toddlers bf curiosity..

[4Seasons-89]

I have a 6 month old son that I bf. My 3 yr old daughter has found it interesting to watch since I've had him. This activity has recently started to show signs of trouble. There have been a couple times when I'm not feeding my son that she'll come up and try to undress me and a few others where she acted like she wanted to bf as well. I didn't bf her so I'm at a loss on why she has an urge to. She's special needs and I've told her the usual no and get her to go do something else but I'm at a loss as to what else I should do. Has anyone else experienced this and how did you handle it?

[gdiamante]

It's quite normal. It's unusual for toddlers to NOT want to try. Handle however you'd like. You can let her try to nurse if you want; very likely she'll look at you funny and walk off. Most do. Or tell her no, it's only for her brother and girls who nurse can't do (insert a big girl privilege here).

[4Seasons-89]

I thought about letting her try but wasn't sure if that would be inviting her to keep trying if she for whatever reason did like it. The second party would be complex for her. Its hard to explain her mental understanding but she's at a much younger age developmentally. Both her and her brother do a lot of the same things. Do you think if I got her a new toy and designated it souly to the time when I bf that would help?

Quoting gdiamante:

It's quite normal. It's unusual for toddlers to NOT want to try. Handle however you'd like. You can let her try to nurse if you want; very likely she'll look at you funny and walk off. Most do. Or tell her no, it's only for her brother and girls who nurse can't do (insert a big girl privilege here).

[gdiamante]

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

I thought about letting her try but wasn't sure if that would be inviting her to keep trying if she for whatever reason did like it.

By age three they've usualy lost the instinctive ability to nurse.

The second party would be complex for her. Its hard to explain her mental understanding but she's at a much younger age developmentally. Both her and her brother do a lot of the same things. Do you think if I got her a new toy and designated it souly to the time when I bf that would help?

Absolutely.

[SaraSnider]

Idk if u want u could try to or pump her some. I always told my dd im going to squirt u, she leaves me alone mostly lol

[4Seasons-89]

Lol that's kind of funny. That isn't a bad idea though. I have a pump but I didn't think to give her some that way. She usually just goes straight for me so putting it in a cup for her never came to mind. Another reason I was nervous to just let her try straight from the source was I'm almost certain she'd bite me and him biting with only two teeth on the rare occassion is bad enough.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Idk if u want u could try to or pump her some. I always told my dd im going to squirt u, she leaves me alone mostly lol

[SaraSnider]

Ya im to scared to let my 20 month old try and nurse lol. I do give her milk that he dont drink if i was out and bout or if i pumped and she was staring at me the whole time. I squirted her 1 time and she cried :( so me telling her i was going to worked really well.

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

Lol that's kind of funny. That isn't a bad idea though. I have a pump but I didn't think to give her some that way. She usually just goes straight for me so putting it in a cup for her never came to mind. Another reason I was nervous to just let her try straight from the source was I'm almost certain she'd bite me and him biting with only two teeth on the rare occassion is bad enough.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Idk if u want u could try to or pump her some. I always told my dd im going to squirt u, she leaves me alone mostly lol

[4Seasons-89]

That is kind of sad and funny at the same time. She would totally understand that if it happened and would probably avoid me. It may be a tactic I resort to later if she still finds harassing me for boob time necessary. She's just making me feel claustrophobic (sp?) But watching him eat and then later she's in my face when I eat. I can handle her wanting to eat what I am but am unsure on what to do about her wanting to bf.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Ya im to scared to let my 20 month old try and nurse lol. I do give her milk that he dont drink if i was out and bout or if i pumped and she was staring at me the whole time. I squirted her 1 time and she cried :( so me telling her i was going to worked really well.

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

Lol that's kind of funny. That isn't a bad idea though. I have a pump but I didn't think to give her some that way. She usually just goes straight for me so putting it in a cup for her never came to mind. Another reason I was nervous to just let her try straight from the source was I'm almost certain she'd bite me and him biting with only two teeth on the rare occassion is bad enough.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Idk if u want u could try to or pump her some. I always told my dd im going to squirt u, she leaves me alone mostly lol

[Nolanzo]

She's being naturally curious for one, and for two, by being in your face while you nurse, is trying to remind you that she's there too and is seeking attention.

This doesn't mean you don't have the right to tell her to back off. During nursing your son, it's perfectly acceptable to insist that she get off you and go do something else until you are finished. Make time for her and her alone when the session is over and you are able to put your son down.

