I started weaning my sweet little angel boy this weekend. I read all about the best and easiest ways to do it and decided on a plan of action. So Sunday I cut out the afternoon feeding. Yesterday when I picked him up after work we did not stay and play and nurse like we usually do at my MIL's. I grabbed his bag and got him out to the car before he could realize that it was time to nurse. MIL has started giving him a snack and some milk about 30 minutes before I get there in the afternoons so maybe he won't miss it too much. He seemed okay yesterday. I am going to try to cut out one feeding a week until he is weaned.
I will miss breastfeeding him so much. I never thought I would say that, but it has been such a bonding experience for us. It was something that only I could do for him. I think the time has come for us to end that part of our relationship though. I have for the past few months become increasingly irritable and stressed out (since the return of my periods). I feel it may be the time to go back on my happy pills, before I go back into that horrible place that I have been in before. My periods are BAD and the mood swings are awful. It is affecting everyone around me at home and work. I can't control the mood swings, but medication can. I know many people take happy pills and continue breastfeeding, but I have some questions that no one has really been able to answer regarding the side effects to my child, so I would prefer to wean him before I start taking any mood altering drugs. Also when I stop breastfeeding I can go back on regular birth control pills and hopefully make my periods lighter and make the cramps not as bad.
I know all of that seems so selfish when I read the reasons. I fear that if I don't do something for my mental health soon it could have bad results for me. I have very little patience lately and it is making me raise my voice more and have some irrational thoughts. I know I can hang in there until we are done with the weaning which should be in about 4 weeks. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I just keep reminding myself of it. I have surpassed most people's expectations on breastfeeding anyway. Once he is weaned we will have been breastfeeding for a little more than a year. That in itself is something to be proud of.
7 comments:
I don't think this is selfish at all. If you're not in a good place, that will affect your relationship with others, especially your son, and that's not good for either of you. Don't beat yourself up over it. From the sounds of it, you're completely doing the right thing.
I agree with Kristi. You aren't being selfish to take care of yourself! Your baby needs a healthy, happy mom!
J.
PS. If it isn't too much of an invasion of your privacy, could you send me an e-mail?
Carmichael205@yahoo.com.
Thanks.
J.
you have to do what is right for yourself, before you can make the right decisions for your child. Happy pills make life easier for you which will in turn make life easier for your child.
I agree I don't think it's selfish either..what would be selfish is ignoring the warning signs that you may need your happy pills and taking your "bad days" out on your family...
who says what the right or wrong time frame is to breast feed anyways?..I REALLY dion't believe this will make or break the babe!! he's too cute to get mad!! LOL
I agree with the others. It's not selfish of you to take action for your mental health. If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy...or whatever it is they say.
Making it to one year is something to be very proud of. Your reasons for wanting to wean do not seem selfish at all. For one thing, you are mostly concerned about your baby. For another thing, a happy (non)nursing mom is a happy (non)nursing baby. The nursing relationship is only positive so long as BOTH parties desire to continue. Congrats mama for making it this far!! I know how emotional the weaning process can be (particularly when outside forces make you "rush" it, so to speak). Hang in there tho!!
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