Weaning Progress
February 5, 2008 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under breastfeeding, weaning
As I mentioned previously, my 3-year-old had been nursing once per day for some time now. I realized late last night that my daughter hadn’t nursed at all that day! She never even asked. I can’t say I am sad about that, but I am quite surprised. It seems like I have gone from wondering “When will she cut back at all?” to wondering “Could this be our last nursing session?” in a very short time.
Bittersweet. At this point (13 months) it makes me sad to think of the boy weaning. Maybe at 3, I will change my mind?
Do you think it makes it easier knowing you have another nursling on the way?
Maria, when my first daughter was 3, I was happy to continue nursing her. She definitely needed it, and I still had plenty of milk. I would have been a little sad if she wanted to wean then, when our nursing was working for us. This time around, I am ready for a break.
Janya, to be completely honest, I am actually nervous about how I will feel about nursing again. I think it will be fine, because I will actually have milk again and nursing will be more comfortable. The way it is now — I cannot express more than a drop or two, and I am tender from the pregnancy hormones — it is very uncomfortable for me and I do not relish the thought of nursing. I think after a bit of a break, and after giving birth and meeting my newborn, I’ll feel excited about it. I certainly believe in all the benefits for mom and baby, and I was happy to be nursing for the vast majority of the time I had been (and had no desire to wean until just recently). I think it’s okay to say you “enjoy” nursing (as in enjoy the benefits of it, the feel-good mothering hormones, the way it helps with parenting) and it’s also okay to say you’re ready to be done for now!
I agree. There is nothing wrong with a break, and I hope you enjoy it!
I am starting to want some time alone (my daughter is 3.5) but I want to be able to tell her that she decided to stop because she was ready. It sounds like your daughter is at that point – and not a minute too soon or too late. I can’t imagine that nursing an infant will seem anything the same as nursing a 3 year old. Or at least nursing my 3 year old doesn’t seem much like nursing her baby self.