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| Ragnar & Magnus |
Friday, December 23, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Nursing Update
We are fast approaching the 12-month nursing mark. We've had so many ups and downs with nursing, but overall, I've been pleased with it. I've been able to give my boys a great start and many antibodies. I am planning on nursing until they are ready to wean on their own. I had hoped that would be around the 18 month or 24-month mark. We are currently nursing at wake-up, after each nap and at bedtime. Occasionally there is an overnight feed around 3 or 4 AM, but that is very rare these days.
I am afraid that Magnus may be starting to wean. He is on another nursing strike. This is his third one since the start of November. The first strike I attributed to a disruption in his routine when my youngest sister visited for a week. His strike lasted 3 1/2 days and then he slowly came back to the breast. During that time and for a week after I ended up using a rented hospital grade pump to pump for him and keep my supply up. The second strike was at the start of him getting hand-foot-and-mouth disease about 2 weeks ago. He didn't nurse for 1 1/2 days. He slowly came back to the breast and seemed to be doing fine with nursing. The latest strike started Saturday night. He has eaten at the breast both Sunday AM and Monday AM, but won't nurse any other times. My freezer stash is almost depleted, and I can't seem to find time to pump during the days when they are awake to make up for using the freezer stash. Only time will tell if Magnus is done, but it still makes me sad that we won't have that cuddle time built in each day. Luckily, we are very close to the 1-year mark, and he can start having cow's milk.
Ragnar loves all the extra breast-feeding time. I've been having him nurse on both sides (normally they each just nurse on one side per feed then switch to the other side on the next feed) and he has enjoyed the extra milk. He never refuses the breast and uses it as a comforter as well. He nursed MORE during his bout of hand-foot-and-mouth disease even though he had MANY more sores in his mouth than Magnus did.
I'm happy that my boys are both growing well and are healthy. But at the same time, I am sad that they are fast approaching toddlerhood and leaving babyhood behind them. I've loved all the baby times and I'm sure I'll love the toddler times too, but it's hard to see them go.
I am afraid that Magnus may be starting to wean. He is on another nursing strike. This is his third one since the start of November. The first strike I attributed to a disruption in his routine when my youngest sister visited for a week. His strike lasted 3 1/2 days and then he slowly came back to the breast. During that time and for a week after I ended up using a rented hospital grade pump to pump for him and keep my supply up. The second strike was at the start of him getting hand-foot-and-mouth disease about 2 weeks ago. He didn't nurse for 1 1/2 days. He slowly came back to the breast and seemed to be doing fine with nursing. The latest strike started Saturday night. He has eaten at the breast both Sunday AM and Monday AM, but won't nurse any other times. My freezer stash is almost depleted, and I can't seem to find time to pump during the days when they are awake to make up for using the freezer stash. Only time will tell if Magnus is done, but it still makes me sad that we won't have that cuddle time built in each day. Luckily, we are very close to the 1-year mark, and he can start having cow's milk.
Ragnar loves all the extra breast-feeding time. I've been having him nurse on both sides (normally they each just nurse on one side per feed then switch to the other side on the next feed) and he has enjoyed the extra milk. He never refuses the breast and uses it as a comforter as well. He nursed MORE during his bout of hand-foot-and-mouth disease even though he had MANY more sores in his mouth than Magnus did.
I'm happy that my boys are both growing well and are healthy. But at the same time, I am sad that they are fast approaching toddlerhood and leaving babyhood behind them. I've loved all the baby times and I'm sure I'll love the toddler times too, but it's hard to see them go.
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