PJ is almost 14 months old, and while we've definitely had our struggles, and there have been days I've wanted to quit, I'm happy to congratulate him (and myself) on a year of successful nursing! Fourteen months going strong!!
We're doing great! Too great, really. So great that I'm kinda wanting to stop. So great that I'm looking at all my pretty sundresses and thinking that even though "we've got this nursing thing," that I kind of want to trade all my loose cotton tops for some pretty halter dresses.
I've been at this place before, because this was the age that I decided to start weaning my first boy. It took a month, and once it was done, it was done. Just like that. No more nursing that baby. It was over. And then...it was nearly two years 'till I got the next baby. And I missed nursing. After I weaned Luke I would pull him out of crib late at night and hold him close rocking and rocking. I missed the closeness and quiet. I missed the mumbled prayers that come so easily in the dark stillness of the nursery. I missed the baby that he was, and I was mad at myself for not realizing it sooner.
The weather is getting nicer, Baby is getting more clingy, and I'm getting the "itch" to have Baby bounce into toddlerhood and off my hip. But this time around I'm cautious; more aware of the regret I might have if I stop too soon, and with a greater appreciation for the gift of a nursing baby, even if it is inconvenient at times.
For now, the decision between Baby and the sundress is an easy one.
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About Me
- Mallory
- Mom, Wife, and more recently, advocate for rare chromosomal abnormalities.
8 comments:
i can relate. john thinks i baby wyatt. perhaps i do. but with the decision to space the next one a little bit further away from wyatt than the others comes the desire to make certain he is "aloud" to remain the baby for just a little bit longer. he's huge! his size makes people think he's 2 and makes me want to hold him all day and find some way to keep him "baby" longer. my attempts, i'm afraid, fail on a daily basis. this boy is determined to run with the big kids. *sigh* oh well.....
Hello ... just popped over from Theresa's blog. Thought that you would like to know that I think your blog is great ... made me laugh out loud more than once. :) I will be back.
~Stephanie
so true....as i just finished nursing a couple of mins ago. It is a pain at times...(esp at 3am), but I will miss it. After I put my girls to sleep at night I am filled with all of these regrets. I feel horrible for not spending every waking moment of my day devoted to each of my children, instead of busying myself with laundry and house chores. How could I possibly waste a second, when this day will never ever come again. Tomorrow they will be a whole day older...and time goes by so quickly! tear*
I have the opposite problem with Belle! The ONLY time she wants to nurse is at about 5:30am, the rest of the day it's a struggle to get her to do it. Claire would nurse several times a day for a looong time at this age. Belle is done in under five minutes. She still needs it, and does get what she needs. However, I know she'd be happier if I just pumped and gave it to her in a sippy cup, but that makes me so sad, and you know how much I hate the pump!
Nursing aside, she's so much more clingy to me then Claire was! Isn't that weird? I've learned to do all sorts of things one-handed with this baby!
you just moved me to tears! I remember those days like it was yesterday. Have I thanked you enough for being such a good, loving and caring mom? Thank you so much for my little grandsons and for the wonderful care you give to your family. I love you!
You all have left such great comments! Thank you! I just keep thinking of how my whole perspective has changed from one to two children.
With the first, I couldn't wait for the next stage, and with the second, I've really learned to just enjoy the baby in him.
Oh...the way we love our babies!!
Hi, Mallory! How did I not know you had a blog? Guess it never came up in conversation before, not that we have much conversation when we are busy chasing after our children! I just checked out your blog and think it is great - very creative and organized of you! It is something I aspire to do someday, only right now I am too busy.
As for the nursing, I say hold on to it as long as you want. And conversely, stop it whenever you are ready. I am still nursing my Sarah, who turned 2 this month. I know with 99% certainty she is my last baby (hubby only wanted one so getting him to agree to two was great) so I am holding on to it a little longer. I said I would be done when she turned 2 but she doesn't seem to know that and I haven't even begun the process of weaning her off of the 3 times she nurses a day (wake up, nap time and bedtime). I just love nursing my kids so much; to me it is the most precious thing I do as a mother. So I understand how you feel, torn between wanting it over and wanting to keep it going. Do what works for you, PJ, and your family.
Best of luck, talk to you again soon!
Lorrene
Welcome, Lorrene! I'm glad you like the blog--a part-time creative outlet for me ;-) .
Thank you for the bf-ing support! I think that extended nursing is a great thing, regardless of how long We (PJ & I) hold out. He's a super clingy little guy, so the biggest reason I'd quit at this point it to cut the apron strings a bit. But, as a wise mother explained to me, BF-ing is a team effort, and it has to work for both people, and eventually you get to a point where it's not working for one side.
For today we make a good team :) . I'm just thankful for all the positive encouragement that mothers have with extended BF-ing--something unique but wonderful about my generation of mothers!
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