Bye Bye Nursies!

It's time.  Time to reclaim my "girls" (remember that post?!) for at least a few more months.  It's time to wear a bra that doesn't in some weird way resemble a jock strap.  (At least that's what Wes has referred to my nursing bras in the past.  I've actually never seen a jock strap in place and have no idea how they work.  Nor do I really want to for that matter.)  It's time to nudge Daddy when Tucker cries out "MA!" at 5:00 am.  It's time.

Sorry, Bubby, but it's time to say, "Bye Bye" to your "nursies." 

I've decided to wean Tucker.  And even though my OB assured me she sees no problem in continuing to breastfeed while pregnant since I'm not considered at risk for pre-term labor, I have several reasons for doing so.

At the very top of my list is an innate need to have my girls back before going through the whole process all over again with Tucker's brother/sister.  Right now, the thought of hooking myself up to my pump is enough to send me into tears.  Not that pumping was painful or problematic, it just SUCKED (literally and figuratively)!  And, it's an inevitable process in the beginning stages of breastfeeding and pretty much throughout the first SEVERAL months unless you're able to be with your little one 24/7. 

I think I will need a few months off in order to muster up the get-up that it will take in order to breastfeed Baby Keene #2 for as long as I did Tucker (or for at least a year, we don't necessarily have to go 17+ months, Baby Keene #2!). 

Another huge reason for this decision is that I have NO desire to tandem nurse.  (Read:  I WILL NOT TANDEM NURSE MY CHILDREN!)  I want Tucker to have forgotten all about his "nursies" by the time his brother/sister makes his/her debut.  I already have all kinds of guilt about the time that this baby will inevitably take away from Tucker.  I don't want him to also feel like he is giving up something else that he loves, or that the baby is allowed to nurse but he is not. 

I have read that pregnancy can really change the taste of your milk.  As picky as Tucker is about milk (remember it took forever before he would really drink cow's milk?!), I thought for sure that alone might be enough for him to make the decision to wean on his own.  Oh, but not my lil' boob man!  He obviously didn't let a little change in taste come in between him and his Mama's milk! 

While Tucker can definitely go all day without nursing, and has when I'm not around, he prefers to nurse several times a day.  When I'm home with him, he nurses morning and night, and about 50% of the time he also nurses a couple times throughout the day.  BUT, he asks for it ALL DAY LONG.  It really requires a lot of redirection to distract him during the day, especially before naps. 

When I'm not home in the evenings and Wes puts Tucker to bed, he has no problems.  A bath, a book, a song or two, and in his crib he goes.  No problem.  He cuddles up with his silky, blows Daddy a kiss, and is off to dreamland.  BUT, when I'm home he demands to nurse first.  He will throw a fit if Daddy tries to put him to bed if he knows I'm in the house.  However, for the first time last night, he nursed for literally 5 seconds then wanted his paci.  So, a quick song of Jesus Loves Me and I laid him in his crib, told him I loved him and walked out.  I thought, "He's gonna change his mind and wanna nurse," but nope, he was out for the night.  Maybe he's thinking it's about time too....

Funny thing, he only nurses for a few minutes per session.  It's not a hunger thing.  It's not a nutritional thing.  It's a comfort thing for Tucker.  Seriously, he can stub his toe and will be in tears, holding his toe with one hand and signing "milk" with the other hand.  It just makes him feel good.  And, I'll admit, it makes Mommy feel good too.  I love the closeness that breastfeeding has given Tucker and I.  One of Tucker's top love languages is very much physical touch and nursing fulfills a large part of that.  It's time with his Mommy.  And, for me, it's time with my Bubbas!  Weaning will be just as hard on me as it will be on him.  But, we are ready. 

Tucker will be 17 months next week.  I plan to start only nursing him at night.  Ugghhh!  It's gonna be hard taking away that morning "nursey time"!  Hopefully we can do that for a month and then work on fading out the night time session.  I still plan to embed plenty of 'Tucker and Mommy' time in our daily routine so he's not missing out on that.  The hardest part is going to be those mornings when he wakes up at 6:00 am, wanting to nurse and then returns to sleep for another couple hours.  I guess I'll try giving him a glass of cow's milk or water to see if that works.  Or worse case scenario, we'll eat breakfast and be up that early for the day... 

Does anyone have any advice on the weaning process???  Before getting pregnant, I said I would nurse Tucker as long as he wanted, hoping he would just wean himself and I wouldn't have to do it.  Now, things have changed and I need some advice on tried and true methods!

My lil' Boob Man!