We decided that we would start weaning after her one year appointment next week. I've nursed her every time she's gotten shots, and I want to at the one year appointment as well. We made it to a full year! That was always the goal, but I wasn't sure we were going to make it at first...
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.
I thank God that I was (and am, until I officially wean Daughter) able to nurse. So few adoptive mothers get to do that. Heck, now-a-days few genetic mothers get to do that!
