I was very dedicated to nursing when he was born. It was a huge challenge since he was premature and didn't take to it immediately. He had to be fed through a tube, and I had to constantly pump. I started to feel a bit like a dairy cow. My goal was to make it to six months.
When I went back to work, I created a little station with a chair and stool in the handicapped bathroom stall. I go in there every day around 4:15 and do my business. My co-workers are used to the swoosh-swoosh sound by now.
When I hit six months, I decided to try for a year. That will mean I don't have to ever buy formula, and I will be in accordance with the guidelines for the American Academy of Pediatrics. I tend to be a very anxious and perfectionist and guilty mom, so you understand my over thinking all of this.
At one point, I had 35 small bottles of frozen breast milk in my freezer. My supply has dwindled to two. I can not wait to put that giant pumping box in storage until the next little one. I will miss the closeness, and his big eyes looking up at me. I will not miss his tendency to pinch now and stretch painfully away from me. I think I will ween him slowly, so I can dump the pump, but continue a few daily nursing sessions.
I do definitely feel a certain sense of pride for sticking through all the pumping, the late nights, and the nursing in the car in parking lots. I hope he appreciates it.
--MM
He appreciates it! He will share a bond with you forever because of the time and effort you've spent nursing and providing your milk.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend weaning gradually, too. I gradually weaned off the pump first (I was having a very hard - sometimes painful - time just finding time to pump at work), then nursing, until my supply was almost gone. I think I started this around nine months and stopped completely at 13 months. The end was sad for me, but my little one didn't even seem to notice.
Best of luck with the transition! It's both liberating and heartbreaking.