Anyway, Joshua (now 40 months) wouldn't breastfeed at birth in the delivery room.  He just arched his back and pulled away and screamed.  He just wouldn't nurse.  I double pumped for 4 months and then there was only 8 oz of milk a day so I quit.  It broke my heart.  I cried off and on for a couple months.  I knew there was something wrong with this baby or he would nurse.  I knew for that reason that he needed breastmilk even more.

I had help from 2 lactation consultants, LLL, doctors, and even the breast pump lady.  Nothing could get him to latch on.  When he was 2 months old, I wanted another baby so bad.  I wanted another baby partly because I wanted to nurse a baby and partly because I loved this one so much.  Well, my husband made me wait until he couldn't stand it any longer (my requests) and at 10 months old we got pregnant with Adam.

When Adam was 6 ½ months old, Joshua was 26 ½ months.  Here's how I put Joshua to bed:  I always rocked him with his bottle of milk.  Then when he was asleep, I would put him in his bed (sadly, I didn't know about Attachment Parenting then, but I'm full swing now (I did most of it, just not sharing sleep)).  Then I would go and nurse Adam to sleep and put him in our bed.  One night I had nursed Adam to sleep and I put him in bed and I heard Joshua crying.  So I went in his room and he said he wanted oooo (which was drink) (he has a speech problem).  I told him no, he already had a whole bottle and he needed to go to sleep.  I had just come from nursing Adam so my shirt was down, but I was air-drying (my flaps were open).  I started fixing my bra and Joshua started pointing at my breast and saying ooooo!   ooooo!.  I said "you don't want that, you never did".  He said ooooo!!! So I tried to nurse him and he nursed on the floor in his room for 1 ½ hours (it was weird trying to find a comfortable position for such a big kid).  It took him so long because he would stop after every 3rd suck to roll his eyes up and say mmmmmm!!!  He loved it. (This is not an exaggeration.)  (I kept telling him see, I told you it was good.)  The next day at nap time he nursed for an hour.  From then on, he has been nursing once or twice a day, not every single day either.  He usually only nurses about 5 minutes on each side now, he is very good at it now.  But he can nurse as long as he wants.  He didn't get any nummies the first 2 years, he can nurse the next 2 if he wants.  It's good for him.

Yes, he did bite me (unintentionally).  I wasn't used to teeth at that point.  But he is a very smart boy and I just kept showing him how to put his tongue out over his teeth and use his tongue instead of teeth to nurse.  I still tell him use your tongue, don't bite mommy.  He has really gotten the hang of it.  Sometimes when Adam nurses now he is a little rough (he has six teeth) or when he nurses for a long time it starts hurting.  Joshua will come up to him and tell him "No teeth, tongue!"  And he sticks his tongue out to show brother.  It is so cute!
 
FYI, Adam was a hospital birth too (epidural at 10 minutes before birth (thought I was going to die from pain, but I probably could have done it without the epidural)), but this time we will be birthing at home with a mid-wife.  My dh still doesn't want to 'catch'.  If he knew it would save him $1800.00 (or whatever) he would probably be first in line to 'catch'.

Hope you enjoyed our story.  I have always known I like to do things differently than most people, why shouldn't breastfeeding be different too.

Note:  Joshua has self-weaned at 41 months. Instinct Parenting at Work

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