Even though these are common threads I feel compelled to write my own, I guess. It's kind of like a birth story - but more of a breastfeeding story.
DD is 4.5 years old. I did not set out to CLW. My goal was to nurse for 2 years.
We did get off to a rough start, and I owe our lactation consultant a huge debt, not only for helping us with the breastfeeding relationship but also for my daughter's health. She was seriously jaundiced, over the critical limit, and my midwife wasn't doing anything. DH and I were really concerned about the lack of nursing though we were not experienced enough to understand the degree of jaundice (we did notice she was dark and I knew she was jaundiced but everything I read online was like "oh, it's not a big deal, many babies get jaundiced" and nothing said anything like "this is when to worry"). Anyway, she saved us.
After the initial weeks, nursing DD was easy and enjoyable. I loved the closeness.
At some point, I think around age 3 or 3.5, it was more of a chore. I didn't really like it as much. I kept thinking of mama animals (horses, etc.) kind of shooing away their older nurslings, or walking away when their older nurslings tried to grab a teat. I definitely felt like that. I was never commited to CLW, because I see in nature that the mama participates in the weaning too, and that's ok with me. The trick, imho, is just to know when it's time - not weaning at 6 months or 12 months or some insanely early time.
But I never really figured out a way that I was comfortable gently weaning DD. She really wanted to nurse, it was still important to her. At age 3 I remember she still nursed 6 times a day, and also if she got a boo-boo or something. Around age 4 she had gotten down to just once a day, at night before bed. For months now, that daily nursing lasted about 8 seconds total.
She last nursed Friday night (it's Wednesday now) and maybe I'll a little early calling it a weaning. But last night she fell and hurt herself enough for some REAL tears, could hardly talk for a minute. And I actually offered to nurse her, but for the very first time she said "it won't help." She declined. She ALWAYS would nurse when hurt before, and would say it would help any boo-boo. So I think that since she hasn't asked in 4-5 days, plus refused when offered, she's probably weaned.
I am simultaneously happy but also a bit sad. I don't really want to continue to nurse her but .. you know? I feel a tiny bit guilty too because I didn't really enjoy nursing her the last year. Which I know is crazy (I am sort of thinking about non-MDCers reading this thread, yeah) and as I said I don't even fully subscribe to CLW. But I just mean, DD's memories of nursing are not of the days we'd cuddle and nurse and be close but more of me kind of sighing and bracing myself.
Anyway, I do feel good overall about our nursing relationship, it's just a little sticky point that I wish that it didn't naturally end in maternal irritation.
DD is 4.5 years old. I did not set out to CLW. My goal was to nurse for 2 years.
We did get off to a rough start, and I owe our lactation consultant a huge debt, not only for helping us with the breastfeeding relationship but also for my daughter's health. She was seriously jaundiced, over the critical limit, and my midwife wasn't doing anything. DH and I were really concerned about the lack of nursing though we were not experienced enough to understand the degree of jaundice (we did notice she was dark and I knew she was jaundiced but everything I read online was like "oh, it's not a big deal, many babies get jaundiced" and nothing said anything like "this is when to worry"). Anyway, she saved us.
After the initial weeks, nursing DD was easy and enjoyable. I loved the closeness.
At some point, I think around age 3 or 3.5, it was more of a chore. I didn't really like it as much. I kept thinking of mama animals (horses, etc.) kind of shooing away their older nurslings, or walking away when their older nurslings tried to grab a teat. I definitely felt like that. I was never commited to CLW, because I see in nature that the mama participates in the weaning too, and that's ok with me. The trick, imho, is just to know when it's time - not weaning at 6 months or 12 months or some insanely early time.
But I never really figured out a way that I was comfortable gently weaning DD. She really wanted to nurse, it was still important to her. At age 3 I remember she still nursed 6 times a day, and also if she got a boo-boo or something. Around age 4 she had gotten down to just once a day, at night before bed. For months now, that daily nursing lasted about 8 seconds total.
She last nursed Friday night (it's Wednesday now) and maybe I'll a little early calling it a weaning. But last night she fell and hurt herself enough for some REAL tears, could hardly talk for a minute. And I actually offered to nurse her, but for the very first time she said "it won't help." She declined. She ALWAYS would nurse when hurt before, and would say it would help any boo-boo. So I think that since she hasn't asked in 4-5 days, plus refused when offered, she's probably weaned.
I am simultaneously happy but also a bit sad. I don't really want to continue to nurse her but .. you know? I feel a tiny bit guilty too because I didn't really enjoy nursing her the last year. Which I know is crazy (I am sort of thinking about non-MDCers reading this thread, yeah) and as I said I don't even fully subscribe to CLW. But I just mean, DD's memories of nursing are not of the days we'd cuddle and nurse and be close but more of me kind of sighing and bracing myself.
Anyway, I do feel good overall about our nursing relationship, it's just a little sticky point that I wish that it didn't naturally end in maternal irritation.
