Just to forewarn you, this post may contain more info than you'd care to read.
After I found out I was pregnant, I knew I needed to wean Dean relatively soon. I really have loved breastfeeding, and I was sad and scared to stop. Sad because it's the only real snuggle time I get with Dean. (He's not a cuddle bug! Must get it from Matt.) Scared because his meals really need to count for something now! There's no sure supplementing before bed. I mean, he's always on board for a good nursing session. I can't say the same for cow's milk in a sippy!
I cut out day feedings back in November, but I held onto night and morning feedings through the Christmas break. One night last week when I had a particularly hard time sleeping because of my cough, Matt offered to get up with Dean in the morning. It would be the maiden voyage of morning weaning. I took him up on it.
Dean was quite confused since Matt has never once gotten up with him first thing in the morning. He didn't really cry though. And while I didn't actually sleep after I woke Matt up to get him, it was kind of a relief to just lay in bed and not have to take care of anything. The next morning was not so wonderful. When I got up with him and didn't nurse, he was not happy. He cried and cried and rolled around on the floor. He finally got over it and drank a fair amount of milk out of his sippy. Luckily it was only that one day of unhappiness. The next day he was already used to the new routine. And he started sleeping later! Now he's sleeping about 13 hours at night!! (6:30pm-7:40am ish) We'll see how long that lasts.
I didn't want to cut off night feedings until he was over the morning feedings. So tonight was our last night. I am sad, but I can tell my milk is not as plentiful since cutting off the mornings. Both last night and tonight Dean nursed almost 10 min. longer than normal and didn't seem satisfied even with that. And I hurt at the end. So, it's time.
The era of Dean's breastfeeding has officially come to an end. My little boy is growing up. And maybe I am too.
6 comments:
I cut out Clara's day feedings around 13 months without a problem. Then a month or so ater on the first morning I didn't nurse her she cried and cried and I almost gave in. But just like you and Dean, it only happened once.
Weaning Ellee was hard, yet easy at the same time. I was so worried I'd miss it. And, I did for a while...but, it was also SOOO nice to know that Elliott could give her anything that I could. It was kind of a liberating feeling. I've been lucky cuz both of my girls are pretty cuddly--especially when they're tired. So, I'm sure that helped. Anyway, I'm glad the transition went so easy for you two. It's weird...by the next baby, you'll probably forget that you actually nursed Dean for over a year...that's how it was for me anyway. I felt like I had to retrain myself, but it came back pretty easily.
I am way impressed you kept going even while pregnant. My sister in law got pregnant with #2 when the first one was 6 months and her doc told her to stop, her body couldn't support both a new baby and breast feeding.
I'm one of those "weird" mothers that rejoiced after breastfeeding was over. It never bothered me while I was doing it but after Anna was weened, I gave a shudder and thought "I can't believe I did that". Then again, she is also very snuggly.
I bet you will feel a lot happier about the situation in a of couple days.
In any case, I'm happy for you and truly impressed that you were able to nurse that long.
My body felt fine while nursing and being pregnant. I think it probably is a case to case. Nursing an almost weaned 1 year old is very different from nursing a 6 month old who needs to nurse every couple of hours since they don't really eat solids yet.
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