Time to Wean My Son :(

I had planned to wean my son when he was two.  His birthday was in January.  Nursing was getting harder and harder.  My milk was drying up, and it was starting to hurt.  It was time.  It thankfully was not that hard.  I started taking out the nap nursing session as soon as we got back from our Thanksgiving trip.  He had very little issues with it.  I sat with him on the floor and we read stories for 10 minutes.  I then put him in his crib.  He fussed for a little, but hardly anything.  What a RELIEF!  We did this for a couple of weeks before implementing night time weaning.  It went just as smoothly.  My husband took over the stories, and I will say...after TWO YEARS of putting our son to bed, it was nice to just sit on the couch by myself.  After night was fully done, I took a last nap time nursing session, so DS and I could have one last time alone together.  You never forget the first time they latch, but I heard you generally forget the last....I didn't want that, so I wrote him a letter.  I'm so glad I did, because I already would have forgotten the weather that day.

Oh my sweet DS,

Today was your last time nursing.  It is January 4, 2010.  It is cold and sunny w/ some snow spitting in the air.  (high of 27 and low of 7 degrees.) You made it 2 years!  I could not be more proud of you, DS.  I am so thankful for our special relationship.  I remember how thrilled I was when you first latched and started sucking w/ those weak jaws just minutes after you were born.  You chomped.  I was in awe.  Today, it was so hard for me to break your latch once you had fallen asleep for your nap.  I kissed your hand and said “I love you DS, and I love your Daddy,” just as I had done every nursing session we’ve had over the last two years.  I remember nursing you in the glider when you barely fit in my arms, thinking that someday your legs will be hanging over the arms of the chair.  That came quickly.  December 26, 2009 we had planned for your last time nursing for bed.  (You were down to just that 1 feeding).  But you had other ideas.  You spent the night at Gammie and O’Pa’s on the 27th.  Daddy put you to bed successfully on the 28th.  But on the 29th…you were very upset after Daddy put you to bed, so we nursed together again that night.  I wondered if it was the last time.  It wasn’t.  You woke up from your nap on New Year’s Eve distraught.  So I nursed you.  You stayed on forever and didn’t want off.  We finally put in some Thomas the Train videos (Your favorite!), and you came off to watch that.  Was this the last time?  It could have been, but I wanted a last nursing just the two of us for your naptime so I could have you fall asleep in my arms one last time.  That was today.  You are such a special little boy…so happy and kind.  I look forward to all the wonderful adventures we will share together.  You’re a big boy now…you will make an amazing big brother.  Mommy loves you with all her heart.

Love,

Mommy  (Mo-mee)

PS:  I nursed you 2 days later on Wednesday for your nap.  You were sick and the day prior you didn’t nap, so I wanted you to get some good rest.  I nursed you on Sunday as well, when you woke up from your nap upset.  That was the last time…just shy of your second birthday.  What a BIG BOY!

I still cannot sit in the glider with my son.  He will immediately lie down to nurse.  Such a sweet little boy he is.