On weaning, etc. WAS cows milk or soy milk?

[Guest guest]

Tabitha:

 

I hear you completely on this, too. I nursed my first for three years (I am one

of those weirdos), until I lost my supply when I got pregnant again. My

daughter was such a committed nurser that I thought I would lose my mind. She

did not sleep through the night until she weaned (she is also a co-sleeper), but

then I was pregnant and couldn't sleep anyway (sigh). What I did when she could

not be put down was to buy an Ergo carrier and put her on my back. Not so easy

to bend over to pull stuff out of the dryer, but for other tasks, it worked. If

I put her down and walked away, she had such a serious meltdown (not a tantrum,

but grievous crying) that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do anyway. So...I

went with the flow. Now she is five and extraordinarily independent. So...I

would not try to wean your daughter, but rather do what the others say and try

to encourage her to take more liquids from a sippy cup and get the comfort

element of nursing via carrying.

 

I did not give my daughter cow's milk because she had shown a sensitivity to it

through the breastmilk. So I started with soy milk and almond milk. (You know,

you could also pump and mix breast milk with the soy or almond milk at first).

I also tried to give filling stuff during the day, but ultimately the nursing

was more about comfort than milk intake.

 

When I had my son, after a few months, we developed some serious nursing

problems that culminated in my not nursing at all. He is 16 months old, and

guess what? He is just as clingy as my daughter was! I carry him around in the

Ergo when necessary and keep him close. I tell you this because I would not

necessarily assume that weaning will give you more independence. But at the

same time, I don't want to come across as discouraging you from weaning. There

are time when the nursing relationship can become destructive (I have a really

good article on this if you are interested).

 

Good luck!

 

Jen