Been back from Minnesota for almost a week now. I'm recovering from the worst sickness I've probably had since this time. I've got mucus in my lungs that feels like tar. I can't breathe. I can't taste anything. Sleeping sucks--my throat tickles and burns so bad I want to whine like a little girl. And I do.
Dax got sick for like one day--eyes half-mast, sneezing, coughing. I think this breastfeeding thing is helping him stay pretty clear in the sick department.
UMMM....Speaking of breastfeeding....
So Dax is up to three meals per day. By meals. I mean servings of fresh pureed fruit or veggies. He eats a.m., lunch, and dinner. But I have to say--I don't feel like the nursing has decreased. I think I have to start to trying to nurse less. Not a lot less, but there are definitely some extraneous nursing times. Like when he wakes up from a nap that I think is too short and I try to get him to sleep more by nursing. Probably not necessary, at least from a nutrition standpoint.
(Ironically, after I wrote that last sentence, Dax woke up from one of his infamous 40 minute naps and I ran up there and instead of nursing, I just held him in my arms and rocked and he went fast back asleep and here I am!)
Before I had a baby, I would have told you that I would only breastfeed for between three and six months. Definitely no more than six months. Because I wanted my body back and breastfeeding for too long was weird. I think of that now and LOL!
Breastfeeding is such a comfort to him, I can't imagine stopping at 6 months! It is also how I get him down for naps almost every time and plus, it is such a precious time for me to Be Quiet and snuggle with my little guy.
But now I've kind of got my sights on the one-year mark. I'm not completely opposed to going longer than that, as if it makes no sense at that time to quit, I'm not going cut us off something that works for us as a family because of 'the stigma.' There are plenty of places all over the world that breastfeed well over age one. I personally feel that I would, no matter what, would not pass the 2 year mark. I think then 'the stigma' would overcome hahaha....see how fickle I am? It's never full-on rebellion, is it? Only enough to make people slightly uncomfortable :-)
However, one of the main reasons to stop at the one-year mark is that I would definitely like to have another baby. And as of yet, I have no started ovulating again yet. Sorry, TMI. But I can't have a baby if I don't have my flow back :-). Sorry, again.
I want to write about that more. Breastfeeding as birth control. Because FYI: it's been working for us. Did you know that? You can use breastfeeding as birth control for up to six months postpartum if you meet all these criteria:
1) Exclusively breastfeeding (no supplementing water or formula or food)
2) Breastfeeding on demand (i.e. when baby is hungry, not on a schedule or for any predetermined length of time set by you)
3) Under six months postpartum
4) Your period has not returned
Of course, now Dave and I have well-surpassed the threshold for #3 and we are in The Danger Zone, but we don't really care. It feels like we are building a family Catholic style.
There's women out there that say they got pregnant while breastfeeding and that 'breastfeeding as birth control' is a myth, but 98% of the time they were violating one of the above four recommendations. Scientifically, they say there is a 2% chance of pregnancy if you follow those four rules religiously.
It's weird a lot of medical practitioners don't talk about this and they want to put women on birth control right after they give birth. I truly understand that if you do not want to get pregnant, that many women do this, but birth control does affect the hormones and sometimes milk supply...isn't it worth at least educating women about this more natural method?
I can say with 100% accuracy that for us, we used no contraception, I repeat, NONE, since I've given birth. And we average about once weekly since six weeks postpartum (I swear it's normally more than that, but this baby has super cliched us into the whole 'less sex after baby' camp).
Hmmmm....what was my point of all this? (ps sorry mothers and mothers in laws and dear god i hope my dad or brother or any other male friends doesn't read this)
Ohyes, thinking of trying to stop breastfeeding by age one.....how do you gear up for this? Do I start dropping feedings? I just can't imagine how to get him down for naps. I can't imagine what to do when he's crying and it is the only way to soothe him. I can't imagine what food I might feed him in lieu of the milk. That sounds weird, but I'm having a hard time thinking beyond fruit and veggies. I'm so afraid of him choking. I know that's weird. It's all weird. Hoping maybe I'll get my period back before I completely quit breastfeeding so that I don't have to really worry about just stopping nursing completely.
Blah. Blah. Bleh.....tell me something!!!!! Make my head stop spinning.....I think this is all due to too much cold medicine....
XOXO,
Me?
11 comments:
I'm sort of right there with you. Well, maybe a few months ahead. My girl is now over 10 months, and I've still not started my period. I nurse her to sleep every night, and I'm wondering what to do when I want to wean her. I'm planning to nurse at least thru 1 year, tho my supply is slowly decreasing already. I can say that my daughter now gets most of her calories from food food (I think). She eats three meals a day, fruits and veggies plus yogurt, cheese, beans, shredded chicken, etc. So she's getting protein and calcium from other sources. When she's with the sitter two days a week, she only takes 8 oz of breastmilk, down from 15. I don't know if any of that helps, I'm really just rambling. And now your head is probably spinning faster!
