Ok, so I am looking at weaning Mak...not because I want to wean her, but because she is acting like she is somewhat ready. I think we could keep on nursing at night if she wakes and right before bed, but during the day she can give or take the nursing. When I am at work, she refuses...flat out refuses to take my breastmilk in any form. I am really getting tired of pumping at work if she will not take my milk. I also tried to wean off of the domperidone and fenugreek, but when I got to a certain point, my milk was close to drying up. I am now on half the domperidone I was on when I was totally breastfeeding, but I really want to stop taking it.

Any words of advice or encouragement? I guess I am feeling bad that Mak is only 13+ months old and it feels like we are almost done nursing. She does seem super excited to nurse when I nurse her to sleep, but she seems fine with cuddling sometimes too.......

Not sure if anyone remembers, but I had a hard time with when to wean Em too. But that case was more that Em didn't want to stop nursing and I was feeling done! LOL

Blessings dear sisters!
Amber

Great job on nursing her over a year--especially with the special pumping challenges and production struggles.

If you want to nurse her then maybe you could just skip the pumping and the production increase tools and nurse whenever she and you want to? Is it more that you dislike the nursing or that you dislike all the gymnastics that you have to do to keep your supply up?

If she likes to nurse right before sleep or whenever, maybe you could do that if it's convenient for you.

I'm starting to feel a bit impatient with nursing, but my DD (3 years, 2 months old) is not ready to wean. So I think that I'll just set some limits for my own sanity.

I hope that you figure out something that works for you and Mak!

Thanks for the reply....

I love nursing...there have been times when I was pg that it was hard to tollerate, but I would rather, nurse even then than not. KWIM?

I am just tired of feeling bummed because I have a low supply and I have to fight it on an almost hourly basis. I know the Lord knows why my breasts were formed they way they were and He knows the struggles I have had, but it still weighs heavy on my heart.

I am a bit taken back by how soon it seems that Mak is getting ready to wean. I couldn't nurse Em enough. I knew Mak would wean sooner than Em, but it's just hard to see the end coming.

If I only nursed at bedtime and in the morning, would my body still in theory produce milk?

Blessings,
Amber

Thanks for the reply....

I love nursing...there have been times when I was pg that it was hard to tollerate, but I would rather, nurse even then than not. KWIM?

I am just tired of feeling bummed because I have a low supply and I have to fight it on an almost hourly basis. I know the Lord knows why my breasts were formed they way they were and He knows the struggles I have had, but it still weighs heavy on my heart.

I am a bit taken back by how soon it seems that Mak is getting ready to wean. I couldn't nurse Em enough. I knew Mak would wean sooner than Em, but it's just hard to see the end coming.

If I only nursed at bedtime and in the morning, would my body still in theory produce milk?

Blessings,
Amber

You may still make a little milk even nursing a couple of times a day. It's worth a try anyway. Makelah may just enjoy nursing for the comfort. I nursed through my entire pregnancy and there were times when I had very little milk, but my daughter loved nursing for the comfort, as well as for the milk.

Amber, you have done an awesome job of getting this far! I was some what the same way with Abby and Josiah. Abby could nurse all day long until she was 3 but Josiah weaned himself around 14 months.

What if you went off the stuff you're on but ate foods that help with your milk supply? Do you like seaweed? Or drink Red Rasberry tea?

Maybe that will help keep your milk supply up enough that you wouldn't HAVE to pump or take that stuff. BUT if you are pumping, and Mak doesn't want it, could you save it for your next baby? or even mix it in her foods? That way you don't feel like you're doing it for nothing KWIM?

Thanks for the replies gals!
I think I am going to give my milk to a friend who adopted a baby recently. We talked a bit about me doing that before she even knew she had a baby so I think she would like to take the milk.

I am going to try and at least wean off of the dom and keep up the fenugreek and then wean off the fenugreek slowly. I think the fenugreek does more than the dom now anyways.

I only pumped once at work today. I'm feeling very up and down about it. I feel pretty full, but not like I would have been 2 or 3 months ago. BUT, my baby girl is healthy, is eating really well now, and loves to cuddle. I think we will be ok. (that is one thing about Em that's different from Mak...Em would only cuddle me when we nursed, Mak likes to cuddle all the time!!)

thank you gals for your support.....

Amber

Amber, have you looked into whether it is okay to "share" your milk? I read once that it wasn't a good idea something to do with different antibodies or something... I know they did it in the past and in other countries. but anyway..
I hope you end up with peace regaurding your choice on nursing Mak. You're a wonderful mom, and you have always gone that extra mile for them!

I haven't heard of there being a problem with breastmilk. I know antibodies in breastmilk are what help little ones stay healthy and fight colds or bugs that a mother or baby may have been exposed to, but I don't think there could be anything harmful in breastmilk unless I took some drugs or something that got into the milk. My friend who adopted the baby is going to take my pumped milk. Mak nurses well, she just won't take my milk from anything but me. I also slowing reducing my meds....I seem to be making some milk, and got pretty full when Mak hadn't nursed for a long time, so that seems good to me!
Thank you for your prayers...I feel much more at peace!!

blessings,
Amber