Hi all,

I've been reading but not much time for posting....

Monkey went well at family day care Tues and Wed last week - she loved it and was happy at all the dropoffs and pickups. But as suspected, she didnt sleep on the Wed afternoon, which was our first sleep test!! It's only the 1st time and the carer seems really cool about giving it time, so that makes me feel better for the moment..... Just not sure what is going to happen this week, as its our full "dress rehearsal" where she is going 2 full days..... that means she should be there for both her day sleeps......

On the up side I am soooo glad she seems happy with it all at the moment (I am aware this could just be the honeymoon period, but want to stay positive).

Oh.... and on the Wed afternoon on our way home in the car, ALL the way home, she kept saying "Alka" - the carers name!!! I swear, I may be interpreting a little, but I have never heard her use these sounds before - amazing how quickly they pick stuff up and I think she loves playing with the other girls there so probably was listening to them say the name.

To answer a couple of old questions.....

Kristy, we are basically doing 2 BF in the day, before b'fast and then before bed. But I am also feeding her most nights too, as this is our main settling method (the only one that is successful!!). In fact, last night was so ****e I gave her 2 "comfort" feeds - 11pm and 4am!!

And Kel, re: the cows milk thing.....my interpretation of advice given to me on the BF forums by Barb Glare from the ABA is that they don't really need cows milk at this stage if we are still BF and that they are getting all the nutrition they need in however many feeds they are having. I think what will probably happen is they will start to need their milk as the BF drops further.... I am doing similar to you, Monkey gets plenty of dairy in her diet with cheese, yoghurt and milk in her cereal. I am occasionally offering her some milk in a cup at lunch or afternoon tea if she seems particularly antsy/hungry, but she isn't interested in the slightest!

Oh, and though I haven't cried yet, I have been thinking about the fact that the end of BF is probably near and I just know that I will inevitably sob my little heart out the day we finish.....

Actually, when we spoke about it a little while ago, I had said to DH that I would be happy to continue 1 feed per day (but not those middle of the night ones!) until Monkey wanted to finish, which might mean 12, 15, 18 months or even a little longer, but he said that he thought that once she was over 12 months that she didn't really need it and he didn't like the idea of BF into toddlerhood for too long... so we made a comprimise that if she hadn't weaned herself by 15months then I would help her stop then.

Happy birthday for tomorrow Tash!