Breastfeeding Mini-Meltdown and other sad tales

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For the past eleven months, I have happily breastfed my daughter.  Once the marathon of the first three months ended (10-15 times per day!), we relaxed into a wonderful routine.  She’s been eating solid food since about 4 months and currently eats three big meals of real food each day and nurses about four times a day.

But, something has come over me in the past few weeks.  I’m done.

I was seriously considering nursing through 18 months, which by American standards is, well, counter-culture.  But, it has occurred to me that I would like to find another means to give her everything that she needs…  why?  I can’t explain it; it’s just time.

What’s the problem, you ask?  Well, my daughter is not one of those babies who is able to drink “normal formula”.  I join the ranks of those of you whose children cost them $150-$200/month on formula specially designed for babies with sensitive tummies and a habit of spitting up, a lot.  This would be fine, for one month, if I could transition to whole milk in four weeks time, but that’s not in the cards either.  I have a history of milk allergies and Reagan showed signs of having the same trouble…  What about soy milk? Goat’s milk?  What’s the big deal with milk anyway?  All of these questions have literally been keeping me up at night looking to find solutions.

Then, I thought to myself rationally and calmly, I’ll talk to my pediatrican.  I can have a discussion about what I’m thinking, what Reagan’s nutrition plan should look like and my little head will stop spinning.  I briefly spoke to a (male)  nurse who told me that they just changed the recommendations to introduce milk at 15 months and not 12 months.  This, as they say, made me wanted to do Chinese water torture to this nurse for the next three months… because he followed up the statement with “just three more months, Mom” as if I was eating bon bons and drinking Bloody Mary’s to pass the time.   (See what I mean about the dripping water?)

Thankfully, (as I write this!) I was able to talk to a different nurse who set my mind at rest about my plan to wean over the next few weeks and my desire to introduce soy or goats milk.

I just wonder about that new “recommendation” – do you think that the formula companies had anything to do with it?  Whatever.  I’m just thankful to have my boobs sanity back.

(Pictured, a little baby goat, in honor of milk from other sources!)

8 COMMENTS

  1. Thanks Tori! I think it’s funny how much I’m obsessing over it! I need all the laughs I can get at this point! As the formula can say, “Breast milk is best”… but she is so ready to be a little more independent… and I’m ready for her to stop biting me with those two bottom teeth, please.

    • Just read your comment about her biting you and I used to have the same problem. It hurt so badly but my son soon outgrew it. You just kind of have to let them know they are hurting you and that’s a no no. I didnt think my son would stop (he was doing this to me at 6 months) but he did stop and was really good about feedings even with like 6-8 teeth!!! Good luck to you!

  2. I wouldnt worry about it too much! If you need and want to wean her now, I’d say go for it! Just think to yourself…what difference would it have been if I had my daughter 4 or 5 months earlier? They wouldve told you to breastfeed to 12 months then you can switch to regular milk, plus a lot of doctors are still probably saying it. I’d say to not worry too much about it. I weaned my son right at 1 year(March of this year) and now he doesnt even want milk unless I infuse it with strawberry syrup. You may have to look into buying calcium supplements but if you can just get her to 1 year I wouldnt worry about it. If you are done now, I’m sure she’ll be perfectly fine too as long as you are feeding her some sort of calcium supplement.

  3. Oh, good luck Mama! It’s such a hard road! I too am of that sensitive baby camp, and we ended up giving my daughter soy formula (which now reading more about soy, and how it can affect children, and hormones, I sort of wish I didn’t, but she’s sorta okay, so I should calm down). But, we ended up with rice milk (the organic enriched kind), and it was super gentle, and she loved it. We had tried goats milk, and my daughter was just as sensitive to it as cow’s milk.

    A friend recently told me that she used coconut milk (at Reagan’s age I think), and Coconut milk is filled with such healthy oils, and awesome nutrition (more so then rice milk)… so I sort of wish I tried that.

    I don’t really trust those formula companies either, but maybe it’s because of all the growing milk allergies that the recommendation was changed?

    Hopefully you can find one that works, and I know that weaning is bitter sweet, so I hope the process is gentle, and peaceful for both you and your little girl!

    • Thank Carrington!
      My husband JUST suggested Coconut milk yesterday and I thought he was crazy – I’ll have to look at it more! Yeah, I wondered about the goat’s milk allergies… So glad to hear about rice milk too – Yeah, I am also thinking about the hormones in soy milk….. but she has gotten plenty of hormones from me and the estrogen is in there naturally… Sigh, guess we can’t cover everything.

      The more I’ve been researching, the more it seems that babies should really be breastfed through age two… but culturally speaking that is very difficult… which is why all of the milk companies have their own alternatives… I’m also going to look into Toddler Formulas… apparently there are rice-based formulas out there… My only concern about Coconut milk is that I believe it’s a natural laxative… but I’d have to google it…

      Thanks so much for your sweet words and support!!

      Joy

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