A little secret...

So I have a secret. Okay it's not actually a secret, it's just not something I talk about or get asked about, so it just is what it is. Anyways, here it goes, I still breastfeed Brynn. Okay it's not that big. It actually effects very little of my life right now and unless you are at my house at nap or bed time, you probably wouldn't know. But I know that having a 13 month old and still breastfeeding is not the norm. At least here in the US. But honestly it doesn't seem weird to me. Not now that I am doing it.

I do want to clarify though, I am not one of those moms that will tell you breastfeeding is the only way and that if you give your child formula you are wrong. Please, every mom knows what is best for each child of hers and for herself. With Mady I both breastfed and formula fed for 7 months before I switched to all formula. I knew that was best for her and myself at the time. When I had Brynn I was determined to breastfeed for 6 months, and once I reached the 6 month point Brynn just wasn't ready to give it up and honestly it wasn't interfering too much in my life, so I kept going. Now at 13 months I nurse 2 or 3 times a day and I'm fine with it. Brynn drinks whole milk and eats all kinds of solids and is growing normally.

Why write this? Why tell people when I don't really have to? I am tired of both sides of people who argue about this. The moms who preach that breastfeeding is the only way and that if you give formula you are wrong (those moms annoy the crap out of me). Then the people that think it is just too weird to breast feed past a certain arbitrary point because it's weird. I agree and think it's weird to see a 4 year old breastfeeding, but that is that mom's decision and if she wants to do it, good for her. Her decision in no way effects my life, so why should I care. This goes for many parenting decisions. Why does everyone think thy have a right to tell others how to parent? I understand there are some health and safety issues that I think it's okay to intervene with. A baby not riding in a car seat, yes someone needs to say something. A mom choosing to use a swaddle or not, or let their baby sleep with them, or have a c-section by choice is not harming the child, is not harming anyone around them, so why should anyone else get a say.

Okay this is kind of rambling, but my point is, let parents raise their own children. Shut your mouth, keep your opinion and advice to yourself unless asked and let moms and dads figure it out. And new mommies, don't be so nervous you think you need advice on everything. Go with your gut. You know your baby like no one else. You love your baby unlike anyone ever will. You will screw up. At some point your baby will fall off of something and probably be fine. Don't panic and think you are horrible mom. Every mom has done it. Mady fell off the bed in the bouncer seat at a couple months old. Yep it was horrible and scary and she was fine. They both rolled off the couch at some point, and now that they walk and run they fall all the time. Just stop judging other parents and them be.