So I Guess We're Weaning :(

[ladymoreta]

I'm sad about it, though. DS starts to cry almost every time I try to get him to nurse. It may be teething pain, but he takes a bottle fine. I think I'm the only one who wants to keep breastfeeding. DS is low on the growth chart - about 25% - and he had a scary dip down to 3% at 6 months. I think my pediatrician wanted me to wean then, but he said at least replace a couple of feedings with formula. DH kind of wants me to so we can see exactly how much DS is eating. Also, we're going to a conference next weekend, and we're leaving DS with my parents, so if my supply is going away, it'll be easier on me.

Sigh. Just when BFing was going great (finally got rid of the nipple shield at 6 months)... Ah well, at least he's gotten 8 months of breastmilk. I just needed to whine a little!

[Michele]

They can go through a nursing strike at that age, but it sounds like you are ok with him weaning. Just because he isn't feeding from the breast, you still can maintain a close snuggly relationship!

[Urowife]

Aw It does sound like a bit of a nursing strike. You definitely don't have to wean if you don't want to, but I can understand the difficulties with trying to get a baby to nurse when they don't want to and the pressure from other people to feed formula. I just wanted to be an advocate in your corner in case you did want to keep going. You could just see what happens when you go to the conference. Are you planning to pump at all while you are gone? You might want to bring one just to pump for comfort - wouldn't want to risk a plugged duct, those are yucky. But, yes, just because you wean doesn't mean that the snuggles go away

[ladymoreta]

I think that's what it is, too. I am kind of disappointed because I had decided to go until he was a year old. If he picks back up, I will keep going, but I also am trying not to stress too much about keeping my supply up.

I'm still offering him the breast first, and he'll nurse some of the time. I'll definitely bring my pump on the trip!

[MrsK]

Um, could you be pregnant? When you are pregnant, your breastmilk will taste different and some babies reject it. Also, I noticed a big dip in the bfeeding/milk production when BabyK began eating solids and again when he started eating tablefoods. Those dips in nursing made me very moody and depressed too. Take care of yourself.

[Momo]

Um, could you be pregnant? When you are pregnant, your breastmilk will taste different and some babies reject it. Also, I noticed a big dip in the bfeeding/milk production when BabyK began eating solids and again when he started eating tablefoods. Those dips in nursing made me very moody and depressed too. Take care of yourself.

ITA w/MrsK's question...Adam started rejecting the breast...lo & be hold he didn't like the change that, (my unplanned) Sophia, was causing to his usual beverage of choice!

[ladymoreta]

Hmm, probably not pregnant. LOL we joke about having 3 forms of birth control: pill, breast feeding, and almost-abstinence due to DH's schedule and DS. It would be fun if I were, though... Have I mentioned I'm crazy?

Maybe he'll pick back up. I hope so, but I am feeling very little support from anyone (except you guys *mwah*) to keep nursing.

[Urowife]

Sometimes it really annoys me how little support there is in our culture for a mom to continue nursing. Well, keep coming back here when you need a boost

[Auspicious]

Ditto what everyone else said--if you want to wean, yay for you, eight months is a good run, mama! If you want to talk through working through it with an eye toward continuing, we're here for that, too!

[SoonerTexan]

Hmm, probably not pregnant. LOL we joke about having 3 forms of birth control: pill, breast feeding, and almost-abstinence due to DH's schedule and DS.

Hmmm...well if you really want to obsess, the what I understand about lactational amenorrhea the formula supplementation may have knocked out #2. Taken any antibiotics or anything that could have decreased the pill's effectiveness? #3 is probably still a safe bet, unfortunately--haha! (though I swear I could chart my fertility simply based on how interested my husband is...)

By the way, there is a small chance I might be in OKC next weekend...I'd love to see you and your adorable kiddo if it works out!

[ladymoreta]

You all are going to mess around and make me take a pregnancy test!

SoonerTexan, next weekend is when we're going to the conference. I would love to see you, though, so definitely let me know if/when you come again. I hate that I've been out of town the only times you've been back!

[MrsK]

Hmm, probably not pregnant. LOL we joke about having 3 forms of birth control: pill, breast feeding, and almost-abstinence due to DH's schedule and DS. It would be fun if I were, though... Have I mentioned I'm crazy?

Ummm, all of the above here. Birth control: Check (though not the pill). Breast feeding: Check. Nearly-absent husband: Check. Crazy: Check. Seriously, it took me a while to figure it out because I didn't want to "waste" a pregnancy test. Then I had to take 6 to convince myself. Take a pg test just to be sure. Most likely, it will be negative and you'll put your mind at rest.

Either way, you can probably expect A to start nursing less now that he's eating more solids. He may be ready to try a sippy cup soon too -- start with a little water at meal times. It's better when the nursing tapers off naturally. Not that I don't understand the grief. Before I discovered that I was pregnant, I was really feeling heartsick about BabyK's approaching first birthday and our plans to wean then. (Now, I'm still sad but tender pg breasts don't go well with sharp new teeth.) When BabyK started eating more tablefood and nursing less, I was very depressed.

[ladymoreta]

Yep, it was negative, but fun to take one again. He's doing great with pureed solids and water in a sippy cup. Maybe it is just a nursing strike, and hopefully it will end before I Lise too much supply. He only refused to nurse twice yesterday, so I'm hopeful!

[scrub-jay]

If you want to keep your supply up, continue to use your pump. Although not as effective as A is at changing your supply, the pump will still (1) empty them out and limit the body from sending its "decrease supply - we're too full" messengers and (2) provide stimulation to ensure the body knows that you aren't closed for business!

I bet you can pull through this strike! Remember also that bf-ing is like a drug (endorphins, etc), going off cold-turkey is never easy. Big big hugs, keep us updated!

[houseelf]

Congrats on eight months together! The end of BF is definitely one of the hardest milestones for me...seriously it is right up there with the first day of kindergarten.

I have to pipe in here and say not to sweat the small weight thing. Look up a world health organization growth chart. On American charts, my kids were like 0 to 10% after a year of BF. On the WHO charts, my kids were much more normal. I'm kind of incensed about all the worry this caused me because I didn't get this information until I was almost done BF my third.