make sure you do whats best for YOU and YOUR baby. Don't let anyone pressure you one way or the other. Your body and your baby have different needs and different lifestyles than anyone else and NO ONE can tell you what the right decision for YOU is. Don't let anyone pressure you into either weaning or into not weaning. Its honestly none of your dad's business whether or not you breastfeed or how long you breastfeed. None of the inlaws, even the baby's daddy isn't involved in the decision to wean. Its a mutual decision you and the baby make when the time is right for you. Don't let anyone pressure you into making a decision that you feel you might regret later or be unhappy with overall. You only have this one time to be a mom to this baby at this time, make decisions that make YOU happy and don't worry about other people judging you. YOU are the best mom this baby could possibly have, and YOU will make the right decisions regarding breastfeeding and weaning Its no one else's baby but yours!
I've found all my kids are different. I've had three kids and had three different experiences with all three. (of course I still have to wean two of them, but even the nursing experiences have been entirely different for all of them).
I played all kinds of games and made tons of decisions out of guilt on my first baby. Tried feeding him solids at certain times to make the doctor happy, tried weaning him at other times to make someone else happy, tried making my other friend happy by nursing extended at other times (like bedtime or something). Ultimately, I got tired of making decisions because I was being guilted or pressured by other people. Impossible to make everyone happy. Now I make decisions to make me happy, because they're my kids and I'm the only one who has to live with the consequences of my decisions
Sound advice, Boots! Kudos on the tandem nursing. I nursed my first two together and it was like nails on chalkboard for me. I held out as long as I could, about 6 months, until I felt I wasn't going to completely "damage" my older son by having the weaning discussion. lol
yeah I dunno, my oldest just kinda "quit" when he was 2.5 years I think? I did tandem with him and my daughter for a while, but I wasn't nursing him when I got pregnant for the third one so I dunno what age he was exactly, but I pretty much told him "no" for about two nights in a row and he forgot all about it as he didn't care that much.
My little girl on the other hand. OMG. Every time I tell her "no" she presses me harder. Its like she panics and gets MORE clingy and wants it MORE. My husband teases and says I'll have the 10 mo baby weaned before I have her weaned >.< So every time I get her paniced reaction I stop trying to pull back for a couple of weeks to give her time and security again. I'm hoping eventually she stops her panic-routine and reponds securely to me offering her milk or water as a substitute.
Part of me still feels guilty because I have to leave them every day during the week. So I kinda feel she needs the extra time, attention and security she gets from the nursing.
That anxious response was exactly how my oldest was and why I ended up tandem nursing. It felt like I was going to break his spirit if I didn't wait until he was ready on his own. When he finally weaned it felt right. Like your experience, it was just a discussion and two nights of reminders. He cried but I could tell it wasn't the spirit crushing, psyche damaging reaction as before.
Currently nursing my 15mth old and nursed my oldest past three I guess I am lucky to be able to cut calories and not have it effect my supply, tons of milk over here lol. Down 81lbs since Sept. at my known highest but I'm sure I weighed another 20 or more right after birth of my 11lb fat potato.
That anxious response was exactly how my oldest was and why I ended up tandem nursing. It felt like I was going to break his spirit if I didn't wait until he was ready on his own. When he finally weaned it felt right. Like your experience, it was just a discussion and two nights of reminders. He cried but I could tell it wasn't the spirit crushing, psyche damaging reaction as before.
haha! So it will come one day? I was beginning to worry it might never come naturally! She's putting whole sentences together and she calls it "gigi" and this week she's begun to tell me "I want gigi in the office!" And dragging me to the office to nurse her....I'm thinking "She's getting too old for this???" LOL!
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Originally Posted by wannabeMTchick
Currently nursing my 15mth old and nursed my oldest past three I guess I am lucky to be able to cut calories and not have it effect my supply, tons of milk over here lol. Down 81lbs since Sept. at my known highest but I'm sure I weighed another 20 or more right after birth of my 11lb fat potato.
I only had it affect my milk supply that one time, usually I'm better than a cow and a half with milk supply! I can pump 16-20 oz in one sitting if I let it build up, and I'm not yet engorged at that point! (I'm pretty lazy with pumping so I'd pump like every other day or sometimes just 2x a week). Then I lost a bunch of weight quickly and I noticed the toddler and the baby getting annoyed and not letting go of the breast and I kinda felt around and I FELT empty and I was really annoyed! Only time ever, except when I got Hand Foot & Mouth Disease (a gift from daycare) and it dropped then too.
