We were at his work to show off new baby sister. He has co-workers who have a daughter a month older than Chicken Little and they are pregnant with their second - due to be born just a few weeks after Chicklett. Funny how that lined up... must be something in the water at work. In any event, she asked me how long I nursed Chicken Little for and I replied, "A long time." Not exactly a lie... but I didn't really answer her question either. She went on to say how she had hoped to nurse their first child to two years, but that the child self weaned around 14 months. Feeling silly about 'lying', especially now that I knew she was someone who understood the importance of the 2-years of breastmilk, I backtracked a little and explained that my milk went away around 5 months pregnant so he hasn't had any since then. A little closer to the truth... but still not going all the way. Sure he wasn't getting milk anymore... but he still nursed for comfort atleast once a day and eventually he started getting colostrum (cat nip for toddlers). And the final truth that ultimately I continued to nurse him after delivering my daughter and that he is now getting breastmilk 3-4 times a day.
Sometimes in our society of "12-months of nursing is long enough" it is difficult to stand out and be proud of being an "extended" nurser... not only that... but a tandem nurser to boot! I think had this not been my husbands co-workers I wouldn't have hid the truth. Or maybe if it was just me and the one mother talking privately rather than being at a table with 7-8 co-workers.
I get lots of comments, "That's cool what you're doing, but I couldn't see myself doing it," regarding the tandem nursing. I have lots of online acquaintances of tandem nursers, but only know one or two in real life. I wonder if there is a support group? Ha! I've felt a little alone in the venture (I know you WANT to do it Christa) not knowing people in real life.
Have you ever lied about it? What would you have done?
P.S. I had random silly thoughts about how funny it would be if my husbands co-workers are a fan of this blog and recognized me from pictures so she knew the truth before even asking me. Oops!
