Did I get your attention? ;–) Breast, boobs, ta-tas, they are a very popular topic in my household. Not for the reason you may think, but rather because of breastfeeding. I have been successful in nursing my child for nearly 20 months. I have attempted to wean him for nearly 7 months. I wish I was joking.

When I first began to nurse my son it was a struggle. I learned that my failed induction, twenty hours of labor and my long recovery from my c/s slowed my milk from coming in. I was forced to gasp, supplement with formula for the first couple of days home. I was encouraged to drink beer, eat oatmeal, drink lots and lots of fluids and eat eat eat. I was just terrified that I wouldn’t be able to provide the food my son needed.

I knew there are worse things that could happen. I knew that formula is great and it has come a long way. But I got my natural birth taken away, I didn’t even get to have a vaginal birth hopped up on an epidural. So breastfeeding was one of those things that I was determined to have.

When the pediatrician checked our son out when he was nearly a week old and told me that he was gaining quite nicely and it was obvious my milk had finally come in. Then he said those wonderous words, “You don’t need to supplement with formula anymore.” I was beaming and grinning from ear to ear. I think I even made my husband repeat it to me a couple times on the way home.

Because my son broke out into a few pretty wide spread rashes prior to six months I was told to start removing certain things from my diet to see if it helped him. Months later we were told that we could start adding solids to his diet but with certain provisions. Due to the fact that I have allergies and asthma, the pediatrician told us to be cautious with dairy, eggs, berries, nuts, citrus, and strawberries. Because we were so nervous about possible reactions I was making his food at home.

My son would play with the food, maybe eat a few bites but was focused on nursing. It was like it was his favorite past time. I felt like a failure and a success at the same time.

I took my son to his nine month appointment and was told to stick to the restrictions I was given but to add fat every chance I had to the solids my son ate as he was a little on the light side. So olive oil was added to all veggies with fresh herbs.

We survived to his 12 month appointment and we were given the green light to start adding foods from the restricted list slowly. I was told that he was still light and not gaining ideally but he had made a small improvement in gaining. I was encouraged to wean him asap.

My son loved most foods we gave him but he was very suspicious of cows milk. I kept attempting to start slowly taking nursing sessions out and he would protest. Most that talked to me told me to wean him cold turkey or would tell me to keep doing a good job nursing him. My neurologist even told me to just stop nursing my son, then looked at my son and said, “Never mind. He is just too cute to deny.” Thanks.

So after many attempts to stop cold turkey I am now down to nursing my son only during the evening and at night. He is not interested in a bottle, a sippy cup or pacifier at night, he only wants me.

I still dream of weaning my son but I just don’t have the stamina to go through night after night of the screaming and knowing that all I have to do is let him cuddle with me and nurse. I keep trying to distract. I keep trying to start a new routine. My husband has tried to be the one to put our son down for naps and for the night, he is successful for some naps and has yet to be successful for putting him down for the night.

We will keep trying, we won’t give up. We have learned a lot. The biggest lesson we have learned is our child is as stubborn as his parents. We don’t give in often, he is told what he can and cannot do and those are consistent rules that are upheld all of the time. This is the one area that neither of us seem to be able to stick to as both of us are desperate for sleep every night so that we can preform well the following day.

One last time, BOOBIES! LOL! Hey, I have to keep laughing. :–)