This week marks the beginning of the end to breastfeeding. Because homeboy bit me. Three times. My left nipple (Graham's apparent nemesis) is so sore I can barely wear a bra. Those two tiny teeth are pure evil.
Problem is he doesn't like sippy cups yet and refuses bottles still. Sooo, my tender parts must be risked. Other thing is he wants to nurse every 2-3 hours all night still. And I get the strong suspicion that he's using me as a binky.
Paisley took a binky so when she woke up, I replaced the binky in her mouth. Other kids use thumbs. What do you do with a kid who likes neither?!?
If you take the time to look up "titty baby" in the dictionary, you'll see Graham's smiley face in that spot. He still loves nursing. His little eyes go rolling back in his adorable head and peace just washes over him. So sweet.
But this must end at some point. By a year at least. I am not an "extended nurser". You get one year and then it's time to move on to solids and milk. I need my body back. And my nipples will be lucky to survive that long.
So how do you get a nursing enthusiast to sleep at night?!?!?
Problem is he doesn't like sippy cups yet and refuses bottles still. Sooo, my tender parts must be risked. Other thing is he wants to nurse every 2-3 hours all night still. And I get the strong suspicion that he's using me as a binky.
Paisley took a binky so when she woke up, I replaced the binky in her mouth. Other kids use thumbs. What do you do with a kid who likes neither?!?
If you take the time to look up "titty baby" in the dictionary, you'll see Graham's smiley face in that spot. He still loves nursing. His little eyes go rolling back in his adorable head and peace just washes over him. So sweet.
But this must end at some point. By a year at least. I am not an "extended nurser". You get one year and then it's time to move on to solids and milk. I need my body back. And my nipples will be lucky to survive that long.
So how do you get a nursing enthusiast to sleep at night?!?!?
I don't have the answer... so why comment? :) But I have some advice I was given. Roman hated the pacifier and wasn't a thumb sucker. I was desperate for sleep and I was given advice to keep trying the pacifier and if he didn't want it he would (eventually) learn to self sooth. Not helpful but I guess keep trying and hang in there and he'll eventually self sooth.
ReplyDeleteWe used a small breathable blanket. My son didn't take paci or thumb either. He is 1 now, and still has the blanket. He loves to put it in his mouth to self sooth...
ReplyDeleteHaha Titty Baby- I had one of those. She was the baby of four daughters. I will give a brief rundown and hopefully you'll find something in 'My Adventures in Weaning' First. Not a titty baby. Second-I think this may be worth a shot even though Graham is younger. She's 16 now and I have a sneaking suspicion she doesn't find this story as hilarious as I do. SO to wean her I would put my thumb and finger kind of pinched on my nipple right at the base so that she thought she was going to get milk but couldn't really latch. I could tell she was frustrated and confused and I confess that I felt kind of mean but it worked in a few days. She had an easygoing second born personality and just gave up. You could try that with Graham. Third-did not like nursing, bottles, or sippy cups but happy to say she somehow managed to put on weight anyway and a few grey hairs for me! OK and here we go with fourth daughter and last baby. OH MY what the heck with the boobies all day and ALL night every 2 hours and the girl never slept. She was TITTY BABY on steroids!! She would take NOthing like Graham but me. I admit I didn't do much about it because I was just too darn tired to try. It was easier just to give it to her so I didn't have to deal with the screaming and could go back to sleep till the pumpkin next rang her little bell! Her night weaning came about out of no other choice. I was really ill with bronchitis and pneumonia and had to sleep in another room. She was 18 months then (I know I know I put up with it that long!) she screamed and pleaded with my husband for Mommy and her 'nurnies' but after a few nights she accepted it. It was hard to listen to but I could have kicked myself for not doing it sooner. The little manipulator! I thought she'd never quit nursing at all. Her last nursing came after three days of her hanging off my leg and begging constantly. I caved. My breasts were pretty full and she happily gulped all if it down then jumped off my lap and said her belly ached. Never asked again.
ReplyDeleteOk-So first of all a true titty baby like Graham (meaning NOthing else but you!!) WILL NOT go down without a fight, so just accept that as step one. Since he's under one, you'll have to decide when he needs his calories (for me, when the girls turned one they all drank whole milk and full meals, so the nursing was a bonus for them and I didn't need to factor any 'need' for nursing) If Graham can go through the night (and even if he can't or just won't just make sure you know he's getting what he needs during the day) you could try the tricky latch scam I pulled on my second or the' it's time to stop bud' with a few nights of screaming- Going to another room while your husband takes over would work best and wear earplugs! I'm personally all about its time to wean when Mommy decides but I'd suggest with a Titty Baby to try and stick it out till one before full weaning simply because it is or was not worth it to me to deal with the screaming or transition from breast to bottle before then until I knew it was just their preference- And at one you can nutritional wise be sure any nursing you deny he can get from food and whole milk. Again with a titty baby I wish it came easier but it's not likely that little Graham is going to hop on board that sailing ship! No siree. Not when Mommy's boobs are his world (or so it seems!!) SO-trickery (I personally think my can't latch technique but I think Mommy is doing her best so it can't be her!..is pretty clever) and then there is the plain old denying that is so hotly debated but only you know when it's right for you to use, not your crunchy neighbor or Sanctimoms business!
If it's any consolation, all of my daughter from 21 down to 10 are just fine despite me calling the shots at weaning. I will enjoy seeing what works for your very own little titty baby:)!
My son was not a nurser but he did have trouble with learning how to self-soothe. We introduced a blanket and he eventually learned to use that... In fact, he is six and still sleeps with his blanket. You could keep trying to get him on the binky. We were determined that my daughter would take a binky because we had lived through life with an infant would couldn't self soothe and had no desire to do that again, it took about 3 weeks of pretty much forcing her to take a pacifier but she eventually started to use it on her own and love it. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWhen I finally couldn't take middle of the night wake ups Addy was 13.5 months. She too did not take a pacifier or thumb, etc. I helped her to attach to an object, her beloved Otter now. She had shown some favor towards it, so I got some advice from a birth to five helpline and built that attachment up - then did CIO in the middle of the night, knowing she could use Otter to self soothe:). Just an idea:). And yeah...that girl still nurses, but only a few times a day..and when we get past this sick bout, I may get her down to JUST before bed time. Gotta get my stamina up first lol. Good luck momma!
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