Extended Nursing Support Thread part 4

[clazzat]

My lo is a little younger but I weaned nfs about 7/8 months ago and have been doing morning and bt without any supply issues. I'm sure that you can wean nfs and still be able to nurse. 

[Solene]

Thank you, ladies!
We'll probably just see how it goes without making a plan. I figure that if I suddenly just get a "enough!" feeling, he will get it. And if I don't, we can wait until spring. It would brake my heart if I lost supply, and I'm just not sure I am up for that right now with all the other things going on. I know most don't have issues with it, that's why I was wondering if anybody knew the exact risk here.
We do co-sleep for the most part. He has started (by his own initiative) to go to bed in his bed (same room), but he comes over to me during the night. I love co-sleeping, and I think we need it now. My daughter sleeps with me too.
We did think that daddy might just comfort him when we weaned the nfs, but since he died, it's really all on me. My only other option is grandma, he loves grandma and is very close with her (they are together a lot) and lets her put him to bed and such. But I think I wanna do it.

[*Ali*]

Yeah if you want to do it then why not. You know to whom he would respond best I bet.

[Solene]

Ali, that's the thing. I'm normally very sure and secure in my parenting. Now though, I'm questioning *everything* and feel like I don't know anything. Gah.

[Erin M]

(((hugs))) Solene, just do what feels right.  If it doesn't feel like it's the time, then don't do it. 

[katyusha]

Well Misha is finally weaned I think. He is 2 years 2 months and 2 weeks...
Poor chap he still sighs about it dreamily. For the last month it was on and off ( if I was late home) but he wanted it and would wake up at night sometimes if he missed the night feed. The am feed was first to go. But it was kind of on demand. Then slowly he would go a day without a feed then the next day he would go back to it. Still my milk was going down. So I would give formula first and top up with BF, and I would say, empty, no more left etc. so he would feeel me up and go 'empty', big sigh. Then slowly he moved on from it and I think we have not had a BF since last week, but can't be sure. We still have cuddles. Today he had a look and said, 'Agu'. Then another look and he said 'for baby'. ( earlier in the week we had a friend come over and he saw her nurse her baby). So I said, yes, it is for baby but you are my big boy, my best big boy. So he was content with that and a cuddle.

I am a bit sad, but at the same time it was so gradual, we were both ready for it. At 2 he knows and understands a fair bit.  Plus he started potty training a month ago and that sort of made him more of a 'big boy'. Best bit is that we had a milk challenge last week and we passed, so after a year's withdrawal we can reintroduce dairy!

Thanks ladies for all your support on this board over last year+!!!

Solene, I don't know of any stats but supply as you know is very much based on demand. So if you wean him of NF he will just catch up on the milk he wanted at your am feed. That said, some nihgts it felt like M was just unconsolable and then BF was like a dummy and it had nothing to do with supply. My point is I would not worry about it, esp. given everything else you have in your life. It will sort of sort itself out based on your LOs ideas/ love of BF.

[Fiver]

Well done, Kate.  What stars you both are

[katyusha]

Thanks a lot!

[*Ali*]

That is a fantastic time to have been breast feeding. That was the age I weaned Cadan (well 26mo exactly for us) and it was a nice gradual wean like yours. Enjoy those special cuddles. And just in time for a Christmas drink or two if you are that way inclined

Colby is still feeding morning and BT and most days after lunchtime too unless we are out and then it doesn't really occur to either of us to have it. He has just started saying boobie (berber) and something like "arna" when he wants the other one. He seems to want it more lately although he is teething. A couple of times this week he skipped the lunch feed because we were out and then asked before dinner after a late nap. So we had a quick one but he is easily distracted.

[amayzie]

Great job Kate!

[Papaya]

Lovely that you've had such a long breastfeeding relationship, Kate, and that it's ended so gradually and naturally

I think I'll be there soon with F - in general she's been less and less interested in the mornings recently, although occasionally she does wake calling for mama milk. I think the miscarriage this week has probably affected my supply too and there hasn't been much there. That said, she asked for mama milk after her nap yesterday, the first time in MONTHS - so I said ok, but by the time I'd got her up and sat her on the potty, she wasn't interested anymore and ran off to play

[katyusha]

Oh, Nuala, sorry to hear about your loss... HUGS (((())))

[Erin M]

Nice work Kate! 

[badpixie]

Oh Papaya I'm so sorry for your loss! Although I don't really know you, you strike me as a lovely, caring person, probably someone i would be friends with IRL and I wish you well xxx Hugs to you and your family xx
 
Just want to come on and share. My little dude is 20ish months and we are dropping the bfing slowly slowly. We are down to once every 2 days (on my mornings, DP gets up with him alternate mornings) I'm not entirely sure how we are going to drop that habit but I'm sure it will happen soon. Its been an amazing experience, with highs and lows of course.
I've been quite reflective recently and I'm just starting to realise how deeply his birth has affected me. I had wanted a home birth,  but after my waters broke at 36+ weeks I found myself on the cascade of intervention, and heading towards my birthing nightmare. I was finally induced 4 days later after fighting all the way to try and retain some control over my body and the birth of my child. At one point I was 15mins away from a c section, but fortunately I managed to get him out myself, without the aid of pain relief, for which I am extremely proud of myself. My recently come to the realisation that this experience has left me a little bitter towards people who managed to have the beautiful peaceful birth that I craved and hoped, and I have a lot of anger at the loss of my one chance to have this experience.
8 months ago I was wondering how on earth I was supposed to give up BF when clearly my 8 times a day boy wasn't ready and it just seemed so soon and wrong to be stopping. It was this forum that made me realise that not only did I not have to give up, but it was healthy to keep going and finally that I really didn't want to give up anyway.
I think my point is that although the birth didn't go nearly the way that I wanted it to, at least I have had the priviledge of being able to BF my beautiful spirited boy for as long as I have. Many of my friends have missed out on this experience due to misinformation rather than anything medical, so I feel lucky to have had this forum. The wisdom and knowledge of the women on here is priceless and I'm so grateful.

Merry christmas you guys, keep up the good work xxx

[*Ali*]

Hugs Hayley. When I weaned Cadan at 26mo I did so by offering a treat for breakfast (coco pops or hot chocolate) which I offered the moment I burst into his room with an upbeat "morning, would you like coco pops for breakfast this morning?" I did that type of distraction and  let DH get him up on when he could and then when he eventually asked after a few days I said chirpily that we didn't have boobs anymore and distracted with a toy.
Can your DH do all the mornings for a week or so just while you get him out of the BF habit? Maybe he could even go back to sleep after half hour when the moment has passed if you get super early mornings?