How to breastfeed after 6 months
Okay ladies, you’ve been happily nursing your little semi-manageable, arm-sized little one so far, but have noticed some changes recently. For one, that chair you once used to feed is shrinking a bit, secondly, the feeds are getting shorter, and lastly, your milk no longer gives your baby that high morphine smile after every feed.
Well moms, you are entering the post-breastfeeding phase and things are about to change even faster … but fear not, as a mother nursing an almost 10 month old baby, I am here to put aside your worries …
Here are my tips and tricks to get you through the new breastfeeding journey – or should I say storm in the safest way possible.
Tip one
Remove all brightly colored objects from your person, this includes jewelry, head scarves, or particular clothing that could be at high risk of tearing, biting, swallowing, etc.
Something funny happens to babies after 6 months … they start to realize that they can touch things, but not just touch them, destroy them or the person they are attached to. Now, I learn this the hard way, when my little one was about to rip off one of my earrings … thank goodness It was actually in my ear and not anywhere else … imagine this happening with a ring on the nose or worse, tongue piercing! However, the ladies protect themselves and wear the simplest clothing, safety first and baby-friendly when breastfeeding.
Tip two
Be careful with the face that bites.
Now it’s a given that when babies get those new pearly whites, they want to try them on everything … including our nipples.
But don’t panic too much, bites usually come with a warning sign, it’s usually a very cheeky gritting face your baby will make when he’s about to squeeze that nipple. Now the most important thing to remember when this happens is to have the perfect reaction, this is crucial. You will see that the first reaction of the first nipple bite will determine the interaction between the teeth and the nipple. If the reaction is to a large baby, he will think he is playing and will do it to get attention, but if the baby is too small, he will not fully grasp what the reaction is and will try to bite a second time. The safest bet, after six months protect those nipples with a plastic protector or I do what I do, a bear smiles repeating the affirmation “everything is part of being a mother”.
Tip three
Breastfeed in an open area that gives your baby plenty of legroom.
You already know those annoying chihuahua puppies, those that as soon as you sit down they jump and lick you all over the place. Okay, now imagine nursing one of those dogs. Yes, there you have it, this is what breastfeeding looks like after 6 months. Not only will your little baby be constantly fidgeting, but in the mad frenzy of sucking on as much milk as possible he will crawl all over you, sometimes eating on his stomach or, like my little one, while trying to stand on his head. Here’s my advice, lie down, pop those nipples, keep your arm wide open, and let the precious bundle of joy do its job. I think it’s best to give in to the feeding frenzy, it usually only lasts 10-20 minutes and if you’re lucky you’ll end up with the baby somehow lying on top of you in a milk coma.
Yes, breastfeeding after six months is not a walk in the park, but hey, what part of motherhood it is. The only way to get ahead is to laugh, embrace the chaos, and accept the fact that for the next year or so your body will be fully fueled, all inclusive, unlimited!
Until next time moms, happy breastfeeding!