Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Torn...

Edith is getting some HUGE front teeth.  I watched her eating her dinner last night, and admired the way she's figured out how to use them to tear her food.  Getting teeth is always exciting, because a whole new world of food opens up to the kids.  She's learning how to rip, tear, and chew much more efficiently.

I think I'm done breastfeeding her.

OUCH!

My dilemma is this:  How on earth do I wean her?  I'm still feeding her two or three times a day.  I feed her when I wake up, I feed her before her nap, and I feed her when she wakes up from her nap.  She doesn't need the nourishment, but she loves the comfort and the cuddles.  And, truth be told, I like the cuddles as well.  She's my baby, and part of me wants to keep her my baby for as long as possible.  But seriously--ouch!

I guess I could give it a few days and see if she stops scraping me to bits with her big (and, incidentally, VERY sharp) top teeth.  But if I keep feeding her now, when does it stop?  I certainly don't want to be one of those freaky women who feed their kids until they're like 3 or 4 years old!

Dylan was easy--he was down to just one feed a day when I stopped breastfeeding him, and I was already pregnant with Edith.  I wasn't sad to stop.  I needed to stop because I wanted my body to myself for a few months before I had a newborn to feed.  And I couldn't imagine trying to feed two of them at the same time.  Now I just don't know.  Dylan was about the age that Edith is now when I finally weaned him, but she seems so much younger.  She's so tiny and delicate, and still seems like such a baby because she's so small.

The WHO advises women to breastfeed their babies until they are two years old.  Culturally, most women in England stop between 6-9 months.  I've managed a good compromise, I guess.  But opinions would be helpful here, so I am officially soliciting advise from you, my readers.  If you think I should stop, give me some tips for how to manage it.  And if you think I should carry on, give me some tips for dealing with teething pain!

2 comments:

Greg, Ang & 4 kidlets said...

I typically stop around a year old- mostly when they are not interested anymore because there is so much to see and do! It's easiest if you take away one feeding at a time- maybe just do morning and night and then just night. MUCH less painful:)

Oh- I saw a story on the news where a Mom was still breast-feeding her 7 year old. Freaks me out- but "to each their own" right?

Unknown said...

i would still snuggle with her just do it with a tippy cup of milk or juice. As old as she is she doin it out of habit and not out of hunger. If i was you i would just stop it completey but thats me some dont agree with that, that is why i suggested offering it to her and see how she takes it and leave your breast out of it:)