Thursday, April 24, 2008

How Goes the Breastfeeding?

It's been a while since I've written about how my breastfeeding experience is treating me lately. Well it is going fine as usual. I'm trying to dissuade Anna from nursing during the day. She is + or - 25 pounds so breastfeeding her more than 3 or so times a day drains me to the point where I just want to sleep all day! She's getting big and so is her appetite! She wears an outfit that is 24 months and although I don't put her in her in her 24 month clothes now she could easily wear them. The 18 month stuff is looking like it fits well, but not yet tight.... you know the stage. She often comes to me during the day and lays herself across my lap and either starts crying, fussing, putting her hand down my shirt, or a mixture of those things. ;D I wouldn't mind if it weren't for the fact that if I were to let her nurse whenever she came to me, I would probably nurse her 10 or 12 times a day. I nurse her before bed and in the morning with the occasional midnight snack. I am all for the child-led weaning. I believe it is healthy, but I don't think my daughter quite knows that it's for nutrition mainly. She mostly wants comfort. When I want to cuddle with her and hold her close most of the time she'll turn herself sideways and try to get some milk... she shows her signs, makes a silly laughing sound and/or tries to put her hand down my shirt... even after she has been fed a meal, so I know it isn't simply for hunger, and more for comfort than anything. I am starting to think because of these thoughts that my daughter is one of the children that needs to be mother-led when it comes to weaning. Otherwise she might be one of those 8 year olds that still breastfeeds I'm not saying that mothers like that aren't nursing their much older children out of love... but let's just say THAT'S NOT FOR ME! I love nursing my daughter beyond age 1. That was my goal and still is! I hope to wean her around age 2. That is only 6 or so months away, which now doesn't seem very far away at all! I honestly don't know when she'll be weaned, but I can tell you... she will not be 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. when she is weaned lol. 3 is a possibility... 2 is very very likely! We'll see, we'll see...

1 Comment:

Leah said...

Been there...done that! I breastfed my son until he was 23 months (would have gone till 2, but I was pregnant and high risk...so I needed to stop). It broke my heart to cut him off. Now nursing the baby again. I can't imagine my life without nursing a little one...it's been 4 years running now (3 different kiddos) and it's just a part of who I am. Good luck to you, and enjoy it while it lasts! PS - Thanks for re-visiting my blog. It's nice to catch up with you.
Leah