One mother asks:
I tried breastfeeding in the beginning and was not
able to get the hang of it, I got frustrated and gave up. But, I wanted my baby
to have the benfits of breast milk so I pumped all of my milk and fed the baby
this way. The baby is now almost 3 months, and still roots occasionally, I put
him to the breast for the first time to see if he would take it and much to my
surprise he did. I feel like I am doing things backwards, will this work if I
want to start breastfeeding him from the breast? Or has the critical period
already passed amd I am not doing him any good? I am still pumping but I feel
the breastfeeding is easier, now that he is older and I am a little more
confident.
Dear Mother:
There's no critical period
involved, as long as your baby still has the nursing techniques (or gained
it), then you will really enjoy a new nursing relationship, and can get
rid of pumping altogether!
Congratulations!
You may be surprised to know that your situation isn't completely unusual - quite a
few mothers who've given up getting their baby on the breast find that a
baby will learn how to at an older age. Since you've kept your milk
supply up, you should have an easy time weaning baby to fulltime nursing.
Happy Nursing!
These tips are not intended to be medical advice. Please consult your
healthcare provider if you have questions.
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