Monday, June 25, 2007
Hanging up the Nursing Bras, at Long, Long Last!
As of this weekend, Mae is no longer breastfeeding. Da be da de de dum dum. Bring in the brass band! Release the balloons! Break out the pretty bras!! I've got my body back!!
All the books I read told me I'd miss it. The nice, snuggly, close times. The special bond, the convenience, etc. But they were so wrong. It stopped hurting so much after the first three months, and I eventually stopped hating it, but I would never go so far as to say I liked it.
And as for convenience, bottles are where it's at. I wasn't a very good public breast feeder at the best of times and - since she sprouted teeth four months ago - I haven't even attempted it. Near the end, Mae and I just weren't a pretty picture while breastfeeding, what with her biting me, kicking me, wiggling around, getting bored and deciding to pull off mid-let-down, and me yelling "Ouch!" or else "Focus!!! Focus!!! Focus!!!". But now we can go anywhere we want with a bottle in tow. I don't even have to warm it up. She doesn't care. She's chill like that. And if she wants to bite the plastic nipple or wrench her head around 90 degrees while eating, she can now be my guest.
I've heard and read horror stories but, for us, the whole weaning thing was, thankfully, a non event. I just dropped a feed every couple of days - whenever I felt like it - and she just started taking a bottle - whenever she felt like it. And, honestly, we're both much happier with our new arrangement.
I'm glad I breastfed her, don't get me wrong. I'm glad because of the health benefits ... and I'm glad because it was free and money has been tight... and I'm glad because it helped me to drop my pregnancy weight fast... but more than any of those things, right now, I'm glad it's over.
All the books I read told me I'd miss it. The nice, snuggly, close times. The special bond, the convenience, etc. But they were so wrong. It stopped hurting so much after the first three months, and I eventually stopped hating it, but I would never go so far as to say I liked it.
And as for convenience, bottles are where it's at. I wasn't a very good public breast feeder at the best of times and - since she sprouted teeth four months ago - I haven't even attempted it. Near the end, Mae and I just weren't a pretty picture while breastfeeding, what with her biting me, kicking me, wiggling around, getting bored and deciding to pull off mid-let-down, and me yelling "Ouch!" or else "Focus!!! Focus!!! Focus!!!". But now we can go anywhere we want with a bottle in tow. I don't even have to warm it up. She doesn't care. She's chill like that. And if she wants to bite the plastic nipple or wrench her head around 90 degrees while eating, she can now be my guest.
I've heard and read horror stories but, for us, the whole weaning thing was, thankfully, a non event. I just dropped a feed every couple of days - whenever I felt like it - and she just started taking a bottle - whenever she felt like it. And, honestly, we're both much happier with our new arrangement.
I'm glad I breastfed her, don't get me wrong. I'm glad because of the health benefits ... and I'm glad because it was free and money has been tight... and I'm glad because it helped me to drop my pregnancy weight fast... but more than any of those things, right now, I'm glad it's over.
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Was breastfeeding ever easy for you? I had the most excruciating time nursing my son. It was ALWAYS painful. And then there was the constant thrush and the mastitis and that's when I gave up. I lasted 4 months and still feel bad that I gave up so soon... And you know the interesting part? No one EVER told me breastfeeding would be the hardest thing I'd ever do in my life.
I hear you. I was really surprised, too, to discover how hard breastfeeding was... and how painful it can be. I ended up using a nipple shield the entire 10 months even though the actation consultant said they weren't intended to be used longterm. It was the only thing that made it easier for Mae and I.
I think you did an amazing thing for your son by perservering for 4 months even though it sounds like you had a brutal experience!!
I think you did an amazing thing for your son by perservering for 4 months even though it sounds like you had a brutal experience!!
# posted by 
: 6:36 PM
: 6:36 PM
I toughed it out for a whole year after spending 6 weeks trying to get it right. I used a nipple shield too but we eventually got rid of that and became an expert team. I breastfed her everywhere - restaurants, subways, church picnic (and this was 15 years ago!)I did miss it in the end but I can really sympathize with you since it never seem to improve for you. I'm glad you're all happy now.
# posted by : 6:23 AM
: 6:23 AM
Wow, I've never heard of someone with such a similar breastfeeding experience. I never LOVED breastfeeding either and at 6 months my daughter started liking the bottle better than the boob and slowly weaned herself (total non-event). Thanks for being honest about how you felt it made me laugh and not feel so alone or different.
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