When I first had Angie and began nursing her, everyone would ask "How long are you going to nurse her for?" I didn't know how to answer. "Until she doesn't want to nurse anymore, I guess," I would say, and often would get disapproving shakes of the head and advice about not letting a toddler breastfeed. In fact, at my most recent dentist visit, about a month ago, my dentist recommended some oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth, but said I could wait until after I'd finished nursing Angie. "You're not going to let it go on forever, are you?" he asked. Not that it was any of his business, but I said, "I'll keep doing it until she decides she doesn't need it." Again, that disapproving shake and "experienced" advice. "Just don't be like Desperate Housewives, nursing a 5 year old." I don't watch Desperate Housewives, so I didn't know what he was referring to, but I was miffed.
Well, anyway, Angie started tapering off during the day around 10 months or so, only needing an occasional nursing if some trauma befell her. Nightime nursings, however, were still a requirement if I was putting her to bed; they weren't so necessary when Miguel put her to bed while I was at work though. And still, she woke several times a night for small, reassuring nursings, just to make sure I hadn't abandoned her, I guess.
Since I had my surgery, I wasn't able to easily nurse her, either before bed or during the night, so I kept them short and let Miguel do most of the work. I guess maybe that was the impetus for her, because all of a sudden, four nights ago, she stopped waking in the middle of the night.
She's been going to bed, even with me, without nursing, and hasn't awakened for a nursing in 4 nights. She does wake occasionally, having misplaced her pacifier, but she goes immediately back to sleep once I replace the binky. It's been refreshing and eye opening. I feel odd, not nursing her in the middle of the night, but happy because finally, I feel human again. I get quality sleep now, which makes me happier all around and more functional during the day. And, I guess it's just a reaffirmation that my child likes to do things in her own time, in her own way. It's a lesson I will do well to remember as more frustrating challenges appear.
2 comments:
Sometimes they need a helping hand. Like if they are waking for comfort nursing, you can just go and snuggle for a few minutes without nursing, then they learn that they can find comfort in other ways...
Angie would never do that. She wouldn't allow a quiet snuggle. She would get more and more agitated, making it a long ordeal if she didn't get her nursing. But, oh well, I'ts worked out for the best.
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