Life Is Good and the Terrific Twos!

One of the women I most admire!

by Glenni Lorick, IBCLC

This morning I had the privilege of listening to a woman whom I have come to deeply admire, Angela Loehr Chrysler. She mentioned that one of her favorite product lines is Life Is Good because she is drawn to the optimistic attitudes of the founders, Bert and John Jacobs. They started from scratch and have built a brand out of optimism!

Now if you know me very well, you know that I am a "Glass is half-full" kind of gal. Even when things are cloudy, I'm out there looking for the silver lining that I KNOW has to be there! So even though I've seen the adorable Life Is Good line of products, I really paid attention when Angela mentioned them this morning.

She went on to talk about the importance of optimism in every area of our lives. She mentioned as an example her parenting experience. Instead of thinking of her daughter (who is now 9) as having gone through the "terrible twos," she thought of them as the "terrific twos"! Now that's my kind of parenting philosophy!

I don't know how much of the Attachment philosophy Angela embraces, and honestly, it doesn't really matter where you fall on the attachment spectrum when it comes to embracing each parenting moment. So how do the "terrific twos" differ from the "terrible twos"?  Let's look at some specific examples:

• Your two year old is whiny and demanding that you hold her.  A terrible two mom might think she's being spoiled and get frustrated or perhaps discipline her. A terrific two mom, on the other hand, will take a moment to ask herself a couple of questions: "Is my child tired? hungry? not feeling well? Have I been too busy to focus on her?" Usually there is a legitimate reason behind the whiny behavior. When you take a moment to really listen to your child's heart, you will figure it out. Rather than creating a spoiled, demanding child, you will create a child who knows she can communicate with you. In fact, you can begin to gently teach her non-whiny methods of communicating. 

• Your two year old bites, kicks or hits another child in play. A terrible two mom may be quick to spank or perhaps even "bite" her child back. However, a terrific two mom will be quick to remove her child from the situation and assess what is going on with him. Obviously he is frustrated about something. He must learn that biting, kicking and hitting are not acceptable behaviors. When he has behaviors like that, he will not be allowed to play anymore. She will focus on figuring out what lies behind his behavior and changing that situation.

• Your two year old throws a temper tantrum in the middle of the grocery store because she wants
  
  you to buy her something. A terrible two mom may do one of two things: give in and buy it to get the kid to shut up, or discipline her harshly to make her stop. A terrific two mom might just stop right there and hold her tightly until she settles down. The solution may even involve leaving the store because Mom recognizes that her child is hungry, tired or not feeling well.

• Your two year old refuses to eat and actually throws the food you made on the ground. A terrible two mom might get angry and yell. Or she might just give in and give her something that she will eat. A terrific two mom, however, will understand that toddlers sometimes don't want to eat. Nevertheless, instead of going on to dessert, she will patiently and lovingly explain that little girls who don't eat their meals don't get dessert. That same food she threw down earlier will still be available when she's hungry.

So how do you view your toddler? How do you view life? Is Life Good? Is your glass half full? If so, you've probably got a TERRIFIC TWO year old!!

Now, I'm off to do some Christmas shopping at the Life Is Good online store!!

Extended Breastfeeding and Toddler Nutrition

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

One of our moms was in the store chatting with us this week. She asked if there was any nutritional value to her milk now that her baby is 15 months old. While her pediatrician is supportive of her continued breastfeeding, her Ob/Gyn had told her that there was no need for her child to continue nursing because the milk had no nutritional value at this point.

Needless to say I was aghast that a medical professional who should have known better would say such a thing. However, this incident highlights a much larger issue within our culture. Many people, both within the medical community and outside of it, don't understand why in the world a mother would nurse a child who can walk, talk, and ask for "Nursies."  They mistakenly assume that it is simply the result of a mother selfishly meeting some maternal need she perceives. What they fail to recognize is that mother's milk is still an extremely valuable source of nutrition, antibodies and long-chain fatty acids for an older nursling.

A 2005 study written up in Pediatrics showed that the milk of mothers who had been breastfeeding for over a year had significantly higher levels of fat content than that of mothers whose babies were younger. The researchers felt that the energy contribution from mother's milk to the child's diet was significant. Other research indicates that breastmilk continues to be a major source of other nutrients for as long as a child nurses. In fact, according to Dewey (2001), "Breast milk continues to provide substantial amounts of key nutrients well beyond the first year of life, especially protein, fat, and most vitamins." Her research indicates that 448 ml (about 15 oz) of breast milk fed to a child between 12 and 23 months old provides the following percentage of the daily requirement:

• 29 % of energy
• 43% of protein
• 36% of calcium
• 75% of vitamin A
• 76% of folate
• 94% of vitamin B12
• 60% of vitamin C

Further research indicates that the antibody protection afforded by breastmilk continues to protect a child into toddlerhood. Concentrations of Lactoferrin and Secretory IGA even increase slightly in the second year year of life. That means that children who continue breastfeeding past the first year of life continue to have increased immunological protection. This is especially important for parents who choose to delay vaccinations.

However, extended breastfeeding is good for mom, too! The longer a mother breastfeeds, the greater protection she has against pre-menopausal breast cancer, cervical cancer, osteoporosis and several other conditions. Some mothers who practice extended breastfeeding even report a delay in return of fertility.

Even if the breastmilk itself didn't offer significant benefits for baby, the intimacy with mom associated with nursing a toddler provides tremendous reassurance for a little one who is busy exploring his world. Nursing remedies a host of ills from a bleeding mouth to pain from shots. It is also a great way to help an older baby learn about delayed gratification, because unlike a newborn, a toddler doesn't need to nurse on demand.

So if you're thinking about nursing past a year, rest assured that you will be continuing to give your baby the very best possible nutrition. By extending the wonderful start he has had at your breast, you're continuing to give him a precious gift. He'll thank you for it every day!