Well, we are almost done too. I never really understood the emotions that are involved in nursing and in weaning. It's been quite the amazing little process. I started breastfeeding my dd when she was 1 month old. It took us that long to figure it out. Until then I pumped and fed her from a bottle. I am still amazed at that first time, when it all of a sudden worked. And then it worked the time after that and the time after that too.
Soon after, we discovered her allergies, and I went on a milk free/ soy free diet. That was one of the hardest things I had to do. I didn't realize that I turned to food for comfort, until I needed comfort and had no comfort foods I could eat. After some testing, more allergies were confirmed and my diet got even more restricted. My dd's doctors want her weaned because they think I am still eating something that she is bothered by. I have so many mixed feelings about that. I wanted to wean her when she turned 1, but didn't have a formula she could drink. Even the most elemental formulas give her hives. But, just like in the beginning when by some miracle she started nursing, another miracle happened in that she drinks rice milk, and she doesn't react to it. It's been a long process of getting her to actually drink it, then another process of making sure she could tolerate it. Now she drinks 2 bottles of rice milk a day and I nurse her every morning. Tomorrow is my last time. I don't think she'll ask for it again after I offer it tomorrow morning, because she doesn't ask for nursing, she asks for bottles. It's pretty cute how she goes to the kitchen and points to her bottles. Cute, but at the same time, it's been rough for me. I know she's not rejecting me, she's just moving on to another stage of her life. And soon, we will transition her to a sippy cup, then on to even more new adventures.
I think the only people who truly understand what is emotionally involved with weaning are those who have been there before. Thanks for listening to my story.
