Through the First Year and Then Some

WARNING: this post has no pictures. For those who only like the posts with pictures (mom...) STOP READING NOW.

It's been awhile.... Well, since my last post I've completely stopped breast feeding Chloe. About a week ago we were down to just her feeding before bed, and now she's no longer nursing at all. In turn, our bed time routine has changed a little. We get her dressed in her jammies and she get's a vitamin with iron (she's a bit anemic). She has I'd say about 3-4oz. of whole milk and some kind of snack, if she'll eat it. After that, we brush teeth and she gets to pick out a book to read before we lay her down for bed. On bath nights we of course do a bath before all of that and put on lotion and stuff too. It's been working out pretty well so far. She's still sleeping through the night and everything. After about a week, I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable, but a hot shower works wonders. I never really had a big problem with engorgement anyway. I'm proud and relieved to be able to say that I made it through the first year, and then some, of breast feeding. I didn't give up when I really, REALLY wanted to, and Chloe only had formula a few times.

I never thought I'd say that I was a little sad to stop nursing her, but I was. I did not enjoy it a whole lot at all. I was stationary a lot and felt it was an inconvenience at times. With a bottle you don't have to worry about finding a private room if you're, like me, and not comfortable doing it in public. In the times you do have to be in public it get's harder as your baby get's bigger and wants to look around and not be covered up. So to be sad about quitting was not expected. But how could I not be a little sad. It means that my baby isn't a baby anymore and doesn't need her nourishment from me. She still needs just about everything else from me, but still. Well, now I know that I want to breast feed any other babies God gives us... unless He gives us multiples. I'd have to think long and hard about that one.