Motherwear model Natasha, on nursing her toddler.

One of the models in this fall's Motherwear catalog should look familiar.  Natasha's been in the last three catalogs with her son Nikita Cash. 

Earlier this year I interviewed Natasha about her breastfeeding her then 6 1/2 month old.  To hear what she had to say about breastfeeding and how she balances nursing and working, check out this post.

I recently checked in again with Natasha to find out what breastfeeding has been like with her now 14 month old.  Here's what she had to say:

To continue breastfeeding was a choice which came naturally, and I am very happy I followed my instincts.  Cash has never been sick!  He is about to turn 14 months, so it has saved me a headache and numerous trips to the doctor.

What has it been like nursing a toddler? 

It's been wonderful!  He loves it.  No kidding, I think the first word out of his mouth was BOOBY!  I love it! When I get to travel, boob is the only thing which will keep him occupied for 3 hours on the plane :)  Challenges?  Hmmm.  It takes a lot of energy out of me, but on the other hand helps me stay in probably the best shape I have ever been in.  No gyms!

What has motivated you to keep breastfeeding?

The best motivation is knowing how beneficial it is for his health.  As a toddler he is very picky when it comes to solids, but I didn't have to worry as he gets the best nutrients with the breastmilk.  And as I said, he has never been sick, so I've got my proof and am going for a natural weaning.

Is there anyone who has helped support you as you continue to nurse?

Yes!  A lot of people!  Some friends of mine who stopped breasfeeding, who now wish they hadn't as their kids go through all kinds of health issues. My midwife nursed all four of her kids for a while, so she is definitely my role model.

Breastfeeding offers so many advantages, and if you think about it, that's how women were raising their kids back in the day, when there was no formula and an average sized family had 11 people. Everybody was much healthier!  It is also very beneficial for moms.  The chances of breast cancer are so much lower.  For those who want more info on benefits of breasfeeding, check out Dr. Sears' website.  There are some interesting articles on the topic there.

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Comments

[Tanya Lieberman]

Sent by email:

When I received my most recent Motherwear catalog, I was thrilled to see a nursing mom and toddler on the cover. I had planned to email MW to thank them for showing a mom nursing her older baby, when I ran across the blog about model Natasha and her toddler. I have a 15-month old son and I feel a great deal of pressure by friends and family to stop breastfeeding. They think that he's too old, which I find very sad. My son and I still enjoy this bond and, I too, am pursuing a natural weaning process. I think society is becoming more supportive of breast feeding in general, but mostly to those mothers of young babies. The reaction of others when they see a nursing toddler in public is much different than that of a small infant. I hope that more and more women will continue to nurse their babies into toddlerhood and hopefully our society will become more accepting of this.

[Beth]

It's great to see mothers and nursing toddlers in Motherwear's catalog. It was nice to hear about Natasha's experiences and her thoughts. I'm glad that nursing older babies and toddlers is beginning to gain more acceptance and positive publicity here in the US.