He's already got the perfect Vegemite eating technique downpat...
We started our mushy, messy adventure into solids around 3 months ago so breastfeeds have been steadily decreasing for a while. From birth, my boy had been a big lover of the boob - it was 2 hourly feeds during the day, and one or two at night, depending on whether he woke or not. That was equivalent to around 10 a day. I was firmly in dairy cow territory - it felt like a baby was permanently stuck to my breast and i was never, ever, ever going to be able to get him off or be able to go anywhere alone, ever again. Now? My little boy is having 3 meals of solids a day and usually 3-4 milk feeds. Only two of which ( on a good day ) are breastfeeds. After 6 weeks or so of trying, I've finally managed to get Flynn to take a bottle. A bottle you say? But i thought you were so pro-breastfeeding Amy? Well yes, i am, but the need to return to work ( and i mean need - if my bank account weren't hovering so close to a zero balance i would love to stay home... ) means i can't breastfeed during the day, and the decline in breastfeeding means i cant express enough booby juice - so its a formula bottle feed, twice a day at the very least. Happily, my community health nurse informs that he is now old enough to start drinking cows milk, so i dont have to buy expensive formula anymore!
So - i'm not sure how i feel about this whole weaning thing. I wanted him to start taking a bottle, needed him to do it so we didnt have any difficulties when we started daycare, but i didnt think he'd so easily drop his prior enthusiasm for booby-time. On one hand i love, love, love that it means i can have a little independence back - that i can have a morning sleep-in now that he doesnt need a breastfeed upon waking; that i could leave him with his Grandma and Poppy so i can have a haircut/eyebrow wax/go to the movies, without having to worry that my 2 hours of freedom before the next breastfeed is almost up; that i can spend the day at home with him without feeling like his own personal milk machine.
On the other hand, i'm going to miss the intimacy of breastfeeding. I love being able to look down at his fat little hand resting on my booby, his chubby little belly snuggled into me, and wondering at what Mick and I have created. I've found that i'm trying to keep that closeness while he has a bottle - i lean down and kiss his head, or stroke his arm or tickle his feet. I'm going to relish my freedom no doubt, but i'm going to mourn for that close breastfeeding bond.
So we're pretty much down to one, long, proper breastfeed a day - which happens to be in the middle of the night. When Flynn starts sleeping through again ( which i'm praying for ) that feed will be gone too. My baby is growing up! So how about you guys ladies? How did you feel when your bubbas left the booby?
