One more FAQ

You're STILL nursing? Isn't that dangerous? How can you do that? You can't possibly nurse TWO babies can you?? (insert other person's eyes bulging and mouth gaping open here)

Yes. No. It's easy. I am sure going to try if the opportunity arises.

Tandem nursing (the "official" term for nursing two children at the same time) is as natural, beautiful and "normal" as breastfeeding itself. It is common and routine in many cultures because it so perfectly satisfies the emotional (and immunological and nutritional and physical) needs of the older baby while completely meeting the needs of your younger baby at the same time. There is a huge list of benefits which include: abundant milk supply, quick fix for engorgement, and a way to connect with your toddler who is adjusting to having a new sibling. Maddy nurses two to however many times she wants a day. She has night weaned (well, mostly night weaned, her ears and teeth have been waking her up the past few nights, but it is nice to have such an easy way to soothe her back to sleep right away) Mostly she asks to nurse when she falls and goes boom, her teeth hurt (those darnnnnnnn two year molars are working their way through), or she gets tired or cranky. It usually lasts about ten seconds to a few minutes at most. I do enjoy nursing her down for her nap and at bedtime (she likes it a lot too). For you doubters out there -- yes she can fall asleep on her own if I am not available. It is a surefire never fail method to help her when she gets overwhelmed by life and it is simply the easiest, most efficient, portable and cheapest "pacifier" I could ever conceive of. It works great for us and I plan to continue our nursing relationship as long as we both continue to benefit from it. When it stops working for one of us, that will be the time to reevaluate.

Here is a link to an article on tandem nursing that I learned a lot from.