You may or may not be interested to know that I have finally given up breastfeeding Izzy. In total, I fed her for 34 months. My first ever midwife once told me that breastfed children are very clever, if this is true then Izzy’s going to be a genius.
I pretended to give up in August this year but really gave up mid September. This came about after Fergus, my very pro-breastfeeding and tolerant husband, began to hint that it might be time to consider life without a baby/almost fully grown child stuck to my boobs. I knew that when Ferg began to think enough was enough that maybe enough really was enough.
By this stage we were down to just one marathon feed at bedtime. I would love to say that I was reluctant to give it up because my breasts were heavily laden with milk and the desire to nurture my last child just overwhelmed me, but there was barely any milk left in the old dears by then. No, the fact is that an hour long breast-feeding session gave me the chance to have a ruddy good read.
Oh the joy! The other two kids were downstairs silently watching telly, (they knew better than to invoke my wrath by interrupting “Izzy’s bedtime routine.”) and I was lying in bed, snuggling my very snugly Izzy and reading a good book. Does life get any better?? Any Mum knows, that a bit of quiet time where you get to do something you love, is a very precious thing. So precious in fact that I was extremely reluctant to give it up. The idea of losing my little oasis of peace and calm in an otherwise hectic and full day was quite frightening.
Anyway, one day, when Izzy said she wanted, “dudu”, as we called it, (Bit embarrassing, but at least not as bad as “bitty”) I just said no. I told her she was a big girl now and didn’t need it any more. It was awful! She looked up at me with her big, mournful baby-blues and seemed so confused and sad. My resolve obviously wavered but I stood firm. She kept asking for a few days or so and then stopped. Just like that, done. I was gutted, I’d secretly hoped she’d put up more of a fight and give me an excuse to start again. But of course she didn’t because she didn’t need it any more.
It’s usually such a joyful occasion when our kids reach their milestones, but sometimes it’s quite sad and signifies the end of an era. At least I can say with certainty that I gave this particular era all I had. Bye bye milky boobs, you’ve been super.
My little Izzy. So totally OVAH breastfeeding. Yeh, she is quite big and yeh it did look a bit weird.
Very impressive that you could continue for so long. I had to stop at 7 monts, shortly after going back to work from maternity leave. I was only feeding at night and then the little man decided he didn’t want anymore.
Hi Erika, I applaud you for doing 7 months, I certainly wouldn’t have continued for so long if I’d gone back to work! Off to check out your blog, thanks for popping by!
Hi again Erika, I just noticed you followed my blog dappleday which is basically defunct now, can you follow http://www.motherem.com instead? Thanks! Em x
Hi Emma, good for you guys! I currently breastfeed my 12 month old. I am quitting (weaning) but gradually. Gradually might mean in a few weeks or a few months. HA! I’m going back to work when she is 18 months so I want to make sure she is done. It is so sad isn’t it? But, you created a beautiful bond with your little one. And that is one of the big rewards! I applaud you. – Alma
Hi alma! Thanks for your kind words, I look forward to keeping up to date with how you’re getting on on your blog. X
Congrats on BF ing for 34 months!
Thank you!
Oh my 34 months is a huge achievement! And yes, I feel you about that part on the end of an era. Mine wasn’t an era cos it lasted only 8 months but I was both happy and sad when I kept those pump parts in a box for the last time! And even sadder when my baby weaned herself and just turned away from my boobs! Oh well.
Wow, that sounds like a dream come true for a baby to just stop and take all decisions out of your hands! One of my best friends had the same thing and I was so jealous. I feel like 34 months was too long really, my other 2 stopped at 14 (was back at work with 1st child) and 19 months.
Nice to finally have my books back though! Thanks so much for commenting! Please feel free to reply with a link to your blog, so my readers can check you out too!
Oh, how sweet 😀 I think any Breast feeding mummy can relate to the heartache of letting go those precious breast feeding days. Good on you for lasting so long! I’m at nearly 8 months and am just starting to mix feed to ease the pressure on me and share the load around abit. Go you! xxx
Kudos for nursing so long! I nursed my first two boys until they were twenty two months but you’ve put my to shame! 😉
Haha! Although not sure I deserve any kudos, it was all selfish really! We all do what we do to survive 😉
I wish I could’ve breastfed my girls for longer. If I have another child (or children haha) I will definitely give it a good go
How do you even start breastfeeding triplets!!?? That you did it all is AMAZING!
I didn’t get to actually breastfeed. :-(, well not how I wanted to. I got to every now and then, but because they were in the hospital for a while I had to express and give them the breast milk that way. Still felt like a cow sometimes
Haha, gotta love feeling like a cow. Ouch, I found expressing really sore, I’m so impressed that you did it that way.
Thank you. I’m impressed you managed to breastfeed for so long. Such an inspiration x