Breastfeeding my 9 month old & Lansinoh nursing bundle #GIVEAWAY | @lansinohfamily #breastfeeding

I can’t believe I’m writing this, but Baby B is now 9 months old. She’s cruising. She’s chatting. She says “ye” “no” “da” du” “baba” “dada”. She’s so cheeky. She absolutely loves her sister and lights up when she sees her. She copies Toddler H’s every move, playing Paw Patrol together, ball games and more. However, it’s more than that, I’m still breastfeeding her at 9 months old and, yes it has a whole load of new challenges, but I love every second of it. It’s very different to feeding Toddler H…

Scroll to the bottom to enter the giveaway to WIN a Lansinoh manual breast pump, milk storage bottles and some nursing pads worth £45 RRP!

Challenges and loves of breastfeeding Baby B at 9 months old…

Biting DOES happen!

She now has 6 teeth, and Toddler H didn’t have any when I breastfed her. Breastfeeding with teeth is interesting. Everyone says they don’t get in the way, they have no impact, but I’m not so sure. We’ve had two phases of biting and it’s horrid. The pain is just like she’s bitten my finger, when the teeth were just popping through. That razor sharp sharp sharp ouch, but, 100 times worse. The first time it happened my initial thought was to stop breastfeeding, but firmly saying no and moving her away for a while, so she didn’t get any milk seemed to do the trick.

Demanding feeds

Baby B is crawling and will literally suddenly start ahhhh-ing and crawl over to me. Grabbing my legs, standing herself up. She’s very demanding, but at least it’s very obvious now, what she wants. I know not all 9 month olds are on the move, but even when she’s sat nicely on my lap she’s started pulling at my top, or just trying to feed through it. I do wonder how this will work out and about! So far I’ve managed to quickly feed her as soon as I notice she’s starting this cheekiness. Now she’s playing herself a bit more I might manage to express so we can take bottles with us sometimes.

Distractions

I have to say, I do remember this with Toddler H; any slight noise, light change, movement. Anything. ANYTHING will just cause little one to jump up displaying boob to everyone. It’s a whole new ball game trying to pre-empt those sudden “arghhh the baby is sitting bold upright” moments. I don’t have many tips, for combating this other than, perhaps pumping a bottle of milk for when out and about, having a muslin ready shielding where would be on display, and, at a push feeding in a quiet corner or room. To be honest, the last has never worked well for me, as Baby B just wonders where Toddler H is, or starts screeching and clambering to go back to play. She knows when she’s tired and will fall asleep when feeding when it’s time, however, any other time, she’ll ‘snack’.

Cuteness

I have to add, there is nothing cuter than my breastfeeding baby cuddled up in my lap. She doesn’t get milk drunk anymore, but sitting with her sound asleep, her snoring, and heavy in my arms after a feed, is something I can’t help but cherish.

Closeness

Similar to cuteness, when she’s snuggled in so close I just know she’s as close as she can get. She’s safe, and as close to being a newborn as she can get. I guess these cuddles will be replaced with her properly reaching her arms around me to give me cuddles, a moment I remember being so special with Toddler H, saying “I love you” and whatever stages come after that. For now this is our time.

It’s been an interesting few months, movement wise, sleep wise and feeding wise as weaning has progressed. I do have to admit that it’s been really hard at times. From the beginning I wanted to express milk to make sure Baby B would take a bottle easily, like Toddler H did. I have always had this fear that if I was ill, and she had to take a bottle the last thing we wanted was her not taking a bottle. Unfortunately despite my best intentions, I just struggled to find time, although she did on a few occasions take a bottle of expressed milk. Then when B was 6 months old, I had food poisoning causing hubby to do a panicked it’s-almost-10pm mad rush to Morrisons to buy formula. We had none in the house, and I’d been violently sick since 8pm when B went to bed. B took some formula, when she woke but would not calm, too used to the boob. I felt terrible but screaming from the bedside crib didn’t help and I still ended up still feeding her led in bed. That was just after she turned 6 months.

As I wrote last week, turning 9 months old Baby B is still a rubbish sleeper, up at least every 2.5 hours or more. I started struggling to get up, get pumping and as time has gone on I’ve really needed every second in bed. Pumping while Toddler H eats breakfast sometimes worked, but yet again was another strain. It was all just more and more pressure. Pressure to do extra, pressure to do it all, pressure to juggle more. In the end I let it slide and now only express when I get the chance, or on the occasion when B has slept better and I’m explosive – yes!!! Since my post on our sleep woes last week, we’ve been trying several sleep strategies and I can now admit that I’ve woken up with that explosive milk leaking pain – yes, she’s slept!

I do think every new mummy should have a breast pump, it’s the reason hubby and I got to go out on our first night out, and the reason Toddler H put on weight when she was born, how I kept my milk supply going when she couldn’t latch and how hubby got quality time feeding H every night following her tongue-tie snip. It’s also vital if you’re going to consider leaving baby for a night away and still breastfeeding. As I’ve written before, Lansinoh products are amazing for breastfeeding and their Lanolin cream is second to none. Lansinhol have kindly offered a breast pump for me to giveaway – so do check that out below. I have to say, in the first few weeks of feeding Baby B, and Toddler H, Lanolin provided amazing relief to me, while experiencing the incredible pain of breastfeeding, and breastfeeding a tongue-tied baby – so if you’re due a baby, or have a friend who is, it’s on my 100% must have list!

GIVEAWAY – Lansinoh Nursing Bundle!

* T&C’s below

Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump Giveaway
One prize: Lansinoh Nursing bundle which includes a manual breast pump, milk storage bottles and nursing pads.

Terms and Conditions

• UK entrants only

• This competition will close on Wednesday 4th April 2018 at 11.59pm

• One winner will be selected at random to win a Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump

• The winner will have 14 days in which to respond to their winning email

• The winner will be announced on New Mummy Blog’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

• The winner’s details will be passed to the Lansinoh PR, who will provide and coordinate the prize.

• No alternative prize or cash alternative is available.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook.