The end of breastfeeding
I made it to the year mark!
Golden Boobies, hollllllla!
Of course, now that I have been breastfeeding for more than a full year (wow), I am definitely on board with weaning. Not to be judgey, because it’s a personal decision for everyone, but I feel continuing at this point would put me squarely in hippie-dippie territory. Oops, that was judgey, wasn’t it? Sorry.
I get that there are benefits to extended breastfeeding, but I think that following the “breastfeed for one year” proclamation is pretty damn impressive. I did it, I’m proud, but now it’s done. I mean, the kid rides a bike and eats pizza and cake. He’s not a baby anymore, and … and yeah, it’s just time.
So here is how I’ve been handling the weaning process, which began shortly before Baby Boy turned one — and is still continuing now, three weeks into his second year.
Stage 1 (just before he turned one): I cut out all “in-between” nursings (i.e. randomly throughout the day) and stuck to only before his morning nap, before his afternoon nap, and before bed (as well as once throughout the night).
Stage 2 (a week after he turned one): Began cutting out one of his before-nap nursing sessions
Stage 3 (two weeks after he turned one): Stopped nursing at all during the day. Nursed only at bedtime and during his one wake-up (around 4:30 a.m.). If he woke up at midnight, I would not nurse — just gave him his soother.
Stage 4 (three weeks after he turned one): This is the stage we’re about to begin now. We’ll nurse only at bedtime, and not at any other time (including during the night).
Stage 5 (by the time he is 13 months): Finished nursing entirely.
Baby Boy turns 13 months in one week and two days. Let’s see how this whole thing winds down, shall we? And please join me in prayers for my boobies. Let them not shrivel up into flappy little pancakes, or sad-looking grapes. Let them remain at a decent size and texture. Please!
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Heather's Handmade Life 