Weaned

Charlotte is officially weaned. It's been over a week since she last asked to nurse. She'd only been breastfeeding at bedtime for the last couple of months--plus the occaisional early morning nursing session when she'd wake up around 5am and want to snuggle in our bed. She'd skipped a few nursing sessions over the last month, but usually ended up making up for them with night-and-morning sessions soon after. But then, about 2 weeks ago, I got her ready for bed and we sat down in the rocking chair next to her crib, and she just cuddled up in my arms, sucked her finger, and immediately fell asleep. She did the same thing the next night. By the third day I was starting to get pretty uncomfortable, and she actually wanted milk. That was the last time. That she'd been slowing down on her milk intake has helped me feel physically comfortable--I still see milk in the ducts sometimes, so I know I'm not exactly "dry", but havent' been engorged at all.

Charlotte's appetite in general has really dropped off the last couple of weeks. They say that this is normal as babies approach 2 years old (she's nearly 21 months now), as their growth rate slows. She stopped demanding constant snacks from the time we get home after work/daycare right through dinner, and doesn't always eat a complete breakfast before leaving the house in the morning (and arriving at school for another complete breakfast). Last night, she even mostly skipped a snack and then refused dinner (steak even!) until nearly bedtime (at which point she devoured most of a sandwich).

She is also still wanting lots of snuggles, including her favorite snuggle spot--my chest. She will actually move my hair and any necklaces away so that she can get the most cheek-to-chest contact and rest her head up under my chin.

I already miss the closeness of breastfeeding her, but it's time to move on, I guess. She's acting less and less like a baby and more and more like a little girl all the time. She's also letting her daddy take a larger role in the bedtime routine, which means that I'll be able to do other things in the evenings sometimes without worrying about her. I also don't need to worry about her jealousy of my nursing a future sibling, or about whether I'll be comfortable enough to continue breastfeeding a toddler during a future pregnancy (while I was pregnant with Charlotte, if anyone came within about 5 feet of my chest, I thought I'd scream...).

I am glad that she still needs her Mommy snuggles though.