People and the things they say

After much debate "we" I have decided to wean Miles. Brandon and I have always agreed that I would nurse for as long as I wanted. My initial nursing goal was 3 months, when we made it to 3 months, I decided 6 months, at 6 months it was 3 more months, at 9 months I figured hey why not just go to a year. At 12 months Brandon and I agreed that I it would be a day to day kinda deal....We often joked that Miles would be a senior in high school still nursing.








Day 1 was tough, I sat with him crying with him. Wishing I could make him understand that I'm not being a mean mommy. I asked some advice from the experts, my 2 good girl friends Julie who breastfed her son Jack for a over a year and Neva who breastfed her son Aven for over a year. They both assured me that it would get easier, and that they were there if I need to cry, or some more advice. Thanks Julie and Neva. You are both my lifesavers!! Miles screamed, thew the biggest tantrums I have ever seen (by him.) Lacey has been known to throw some pretty big tantrums. I tried to keep us busy. By the time Brandon got home Miles was ready for bed. Brandon rocked Miles to sleep and he slept all night until 8 this morning.


Day 1=Success





Day 2 we aren't done with day 2 however it's gone fairly well. I think I'm in more pain then Miles is....It's been a good day. He took a 30 minute nap, and is now asleep again. Whatever works. Luckily my mom came and took Lacey!!

Getting to almost 18 months of breastfeeding hasn't been easy. It's had it's ups and downs. The midnight run to Wal-Mart to buy a can of formula, and a new bottle, the clogged milk ducts, the pumping for hours, worrying about my supply, being the only one able to feed Miles, but every single day has been worth it!! It helped me lose tons of weight, helped keep my little man healthy, kept my menstual cycle away for 16 months...I was period free for 25 months!!


Now on to the crazy things people say. It starts when you are pregnant, they tell you how huge you are, how tiny you are, that they wouldn't do this, but do that instead. When they are born it's like you are asking for unsolicited advice. Strangers stop you in the store to tell you how to parent, what to feed your kids, what sippy cup to use, to rearface your baby in the carseat until they are teenagers. I am their parent I will decide what I think is best for them. Whether you agree with it or not. The last time I checked my kids didn't come with an instruction manual. (Iwishtheydid)

I don't make it known a lot that I still breastfed. If someone asks I'll tell them. When they ask how old Miles is and I told them 17 months, they say "you really breastfed for that long? That's a long time. Way longer then I would have done it." I say "yes I know how long I've nursed him, I gave birth to him 1 year, 5 months, and 10 days ago. 524 days ago, if you want that in hour, minutes, and seconds I can give that to you as well." Oky well I never really said that, but that's what I was thinking.I've had women look at me like their appalled, one mom joked that I was going to be like the mom from the movie "Grown Ups" where my son is 4 and still breastfeeding. One mom asked if I wanted award for breastfeeding the longest. I looked at her and said nope I got it already...he is a healthy, active, happy 17 month old.

I know that breastfeeding isn't for everyone. I don't try to push it on people, if they want to formula feed go right ahead. You are your child's parent not me!! You may not agree with my parenting skills or lack there of, and I may not agree with yours...however we are mommy's, or parents....can we just respect one another???