Weaning
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by Amy
So, Avery has weaned. And, true to herself, in the most unusual way. I'm still kind of shell-shocked!
There was no tapering, no days without nursing. She was still nursing, on average, 8-12 times a day as well as nursing to sleep and perhaps twice more at night. Then one morning, LITERALLY, she lost the sucking reflex. Her latch seemed fine, but her nursing hurt like the dickens. She then said "I forgot how I used to nurse" and "how come I don't get milk anymore?" I checked and I still had milk. So we decided that we would cuddle instead. She was still pretty frustrated and upset, but knew that nursing doesn't "work" anymore.
The funny thing is, though, that my first response to any household discord it to offer to nurse. Avery and Riley had a little argument and Avery came to me and crawled onto my lap and I instinctively lifted my shirt. Avery said, in her best teenage voice, "Mom, that doesn't work anymore!" Doh! There goes my best tool!
I was talking to Rudi about it last night, telling him that I have been nursing for more than SIX YEARS non-stop. Six years! And for 1 1/2 of those years I was nursing two. I think I've earned my stripes!
There was no tapering, no days without nursing. She was still nursing, on average, 8-12 times a day as well as nursing to sleep and perhaps twice more at night. Then one morning, LITERALLY, she lost the sucking reflex. Her latch seemed fine, but her nursing hurt like the dickens. She then said "I forgot how I used to nurse" and "how come I don't get milk anymore?" I checked and I still had milk. So we decided that we would cuddle instead. She was still pretty frustrated and upset, but knew that nursing doesn't "work" anymore.
The funny thing is, though, that my first response to any household discord it to offer to nurse. Avery and Riley had a little argument and Avery came to me and crawled onto my lap and I instinctively lifted my shirt. Avery said, in her best teenage voice, "Mom, that doesn't work anymore!" Doh! There goes my best tool!
I was talking to Rudi about it last night, telling him that I have been nursing for more than SIX YEARS non-stop. Six years! And for 1 1/2 of those years I was nursing two. I think I've earned my stripes!
