I have been morbidly predicting the end of nursing for the past 6 months. Jelly Bean (JB) will get, just super wiggly and not sit still for not one gosh darned thing...And then *poof* sweet baby who loves mama is back nursing 3 times a day.
We are currently in a wiggly stage. We have been through this before, right after his first birthday, and he did grow out of it a bit. But here we are again. When I ask him, "Do you want to nurse?" I get the whole body nod from him, complete with matching head and body bobbing. And then I proceed to remove my shrunken old ninnies from their respective holders and he cackles at me. I am not sure if this is due to joy or due to the hilarity of my naked body. Mayhap, I really don't want to know. I offer him a breast and he wiggles away and runs.
*Sigh* It is a bit out-putting to undress one's self for no good reason.
But, this is the child who will not immobilize himself for anything. Not food, not love, not cookies or candy. Not toys, not playing, not nothin'. When you pick him up, it takes all your concentration and strength to hold his bitsy 22 pound self. He wriggles like a cat you are trying to dump into the tub. He squirms like a worm on a too warm sidewalk. He wiggles like...something really wiggly that does not want to be held. It is a challenge.
So, the nursing has cut way back to...well, to maybe 2 whole minutes a shot maybe once or twice a day? So I am donning my oversized cloak and scythe to predict the end. I am ambivalent about this. I will miss snuggling with him and listening to him swallow big gulps. I will wonder if his little immune system will be ok without whatever menial antibodies I have been sharing with him. But, I feel that so long as it is his choice to continue or stop, then this is good. I would happily continue, but I am willing put this vestige of babyhood to rest. I have enjoyed and loved growing his little body and feel proud that my breasts have been for more than just decoration. I will be a little sad maybe, but kids have to grow up sometime. And mine don't usually consult me before they do so.
7 comments:
It is a mixed-feeling sort of thing, isn't it? I very much enjoyed this post; it made me laugh and say "awww!"
Good luck with whatever JB decides! You can take pride in knowing that you have nursed for this long. And his little body will be fine and will continue to grow and wiggle and squirm! :)
Aw, that wiggly phase is so tough. Great job on the nursing!
Be proud that you've gone this far!! :)
Mine never lasted very long at all.
Heidi
PS: Awaiting birthday update!
I felt the same way with my middle child (when I thought he was to be my last), but I had gotten over it by the time #3 was done.
16 months is a great accomplishment! Be proud!
Oh I so understand how you feel. I love the moments of breastfeeding where its just the wonderful snuggliness and then how much I hate it when it happens at 6am and I have a hours more sleep to go.
But my 17 month old doesn't seem ready to stop completely, most days when I come home from work he runs up to me, gives me a hug and then goes searching for the boppy pillow and pointedly gives it to me and starts crying. Its cute. And the actual breastfeeding only takes a couple of mins... because you know, there is squirming and climbing to do!
They will both stop bf-ing at some point. I imagine it will be one of those bittersweet parenting moments.
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