He's almost a year...

-and you're STILL breastfeeding?
-so when do you think you'll stop nursing him?
-don't you think he's getting a little big to nurse?
-so when will you give him real milk?
-so shouldn't he just be drinking water?

These are just a few comments I hear when others see my nurse my 11 month old son. I do not think they are said to be rude or mean but rather ignorance.

It's sad to me that at 11 months, I am considered to be an extended breastfeeder. 11 months. Meatball is still a baby. He is not even supposed to have whole milk until 1 year. However, so many moms don't make it to the year mark that nursing past the child getting teeth or that squirmy phase is a little less common.

When these comments are said to me, I get uncomfortable. Not because I am not armed with statistics that prove breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts I could ever give to Meatball and not just to a year but benefits are shown with continued breastfeeding through 2  years but because not everyone knows what I have done to get here. Not only have I made it to my goal *shy a couple of weeks but we'll say I have made it so far* but that I have defied the odds as a BFAR mom. Not many know what I have gone through in the past year and why this relationship is so amazing to me.

I have been so apprehensive about sharing this blog. I have said it many times...breastfeeding and this journey has been one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life. And that says a lot coming from a girl that put herself through undergrad and graduate school. This blog contains my emotions and lowest points through this journey...some of the lowest in my life. This blog shows my weaknesses...not something I like to share.

But the entire purpose of me blogging my BFAR adventure was to share with others. To give other BFAR moms hope. To give other BFAR moms motivation. To give other BFAR moms a connection...something I felt like I truly needed when I started my BFAR relationship.

Soon I think I will be ready to share my past year with others. Not sure it'll be helpful at all but deep down, I hope it helps at least one BFAR mom. If I can support at least one BFAR mom in her journey, then all of this blogging will prove to be worthwhile.

But in the meantime, I'm ok with this little piece of me hiding in the depths of the Internet.