I'm not really sure how to begin this, but DS went from nursing 1-3x/ 24 hrs during the summer (when I had very little supply) to nursing like crazy the last couple of months. I know it's a normal increase (teething molars, colustrum came in, and probably some reaction to my growing belly/changes with the baby coming) although it caught me off guard! With the increase in nursing came a whole new issue of sensitivity with my nipples (it's painful, but not like nursing a newborn pain... if anything it just feels weird.. especially the way he nurses when he's not swallowing anything). It doesn't bother me much during the day, but at night it's a whole different ballgame. There have been a few nights that he's woken up, and I've nursed for a minute, and then it's like I hit a brick wall and can't do it anymore. That leads to DS waking up completely and wanting nothing but "mama milk"- which starts a cycle of DH trying to help, hysterics ensue- I'm a mess because it breaks my heart that I let him get so worked up instead of just letting him nurse and an hour and half later of tears he finally falls asleep. This scenario has happened 3 or 4 times in the last 2 months. I can usually nurse him back to sleep, but to get him to unlatch I have to give him 2 minute warnings/count down several times before he will let loose and fall asleep. DH's solution (especially on the rough nights) is to wean completely- cold-turkey (which makes me feel completely unsupported and mad/more guilty). He even mentioned this morning (because last night was one the roughest nights) that he thinks DS will nurse until he's in school :( I know in my heart that DS (nor I) are ready to wean... I understand that he will wean in his own time (and before these last few weeks I was content with that). Now, I don't know what to do. DH says that I just "tease" DS by nursing him on demand all day, but not nursing him as much as he wants at night. I've tried talking to DS about what happens.. that my milks hurt and I can't nurse him sometimes... but it's not working. Any advice on how to power through the brick wall at night and just let him nurse. I hate that I feel like I can't nurse him; then I feel guilty and want to nurse again when he gets hysterical, and DH gets mad at me for "giving in" after not nursing. I know it's probably confusing for DS, and I'm pretty confused myself, because I never thought I'd be in place where I wasn't ok to nurse :(
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Besides advice on how to get over not wanting to nurse at night, is there anything I can say to DH to try to get him to understand why I can't/don't want to stop nursing DS? I don't think he understands the emotional side of nursing (he sometimes talks about how he'd be weaned by now if it was a bottle or he will tell DS that mama milk is for babies). I truly think that DH thinks that DS will never become independent, and it breaks my heart.
