Just thinking out loud about breastfeeding and tantrums

[mawbroon]

This is all hypothetical as my ds hasn't started tantrumming just quite yet. He is 14.5 months and we are still feeding morning, night and as and when through the day. I find that if he is grumpy or clingy then a quick feed "resets" him and he is fine afterwards. All the extended breastfeeding blurb (or should I say non curtailed breastfeeding before someone else does ) says how good breastfeeding is for calming down tantrums. I had always planned to treat tantrums by ignoring them but now I am not so sure as the quick feed method seems to work so well for him just now. I am worried about inconsistency as I can imagine that it won't be possible to breastfeed every single time. I believe in consistency and I wonder if sometimes getting a feed and sometimes not would confuse him. And, I am also wondering whether he would have a tantrum just to get milk? He has other ways of letting me know he wants some. Hmmm. Am I worrying about this too much? What words or wisdom can those of you who have been there/done that give me??
Does every child throw tantrums? DS is so easy going that I just can't imagine it. LOL first time Mum or what!!!

[LieselVonTrapp]

Didnt BF so cant advise on that, I didnt have a tantrum thrower but I did have a huffer which is just as bad.

[hoxtonchick]

my dd is still breastfed at 18 months. she's shaping up as a fine tantrum thrower.... i fed ds 'til he was 6 months & he is very chilled, hardly any tantrums (he's almost 5 now).

[nothercules]

I never found that mine tantrumed to bf. At that age I would bf to stop a tantrum if possible but as they grew older I would without thinking too much about it resort to other methods such as distraction or ignoring so I didnt have to keep getting my norks out.

[belgo]

I'm really not sure about bf to help stop a tantrum. Bf can help comfort an upset toddler, but I wouldn't bf for the sort of tantrum my dd has when she doesn't get her own way.

I don't think all children get tantrums, but you'll be very unusual to miss out on them altogether!

[CocoLoco]

I would try and seperate the bf from the tantrum - use distraction or pick up the child for a bit before bfing once they've calmed down a bit. It's difficult to bf when they're really upset and yelling anyway!

I'm still bfing DD who's nearly 3.5 but she's never been one for major tantrums so don't know if my experience is relevant.

[foundintranslation]

ds (20 months) had an enormous tantrum last week and I think he was quite shocked by it himself. I ignored first, then just held him to get him to calm down (and keep him safe - he was banging his head on our parquet and trying to bite himself ), and then, when it had quite clearly gone to the 'stunned and upset' stage, gave him a bf. I think bf to comfort when they've been carried away by the strength of their feelings is fine and indeed a very good idea, but I probably wouldn't try to bf mid-tantrum.

[funnypeculiar]

lol at idea of trying to feed mine mid tantrum - would soooo get kicked in head
No useful advice as gave up before he started throwing wobblies .... sorry!