It sort of happened by accident. I've been wanting to wean but not really knowing how to go about doing it. You'd think after four children I would be a pro, people keep telling me that I must be one, but some things are just hard to do no matter how much experience I've had.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't just decide to quit nursing and that's that. No. Much to my husband's surprise (and plenty of other people too), it doesn't happen like that. It's not as easy as going out to the back yard and turning off the water faucet to the sprinklers. There are a lot of factors involved that make the whole breastfeeding thing harder than it looks. There are hormones and feelings and complicated crazy things like that with every meal. And there is very little support for weaning! No, I take that back. There is NO support for weaning!
I started this addictive habit over 5 years ago on March 14, 2006. The day Gracie was born! I had a hard time weaning her too, but I managed to quit just in time for my third trimester of pregnancy with Libby. After the 3 month break, I started nursing again on September 30, 2008. But because I was super pregnant when I quit nursing Gracie, my body just stayed in dairy-cow mode.
With Gracie, who is my third baby, I weaned her on a roadtrip. We drove 3800 miles round trip and nursing in the vehicle is impossible. When we weren't driving, we were busy. She had so much fun that she slept hard at night and ate really well when we sat for meals. Incidentally, most meals were in restaurants and by that time I had given up nursing her in public (much). Being on vacation helped us both to fill the days and nights with activity, food and sleep. It was the perfect way to wean!
I thought I'll do the same thing with Libby when we go on our annual summer roadtrip. But, we decided not to go this year - crazy as that sounds! We decided to act like normal people and not haul our family halfway across the country in a mini-van. There went my weaning plan.
Luckily, Libby got a stomach virus. Wait, that wasn't lucky. Well, it sort of was. You be the judge. She was a puke fountain, poor kid. Keith told her it was because she grew too big for boo-boo. She said "am I fwee yeez old now?" He said "yes". She was very thoughtful as she processed the cause and effect in her little head. She didn't want it all night; she'd wake me up and say "boo-boo is for babies" and then whine or ask for a hug and go back to sleep. My poor baby!
And who are we kidding, poor me too. My body was not listening to what was going on in our little world. It was still making milk, and then making more. Oh, mama, I was looking lovely! And I was in a lot of pain, couldn't sleep, but it's worth it, right?
In the morning, I kept Gracie home from school because I was worried she would start puking too. They usually do these types of things together. Mostly, I was afraid if Gracie puked it would throw off the too big for boo-boo story that Libby was wholeheartedly believing.
Gracie did get sick, but Libby was too self-absorbed to noticed her sister's mad dashes to the bathroom. Whew!
With the sudden "birthday", the boobie bar was closed. Libby announced over and over again that she was now "fwee yeez ode" although she wasn't quite ready to grow up so fast, she handled it well. First, she demanded birthday cake and presents. We told her that she needed to stop puking first and then we would have a party for her. She climbed up into my lap and said "I'm too big for boo-boo now. I just want a hug." We hugged and then she said, "you will get me a tea set for my birfday today". Bossy little thing now that she is three. But she stuck to her decision to be three, so we played the game. The puking triggered the weaning, but turning three cinched the deal. Apparently, when you are three, the milk is no good. I won't argue.
Noon. Libby had explosive diarrhea, I had ice packs on my chest, and dang it, Gracie was puking like a college student on a Saturday morning. Day 2 of weaning was looking rough. I WANTED to give it up, why is this so hard? Because I was closing a long chapter in my life? Great, the kids are sick and I'm having a hormonal weeping attack.
2:30. Libby was really tired and couldn't manage to fall asleep without being nursed. But, she's three years old now so we had tough it out. I was dead tired. Hope she falls asleep. If Libby would just go to sleep.
4:30 I don't think I can take the crying. She's just crying! And crying! And crying!!!
6:30. Daddy came home and told her Happy Birthday, she explained how she needs a cake and a present. It should be a teapot. I'm just glad she quit crying.
They are both sick and feeling yucky. Poor girl, sick on her fake birthday. I'm looking mighty fine. Getting some lovely cleavage from this sudden end of an era. In fact, I was barely recognizable.
24 Hours!!! She was not asking for it at all. She had some water and she had rice for dinner. Gracie looked at her rice and went to the bathroom and threw up. I was hoping tomorrow would be better for everyone, and that Libby would still be "Fee Yeez Ode" and really, I feel like this last year went by way too fast! Whatever, if she wants to be three, I'm ok with that, but she's gonna stay three for a year and a half at least!
Daddy rocked her to sleep without a battle of any kind. No resistance. But, she said, "When I was little, I was a baby and I used to have boo boo. Now I big. I free yeez ode." Ah, reminiscing about the good ol' days.
Day 2: She slept through the whole night in her own bed! I think I am gonna like having boob freedom! Speaking of my boobs... my cups runneth over. Damn, I was sexy!
Libby asked for it in the morning and I reminded her that she is too big. She cried. She said she is sad. But she moved on to the breakfast table without a problem. We had blueberry muffins for breakfast and Libby was so excited! "My Birfday cake!" Oh, kid, this birthday thing is just too much fun! At least there is some fun to the big changes going on in our lives.
Both girls were to be feeling good that day. No puking or poop explosions. yay! To celebrate their return to normal digestive processes, we went shopping and found a little tea set. Happy Third Birthday, Libby-Lou.
It has been almost three months since we weaned. She still insists that she is "Fwee Yeez Ode" and one of these days the calendar will catch up with her. She's eating and sleeping like a champ, but still enjoys some lap-time. My voluptuous figure shrank; I'm looking droopy but feeling normal. We have tea parties often; I've drank more than my fair share of imaginary tea! She has trouble falling asleep, consoling herself when her feelings are hurt, or conquering boredom, but she's come a long way since the old days when she nursed.
Awwww, no more bovine baby!! I love how Libby says she's 3 yrs old, so cute!!
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