Wednesday, August 27, 2008

"Mommy's Milk All Gone"

As I was changing the other morning, and Lila noticed my naked breasts, she pointed and said, "mommy's milk all gone."

A few weeks ago, on vacation, I gently weaned Lila. As late July came around, she had let go of nursing before bed and, instead, decided she wanted daddy to put her to bed, as he had been doing with Olivia. As early August rolled around, we were down to nursing once a day. On the flight to the Northeast, we nursed several times (nursing on planes does wonders for keeping an infant and/or toddler quiet and happy).

However, by the second day into our trip, I decided to only nurse her if she asked. By the third day into our trip, when she asked to nurse, DH and I were able to easily distract her onto something else. With grandma and grandpa around to aid in fun distractions, weaning went smoothly.

So, for three weeks, Lila did not nurse. Last night, when DH asked her if she was a big girl now and no longer needed mommy's milk, she began to cry, looked up me with with sad eyes, a pouty lip, and asked to nurse. So, of course, I gave in. She latched on normally (I was surprised at this because Olivia "forgot" how to nurse two weeks after weaning) and became disappointed rather quickly when she realized that most of the milk really was gone. She quickly got down and happily went off to play with her sister.

So, on the night of August 26, 2008, Lila, in all likelihood, nursed for the very last time at 21-months-old. Am I sad? No, not really. I'm not happy or relieved. My emotions are fairly neutral about it. Though, I did get a little bit emotional when she declared my milk gone. For the first time in over four years, I am neither pregnant or nursing. Total combined nursing years thus far: 3 years, 3 months.

I am sure, however, that I am not very emotional or sad about weaning because I am almost certain we will have another baby someday. My nursing days are, most likely, far from over! It's only a matter of time before I snuggle a newborn infant to my breast and nurse, once again, into toddlerhood...

3 comments:

The Dunns said...

Aw, what a milestone! Makes me a little melancholy knowing that I am probably nursing my last little one. I have either been preggos or nursing for 5 years and 6 months, now. Yikes! I'm looking forward to being neither at some point, but not without a little sentimental sadness.

Katie said...

Oh man. It is sentimental....but yet, it is also a relief to me to consider being DONE!

Angie said...

When I weaned Ashlyn, I was kind of sad about it. Then a few weeks later, I just felt relieved. Noone was attached to me at all. I will probably be sad when Christopher is weaned, too, especially since I think this will be it for us.