Breastfeeding

Last night I took some time to edit my posts, (for anyone who actually reads this one a regular basis…) And you’ll notice that I have decided to omit names. Its half a time issue and half privacy? My DH was freaked out at the fact that I have a blog that I will acquire stalkers if I use my/our names…so to make him happy (and save me time) I will just use initials and etc.
So baby N turned 6 months on the 26th of July! I have been exclusively breastfeeding her the entire time, and “they” say that’s the best, and then at 6 months to start introducing baby cereals and some veggies and fruits. I remember longing for the day when I wouldn’t be the only one who would be able to feed her, but now that the day had finally come, I was kind of dreading it. So far we have tried, Rice and Oat cereals, Peas, Carrots, Sweet potatoes, Pears, Banannas, Apples&Banannas…and all had pretty much the same reaction from the babe. *spit* *sputter**shudder* *cough* *gag* *spit out*….I almost feel bad?!!? I posted a question on a breastfeeding communitiy online at Circle of Moms, basically just explaining my situation and looking for some other Moms experiences and stories…and I have only looked at a few responses, but some said that their bfed babies didn’t even fully like food until they were weaned! Others said just to keep trying every day and she will get used to it, but if she still wants the boob, then give it to her! At our last appointment my doctor was all about getting her started on solids so “we can start to wean out her nighttime feedings”….but since the babe sleeps next to me, I somehow doubt that getting her to eat some veggies during the day would help her to sleep through the night… (and resist the temptation of boob that surrounds her!!??). So I have been trying to at least TRY to give her some baby food in the day to get her used to it, but I’ve noticed a couple more things that are somewhat discouraging me..
A) because she doesn’t like it, we are wasting A LOT of food, and we aren’t used to having to spend that extra cash on the babe, because we never have really had to before (bfeeding, cloth diapers, and all) so its kind of a shock, when the food gets wasted. I had intentions to make my own baby food, and we even received a Magic Bullet blender for christmas to help us with this endeavour, but I haven’t tried to yet, mainly time is an issue…but I will try soon..
B) Convienience/Time. Especially on a day when we have the doctors or something in the morning, its soooo much easier to just give the babe boob, rather than trying to force food down her throat. (Which usually ends in a bath because its all over her too)
C) I’m doing it. DH seems to get frustrated when he has to feed her “because she doesn’t want it” and “it takes so long”, rather than dealing with his complaints (which I don’t appreciate at all because if he hadn’t noticed I have lost over 300hrs EASILY from bfeeding for the past 6 months…so I know all about how long it takes, but anyways…) And then sometimes I feel like it would be easier to have this “explore” time during the day when I’m not worried about cooking for DH or getting the babe ready for bed, or whatever else chaos seems to surround me…so I just end up feeding her and I feel like that might not be working…its kind of confusing for her? I would think it would be…
But again, being a first time Mom I can only assume that this is how it goes for everyone because I don’t actually have any first hand experience myself…so we will just have to see how it goes from here. I am worried wondering how long I will end up bfeeding for? I want to follow the World Health Organizations (WHO) recommendation of bfeeding until 2 if possible. (Which I never thought I’d do, I always said I would “try” to bfeeding – assuming that there was a possibility I wouldn’t produce milk, and then I said I would only go 5 or 6 months….but now that I have experienced it my ideas/views have obviously changed )But I am kind of scared excited nervous curious to know how my experience goes. My sister seems to think I will still be bfeeding N when she is 4. And I reaaaallllyyy hope I’m not, but who knows really…and I probably won’t be upset if I have to.
The other night I was on Youtube watching videos about baby wraps and a suggestion came up for me to watch some video, “breastfeeding leigh at 28 months” and I’m not going to lie it intrigued me…since I feel that I might be in this predicament with N. Soooo I clicked on it and watched and it was kind of like an interview type thing, while the woman was bfeeding her baby, another woman was asking questions to her and whatnot. There were more videos of the same woman feeding this baby that were poping up in the “suggestions” column. To see what this whole person posting this was all about, I went to their Youtube channel. The channel was full of videos of women doing extended (toddler) nursing and even some informational videos (about vaccinations and whatnot). And before I continue let me give her explaination of why she puts these videos (which some may/are offended by) of nursing online. She used the story of Buddha, and how he went to see all of things he was sheltered from, etc. And she basically said (in better words than I am about to give) that she puts them online to give people more awareness about extended nursing so that Western society doesn’t see it as such a negative weird thing. Which totally makes sense! (Sidenote: did you know that the mean (maybe even average) age to wean worldwide is something like 4 years and 9 months….so really the West is really behind…) But anyways, I spent some time surfing the videos (I won’t lie), and I was trying to imagine myself in the same position nursing N when she is a toddler…and it doesn’t seem that bad. I espcially felt this after I watched the video on the channel called “20 steps to wean your 2 year old” (starring the same 28 month old L who was in the previoud video I watched so I already knew that these 20 steps obviously didn’t work) and let me tell you, it was sooooooooooo TRUAMATIZING!! I don’t want to have to go through that (really) it just doesn’t seem enjoyable for anyone! So I guesssss I’m basically saying I’m going to let N self wean..
And the whole point to this blog/moral of the story, is that I want to stop “assuming” things are going to be a certain way based on what other people have told me and their own individual experiences (and also from what I have read…). I never would have thought I would be so “into” bfeeding as I am now. I want to spead the boob gospel so bad! But people always think you’re a nut when you try, except the ladies at Red Tent.
Anyways, I will obviously keep you updated on how my whole experience goes, lol, that’s why I have a blog!

Until next time,

R. Xoxo