I'm also an extended nurser here. DD is 19 months and she's still going strong. The current plan is to go until at least until 2 and reevaluate once we get there. I'm definitely NOT one of those people who lose weight easily while nursing! It's been a huge struggles, especially since I've had a lot of cravings. I've had to cut out sugar completely and it's helped a lot in that respect. But I'm hungry ALL THE TIME, and seem to need to eat a lot of meat for some reason?
It takes a lot of protein to breastfeed, that's probably why you are eating a lot of meat.
:O I didn't know that! Is that why I'm craving cottage cheese and eggs and soymilk? I was just thinking yesterday "Is it healthy that half my diet is high in protein?" and I was really worried that there's too much fat in those things and I'm like "Why can't I crave something more healthy than cottage cheese, like something preppy healthy and girly like 'lowfat yogurt'?? Why this 'I can't get enough cottage cheese' feeling I've had for four months straight?"
I usually LIKE yogurt better than cottage cheese... usually.... but not lately, ONLY cottage cheese, hardboiled eggs and soymilk....and tons of it. I've even started to add eggs to my oatmeal in the morning (I know that sounds weird...but its true, and I like it!)
(on a positive note I think my milk production is back up and kicking and where it was before I butchered it on accident a few months back! I'm now suddenly a more firm believer in that whole "you crave what your body needs" thing, despite my ice cream and heath bar cravings almost destroying my faith in that concept last year.)
Totally ot but I have been buying the Greek honey yogurt and topping it with granola and frozen berries. mmmmm! I call it a parfait and the kids love it.
It takes a lot of protein to breastfeed, that's probably why you are eating a lot of meat.
Definitely! I've also found that I can't limit my fat. As in if I eat butter and whole fat yogurt I feel fuller and end up eating less in the long run (and don't crave sweets as much). I'm having to relearn my eating habits since I was a vegetarian before getting pregnant but now I just want steak!
Right now DD's got a cold which means non-stop night nursing. I was really proud of myself yesterday for getting a run in despite that. Hopefully I'll pull it off today too! Although this also means she's certainly up my supply and my bras are going to be tighter until her cold goes away.
Oh, and I love greek yogurt too! But I really need more than that for breakfast I normally go with eggs+turkey bacon and maybe a piece of bread. Otherwise I'm super hungry all morning long.
What a great thread to read. I'm still nursing my 14 month old, and he shows no sign of weaning anytime soon. He nurses as much now as when he was a wee baby it seems. Honestly, I think I'll be heartbroken when he decides it's time lol.
I have this voracious appetite. I feel like I am always hungry. I'm afraid to diet and lose my supply, so I'm not counting calories because I get too hung up on numbers. In fact, I'm not dieting at all, I guess. I am working out at the gym regularly and eating healthier foods for meals and snacks. After a week and a day, I feel so much better already, with much added, and needed, energy.
I didn't lose while nursing either. I did lose what little preg weight I gained before I left the hospital, and I haven't gained while nursing. I'm pretty much where I left off 2 years ago upon finding out I was pregnant. It's been the one time in my life I've been able to eat whatever I want and not gain. I used to be so jealous of those people (ie, my brother), but not anymore. Some foods just make me feel super sluggish. Time to lose the weight!
Kudos to all you ladies for nursing as long as you have!
I have this voracious appetite. I feel like I am always hungry. I'm afraid to diet and lose my supply, so I'm not counting calories because I get too hung up on numbers. In fact, I'm not dieting at all, I guess. I am working out at the gym regularly and eating healthier foods for meals and snacks. After a week and a day, I feel so much better already, with much added, and needed, energy.
That sounds just like me. I'm not going on any really diet. I just cut out sugar and that's about it. I've always like veggies a lot so the other part isn't too hard and I've found that after increasing the amount I exercise and cutting out sugar I'm a lot less hungry and can definitely do smaller portions. I'm not sure how much I've lost at this point but DH and myself can certainly see the results.
Hi! Bumping this old thread, but I just re-joined 3FC! I'm currently nursing my 2 1/2 year old DS and my 5 week old DD. My first DS nursed till 2 years 9 months. It's so wonderful to be among other mamas to do extended BF!
Its no one else's baby but yours!
