Breastfeeding Stages: From Drunkard to Obsessed

Breastfeeding is an amazing time to bond with your baby.

But have you observed how the style, duration and frequency of your baby’s feeding changes over time? Maybe you will observe a pattern like this-

The Drunkard 0-4 months

On retrospective, it is the easiest stage of parenting. Just like how booze is the answer to everything for a drunkard, breasts are the answer to all baby woes. Is the baby bored? Feed him. Is he feeling lonely? Feed him. Is he sleepy? Feed him.

However, the baby has very little capacity at this stage. A few sips and he just blackouts like a drunkard who has been boozing all night.

The Distracted 4-6 months

Often, one of the hardest stage of ensuring that the baby gets enough nutrition. All it needs is the sound of a door bell or the sight of a fly and the baby stops feeding, gets distracted and gazes away. This is the stage when you need a pitch black room and no one is allowed anywhere within your vicinity while breastfeeding.

Poor dad often faces the wrath of the mother when he utters anything or strokes the baby with affection while breastfeeding, as this is more than enough for the baby to get distracted and stop his dinner.

The Biter- 6 to 10 months ( if you are lucky!)

Ouch, he is teething. Till now, you would have been singing lullaby or whispering sweet stories to the baby while breastfeeding, but now, its screaming all the while. This is often the time when you feel like quitting breastfeeding. You might think you can relax a bit once the tooth erupts, but no, the next one is coming up shortly for you.

Straight to Business- 10 to 13 months

The busy baby has a lot of other tasks to accomplish. He has to crawl, pull down everything and explore the world around him, so he goes straight to business when he needs some mummy time. He quickly gets his tummy filled up and is off to his other preoccupations.

The obsessed- 13 months on

Maybe this is the time the baby realizes that breast is the best. You might be a little embarrassed to go out with the baby as he would be staring at your breasts like a weirdo when he feels like he needs a snack.

The frequency of breastfeeding is pretty less comparatively. But if the baby sets his mind on having a breast snack now, nothing can stop him. He will scream forever till his mission is accomplished.

Some smart babies even learn to pull the mom’s top’s zip down and open the bra straps at this stage.

Parvathy is a mother to a 1 year old baby boy. Before motherhood beckoned, she was part of the family business. Now, she is a full time mother, trying to ignite her passion for writing through her blog Mad Over Baby. Her writings are mainly based on her new-found perspectives as a parent. You can follow Parvathy both on Facebook and Twitter