My Tandem Experience

Overcoming the Social Stigma

Being an attached parent in the Panamanian society hasn't been easy. There's an adversing attitude towards holding your baby and breastfeeding, although breastfeeding is still quite normal in some social classes. Most of the "anti-attachment movement" some Panamanians have are due to some pediatricians wanting to sell formulas, that don't promote breastfeeding, or they actually don't know anything about it. Also there're missunderstood and non-scientifically proved theories in psychology that "experts" promote that go against the natural human breeding.
Telling people that I still breastfeed my 2 year-old child and my 10 month child is like slapping them on the face.  Moms usually breastfeed until 3-6 months because "it's the normal thing", some of them just say "it didn't come out" or "my baby wasn't getting enough food" and they never get to breastfeed. It's sad living in a society where information is available, people still don't inform themselves.
I proudly say to people that I practice Tandem breastfeefing. It's really funny how they assure that my milk has "nothing" to offer my toddler. Well, it has a lot. About 300 mL of breastmilk provides 95% of what my toddle needs of vitamin C, plus all the inmune protection only it can give. The thing is, people don't get that toddlers and babies after 6-9 months eat OTHER things BESIDES breastmilk. Formula companies sell the idea that until 6 months babies can drink breastmilk because it doesn't provide "enough" nutrients. How can something designed for human beings won't have "enough" nutrients? Why is "not normal" to give your toddler breastmilk and "normal" to give a milk from another animal?

The Nutrition Facts

Why tandem?

Having the opportunity to be part of the Leche League in Panama, I witnessed how women breastfed their child while pregnant. When I was pregnant, my first child was 1 year and 6 months old. I never thought when I was going to stop breastfeeding him, and I wasn't expecting a second child at that time, so I decided to continue breastfeeding. Oxytocin, the hormone involved in the milk ejection arch-reflex, also causes contractions, so my doctor was a little concern about my decision. But my pregnancy continued well, and everything went smoothly.
When the new baby came, my first child was glad to share his precious time with mommy with his new baby brother. He still says "that's my baby brother's (breast)". So this jelousy thing that usually come between siblings was not a problem with these little two, because I never denied that special time to my first child.
It comes the time when I feel tired, but then I think to myself "all the money I'm saving in doctors". My toddler goes to school, the germ squad, and yes he gets sick, but I never had to take him to the hospital. So this encourages me to keep going. Also because of his dental health, the word modulation, and the neurological development he's having, I just need to keep breastfeeding him.
Tandem breastfeeding is a beautiful experience. Looking at my two children sharing mommy between smiles and hand holding it's simply adorable. So I'm also sharing love and transmiting that love two both of my children.

How to manage it

Breastfeeding two boys is possible. Usually a set of boundaries have to be grownded. Bounderies in timming, turns, and breasts. Toddlers breastfeeding needs  are different to those of a baby. Toddlers can understand when you talk to them about waiting for his turn, to be patient, or to share. They can also express some feelings and they can tell you when they need to be breastfed. So a communication can be establish to make everybody happy.
My toddler is in his weaning phase, so little by little his saying "bye-bye boobies". He sleeps without been breastfed. Sometimes he says "no thank you". So in a couple of months, I forsee breastfeeding my second child only. I will cherish all the beautiful moments we shared and live what will come with a strong ground of care and love we established together.
Just remember, there's never "too much love", the real love a well-balanced mother can give.