the standoff or the weird art of breastfeeding or my favorite: a requiem for breasfeeding
well folks, the breastfeeding needs to come to an end. pray for us as we are about to begin a standoff with master knox. for varying reasons i need to wean knox. i was going to go into the whole crazy journey, including the past breastfeeding histories of my other children and then i thought: who really cares besides other moms who are fascinated with the crazy inconsistencies of this mom stuff? but i would like to enlist prayer and any suggestions from people. the undetailed reasons are 1) knox is no longer benefitting nutritionally from my breastmilk 2) if breastfeeding is an option, he will not take any other means of liquid nutrition 3) weaning is going to be hard for both of us emotionally and i think the sooner, the better since reasons 1 and 2 are pertinent. i have used a homemade formula with my other children that mimics breastmilk and is comparable to breastmilk, and in cases such as this is actually better than breastmilk and will help him to grow since he has stopped doing that.
there are two types of breastfed babies; well, i have nursed two different kinds, so there are at least two. ones that have had breast and when offered a bottle dont see how it is different and are content with that (whit and norah catherine). the whole emotionally nurturing stuff just was not exclusive to or perhaps even existent with breastfeeding for either of them. then, there are babies who look at you like you just tried to stab their eyes out with a blunt object when you put a paci, bottle, etc near their mouths. they then proceed to scream and bounce their heads off of your feeding area until you acquiesce. this is really terrible. a month ago when i began trying this, it was annoying, but i was only really trying it to have a break occasionally and so wade could feed him. not so much. but now, one month later, facing the knowledge that his weight gain is stagnating and solids are not yet a large part of his culinary reportoire...well his refusal is downright maddening. i am very sad to give this up, if you know anything of my former relationship to breastfeeding, you will think this is crazy talk. but, i really love nursing knox. i have enjoyed it and i perish the thought that it is no longer sufficient. if he would do both bottle and breast, we could keep doing it, but in the words of more seasoned veterans "if he is hungry enough he will take it" and i know he is getting just enough to not lose weight and to not feel hungry, but not enough to grow adequately. that it has come to this i regret, but i have to do what i think is best for him and best for him will make him grow. so, God help us as we enter a very sad season. hopefully a short one, too.
there are two types of breastfed babies; well, i have nursed two different kinds, so there are at least two. ones that have had breast and when offered a bottle dont see how it is different and are content with that (whit and norah catherine). the whole emotionally nurturing stuff just was not exclusive to or perhaps even existent with breastfeeding for either of them. then, there are babies who look at you like you just tried to stab their eyes out with a blunt object when you put a paci, bottle, etc near their mouths. they then proceed to scream and bounce their heads off of your feeding area until you acquiesce. this is really terrible. a month ago when i began trying this, it was annoying, but i was only really trying it to have a break occasionally and so wade could feed him. not so much. but now, one month later, facing the knowledge that his weight gain is stagnating and solids are not yet a large part of his culinary reportoire...well his refusal is downright maddening. i am very sad to give this up, if you know anything of my former relationship to breastfeeding, you will think this is crazy talk. but, i really love nursing knox. i have enjoyed it and i perish the thought that it is no longer sufficient. if he would do both bottle and breast, we could keep doing it, but in the words of more seasoned veterans "if he is hungry enough he will take it" and i know he is getting just enough to not lose weight and to not feel hungry, but not enough to grow adequately. that it has come to this i regret, but i have to do what i think is best for him and best for him will make him grow. so, God help us as we enter a very sad season. hopefully a short one, too.
posted by courtney jewett at 6:49 PM
3 Comments:
i have no advice whatsoever. i do not look forward to one day weaning noah. i think i'm subconciously trying to sabotage his success with solids so that we can keep doing what we're doing.
we'll be praying.
well, i actually do think that he will get hungry enough! as you know, ava had been starving for a month before i found out my breastmilk was not enough for her - at the end of that very hard month of crying i think she was so hungry she did not care what she was eating, or how! not that i recommend that. i suppose that was just our circumstance - i know it must be very hard to see knox so unhappy!
you are right doug, that always comforts me
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