old before bed and we are teaching her that when she wants to nurse during the day she can only have the boob before bed

[kathleenevans]

Toddlers should NOT be sucking anymore.