Got Milk???

Well it happened a few weeks ago but I am just now getting around to blogging about it. Cooper is weaned and drinking cow's milk now! It was a hard day when I decided to give up nursing. Let me begin by saying I had always planned on nursing (if my body would allow it). But I was weirded out by older babies that nursed. I was sure I would stop nursing when Cooper got teeth, so around 6 months. He had other plans however.

Cooper supplemented with formula for the first few weeks of his life. He was a big baby (8 lbs 7 oz) and my milk just wasn't doing it for him until it fully came in. I also wanted him to be used to a bottle and formula if for some reason I couldn't be with him or if we were out and about and he got hungry. Besides I HATED pumping it just never worked for me! He only had a bottle here and there but never had a problem taking it. He was awesome at nursing too! Well the bottle worked great for the first 4 months of his life. But the second we started him on cereal/baby food he wanted nothing to do with the bottle. It didn't matter if it had my milk or formula in it. We even tested out a few different formulas, but nothing! He just liked to nurse. This was totally okay with me because I LOVED nursing. I loved that only I could soothe him when he was hungry and that he only wanted me. I loved nursing before bed and in the morning and even those middle of the night feedings that we had for 10 1/2 months!!! Besides formula just stinks and is nasty. And since he was spitting up so much I didn't want the spit up smelling and being even worse. He always ate at least 3 hours apart (from the beginning) and once he stopped taking a bottle he was eating baby food so if he got hungry I could give him that to hold him over until I could nurse. Once he hit about 6 months he wouldn't nurse if there was anything else going on however. The tv, mother's room at church, Indiana, etc. Everything distracted him because he was so curious. But we figured out what worked and he realized that if he would just eat then he could play and be crazy.

When he got teeth I contemplated stopping but since he wouldn't take a bottle it was just too big of a hassle. Biting was never an issue however. I was very lucky! So I just kept nursing. When he hit around 10 1/2 months he started showing interest in other babies bottles. So I figured I would try some milk in a bottle. He loved it!!! His pediatrician said he could start on cow's milk around 11 months. So I held off until 11 months before I really started giving him milk. I would have stopped nursing there (I didn't want to but could have I should say). But we had the family reunion the week of his birthday and I knew that nursing was a comfort to him and that he would probably need it being out of his routine and own environment. So I nursed until he was one. I was leaving for Youth Conference August 4th so I knew I had to be done by then.

I started on July 18th with cutting out his mid day feeding. I started giving him a cup of milk. He hadn't been on the bottle since 4 months so we just skipped over it and started with the sippy cup. No need starting a habit that will just have to be broken in a few months anyways. Then the next week I cut out the morning feeding and just gave him a cup. He hadn't been getting middle of the night feedings anymore because he was sleeping thru the night. Even if he did wake up in the middle of the night he wouldn't get a feeding. So that was nice getting that taken care of before I started weaning. Then the big and final step was when I cut out the before bed feeding. I was so not excited about his one. This one was my favorite. I loved sitting in my glider in his room with the lights out, him all cuddly and ready for bed. He was just so sweet at this time of day. However this kind of happened naturally because I was gone a couple nights in a row when Brad put him to bed so he just got a cup anyways. I still am the one putting him to bed if I am home and I love this. I love being the first thing he sees in the morning and the last thing at night. He is at the stage where you give him his bink and blankey and he just wants to be put in his crib and go to sleep. SO NICE!!!! But on the nights he is beyond tired or not feeling great I love sitting in the glider and just rocking him. Best thing ever that he wants to cuddle now. This stage is so sweet!

It was really sad for me to stop nursing. I knew that it was time. He was getting to rambunctious and wanted to be all over the place when nursing. He would crawl around in the middle and play then want to come back for more. Or would try to nurse while he was standing or just weird things like that. Then he started coming over and try to pull down or lift up my shirt. When this happened I knew we were done!!!! I was surprised at how easy of a transition it was for him to quit nursing. Not only that but for my body. I had heard horror stories about when you wean and let your milk dry up. But I didn't have anything. I didn't have any painful days or discomfort or anything! It was like there was no change at all.

I do miss nursing but it is nice to have a break. I only have so much time before I get pregnant again and it starts all over. No it won't be happening anytime soon! Cooper loves getting milk in his sippy. He watches it in the microwave and lights up when you give it to him. He loves that he can crawl around with it and drink at his own leisure. You watch his face and you can tell he feels so cool and is so proud that he can do it on his own. It is weird to think he is such a big boy doing big boy things. He isn't my tiny little baby anymore. And he LOVES being big. It is funny to see him watch the bigger kids and then try to do what they are doing. Now if we could just get him walking like the big kids :)

Coop's being a big boy with his sippy