Paisley and I started off the nursing journey a bit rocky. I was expressing colostrum onto a spoon in the hospital and forcing her to eat it because she just wasn't interested. Then, we had a problem with her not latching onto lefty. She just did not like that side, so I used a nipple shield. (Mainly because I had this picture in my mind that my right breast was going to be ginormous and my left would shrivel up like a grape.) My milk took WAY too long to come in- like 5 days. Which seems like 5 years when you have a hungry baby that is keeping you up all night. Those free samples of formula were taunting me. Why in the world your body doesn't kick the milk-making into gear sooner is beyond me.
Then, it happened. My milk came in full force, my baby learned to latch on and eat well, and it started to seem natural. The nipple shield was no longer needed, I never used any lanolin because my nipples were painless, and I suddenly had the most amazing cleavage ever! I realized that breastfeeding rocks when it works out for both participants! :)
However, what we have 8 months down the nursing road is a baby who absolutely loves to nurse. She's still never taken a bottle. And even if she eats a huge meal of solid food, she still prefers to nurse afterwards. The child has slowed down to about 4-5 nursing sessions a day, but she also eats a ton of other stuff. So, my question is how will I get her to quit nursing?
I feel like I'd like to wean her around 9-10 months, just because she's got those huge teeth now and I'm pretty sure she's working on a complementary set up top now. If she bites me with that pair, I'm going to pass out. And it's not very often that she nibbles now, but it already hurts really bad! So, I just want to hear how the weaning went for others out there. I'm really going to miss this special time between us, but I really don't like it when she clamps down on my nipple and then pulls her head back like the poor thing is Stretch Armstrong. And I also don't want to have to visit her in kindergarten to nurse her mid-day! :)
Then, it happened. My milk came in full force, my baby learned to latch on and eat well, and it started to seem natural. The nipple shield was no longer needed, I never used any lanolin because my nipples were painless, and I suddenly had the most amazing cleavage ever! I realized that breastfeeding rocks when it works out for both participants! :)
However, what we have 8 months down the nursing road is a baby who absolutely loves to nurse. She's still never taken a bottle. And even if she eats a huge meal of solid food, she still prefers to nurse afterwards. The child has slowed down to about 4-5 nursing sessions a day, but she also eats a ton of other stuff. So, my question is how will I get her to quit nursing?
I feel like I'd like to wean her around 9-10 months, just because she's got those huge teeth now and I'm pretty sure she's working on a complementary set up top now. If she bites me with that pair, I'm going to pass out. And it's not very often that she nibbles now, but it already hurts really bad! So, I just want to hear how the weaning went for others out there. I'm really going to miss this special time between us, but I really don't like it when she clamps down on my nipple and then pulls her head back like the poor thing is Stretch Armstrong. And I also don't want to have to visit her in kindergarten to nurse her mid-day! :)
i will feel the same exact way when teeth come in about weaning STAT.
ReplyDeletethanks for your response regarding the weight-gain (or lack of LOL). blaine weighs 17 lbs 4 oz now but the problem is he weighed 17 lbs 1 oz three months ago. (oops). he hates solid foods for the most part and so that is what makes my life difficult; lots and lots of crying in his high chair and clamping his mouth shut. we try diff foods, baby food, adult food, you name it, but he eats super picky and just tiny ammounts. i always felt solids were just "bonus" at this age so never stressed about his hate of solids but turns ou they must be important afterall. gah.
LOL, I'll look forward to reading your comments. I probably won't make it as long as you have with Addison because I have to be on medication to keep my supply up and you're not supposed to take it long term. So, we'll see. She'll probably just wean naturally because my supply will plummet. BUT, she does thankfully take a bottle easily, so that's good for us I guess. Ah well, sometimes dreams just don't materialize:). Good luck with the weaning! And I hope she doesn't do the "bite and pull," sounds painful!
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh so hard with the idea of one huge breast and the other shriveled like a grape! LOL
ReplyDeleteI had NO IDEA how we would wean Henry because he was not even slightly interested in formula. He was such a skinny guy and I didn't know if he would take to whole milk. Right around his first birthday I intruded warm milk and he loved it. We switched to cold with no problems. Then I slowly cut feedings, one every couple days. I held on longer than I needed to because I knew he would not loo back, but when the time came it sorta broke my heart to stop. Once the tie was broken from needing to nurse EVERY MEAL and went to a "whenever" time table. Finally, around 13.5 months we stopped. He had no issues. It was very easy for him, but every now and then I look at him and I miss that time.
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It *is* possible to teach her not to bite ... I taught my son, and we nursed until 1 year. But don't worry ... she WILL wean! They don't go to college in diapers, either. *grin*
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure how to wean a baby, but I've heard it's very painful. I feel like E has not been as interested in nursing lately, my milk supply has gone down, we've had a recurrence of biting issues which makes me ready to wean, but I struggle with feeling guilty for weaning her. Silly I know. Glad she's still such a great nurser though!
ReplyDeleteHa, been there... I intended to nurse until my son was six months old - but he didn't want to switch to the bottle at all! Finally, with the help from a friend and hubby, it worked, but by then we were two months further along... People around me said it was because I was not really ready to give up BF'ing. Yeah, maybe, whatever... Do what you feel is right for you and your little girl.
ReplyDeleteI worried about that too with my now almost 4 year old. However, once she hit a year, I stopped nursing cold turkey, switching her to whole milk and she was really fine! I was expecting it to be hard, but it wasn't at all. I hope that you will find it to be easier than expected as well! It might be an adjustment since she will need formula for a few months if you stop before a year, but she may not mind it too. Ya just never know! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI miss those days! She's gorgeous and I love her name BTW!
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to give her a bottle after you wean her,consider pumping and giving her the breast milk by bottle for awhile now, then slowly switch the contents to part formula or milk with breast milk and reduce the breast milk over time.
ICLW #156
First of all, that poor rat! It sorta broke my heart a little that after all that he didn't make it.
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about weaning but the idea of a biting baby terrifies me. Hopefully those top teeth will hold off a while while you sort things out.