Goodbye to Breastfeeding

We have officially weaning David....after only 19 months. If you would have told me a few years ago that I would breastfeed David for almost two years, I would have laughed at the thought. I remember reading articles and watching videos when I was pregnant about women who breastfed for years and thinking what an odd thing to do. Matt and I took the breastfeeding class offered by the hospital and, as most new moms these days, I planned to breastfeed for at least six months and would try to do so for a year. Then David was born and, after a few struggles, breastfeeding seemed so natural. It was also easy and super convenient, especially for getting David back to sleep in the middle of the night. When I went back to work, I complained about pumping (it is not exactly a glamorous process), but I secretly welcomed the break from work every few hours and enjoyed the conversations that Matt and I would have on the phone as I killed time during pumping sessions. I always tried to pretend I was just calling to say hi, but despite hiding the pump in my desk drawer, he always seemed to know what was going on.

As David got older, I cut out the pumping and only fed him when I got home from work, at night and in the mornings. It was such a nice way to reconnect after being separated all day and it served as the basis for our own special routine at bedtime and a good way to start the day. As much as I thought it would be weird to continue to breastfeed, as time passed, it just seemed natural. Even when he starting talking and would ask to nurse, it was cute rather than creepy. As a working mother, there are so many things that you miss in your child's life. Nursing was a great way to focus my attention entirely on David and to spend some quality time together.  As he got older, it became much less about nutrition and more about comfort and bonding.

I probably would not have weaned David without some encourage (i.e. Matt made me and rightfully so). I originally said I would do so after a year, which turned into 18 months, which turned into two years. The week before last, I had to go out of town overnight leaving Matt to handle bedtime. This was, by far, the most difficult part of weaning as David was in the habit of using nursing to put himself to sleep. That night was rough and, from what I hear, Matt didn't get much sleep. When I got back, Matt figured he was already through the worst part...or so he thought.. and he banished me to the guest bedroom for a few nights. Within a few days, David had a new bedtime routine (which included sleeping with Monkey- the stuffed animal he got while on vacation this past December) and he only occasionally asks to nurse. Even when he does want to nurse, he is easily satisfied with a quick explanation about how the milk is "all gone".

I know that only family and friends read this blog, but being that it serves as David's baby book, I thought it appropriate to document and properly lament the end of our breastfeeding times.