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10 tips for toddler nursing

Thinking about nursing your child past his first birthday? Check out these must-read tips from our lactation expert

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Originally published on TodaysParent.com May 11, 2011

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In the beginning, when you struggled to figure out latch and milk production and all the initial challenges of breastfeeding, you wondered if you’d make it to six weeks. But you did, and then you kept going ― and now you’re nursing a toddler. You’re a breastfeeding pro, and so is your child, yet there can be new challenges when you’re breastfeeding an older baby. Here are some tips to help you enjoy being the mom of a happy nursing toddler.


1. Know WHY you are still nursing.

Remembering how important this is for your toddler’s health and development can get you through the rough patches. Your milk provides not only excellent, easily digested nutrition, but antibodies to help protect against a wide range of illnesses, and those antibodies are at higher levels now than when your child was younger. Your toddler’s brain is still growing rapidly and your milk contains the components needed for normal brain development. This can be a reassuring thought during those times when your toddler isn’t eating much of other foods. Not only that, breastfeeding is an easy and effective way to calm an upset toddler or comfort a tearful one.

2. Twiddling, pinching and other nursing “add-ons” can be more than a little annoying.

Many toddlers like to twiddle or tug at the other nipple while nursing on one breast; some like to pinch your arms or skin, or twist your hair, or poke a finger in your mouth. Yours may have her own variation! Once this becomes part of the nursing routine it can be hard to get your toddler to stop ― so to try to catch it early, before the behaviour becomes entrenched. Sometimes it works to just persistently remove the toddler’s hand from your other breast or your mouth. Some mothers have had success with necklaces of large beads that they can redirect the toddler’s hands to, or with special toys for the toddler to hold while nursing.

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