We had a a minor break through in our breastfeeding journey, last night, that I have to share!! After a marathon session of constantly switching back & forth between breasts - complete with a careless latch, and holding on with her teeth (ouchies!)...
I was SO totally touched out, that I finally I told her they hurt, and needed to rest. Now, I am not really looking to night-wean her... but in a few rare cases - of which this was one - I just couldn't take it any more!!
Naturally, I was expecting her to have a really hard time with this sudden change of habits... What, no boob at my every fleeting whim?! But instead she was so gentle & compassionate, asking me, "mama, hurt? I see?" only to follow it with a inspection & kiss for each breast. :-) As I anticipated, she did ask for it numerous times before she finally fell asleep... but with each request I would assure her, "I know you want to nurse, but they need to rest." to which she would repeat "Mama, boob, hurt."
The real shocker though, was in the middle of the night, when she awoke because she needed to pee. Upon my reaction to her attempts to latch... she recognized/remembered they still hurt, zealously backed away, kissed them ever so tenderly.... and then quietly laid her head on them, and fell asleep. It was so sweet! - Needless to say, I was *amazed*!! ~ She hardly *ever* goes to sleep without nursing... let alone when she's half asleep, and needs to fall back to sleep. And then to do it so willingly and empathetically.... it was precious!!
Now, I won't lie. By not giving in, and letting her nurse at her every whim (esp to fall asleep), did make for a loooong night! Since she wasn't accustomed to needing to self-soothe and fall asleep on her own.... it took my already super-late-night-owl, quite a bit longer to finally drift into dreamland, than it normally would! ~ But it was definitely much less painful than I ever imagined it would be!
Just wanted to share.... :-)
I was SO totally touched out, that I finally I told her they hurt, and needed to rest. Now, I am not really looking to night-wean her... but in a few rare cases - of which this was one - I just couldn't take it any more!!Naturally, I was expecting her to have a really hard time with this sudden change of habits... What, no boob at my every fleeting whim?! But instead she was so gentle & compassionate, asking me, "mama, hurt? I see?" only to follow it with a inspection & kiss for each breast. :-) As I anticipated, she did ask for it numerous times before she finally fell asleep... but with each request I would assure her, "I know you want to nurse, but they need to rest." to which she would repeat "Mama, boob, hurt."
The real shocker though, was in the middle of the night, when she awoke because she needed to pee. Upon my reaction to her attempts to latch... she recognized/remembered they still hurt, zealously backed away, kissed them ever so tenderly.... and then quietly laid her head on them, and fell asleep. It was so sweet! - Needless to say, I was *amazed*!! ~ She hardly *ever* goes to sleep without nursing... let alone when she's half asleep, and needs to fall back to sleep. And then to do it so willingly and empathetically.... it was precious!!
Now, I won't lie. By not giving in, and letting her nurse at her every whim (esp to fall asleep), did make for a loooong night! Since she wasn't accustomed to needing to self-soothe and fall asleep on her own.... it took my already super-late-night-owl, quite a bit longer to finally drift into dreamland, than it normally would! ~ But it was definitely much less painful than I ever imagined it would be!
Just wanted to share.... :-)
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