Just a comment on mothers whose older children express an interest in trying
breastfeeding. When a new baby arrives it is not uncommon for a sibling to
want to try other things that the baby does- like sit in their carseat, use
diapers, carry a baby toy, or GO BACK TO BOTTLES. So why would it not make
sense the sibling would be interested in how this particular baby feeds. I
bring this up to parents who sometimes worry about how normal it is for the
sibling to request this connection with mom.
My mother is an RN and when my 2 youngest were 4 and 2 years old she came
home from her new job with a "present". She presented my little ones with
cute little 4 oz playtex nursers "to use with their babies". My kids never
had bottles as babies or to go with their toys so it was never a part of
their parenting play. They were so thrilled and within minutes had juice in
them and were sucking away ( think about that in the context of "can a
toddler learn to breastfeed"). I  was agast!!!! So I was thinking how to get
out of this after a day of watching my totally breastfed kids walk around
with bottles. I decided to take it all the way. If they were going to have
bottles it was going to have formula in it. I mixed up the samples that came
with it and filled the bottles- ONCE. The kids decided mothers who feed their
kids that STUFF are definately practicing abuse and the bottles went in the
trash.
I do encourage mothers to let the older child taste the milk since most older
children do the teehee when offered the breast on request. I think the taste
is a uniquely delicious one that you  only experience if someone shares it
with you and kids remember this. We were discusing this at my office one day
and the woman who had never breastfed were shocked and disgusted when some of
us admitted to having tasted our own milk. I got them back by serving formula
at a staff training.
Debra Kearney IBCLC in sunny FL
Seminole County WIC

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