NONE. of my friends believed me about the 6 month breastfeeding laws and scared me into buying pregnancy tests at 5 months when we weren't using contraception! but here we are NOT pregnant :) now we're past the mark too, but it was nice while it lasted...almost 8 months and no monthly visits.
Sorry you're feeling bad! One good place to hear lots of opinions, advice, and experience with all those questions is probably a Le Leche League meeting.
Some thoughts (which I hope don't fall into the unsolicited advice category, but since I now know about your sex life and cycle...I guess we'll both have to deal :-))
You can try NIGHT weaning to get your fertility back. If you go more than 6 hours between feedings you have a better chance of ovulation.
For the first year of life your baby's primary source of nutrition is really still breastmilk. The composition of the milk changes, and the frequency of feedings may change, but food at this point can be mostly for experience and acclimation.
If you've exclusively breastfed for 6 months, you can introduce whole cows milk at 9 months (per Canada health officials, who seem to have a better grasp than us in the US.) If you've supplemented at all in the first six months, best to wait a full year before introducing whole cow's milk due to an increased risk of allergies. Babies under 2 should never drink lowfat or reduced fat milk.
Best of luck, feel better, and if you want to hit an LLL meeting with me, I know the schedules for both Poway and Escondido!
I wouldn't worry about it right now. The time will come, with or without a plan.
johanna: i have heard that some people do not get their period back until fully weaning the little ones, so you are proof of that! i am kind of afraid of that cause i like having nursing as an option for nighttime and naps. i am so gunna ask you when you get your flow back hahaha!
Cupcake: Doesn't it just freak your friends out when you tell them? haha...no one believes me. ps i was reading your blog and loving to see my old AZ haunts, sigh, makes me miss it!
Christine: I would TOTALLY go with you to one of the meetings! I have always wondered where these boob warriors congregrate :-)!
all of your advice is WELCOME btw. Blog readers ALL get free passes!
For the night weaning--Dax still SUCKS at sleeping at night and rarely goes even 4 hours without nursing. i can't imagine trying to wean him at this point. And that's my problem, if he is like this at one year, i can't imagine it him then!!! that worries me cuz i want my babies to be close together but i have a hard time thinking about changing what we are doing with Dax. Today was nice cuz i think it was the first time i thought about cutting out one nursing session. And it worked! I hope it all pans out as naturally...
anonymous: You are totally right here. sometimes my mind just opens and keeps going and going until all the steam gets let out....phew............
FWIW, my two year old still nurses at bedtimes, after waking up and a few times during the day (she's in daycare during the week, so we're talking just weekends). At about 1 yr, I stopped pumping at work and that was enough to bring back ovulation, I didn't need to wean entirely.
olivia: that is good to know. this is exactly what i am hoping for!
I always find reading about different mothers' opinions regarding subjects like this interesting...I'm not a mom {nor will I be in the next few years...hopefully}, but it's still fascinating. I hope that when I finally do get pregnant, I have an arsenal of information collected from real women, and not just books...
Congratulation on your FTLOB feature. You now have a new follower :)
xoxoxo,
Joelle
www.wherewelove.blogspot.com
I am your newest follower and so excited to have found you. I breastfed exclusively to a year and then on and off until 18 months. I couldn't give it up. My sanity and his comfort were helped by breastfeeding since it was the only thing that truly made him happy. Happy baby=happy mama. I don't even remember how I weaned him... I think eventually he got bored of it and wanted to try new foods. Don't rush out of it. it's the best thing you can ever do for your child and I know he appreciates it! Can't wait to read more of your blog and feel free to stop by and say hello! My blog is about all things little boy! Lauren
joelle: that is so cool you like reading about this stuff, it means you will be an AMAZING mom cuz you ALREADY care!
Lauren: Welcome and HI LAUREN! so cool to meet another breastfeeding extraordinaire ;-)! I do think i will miss it and after i wrote this post, i think it freaked me out and i have been nursing more hahahah.....
going to check out ur boy blog now!!!!!
Ha! I love this post.
I do know a woman (my old doctor) who got pregnant at six weeks postpartum (omg the horror) while breastfeeding exclusively. But I'm sure generally it works. My OB-whattie wouldn't put me on contraceptives while breastfeeding. I liked that.
Weaning is a bit harder if you don't want to use formula, I suppose, but from twelve months, you can just give your baby a bottle or a glass of cow's milk instead before bed and in the morning. Also, water is a good alternative drink. Three meals a day really should fill him up.
I do sometimes use a biscuit or a piece of bread to get him to be quiet for a bit, which you can do from about eight months but you have to watch if they're ready and never leave them on their own with it because they could theoretically still choke on it.
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