Shortly after Penelope's 3rd birthday we had a friend that started taking nursing photos for friends in a natural parenting play group that I joined. I couldn't think of a more wonderful way to commemorate this phase in our family's journey - three years of nursing. three months of nursing two babies.
We've come a long way these last 3 years. A long long long long long way. But through it all, nursing has been our constant. Some days have definitely been harder than others, and there have been times where I have wanted to call it quits, but I stand by my decision to allow Penelope to continue to nurse into her toddler years and am glad that we have made it this far.
When I first became pregnant with Penelope, breast feeding was a no-brainer for me. It's essentially free and healthier. Why not? My goal was to make it until Penelope's 1st Birthday so that she wouldn't have to have any formula - the idea of weaning a baby to put them onto formula has always been ridiculous to me. I understand that breastfeeding doesn't come naturally or easy to all mothers, I have known many who tried and tried and just couldn't get it to work... but to be successful at breastfeeding and wean them onto formula just for the sake of weaning them? Crazy.
We were fortunate and, besides a small yeast infection in the first month, we didn't have any complications when it came to nursing. That first year literally flew by and at Penelope's 12 month well-baby visit, our Pediatrician informed us that the pediatric recommendation was to nurse to 2 years or more.
Two years? Ok. We'll see about that.... then the second year went by faster than the first and the third, faster yet. And Penelope loves her mama's milk now just as much, if not more as she did as a newborn. In her words, "It's yummier than ice cream and funner than Disneyland." ... and Penelope loves ice cream and Disneyland a whole awful lot.
Now here we are. A pile of babies and boobs. 3 years and 3 months old.
And it's not weird.
Who knows how much longer we'll go, but for us, this is very special and I am so happy that we have these images to remember this time together.
*Photographs were taken by the wonderful Sarah A. Schlothan Christensen from Becoming Sarah.
