I started weaning Josiah at his first birthday and I have taken it slowly to avoid problems for myself and because he had a decreased appetite for a week while teething. We are now down to only night feedings which will end this week. I figured I’d keep it up while we were out of town this weekend for Easter to make it easier to put him to bed in a new place. I’m so glad it all went well and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I have to admit, I will miss it on some level. Here is what weaning means to me:
* No more breakfast in bed – this is where, on occasion, Jacob was sweet enough to go get Josiah and bring him to me in bed so that Josiah could nurse and I didn’t have to get up to do it.
*Wearing whatever I want without thinking about if I will need to nurse while wearing it and if it is amenable to nursing.
*Wearing any bra I want!
*I MIGHT be able to sleep in if Jacob agrees to get Josiah up, feed him, and take him out one Saturday morning. I haven’t slept in in over a year! Some days I long for it.
*Being able to be away from both Josiah and my pump at the same time for more than a few hours at a time. Or, maybe I’ll get to be home by myself for once!
*Not having to work at stocking up milk! Does anyone happen to need any? I have some leftover.
*Not being able to use nursing to comfort him when nothing else will. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had to use nursing solely for that purpose, but I was reminded of its usefulness last week when he was crying continuously and couldn’t sleep. It made me not want to wean!
*And sadly, the end of that special, unique bond with my sweet son where I can give him no one else can.
Speaking of our bond…Josiah has emerged from the separation anxiety stage! It is a wonderful thing because it means that I don’t have to have him clinging to me when we are at parties and such and our friends and family can enjoy him, too. BUT I’m also strangely sad that I am no longer his one and only. I can see his relationship with Jacob blossoming more when he is just as content in his arms as mine when we are out, which makes me very happy, but it is also bittersweet. I realized the other day that soon I will be replaced as the most important person in his life by his buddies, then girlfriends (hopefully ones I like and not too many of them!), then God willing, a wife and children. That is how it should be, but it just seems like it will come too quickly. Oh well, if that natural progression doesn’t happen, I’ll be worried. No man should be attached to his mom at 30!
And because a wise woman (ahem, Katie) once said “what good is a blog without a picture?”, here ya go! This is the box his new carseat came in. He and the cat both love it.
He also loves his John Deere which he usually rides facing forwards, I promise. It is scary watching him get on it because he perches precariously on top before straddling it.
5 comments:
Abby - I feel your pain. 1 1/2 years later and I still miss nursing Michaela. I'm so excited that I'll be able to do it again with the new baby (if all goes as planned, that is). But as you mentioned, there are good parts too. I do NOT miss that pump! I hope all goes well with weaning for both you and Josiah.
Way to go, Moma!!! You are the woman for nursing and for the weaning part. It is a little crazy how this whole parent thing (nursing included) is FULL of bittersweetness. I told Joel that Luke no longer cries at MMO when I pick him up, so he's not going anymore b/c he obviously doesn't miss me now...ha ha...Sweet sweet Josiah. You'll find other things to comfort him. Just think Luke never nursed for comfort~ha ha!!
Josiah continues to be SUCH a sweet boy, love the photos, thanks for including them. Even from a distance, I can only imagine the bittersweetness.. it does seem like they all just grow up so fast!! Seems like they just seem to get cuter and cuter. I keep thinking that I have a hard time remembering what Adeline was like at Essie's age and how either of them could be any cuter, but it keeps happening!
I feel your pain too! I weaned Sammy right at this same age and it was so hard for me and I hate to admit it but I STILL miss it and get a strange feeling when I see other mommies nurse. It was so hard for me to stop but I knew he was getting ready and it shouldn't be about me. The freedom is nice and you will find other ways to comfort him in those most difficult times. I don't think they forget those times either b/c Sammy will stop EVERYTHING no matter what he is playing if I start singing one of the songs I sang when he nursed and run hug me, still and he is 2 1/2. =) It is sweet and I think Jesus knows I still need him to be snuggly like that I little while longer.
Your boy is just so big and I love the sweet relationship you share! Here's to your first morning of sleeping in!!!
You can sell your breastmilk on the internet. It's creepy, but you can. (btw, I'm not seriously suggesting it. Just wanted to make that clear)
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