When Emma was born I had read if you want to successfully nurse you shouldn't offer a bottle until after your baby is nursing good. Well I had issues in the beginning. It was very hard. She didn't want to latch on right. Not to mention she had really bad reflux so we both were so frustrated. By the time she finally did get it is was constantly nursing her because of her reflux. (Milk helps the pain go away). So it was more of a hassle to get a bottle ready than it was to just whip out the boob. So that's what I did. After a while, say 2 months I decided to try the bottle. NOPE!!! She refused! She would gag on it and almost throw up. Then that would piss her off and the only thing to calm her was to nurse her. It would have been nice to be able to bottle feed considering how often we traveled and just the convienence of it. Not to mention being able to have the hubby do a feeding at night. That wasn't in the cards though. I tried a million different bottles and nipples and nothing worked. So I just let go of trying. After all most the time it was just easier nursing anyway.
I introduced a sippy cup to her around 4 months because I knew it was going to be so hard to get her used to it. I went through so many brands and styles. She didn't take well to them but finally around 7-8 months she got it. Thank The Lord! I was able to start cutting some feedings out because she didn't need me for thirst anymore she just used the sippy. That made outings a lot easier too.
By her first birthday I was down to a morning feeding and a night. When we got back from her birthday trip to stl I decided it was time to drop one more. I chose the night time one because I like feeding her when she wakes up at 6 because she will go back to sleep for a few more hours :) anyway, she did awesome!!! We gave her a sippy with milk in it to have during our nighttime routine and she sucked it down. Then we read a few books and put her to bed. She went right to sleep! I was astonished, I usually nurse her to sleep. So I thought for sure she was gonna be like "uh uh, no no lady, no dice! You better feed me" but no. To be honest I was a little upset. My little girl didn't need me anymore. For the next few weeks I experienced some major depression. I didn't put two and two together until reading some weaning tips online. Weaning can cause depression. As weird as it sounds it's sort of like a really late postpartum event. It made since though. I was getting so upset and even mad sometimes that I didn't get to bond with her like before. After a few weeks it did get easier but it was really hard in the beginning.
So now at 13 months I am at one feeding a day. In the morning. The past few days she hasn't really even wanted to though. I know in just a short while she will just refuse all together. I will let her decide though. I'm not going to force it because I know she will when she is ready. And I can tell it's going to be very soon. A little depressing to think about it really. Nursing has been a part of my life for over a year. It's hard to let that go bits almost like losing a friend. I will no longer have those one on one quiet moments with her. :(
Anyway I just wanted to share a little of my story. I hope that one day breastfeeding isn't looked at so differently as bottle feeding. I mean really people. Would you deny a baby food just because you don't want to offend someone. In my case I didn't have a choice in the matter. She refused a bottle. So I really hope that people stop judging. Every situation and every baby is different. Every baby deserves to eat. And that baby shouldn't have to nurse in a bathroom stall or a corner of a room. That mother shouldn't have to go to her car to feed her baby just because she is breastfeeding you don't see people going to the bathroom to bottle feed, do you? I'm sorry, I'm gunna stop ranting. This subject just makes me so mad when it comes to public breastfeeding.
I hope you all have a great weekend. Here is a pic of my beautiful little girl at 13 months old!!
