You are right, the need to be consistent with him is forced upon me. I personally try to take things as they come with him and put his needs first.
I already "caved" yesterday. I didn't take the herbs after dinner ( i am supposed to take them after each meal) so I figured my milk should be quite safe for him at around 9pm. He couldn't sleep and missed his boobie. So i figured what the heck. I really miss bf him too.
So I guess I will just be "weak" in other ppls eyes and at least feed him at night if he wants too. Milk should be safe then in the morning too.
It is so healthy for him and bf is such a special time.
Thanks Barb for reminding me of this! And saying it is okay to not always be consistent.
Problem is tho, that DH isn't supportive, he thinks it looks ridiculous to have a toddler on the boob.
O well guess I have to make that HIS problem hey!
Oh - big hugs! You are a great mum. You know you didn't "cave" You are sensitive to his needs, and caring. Can you check with the Chinese herbalist what the ingredients are? I bet you anything it's fine to take them and breastfeed.
That is wonderful to hear. All I keep hearing is to be consistent and that he is now too old to still be on the boob.
I never intended to have a toddler on the boob, but I love the bf bond we share and I reckon we grow with them and therefore it is not weird to have a toddler on the boob.
I felt it physically hurt when I thought I was giving him his last feed. And it felt good to feed him again last night.
Thanks again for the support! By the way I emailed the Chinese herbalist to ask why the herbs can't be taken whilst breastfeeding. I will let you know as soon as I get an answered, it might help someone else too!
I just wanted to say that when I started on this journey I never expected to still be feeding now and really understand what you are saying about growing with them so it doesn't seem strange to be still feeding them. I love the bond we have and love feeding too but also feel I need to encourage DS to wean as he would feed as often as a newborn if I let him
I agree with Barb and Marcellus I don't think you are being 'weak' more flexible and sensitive to your DS's needs and that is what we do all day as mothers after all. My dp also thinks I should be giving DS more cow's milk and that I should have weaned him already but I keep asking dp why he thinks another animals milk is any better then the milk I produce... he never has an answer.
You are doing great. If you really want I'm sure you could just stick with the night feed. You are not weak. It is so hard denying them the only thing they've had for comfort for so long.
I do have a friend who just weaned her 16 month old. It did take the best part of a week, & now, 11 days later he will still remember & point to them, but won't get upset, or really ask for them.
You've done a great job so far!
Glad to read that you're following your heart on this one That can be so difficult to do when your partner is unsupportive or non-understanding about what you are wanting to do - in fact, chick, nearly impossible, so well done you! Partners play something like 90% of influence over a woman's retention of breastfeeding, or so the studies from the last few years in various countries suggest.
I agree that the herbalist hasn't been very thorough on the breastfeeding front - and probably doesn't realise how important it is to you and/for your son. I hazard a guess to say you didn't push it much with her? Anytime's a good time to start letting your caregiver know that you actually value the breastfeeding and would appreciate any assistance she can give you for continuing, as per your personal preference and the WHO Code.
Your son is very lucky to have a mummy who can see his needs through external pressure to ignore them
My DS is now over 3 years of age and it's only in the last 6 months he's gone off having day feeds...so much for DP assuring me (to my inner mocking voice of "yeah, that's what you think") that by 18 months he'd only be having a morning and night feed! It wasn't in my pre-birth intentions to feed for this long, and afterwards the plan was (once we got the whole BFing caper right after sorting out the Tongue Tie situation) to just let him decide, like you wanted to do. Don't let go of a good thing too easily.
Best wishes with your period issues and also with your continued breastfeeding career! I'm so glad you came here to talk about it and that Barb found your post
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You are doing great. If you really want I'm sure you could just stick with the night feed. You are not weak. It is so hard denying them the only thing they've had for comfort for so long.
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