No breastfeeding rules – make your own!

That post is part of the breastfeeding blog hop and therefore in English. All other posts of this blog are in German. This Week’s Topic: Breaking The Rules
Dieser Post ist Teil des breastfeeding blog hop und somit in Englisch. Alle anderen Posts in meinem Blog sind auf Deutsch verfasst.

Every breastfeeding relationship is unique. So, how can there be rules? I would rather call them guidelines, hints, philosophies, and experience of other unique breastfeeding relationships. Without them, it would be hard to get started on breastfeeding and find your own unique way. Later in your breastfeeding “career”, I guess it is actually the rule that you break the guidelines and form your own experience.

I read a lot about breastfeeding before our little one was born. Then in the hospital, I was lucky to get some good advice from the nurses. I was also lucky that my son latched on right away and has never stopped since then. In the first couple weeks, I followed the “rule” to leave at least two hours in between two feedings. That’s what I was told in the hospital. It worked out most of the time, but when it was really hot in the summer, I broke the rule, and just let him nurse whenever he was thirsty. I didn’t return to this rule after that, because I read about feeding on demand, and made this my new rule. It just worked better for us. I was also told by doctors that you should not let your baby sleep in your bed. I followed this rule as well in the first weeks. But when I noticed that night feeding is so much easier and gives us much more sleep when our little darling is sleeping right next to me, I learned about co-sleeping and we made this our new rule. At the beginning, I was also very careful about nursing in public, although it is very common here in Germany. I just felt unsure because everything was new. Now, I am just nursing whenever it is necessary, and my own rule is to refuse to feed in toilets. Who eats their food in toilets anyway? I can think of one unspoken “rule” or rather common code that I am planning to break in the future. When your baby turns one breastfeeding should be over. That’s at least the impression I get around here in Germany. Up to one it is ok to do, but after that it is “weird”. 11 month and 30 days – fine. 12 months – weird! I know that many moms do feed after 12 months, but don’t really talk about it. I am aiming for my new “weird” rule of breastfeeding after 12 months, if my baby wants to.

My point of all this is: It is extremely helpful to start out with some rules and experiences from others.  Everyone though should be free to develop their own set of new rules that suit their unique breastfeeding relationship.

Have you ever had to think “outside the box” when it comes to breastfeeding? Do you think there are certain breastfeeding “rules” that are meant to be broken? Do you fit in the typical nursing mom mold? Share your thoughts here!