Sounds like she's just vying for attention and equates your son nursing with receiving an awful lot of attention from you since it's so time consuming.

Or, I could be WAY off base :)

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

That is kind of sad and funny at the same time. She would totally understand that if it happened and would probably avoid me. It may be a tactic I resort to later if she still finds harassing me for boob time necessary. She's just making me feel claustrophobic (sp?) But watching him eat and then later she's in my face when I eat. I can handle her wanting to eat what I am but am unsure on what to do about her wanting to bf.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Ya im to scared to let my 20 month old try and nurse lol. I do give her milk that he dont drink if i was out and bout or if i pumped and she was staring at me the whole time. I squirted her 1 time and she cried :( so me telling her i was going to worked really well.

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

Lol that's kind of funny. That isn't a bad idea though. I have a pump but I didn't think to give her some that way. She usually just goes straight for me so putting it in a cup for her never came to mind. Another reason I was nervous to just let her try straight from the source was I'm almost certain she'd bite me and him biting with only two teeth on the rare occassion is bad enough.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Idk if u want u could try to or pump her some. I always told my dd im going to squirt u, she leaves me alone mostly lol

[4Seasons-89]

Your likely right. Before my son it was mainly just the two of us and my sons dad when he was home on leave. We still do a lot of stuff together just the two of us but I do notice she tries to move in on me when I'm doing something with him like bf or putting him down for a nap. Usually she tries to help me with him but for those she tries to mimic him or gets super obsessed with watching. Realistically they pay more attention to each other than wanting to spend time with me too but I do try to split time for one on one with each when they let me. She likes to spend the most time with me when she's in the tub and at bed time because those involve her two favorite thing, water and books. I guess I could read to her after I feed him... Never thought of that until just now. She can spend at least a half hour consumed in books.

Quoting Nolanzo:

She's being naturally curious for one, and for two, by being in your face while you nurse, is trying to remind you that she's there too and is seeking attention.



This doesn't mean you don't have the right to tell her to back off. During nursing your son, it's perfectly acceptable to insist that she get off you and go do something else until you are finished. Make time for her and her alone when the session is over and you are able to put your son down.



Sounds like she's just vying for attention and equates your son nursing with receiving an awful lot of attention from you since it's so time consuming.



Or, I could be WAY off base :)

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

That is kind of sad and funny at the same time. She would totally understand that if it happened and would probably avoid me. It may be a tactic I resort to later if she still finds harassing me for boob time necessary. She's just making me feel claustrophobic (sp?) But watching him eat and then later she's in my face when I eat. I can handle her wanting to eat what I am but am unsure on what to do about her wanting to bf.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Ya im to scared to let my 20 month old try and nurse lol. I do give her milk that he dont drink if i was out and bout or if i pumped and she was staring at me the whole time. I squirted her 1 time and she cried :( so me telling her i was going to worked really well.

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

Lol that's kind of funny. That isn't a bad idea though. I have a pump but I didn't think to give her some that way. She usually just goes straight for me so putting it in a cup for her never came to mind. Another reason I was nervous to just let her try straight from the source was I'm almost certain she'd bite me and him biting with only two teeth on the rare occassion is bad enough.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Idk if u want u could try to or pump her some. I always told my dd im going to squirt u, she leaves me alone mostly lol

[SaraSnider]

Ya i was lol as i held her trying to calm her down. Ya it use to bug me because she was also up in my face, a few times she would try and push my ds off my boob lol

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

That is kind of sad and funny at the same time. She would totally understand that if it happened and would probably avoid me. It may be a tactic I resort to later if she still finds harassing me for boob time necessary. She's just making me feel claustrophobic (sp?) But watching him eat and then later she's in my face when I eat. I can handle her wanting to eat what I am but am unsure on what to do about her wanting to bf.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Ya im to scared to let my 20 month old try and nurse lol. I do give her milk that he dont drink if i was out and bout or if i pumped and she was staring at me the whole time. I squirted her 1 time and she cried :( so me telling her i was going to worked really well.

Quoting 4Seasons-89:

Lol that's kind of funny. That isn't a bad idea though. I have a pump but I didn't think to give her some that way. She usually just goes straight for me so putting it in a cup for her never came to mind. Another reason I was nervous to just let her try straight from the source was I'm almost certain she'd bite me and him biting with only two teeth on the rare occassion is bad enough.

Quoting SaraSnider:

Idk if u want u could try to or pump her some. I always told my dd im going to squirt u, she leaves me alone mostly lol