Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Breastfeeding (again)
I am causing myself a lot of guilt and anxiety with the thought of stopping breastfeeding. I don't know what it is. My goal was six months. I am there and then some. This week due to my low supply I started him having half breast milk and half formula when I am gone because I know I won't pump all that he needs while I am away. Part of me thinks, "if I am having to do this now maybe I should start weaning him". Then I have this humongous guilt that sets in about doing that. I really don't get it. I know that there is a huge attachment with breastfeeding (for both of us). He still really likes it and I still have the bonding experience with it. I think I would not feel so guilty about the idea if I could tell he was ready to stop. There is a lot to be said about the bond that is there. If you've read my previous post on breastfeeding, I was not big about it prepregnancy but now I totally am. If there is another Horton baby in our future he or she will be breastfed no questions asked. I know that if I would have bottle fed him from the get go we still would have bonded but there is something special about being able to physically provide him the nourishment he needs and being the only one that can do that. I don't want to breastfeed him until he is a toddler even a year old but now I can see why mothers and babies still want to. I never thought I would say that because I used to think it was so weird to see a toddler still breastfeeding. Anyhoo, man there is so much pressure, probably that I am putting on myself more than anything. I know if I were to wean him he would be fine. If I continue feeding him and supplementing he will be fine. I don't know that I am going to completely stop until I feel more comfortable about the idea. I wish at some point he would do like a friend of mine baby did and just not be interested in it. Then I think I would feel better about stopping. So right now I am just going with the flow. Maybe when the teeth come I will be more ready to stop!!!
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3 comments:
I think it is great that you are still breastfeeding him. Since your pump supply is low you could give him formula when you are at work and breastfeed him while you are home. I think you will know when you are both ready. He will let you know when he is ready to wean. I agree that it is a wonderful bond. I love it. I'm one of those weird people who is thinking about breastfeeding her past a year old. I was planning to do until a year but I love it so much we may go longer than that. I'm glad you have become such a fan of breastfeeding. I wish more people were that way.
hellllllo - i have been trying to respond to your questions about why/how i decided to wean and am having issues coming up with a great answer!
it IS amazing the pressure i put on myself to exclusively breast feed... sometimes i don't know how i did it! (but i did and i am proud!)
personally, i decided to stop for a few reasons. nate and i had a very rocky BFing relationship. it started out rough and never really progressed to that "awesome" stage most BFing moms talk about. I was seriously obsessed with thinking about my boobs! AND with work and pumping i was starting to have a serious amount of stress re: breastfeeding. it was affecting my sanity. AND i kept finding myself in more and more situations where i was having to be away from the baby for over four hours. (and if i was 'pumpless' in those situations i felt like i was literally going to explode! i have pumped in a lot of weird places!)
all in all, most of my reasons are pretty selfish, but, so far, i don't regret it. I do feel guilt every so often, and resolve to make it to 1 year with my next baby if possible!! I think whatever you decide to do... you know you have been successful and are awesome for doing it at all, right?!?!?
I think we need ot be checking into signing him up for the "baby model" thing.I've not seen a baby model as cute as him thats for sure!!!
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