If you had told me when she was a month old sucking from blistered nipples that one day soon I would enjoy nursing and miss it when I was done, I would have thought you were crazy. If you had told me that I would giggle when Daughter looks at me with a milky smile, I would have thought you'd been drinking.... giggle while nursing? But the pain!
Yes... there was pain.
But we stuck with it! I say "we" because it really is a team effort. Daughter had to be willing, and Mat had to be supportive. Which he was. He was uber-supportive. I love that man!
I'm very glad that our breastfeeding course at the hospital was open to dads, too. Apparently some of the courses at other hospitals are not. I'm also very thankful that Mat was able and willing to go with me.
My nursing success can be attributed to 4 things.
- milk supply (Thank God I have plenty of milk! Some women don't)
- stubbornness (if other women can do it, I should be able to, too!)
- a very supportive husband. Seriously, wouldn't have made it past 2 weeks without him.
- Daughter's patience while I learned what to do.
If you're going to miss it, why stop? There's no reason children need to stop nursing this early, and we're one of the only cultures that encourages stopping this early on. If you enjoy it and can do it and daughter still accepts it, why stop?
ReplyDelete-Jen
Deletewoo hoo! congrats on making it a year! that is very impressive!
ReplyDeleteI remember that sentiment! Shortly after 1 year, we were nursing only at night. I'm not sure she got much milk at that point, but it was our special bedtime routine. I loved those times- it was a special Leah/mommy times after a crazy day of running around with my almost-toddler.
ReplyDeleteI knew each night might be the last so I cherished them. Finally, one night, Leah fell asleep on her Daddy's shoulder and we decided that was it. We put her to bed without nursing. I cried.
Those memories are helping me get through these first few weeks with my new daughter. I cry in pain T the cracked nipples and her terrible latch and I remember how special nursing is.
I hope the memories help me get through the next one as well! Godspeed :)
DeleteOh and that wasn't meant to be a guilt trip about stopping. If you need to stop, stop. Just didn't want you to think you HAVE to. A lot of pediatricians like to pitch that but it's so outdated. Do what you think is right! -Jen
ReplyDeleteI didn't take it as a guilt trip at all :)
DeleteI know that nursing could go on longer... but I feel like it's the right time for us to stop. Our pediatrician was a bit on the side of stopping, but her nurse said to keep going until we feel like stopping :)