Adventures in Tandem Nursing

Well, the HUGE news now is that I'm pregnant -- about 14 weeks along. It's so funny to me how I followed my pregnancy numbers so meticulously with Kapono and now with our second, everything is guess-timated. I'm *about* 14 weeks along, due *around* late September, and the baby is *about* the size of an apple these days (I think -- I knew this stuff down to the centimeter with the K-man!)

Anyway, I decided to start up this blog again because I wanted a venue to share some of my adventures in tandem nursing (breastfeeding during pregnancy). The reason for this is because of the general lack of awareness (and accuracy!) and support from mainstream culture for breastfeeding, let alone encouragement to continue breastfeeding beyond infancy and into subsequent pregnancies. When we found out that we were expecting, I had decided that I would wean Kapono because I kind of felt like that was what I had to do, like that was just what mothers did. I hadn't *planned* to get pregnant while still nursing, but after a little bit of trial and error with the parent-led (vs child-led) weaning, I further investigated tandem nursing and made the much more informed decision to continue nursing during this second pregnancy. Since making that decision, I feel happier and Kapono feels happier which also makes Emiliano (and baby) happier :-)

The American Academy of Pediatrics Breastfeeding Policy recommends "Exclusive breastfeeding for approximately the first six months and support for breastfeeding for the first year and beyond as long as mutually desired by mother and child."

The American Academy of Family Physicians has an identical recommendation that "Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired."

And the World Health Organization advises "continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond."

Even before getting pregnant with our second, people started to question our decision to continue breastfeeding Kapono, who turned two last month. I really wonder why so many people feel so affronted by continued breastfeeding? That being said, I also need to acknowledge the many people who have supported (and praised) our decision and/or, even if they were unfamiliar with tandem nursing, were very open-minded and, what I most especially appreciate, willing to learn something new.