I know I should've been tracking this for some time because the whole process started around Thanksgiving or so. I had begun to wonder how much milk, if any, Burkley was getting, mainly because of his runny, squishy poo (sorry for the TMI). Several people had suggested that it was because my milk had changed to colostrum. Around 25 weeks pregnant, I had my midwife express some milk, and sure enough, I did have colostrum, but I still wasn't convinced he was getting much because he was only nursing for a minute or two before his nap and bed. It didn't seem like he'd be getting anything that would really change his poo-consistency that much.
Around this time I started to feel very sensitive and didn't want him nursing for very long anymore. So, I began to let him nurse for a few minutes or just on one side. He'd then just want to "snuggle milmies," as he puts it, and cuddle up and fall asleep. There were some days/nights of screaming and crying when the irritation of it just got to be too much and I didn't let him nurse for more than a minute or two, but soon we gradually reduced the nursing to just a few seconds on one side and snuggling the rest of the time. Nowadays he doesn't nurse really at all. If he does latch on, it's only for a second (literally, one second) and then just snuggles till he falls asleep. He calls that "little bit milmies." But mostly he just asks for it to be "open milmies" (which means he wants my snap on my nursing tank open so he can SEE that it's still there) and he'll snuggle up to me and fall asleep.
When I was pregnant with him I had set a goal of nursing him for two years. I'm so delighted that we made it to 27 months. I know that for the last month or so he hasn't really been getting any milk, but it's odd to say we weren't nursing, since he still would want to latch on here and there. Nursing a toddler has been a joy and brought so many hilarious moments to my days and weeks. The things he would say while nursing brightened my day and made me laugh so much. We had such an overall gentle weaning process that I couldn't have asked for more. Yes, there were nights when I was very frustrated and irritated physically, but looking back, those were only a few nights here and there. Mostly, we could talk through what was happening together and I could explain to him that my "milmies hurt" (though he'd ask "that all better?" after a bit sometimes) or that soon it was going to be the baby's turn to have milmies. He has always been a trooper about me explaining things to him and seems to respond well to a decent explanation in many areas of life.
Soon I hope he will learn to fall asleep without me even having to "open milmies," and that has happened a few times in the past week or two, but not consistently. But, I hope we don't lose the snuggles before bed for a long time to come. :)
This post has been very hard to write! I hate admitting that we are at this point. I can't believe what a big boy my little man has become. I can't believe we don't/won't have that connection anymore. And I always have heard/read that "you just find new ways to connect" after weaning and though I do love my snuggles with my little guy as he falls asleep, I certainly do feel a loss of that connection. Especially as we prepare for Baby C's arrival, I'm longing to connect with Burkley as much as I can before our world changes. Sigh. This mommying thing is such an emotional journey!
Around this time I started to feel very sensitive and didn't want him nursing for very long anymore. So, I began to let him nurse for a few minutes or just on one side. He'd then just want to "snuggle milmies," as he puts it, and cuddle up and fall asleep. There were some days/nights of screaming and crying when the irritation of it just got to be too much and I didn't let him nurse for more than a minute or two, but soon we gradually reduced the nursing to just a few seconds on one side and snuggling the rest of the time. Nowadays he doesn't nurse really at all. If he does latch on, it's only for a second (literally, one second) and then just snuggles till he falls asleep. He calls that "little bit milmies." But mostly he just asks for it to be "open milmies" (which means he wants my snap on my nursing tank open so he can SEE that it's still there) and he'll snuggle up to me and fall asleep.
When I was pregnant with him I had set a goal of nursing him for two years. I'm so delighted that we made it to 27 months. I know that for the last month or so he hasn't really been getting any milk, but it's odd to say we weren't nursing, since he still would want to latch on here and there. Nursing a toddler has been a joy and brought so many hilarious moments to my days and weeks. The things he would say while nursing brightened my day and made me laugh so much. We had such an overall gentle weaning process that I couldn't have asked for more. Yes, there were nights when I was very frustrated and irritated physically, but looking back, those were only a few nights here and there. Mostly, we could talk through what was happening together and I could explain to him that my "milmies hurt" (though he'd ask "that all better?" after a bit sometimes) or that soon it was going to be the baby's turn to have milmies. He has always been a trooper about me explaining things to him and seems to respond well to a decent explanation in many areas of life.
Soon I hope he will learn to fall asleep without me even having to "open milmies," and that has happened a few times in the past week or two, but not consistently. But, I hope we don't lose the snuggles before bed for a long time to come. :)
This post has been very hard to write! I hate admitting that we are at this point. I can't believe what a big boy my little man has become. I can't believe we don't/won't have that connection anymore. And I always have heard/read that "you just find new ways to connect" after weaning and though I do love my snuggles with my little guy as he falls asleep, I certainly do feel a loss of that connection. Especially as we prepare for Baby C's arrival, I'm longing to connect with Burkley as much as I can before our world changes. Sigh. This mommying thing is such an emotional journey!
It's really interesting to see how things are going for other moms in this situation! Sebastian (28 months!) is still nursing mostly for naps & bedtime as well, although much more willing to let them go because the milk is "all gone" as he says. I have heard that some toddlers DON'T like the taste of the new milk/colostrum that comes in, so we'll see how that goes. 23-ish weeks pregnant now and no milk yet.
ReplyDeleteIt feels weird to be sort-of weaning - just not to be nursing constantly like we were right up until this point - but I'm very happy with it. It's been super low-drama. I've figured out that the most important nursing session to him is first thing in the morning, while we snuggle and watch Sesame Street. Thankfully, that's also my favorite session and the most comfortable for me as I catch some extra sleep on the couch. :)
We are in the process of self-weaning in our house at 23 months. I really wanted to make it beyond the 24 month mark as well so great job! My husband started a new job and worked opposite hours from me and as I work 3 days a week in the AM in addition to my regularly scheduled hours from 2:30 to 11pm, Horn started dropping Hannabert off at daycare so I really don't see him 3 days a week (HUGELY AWFUL) so the weaning process has been a natural one due to the schedule change. I am still relishing his request to go to the "chair" and "I nurse" a few times a week. I am doubtful if there is anything left but I am not willing to deny him the comfort when/if he needs it. Do you think that he will nurse after the little one is here?
ReplyDeleteIts been awhile since i was in this situation, because my only daughter is now 4, but I had to stop nursing her around 9 months, because I started having the same irritation of my breasts. I'm not sure if it had been mainly colestrum yet, but from what I have heard from a lot of other moms, that the irritation of the breasts is normal, and varies on the woman of when it happens, some earlier than others.
ReplyDelete