I dont know if its because AF showed, or if it was because it is time, or if its all in my head, but my milk supply seems to be decreasing dramatically. My bbs feel less full (read that as empty) and I dont feel the let down happening very often, Kaua pulls off and on frequently (which actually isn't anything new) and I dont see much milk in his mouth when he pulls off, and I wonder if he's getting enough milk. I've done some brief research (namely on kellymom.com) and it appears that the concensus is that I'm still making milk and my bbs have just learned how to make just enough, hence the lack of full feeling, and that my body will make milk as long as milk continues to be drained out of my bbs, but still, I am just not certain that he's getting enough milk from me only. He's really thin and this could be because he's super active and generally food, or because he's not getting enough of his nutrients from his main food supply (breastmilk).
Over the last day or so, I've been following up with some of his "questionable" nursing times with 2oz. of milk and he generally will drink maybe about 1 more oz of milk. IBecause of this it's just so easy for me to simply stop nursing and offer him the bottle instead. I feel reluctant to do this for several reasons, one of them simply because I know how expensive formula feeding only can be. However, I have been long "over" nursing and cannot wait to have him be independent of me for milk. Kaua will be 9 months old tomorrow, and nursing him for 9 months is awesome in my book. I'd love to finally have my body fully returned to me, no longer having to watch how much I drink or have my bbs pulled, pinched, bitten, grabbed, etc. However, breast feeding was easy, and takes less planning in terms of travel (unless I need to have the pump handy) and obviously less expensive.
Just now, instead of offering Kaua to nurse from me, I've just given him a bottle. He didn't drink very much of it, which means I could simply nurse him instead, if I wanted to keep the nursing up. Or I could just stick with giving him the bottle, and nurse him only during nap times and at night (which I never knew was possible, but it is...partial nursing). I'm at the edge of a cliff, I'm at a fork in the road, uncertain which path to travel.....wean him or keep nursing?
I remember this time clearly. From 9-11 months, I decided to nurse 2x per day, first thing in the morning and at bedtime. At 11 months, I did only first thing in the AM and at 11.5 months, we were done completely. He got bottles before naps and did fine, my supply responded well and had plenty for the two feedings.
ReplyDeleteIt is a hard decision to make but like with everything else, you and he will know when it is truly time.
I'm on this cliff also. I think I've almost decided to go with partial nursing. Just in the morning when he first wakes up,at nap times(maybe) and during the night. Because I am NOT waking up in the middle of the night to go make a bottle!
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