Breastfeeding and Weaning

In honor of national breastfeeding month I am finally getting around to writing about weaning Graham. But perhaps I will start from the beginning. Graham always loved to nurse. He nursed exclusively and often for months. He never took a bottle despite three hospital stays where the doctors wanted him to take a bottle before nursing after surgery. I pumped almost exclusively for a week while he was recovering from heart surgery when he was 5 months old. I cannot count the number of medical professionals who have seen my boobs, either pumping in a hospital room or attempting to nurse a baby attached to multiple monitors and IVs. Of course Graham refused to take the pumped milk in a bottle so I was able to give most of it to a friend who needed it for her son.

When Graham turned a year old (October) and still wouldn't take a bottle or sippy cup I considered weaning him cold turkey. But then we scheduled neck surgery a month later and I wanted to nurse him through surgery as it was such a great way to comfort him. After surgery came the holidays and I was too busy to deal with weaning. Then over Christmas break, a miracle, Graham started drinking from a sippy cup! Then in January he dropped the morning nap which eliminated a nursing. So I was down to only nursing at afternoon nap and bed time.

In February I found out I was pregnant! I decided at that point that I would just wait it out because I figured my milk would start drying up and Graham would lose interest. And that's exactly what happened. Graham started being iffy about nursing at nap time and then one night before bed he didn't want to nurse. And that was it. I never offered it to him again. Easy. Graham was weaned at 18 months (in April, when I was 12 weeks pregnant). I am so glad that I waited it out and didn't do anything drastic. It turned out to be such an easy transition.

Overall, I loved nursing. I am so thankful that I never had any complications with supply or latching or pain. It was restricting to always be available and very stressful for both of us when I couldn't be. But breast feeding was so easy and quick, compared to preparing bottles. It was an easy way to soothe Graham when nothing else would. I did get some slack from people who didn't understand why I couldn't be out at bedtime or leave Graham with a babysitter. I think the pressure from others who thought I should be able to leave him behind was more stressful then not leaving him behind! I look forward to nursing the twins and am hopeful I will have enough milk. But these babies will be taking a bottle from the beginning! It will be necessary for my survival!