What Is Your Relationship with Breastfeeding?

It’s almost never a simple answer. One of my biggest lessons in motherhood has been the ability to hold two very different feelings at the same time. “I love you with all my heart AND I just want 3 days to myself to especially not see you.” “I want to nurture the full range of your emotions AND I’m having a really hard time with this one particular emotion your having right now.” I could come up with a lot of these.

Breastfeeding, in my experience, was no different. My breastfeeding experience was wonderful AND I was so happy to have my body back when I was done. My breastfeeding experience took everything I could give AND I can’t imagine doing it any other way. A mom that struggled more may feel their breastfeeding experience was disappointing AND they still love and appreciate their body. Or their breastfeeding experience was nonexistent AND they’re perfectly fine with that. When it comes to breastfeeding decisions, there can be no judgement. A mama makes the decision that is right for her and her babe and/or must learn to accept the reality of what is. There are lessons in all of it. There is also no other way about it and that is nobody’s business but theirs. Let us celebrate all the ways we can feed our children.

If you care to share your statements below, please do! We lift each other up in knowing these complex feelings we have as mothers, mothers-to-be, and womxn yearning to be mothers are shared by others.

Weaning and How to Make the Transition From Breast Feeding As Smooth as Possible

Ooof.

All the feels about this one. I wanted to share a little about what I’m experiencing in deciding to wean my girl and some of the things we’re doing to make the transition as smooth as possible. For some people weaning is a choice and for others it’s just how things happen and there’s surrender to the experience no matter how it’s done.

I’ve been feeling myself need myself more and more these days and next weekend I’m headed out of town to support my mama through a not so fun medical procedure so I’m leaving the babe at home. At first I thought I’d pump but I’m actually really bad at pumping (can’t seem to let down) at this point in my nursing career so it also may be presenting a natural situation for this phase of our relationship to end. I’d originally hoped she’d just lose interest and eventually, she would but I’m also realizing that it’s also good mothering to understand when I’m ready and that time feels like now-ish.

I decided to slowly cut out feedings because “cold turkey” felt like it might be dramatic for the both of us. For the second nursing (usually after a nap or when I get home from work), I started giving her a homemade banana, almond cashew milk smoothie that we also called “milk” (hey, milk mustache girl ). That, paired with a little redirecting, walks and cuddles worked pretty well. Today, after a week of 2 feedings, we woke at a friend’s house with a “puppy” (all dogs are puppies in our world) and when she asked for milk I asked if she wanted to go see the puppy instead. She was sold. And next week, when I’m gone, I presume she’ll easily transition to no milk at all. Though she could easily prove me wrong (wouldn’t be the first time).

I’ll miss the sweet experience of nursing my little lady (I feel the emotion even as I write this) but if I’ve learned anything in parenting, it has been that the only constant is change and there’s a bittersweetness every step of the way.

If you have anything to share about your weaning experience (or questions), please get in touch!