I'm not sure. She might be.
Full disclosure, I haven't been 100% CLW. I have 'refused' many times, said 'no, not right now' many times, directed her along a bit. Not with the intention of full weaning, of course... I wanted to go a good long time.
But my own sanity precluded the possibility of completely child-led, unfortunately, despite my desires. I was going to be happy if I just made it past 2.5yo, which is when I weaned (not when he self-weaned, but when I decided that I was done) her older brother.
We made it past 2.5yo
... but where her older brother was really only nursing to sleep at that age, so losing that last nursing session wasn't a major obstacle, she was still nursing (or asking to nurse) MANY times a day. We eventually settled on a happy compromise... no nursing during the day, except for when she was sick or particularly upset, etc. No nursing to sleep, most night... some nights... occasionally. If she needed it. But nursing during the night was fine.
I know that's kind of the opposite of how most folks do it lol... night-weaning first... She moved to her own bedroom around 2.5yo, and comes to join us during the night (most nights... more and more often she's staying all night in her room)... and I let her nurse back to sleep.
But more and more often, I'd find myself 'cutting her off'... she would get chew-y... or an hour later still wide awake and squirming at the boob... when she actually nursed to sleep I was fine with it, but when she was just playing, I just couldn't take it.
Well, the last three nights in a row, she's joined us in the night... and not asked to nurse. Just cuddled up with me and went to sleep. And hasn't asked during the day... even when grumpy.
She still wants to put her hand in my shirt... "hold the booby"... that's something we've been doing since I first started needing to reduce nursing, it settles her, satisfies a portion of her need without making me crazy. Even that, though, she's demanding less often.
Honestly, I was happy with our 'arrangement'... I didn't want to STOP, you know, I just didn't want the ANNOYING nursing sessions, if you know what I mean... our frequency was fine with me. I expected that it would continue like this for quite some time yet.
I'm astonished that she hasn't asked for 3 nights in a row!
It might just be a fluke.
But now I'm feeling guilty
like I pushed her a bit too much so she quit... I dunno, she SEEMS happy and secure... maybe it was just her time after all. Maybe she's not done yet. Too soon to tell.
I just wanted to talk about it, how odd it all feels.
Full disclosure, I haven't been 100% CLW. I have 'refused' many times, said 'no, not right now' many times, directed her along a bit. Not with the intention of full weaning, of course... I wanted to go a good long time.
But my own sanity precluded the possibility of completely child-led, unfortunately, despite my desires. I was going to be happy if I just made it past 2.5yo, which is when I weaned (not when he self-weaned, but when I decided that I was done) her older brother.
We made it past 2.5yo
... but where her older brother was really only nursing to sleep at that age, so losing that last nursing session wasn't a major obstacle, she was still nursing (or asking to nurse) MANY times a day. We eventually settled on a happy compromise... no nursing during the day, except for when she was sick or particularly upset, etc. No nursing to sleep, most night... some nights... occasionally. If she needed it. But nursing during the night was fine.I know that's kind of the opposite of how most folks do it lol... night-weaning first... She moved to her own bedroom around 2.5yo, and comes to join us during the night (most nights... more and more often she's staying all night in her room)... and I let her nurse back to sleep.
But more and more often, I'd find myself 'cutting her off'... she would get chew-y... or an hour later still wide awake and squirming at the boob... when she actually nursed to sleep I was fine with it, but when she was just playing, I just couldn't take it.
Well, the last three nights in a row, she's joined us in the night... and not asked to nurse. Just cuddled up with me and went to sleep. And hasn't asked during the day... even when grumpy.
She still wants to put her hand in my shirt... "hold the booby"... that's something we've been doing since I first started needing to reduce nursing, it settles her, satisfies a portion of her need without making me crazy. Even that, though, she's demanding less often.
Honestly, I was happy with our 'arrangement'... I didn't want to STOP, you know, I just didn't want the ANNOYING nursing sessions, if you know what I mean... our frequency was fine with me. I expected that it would continue like this for quite some time yet.
I'm astonished that she hasn't asked for 3 nights in a row!
It might just be a fluke.
But now I'm feeling guilty
like I pushed her a bit too much so she quit... I dunno, she SEEMS happy and secure... maybe it was just her time after all. Maybe she's not done yet. Too soon to tell.I just wanted to talk about it, how odd it all feels.
