Emotional breastfeeding and the power of the boobies!

[Indadhanu]

I just wanted to put this out there as it's been in my head for a few weeks now.

She is weaned, almost one month now. Well, she has physically stopped breastfeeding anyway.

Since she weaned she still "emotionally breastfeeds". That's what I'm calling it. It's the most accurate label I can give. Almost every night she crawls in to my arms, lays down like she's about to feeding, puts her hand inside of my shirt and falls asleep pretty much instantly. At night, if she's in our bed, she'll be searching for my breast, just to hold or touch it. If she is very upset, cuddling in to my breasts seems to be the comfort she needs.

It's like, even though she's weaned, she's still 'breastfeeding', drawing energy or comfort from my breasts, letting the memories of comfort and nurture and closeness and safety calm her. It was a really moving realisation that she wasn't just feeding for physical nutrition, but also for comfort, and Shel is also in awe of what I've now decided is "the power of boobies".

I did always feed her to comfort her, for a quick and conveniant solution to a distressed child! The realisation of what it mean to her emotionally has really only just hit me. The realisation of what breastfeeding gave her on the level of comfort, safety, calm, warmth, relaxation...

I know everyone will say "oh yeah, of course, the emotional benefits are equal to the nutritional benefits" and yes I knew it, theoretically. I heard a lot of people spout that line at me time and time again, but very few have spoken with with any emotion themselves, not having seen and actually realising the full power breastfeeding can have.

It is amazing. It is truly amazing. To those who say "you're baby doesn't need to be breastfed" at ANY age and stage of their development, IGNORE THEM! You are giving them MORE than physical nutrition! You are helping them fulfil emotional needs, you're giving them more than you realise!



(ETA: Thought I should add this note. I'm not saying not breastfeeding means you can't give your child these things. Don't try and read between the lines, I didn't write anything there. I'm just talking my experience of the awesome power of breastfeeding. Just because I nourished my child at my breast, doesn't mean that other child aren't or can't be nourished away from the breast.)

[Sterla]

Just beautiful .

[~clover~]

Its been 10 months since I weaned Jesse & he still does this
Actually, he's sick today, so I've been expressing so he can have some out of a bottle

[MrsFabuloso]

Yep, my DS does it too. He will snuggle into my boobies when he is distressed or likes to stroke my skin on my tummy like he used to when he fed. When I put him to sleep or sleep with him at night, he will often snuggle up to my boobs and fall asleep close to me. He weaned himself about 5mths ago now. He's started to get a bit of a fascination with my hair too and I will often wake up to him sleeping on it, lol! I always tell DH DS will be a boob man! LOL!

[~clover~]

Jesse will roll over in his sleep & put his hand in my shirt.
DH hates it, thinks its disgusting that I let him do it (lol, one just went down there), but it is just natural for him! (Just as I finished this line his eyes closed...)
I could never take this away from him. Though a 17 year old doing it might raise some eyebrows

[thepixie]

Awww that's sweet! DD sticks her hands (and sometimes feet) down my top but it's not a comfort thing. In the last few days she has started stuffing books and toys down my cleavage!

[beckoes]

thats beautiful!!! DD always has her hand down there! when she is tired and we are out shopping or we are talking to some one she is a bit unsure of...the hands are straight down my top! its her comfort blanket and it IS amazing!

[Jennifer13]

DD still likes to cuddle boobies and tells me she missed boobies if I've been away and she was a bit upset about it. She's physically very touchy with me and uses all of the same fiddling that she did when she was bfing if we snuggle. I agree with you!

[helle]

The Power of The Boobies. Love it!!

I alwAys remember mums boobs as pillows as a small child. That and the "mum smell" was always a comfort... Or maybe I was just a weird kid XD

[Honeybee]

DS still snuggles into my breasts if he's having trouble going to sleep. I have started feeling a bit uncomfortable with it - he rubs his head all over them! But I will let him go with it if he wants to. Just wanted to add that I believe DS and I got all (or almost all) the benefits of exclusive b/f, even though I was forced to supplement with formula from 3 months due to lack of supply. I persisted with the b/f, figuring it was better that he get 2/3 from me and 1/3 from the bottle, and I really do believe that we had a very strong b/f relationship even though the bottle was there also, and we continued to b/f for 17 months.

[MummaSue]

That's beautiful xxxx

[NaeNae]

*sniff* aw I got teary eyed, that really was beautiful. Your little miss is so loving hun the stories you write I wish and hope that one day my little miss will be half as sweet as yours x

[~Hestia~]

Aw that's lovely.

I know what you mean too. Moo hasn't had a BF since early October but when he's tired or sad he'll put his hand down my top. It's quite discreet! He'll cuddle up to me, press the back of his hand to me & slide his hand right down so it's nestled in between my boobies! He sits there for a couple of minutes then runs off again.

[ezymay]

Beautiful!!! It conjures up a gorgeous image!

[CrazyLady]

The Power of The Boobies. Love it!!

I alwAys remember mums boobs as pillows as a small child. That and the "mum smell" was always a comfort... Or maybe I was just a weird kid XD

I only managed to BF DD for 3 and a half months but if she is stressed no matter how much, this settles her. DD will be throwing the biggest wobbly on the planet (the world is ending type wobbly) and all I have to do I cuddled her head to my chest and she calms down.

GO GO BOOBY POWER!

[Gigi]

love it, get it, agree.

my four year old is not touching my breasts e.g down the top like lots of people have described. but when i get dressed, getting out the shower, sometimes, she will gaze lovingly at my breasts and ask "can i touch your booby" and she literally strokes a breast in a gentle loving way, kind of how you might stroke a baby's head, lovingly. short and sweet.

i was a bit unsure at first (when she asked to do this)
but i decided to go with it
she doesn't do it in public, and it doesn't go on for very long.
it's like her having a reminimiscence (can't spell that word)

she is still having a "i've just woken up" breastfeed, each morning.

[kelebek]

aww that is sweet Leash. We have weaned about 2 weeks ago and DS has become obsessed with playing with my ears (and everyone elses ) like he use to when he would feed. He even likes to have a 'pretend' feed every now and then when he is upset or something.