My son (34 months) has just been away on holiday with his dad for 5 days (by far our longest separation ever). Prior to him leaving I had cut down nursing to three times a day, then two times a day, over a period of about a month (He was feeding on demand which was about 8-10 times a day, before that). I recently realised I wanted to wean in the near future, for various reasons including my own health, and the way in which he adapted to the drastically reduced number of feeds so easily made me realise that he might be more ready than I thought - although this was all mother led of course.
The whole time he was away with his dad I kept in regular phone contact with them both and ascertained that he was showing no distress, was perfectly happy etc. I started thinking, maybe this could be my window of opportunity to wean. Then my milk supply practically disappeared in that week although I still pumped and hand expressed a couple of times. So when he returned this morning and asked for 'mommy milk' I said there wasn't any milk anymore. He was only momentarily upset and easily distracted. He asked a few times through the rest of the day but never showed distress when I told him. A few times I gave him a bottle of soya milk and he sometimes asked me to 'feed it to him', which I did, holding him in the same position as BF. At bedtime he had a real cry though b/c that has been one of his last remaining 'big feeds', it was like then the reality really hit him. It was very sad and I ended up crying too. But he asked to be read The La Leche League book 'Michele, the Nursing Toddler' which I had been reading to him over the past weeks, and that seemed to resolve something, b/c he then went to sleep no problem.
Anyway, it all seems suprisingly easy right now but I've no doubt that the emotions will come out (with both of us) in various ways in the time to come...does anyone have any tips of how to make this period and the inevitable grief more manageable? Herbs/remedies/ things to do etc. Bc my decision to actually wean at this time was fairly spontaneous - I only made the final decision this morning - I hadn't got supplies in of anything like herbs etc. A friend who weaned her toddler said she had big hormonal swings after weaning, so I'm concerned about that. I also wonder whether it's better to keep busy and go out a lot or stay at home more and be close the two of us....I have a lot of stuff planned this coming week but nothing that can't be shifted. Anyway, sorry so long - I kinda needed to debrief it all since it's a big thing for me. My first baby and I often thought I'd feed him till he was much older than this, but things have changed. It's really hard to take in that I will not have that experience of nursing him again..
The whole time he was away with his dad I kept in regular phone contact with them both and ascertained that he was showing no distress, was perfectly happy etc. I started thinking, maybe this could be my window of opportunity to wean. Then my milk supply practically disappeared in that week although I still pumped and hand expressed a couple of times. So when he returned this morning and asked for 'mommy milk' I said there wasn't any milk anymore. He was only momentarily upset and easily distracted. He asked a few times through the rest of the day but never showed distress when I told him. A few times I gave him a bottle of soya milk and he sometimes asked me to 'feed it to him', which I did, holding him in the same position as BF. At bedtime he had a real cry though b/c that has been one of his last remaining 'big feeds', it was like then the reality really hit him. It was very sad and I ended up crying too. But he asked to be read The La Leche League book 'Michele, the Nursing Toddler' which I had been reading to him over the past weeks, and that seemed to resolve something, b/c he then went to sleep no problem.
Anyway, it all seems suprisingly easy right now but I've no doubt that the emotions will come out (with both of us) in various ways in the time to come...does anyone have any tips of how to make this period and the inevitable grief more manageable? Herbs/remedies/ things to do etc. Bc my decision to actually wean at this time was fairly spontaneous - I only made the final decision this morning - I hadn't got supplies in of anything like herbs etc. A friend who weaned her toddler said she had big hormonal swings after weaning, so I'm concerned about that. I also wonder whether it's better to keep busy and go out a lot or stay at home more and be close the two of us....I have a lot of stuff planned this coming week but nothing that can't be shifted. Anyway, sorry so long - I kinda needed to debrief it all since it's a big thing for me. My first baby and I often thought I'd feed him till he was much older than this, but things have changed. It's really hard to take in that I will not have that experience of nursing him again..
